The anatomy of the IP

Recently I was asked to present at a peer school’s board about our movement away from the AP program over time. More and more schools are looking for ways to offer something that surpasses public school curriculum that does not rely heavily upon multiple-choice tests as a central component of assessment. During the past five years, the most common reasons other independent school professionals either visit our campus or engage us via email is to inquire about Innovation Pursuits at Berwick. It’s typical that the first reaction or question is “oh, it’s like Independent Study.” My response is usually some form of “not exactly.”

One compelling aspect of our IP program is that each year 45 – 60 students have to present their work publicly in late May. The process begins with an application that is reviewed, shaped, tweaked, and supported by Darcy Coffta and then vetted by a committee of faculty and staff. This structure and guidance really matters. Mentors are networked with students as a central part of the experience, and occasionally students have more than one mentor along the journey. What is also unique about Berwick’s program is that it is open to students in grades 4 – 12, which often leads to students completing multiple IPs over their tenure at Berwick – often in the same general subject area. This allows for iteration and revision over time, which is also part of the beauty of a PK-12 school. For me, the hallmark of these IPs is that their titles are often interdisciplinary and do not sit comfortably in an otherwise traditional college preparatory program. Whether it is building an autonomous kayak, creating a 3D printer out of an old copying machine, or writing an opera – schools don’t have courses for these things. On the flip side, IPs allow our students to speak to original intellectual work in their college processes, allowing them to stand out from the pile in important ways.

"Building an Autonomous Kayak"

Surely there is a variance in overall quality for these Innovation Pursuits. Many leave my jaw dropped, while others are likely chocked up more politely to a “learning experience.” Schools struggle to allow for failure and iteration, and this is one program where Berwick fosters this fully. While Upper School students can pursue an IP as an alternative to their afternoon requirements, the vast majority of our students take IPs as something in addition to all that they do at Berwick. An exciting new frontier is that our “pathway programs” in Arts and STEAM in the Upper School both require IP participation as part of the program – truly making the IP program curricular for the first time.

From its inception, the broad umbrella of the Berwick Innovation Center has been organic – purposefully constructed in a way to be adaptive and embracing multiple tentacles. Darcy Coffta’s leadership and follow-through have been essential to making both the Berwick Innovation Center and the IP program a success at Berwick. What is exciting to see now is the ways in which the IP program has seeped into the culture of our school, and I would include faculty and students in that statement. And as a father of a fifth grader who will tackle her second IP this year, I have circled May 14 on my calendar as a must see event on this campus – I hope that you will do so as well.