Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/96432
Supporting INDEPENDENT LEARNING S ince January, Latin's woodworking shop has become a second home for seniors Ciprian Zahan and Robert Chen. They have spent class and free time for months coming up with design ideas, calculating and recalculating measurements, drawing plans, researching types of wood, veneers and stains, and finally, most recently, sawing, sanding and building. Along the way, their faculty advisor, Frank Schneider, has been there questioning and challenging Cip and Robert to study their materials, look for solutions and gain a greater understanding of all aspects of carpentry, including the mathematics, computer skills, economics and art involved in creating a fine piece of furniture. This was the in-depth experience that both were looking for when they approached Schneider last year about leading them in an independent study focused on furniture building. Cip and Robert had initially gotten their taste for carpentry when they took a stagecraft course during their sophomore and juniors years in which they built props and stage sets for Latin's performing arts productions. "Through stagecraft we only were involved in a small part of the process," says Robert. "The designs were already in place, the wood was cut for us and our job was to assemble. With our independent study we wanted to learn the whole process from beginning to end." And so, with Robert's idea to replace his collapsing IKEA desk and Cip's plan to fulfill his mother's longtime wish for an elegant coffee table, they set to work. Intellectual Curiosity Much like Robert and Cip, hundreds of Latin students over nearly three decades have pursued their intellectual passions beyond the classroom through independent learning opportunities. Many of these have led to impressive college-level class work and innovative original research covering every discipline and topic. When Upper School Director Ted Graf arrived at Latin in 2007, he could immediately appreciate the intellectual curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit that motivated students to pursue an independent study. "I was struck by the conversations that were always going on between students and teachers about their intellectual passions," says Graf. "The constant give and take and sharing of information and knowledge on an individual level – that connection between them – is something that is very much a part of the culture at Latin. The independent studies 22 Latin Magazine