By Natalie Marshall, Class of 2012
As high school students begin to gravitate toward particular interests and fields of study, York Suburban High School continues to effectively accommodate students’ desire for further knowledge through a unique academic experience: the independent study.
The independent study is an opportunity for students to create individualized lesson plans, course outlines, and assessments that go beyond the courses offered through the current curriculum. Under the supervision of faculty academic advisors, these students have furthered their studies in literature, sociology, and French, to name a few. There are approximately 30 students participating in independent studies at YSHS this year and the types of selected areas of study are vast.
The benefits of independent studies are not limited to the additional education they provide. In fact, while acquiring a heightened knowledge of the selected study topics, students are able to gain experience in writing, creativity, and most of all, the research process.
The incredible academic liberty of these studies makes student motivation imperative, but most students also cite the guidance of volunteer faculty advisors as a great aid in the independent study work. Advisors of independent studies contribute not only countless resources to students, but also a great deal of additional time to guide students through their studies.
Most students participating in independent studies say they are grateful for the willingness of their advisors as well as the opportunity as a whole. Students maintain that the independent study experience is educationally enriching and certainly beneficial for future academic endeavors.