Independent Study That Works: Designing a Successful Program

Geraldine Woods

Aug 2022 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Margaret Strom

About this audiobook

Independent study programs aren't for the "best" students; they are populated by students at their best. Student disengagement from school is a trending concern, and many schools have turned their attention to independent study programs as a way to nurture student motivation and creativity. But where to begin? Geraldine Woods offers a practical, step-by-step guide based on her experience designing and directing the much-admired independent study program at the Horace Mann School. Under the supervision of teachers, students embark on a remarkable variety of projects and become teachers themselves, conducting seminars with their peers along the way to preparing their final product-which could as easily be an interactive website or musical composition as a research paper. Woods's book details the nuts and bolts of the approach and shows how to customize it for a variety of age groups, budgets, and curricular requirements. It is a gift to all educators-including homeschooling parents-who want to give students the freedom to pursue their interests.

About the author

Geraldine Woods has taught every level of English from fifth grade through Advanced Placement at both St. Jean Baptiste High School and The Horace Mann School in New York City. She is the author of more than fifty books, including Independent Study That Works, Sentence., and 25 Great Sentences and How They Got That Way.

Margaret Strom, a New York-trained actress, graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and holds both BA and MA degrees in theater, as well as an MS degree in educational administration and supervision. A lover of many genres of literature, she has narrated more than 500 books for the Library of Congress.