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The Walden Project
Assessment
Overview
Students will be assessed mainly from the Gardnerian perspective of Multiple Intelligences, as well as group participation and contribution. . Students will be expected tobe actively engaged and productive in their individual studies as well as group projects. Staff will meet weekly to discuss each student’s progress within the scope of their individual abilities. The aim of the Walden Project is to foster group participation as well as personal pursuit of knowledge rather than fierce and divisive competition. By this method students will learn to value and rely upon the diversity of individual abilities. On the other hand, students will also be encouraged to excel on an individual basis without the constraint of group consensus or limitation. Students will be encouraged to explore how individual and group study inter-relates.
All students will be responsible for producing a final portfolio of their work. The specific expectations of the portfolio are detailed on the following pages. While there is a basic similarity in the format for each portfolio, the individual portfolio will be as diverse as the students’ experience within Walden.
Quantitative assessments in the form of letter grades will be given at mid-year and year’s end. Additionally, all students will receive two full page narrative assessments that will detail their individual progress. Parents and students are encouraged to meet with the Walden instructors as often as they need to if questions about academic concerns are raised.
The transcript for first year Walden students will read as follows:
Foundations in Social and Systems Theory--1 credit
Reflective, Narrative, and Creative Writing--1 credit
Environmental Sciences--1 credit
Professional Apprenticeship--1 credit
Health/Physical Education--1 credit
Personal Learning Plan--3 credits
Elective courses
Independent Studies
CCV courses
These credits can be applied to meet a range of the distribution requirements as required by the Addison Northwest Supervisory Union and the State of Vermont for graduation. Embedded in the Foundations and Social and System Theory requirement are discourse on subjects including U.S. History, political theory, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and contemporary politics.
The Walden Project
Youth Programs:
The Walden Project
