A World of Magic

A student's day will unfold in the same way if they were playing a character in the table-top game Dungeons & Dragons, with less dragons and fewer dungeons of course. They will take part in quests and side quests (projects) that are dotted across a world map. These quests are given out by different guilds and personas, all settled by a specific class of creature within the world (network). Different magical artifacts can be acquired once these quests are completed (competencies). Along the journey, skills and experience will be obtained by the character, leveling them up overall.

The projects, networks, and competencies root students the pragmatic elements of the real world, but the magic of this system is that it is emergent. It is a student centered curriculum that evolves with the students own understanding of their personal journey. Their curiosities guide the process of formalizing their passions. Identifying those passions illuminates a path towards meaningful work and a much more whole vision of themselves. And since classes are happening within their neighborhoods, there is time for the magic of adolescence to unfold in between schedule meetings. They are building a deeper daily relationship with the physical place they live.