— Tim Breen, Ph.D., Head of School
Curiosity - asking questions - isn't just a way of understanding the world. It's a way of changing it. — Brian Grazer
At Watershed, we believe in the power of questions. We believe that the ability to make a positive impact on the future relies less on having the most answers, and more on being able to ask (and pursue) the most interesting questions. Questions that make us look at the world with new eyes. Questions that inspire us to explore in depth, connecting ideas across conventional boundaries (disciplines, races, political boundaries, etc.). Questions that drive learning. Questions that inspire hope and action.
This is one of the reasons we frame all of our courses with questions, not with a list of content to be covered. You can see them on the syllabi for each class as “essential questions” and “guiding questions.” Course content flows from these real questions. We know that the best, most enduring learning happens when driven by real, relevant questions – questions that are alive for our students.
So to kick off our first trimester, I thought I’d share some of the essential and guiding questions our students and educators are exploring (from across grades 6-12):
From Expedition Courses (Science and Humanities):
What is Russia’s role in the world in the 21st century?
How can we create efficient, equitable, enjoyable, and environmentally friendly transportation?
How has colonialism impacted the lives of Indigenous people in North America?
How have Indigenous people maintained their cultural identities in spite of cultural erasure?
How do people develop and experience a sense of belonging?
How can biodiversity create a more sustainable future?
How does biodiversity lead to resiliency?
How can the lessons of biodiversity translate to human diversity and personal resilience?
What is food?
Where does (my) food come from?
How does food fuel my body?
What does the future of agriculture look like?
What can we learn about culture and identity from the foods we eat?
How do we and others live now and in the future in Boulder and our surrounding communities?
What makes a home?
From Skills Courses (Arts, Design, Writing, Spanish):
What can art tell us about the past?
How might artists shape how a community sees and understands itself?
How does math help us understand the world?
How does animation function to convey meaning and manage audience experience?
What role does critique and collaboration play in refining and developing work?
What skills and tools are necessary to create effective digital design?
How has pottery changed what’s possible?
How can we use our writing to reflect on our own experiences, initiate change within our broader communities and impact our global society?
How can becoming bilingual expand our view of ourselves and others ?
What do we learn from the intersection of communication and culture?
How do we become bilingual?
I’m looking forward to seeing how students and educators explore these questions together this Trimester. Parents, you’ll learn more about these questions during September’s New Term Info Night. I hope you’ll consider discussing these questions with your kids at home in the coming months- I guarantee the conversations these spark will be worth it. Here’s to a question-filled Trimester 1!
