Zoe Farrell is a sophomore at IDEAS Academy and a writing apprentice for the Étude Studios. She took time from completing her own Exhibition of Learning (EOL) this week to share an article on the process students follow and some of their projects.

For the past trimester students at the Mosaic School have been researching, creating and revising self-driven projects as individuals or in groups. Finally, they are taking to the stage, presenting their learning and work in an Exhibition of Learning.

They begin with choosing an academic topic to focus on, usually something they have been learning in other classes. They then research and reinterpret this topic in an artistic way, whether that means writing short plays or writing and performing songs.

7th graders Jordan Collett and Peyton Damkot chose to focus on feudalism, which they have been studying in their Social Studies class. Collett and Damkot performed their original song on Tuesday at the John Michael Kohler Art Center Theater. With Collett on the guitar and both of them singing, they illustrated the perspectives of a knight and a peasant in medieval Europe and described the conflict between the classes of society. The duo’s harmonies and chords left the audience to think about the human rights aspect of feudalism. After the performance, Collett and Damkot led a thinking routine with their audience, having them explain what they thought about the song and giving them a chance to ask question.  

These presentations are undoubtedly the most unique aspect of the Etude Group schools. They give students the chance to learn and express their creative talents while also gaining confidence in speaking to groups and strengthening their stage presence. These skills are continuously honed for the rest of their school careers - at least twice a year.