7 Ways the Ecole Breaks the Hamster Wheel

Table of Contents

• Why School-Life Balance Matters at the Ecole d'Humanité
• How We Support School-Life Balance at the Ecole d'Humanité
  • 1. We Encourage Prioritizing Time Management
  • 2. We Foster Engagement in Community Activities
  • 3. We Promote Self-Care Practices
  • 4. We Provide a Supportive Community
  • 5. 10 Steps into the Forest
  • 6. Intensive Week
  • 7. Our Hikes
• Start the School Year Right
• Comparison: Study Claims and How the Ecole Meets Them

As the new school year approaches at the Ecole d'Humanité, excitement is in the air. The prospect of reuniting with friends, diving into new subjects, and participating in our community activities is thrilling. However, as we prepare for the academic year, it's crucial to focus on achieving a healthy school-life balance.

Why School-Life Balance Matters at the Ecole d'Humanité

The Ecole d'Humanité is more than just a boarding school—it's a place where holistic education thrives. Our supportive environment encourages not only academic excellence but also personal growth, creativity, and a strong sense of community. In a boarding school setting, where the boundaries between schoolwork and leisure time can blur, maintaining this balance is essential.

How We Support School-Life Balance at the Ecole d'Humanité

1. We Encourage Prioritizing Time Management

At the Ecole d'Humanité, we guide our students in organizing their schedules to balance academic classes with extra-curricular activities. We support students in prioritizing their tasks while ensuring they carve out time for hands-on activities out of the classroom. By fostering effective time management skills, we promote long-term success.

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Our Co-Curricular
A Typical Day at the Ecole

2. We Foster Engagement in Community Activities

Our community activities at the Ecole d'Humanité are carefully designed to enrich students' experiences. We encourage participation in these activities as a way to enhance education while maintaining a healthy balance between work and play. Engaging with our community not only builds strong relationships but also contributes to overall well-being.

3. We Promote Self-Care Practices

At the Ecole d'Humanité, we place great importance on both mental and physical well-being. Our students are encouraged to engage in activities that promote self-care, such as participating in creative arts, attending a meditation class,  building meaningful connections with friends, or simply taking time to relax and recharge. By integrating self-care into their routines, students can maintain a balanced lifestyle and thrive in the boarding school environment.

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4. We Provide a Supportive Community

If students find themselves feeling overwhelmed, we are here to help. The Ecole d'Humanité is a supportive community where teachers, family heads, tutors, and peers are always available to offer guidance. We encourage open communication and provide resources to ensure that students can seek help whenever needed.

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Family Evening

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5. 10 Steps into the Forest

Our school is not only nestled in the Swiss mountains but also right on the edge of a forest, in a quiet village with hardly any traffic or noise. This means our students breathe fresh mountain air at 1,000 meters above sea level every day. Even when they’re not actively enjoying outdoor activities like snowboarding in winter or climbing in summer, they’re still close to nature—even when deep in math studies, with the mountain skyline as their backdrop.

Check out our incredible surroundings with our virtual tour.

6. Intensive Week

Another unique aspect of life at the Ecole d'Humanité is our annual Intensive Week, where students take a break from the usual school routine to dive deeply into a week-long project of their choice. Whether it’s exploring the arts, crafting, outdoor adventures, or even digital music composition, this immersive experience allows students to discover new passions and develop valuable skills. Intensive Week embodies our commitment to holistic education, encouraging creativity, and hands-on learning in a relaxed and focused environment.

More:
More about Intensive Week

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7. Our Hikes

At the Ecole d'Humanité, hiking is a key part of our educational philosophy, with two major hikes each year that stand out. One is a 6-day trek, and the other is a 4-day journey, both taking students deep into the mountains. These multi-day hikes challenge students physically and mentally, fostering resilience, teamwork, and a profound connection to nature. The extended time spent in nature allows students to disconnect from daily routines and immerse themselves fully in the experience, reinforcing the values of perseverance and community.

More:
Why we Hike
Noah’s Skitour-Hike Video

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Start the School Year Right

The beginning of the school year at Ecole d'Humanité is an opportunity to set the tone for success. By embracing the balanced approach we advocate, students will be well-equipped to face challenges and make the most of the opportunities ahead.

Welcome (back) to the Ecole d'Humanité!

Comparison with Study

Where The Ecole stands in relation to the study "School culture and student mental health: a qualitative study in UK secondary schools"

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This study explores how school culture is conceptualized by students, parents, and staff in UK secondary schools, and which components of school culture are perceived to be most important for student mental health.

Structure and Context Organizational and Academic Community Safety and Support

Structure and Context

Study Claim

School location and geography impact culture

The Ecole's Implementation

Located in Swiss Alps, providing unique setting

Study Claim

Student diversity influences school environment

The Ecole's Implementation

Diverse student body across ethnicity and socio-economic status

Study Claim

Physical environment affects student interactions

The Ecole's Implementation

Campus designed as Swiss alpine village with rustic chalets

Organizational and Academic

Study Claim

Leadership plays key role in shaping culture

The Ecole's Implementation

Leadership prioritizes shaping positive school culture

Study Claim

Staff composition influences student experience

The Ecole's Implementation

No direct match identified

Study Claim

Curriculum should be inclusive and diverse

The Ecole's Implementation

Curriculum includes US diploma and Swiss Matura options; Focus on arts, outdoor education, and practical skills

Study Claim

Teaching styles impact student mental health

The Ecole's Implementation

Progressive education approach with experiential learning

Community

Study Claim

Quality of relationships is crucial for mental health

The Ecole's Implementation

Strong emphasis on student-staff relationships; Family-style living arrangements in small groups

Study Claim

Inclusive practices promote positive culture

The Ecole's Implementation

Regular community events like family evenings

Study Claim

Student voice mechanisms are important

The Ecole's Implementation

Student voice encouraged through councils

Study Claim

Parent engagement influences school culture

The Ecole's Implementation

Active parent engagement and communication

Safety and Support

Study Claim

Pastoral support is vital for student wellbeing

The Ecole's Implementation

Dedicated staff for student wellbeing and pastoral support

Study Claim

Mental health promotion should be prioritized

The Ecole's Implementation

Mental health education integrated into curriculum

Study Claim

Targeted support for mental health is necessary

The Ecole's Implementation

Targeted support available including counseling

Study Claim

Inclusive approach to discipline is beneficial

The Ecole's Implementation

Restorative approach to discipline

Doing the Hard Things: A Hike to Luzern

Brian and his students challenged themselves with an epic run from the Ecole d’Humanité to Luzern. Enjoy reading about this experience from Brian’s perspective!

One thing I love about the Ecole is that we welcome challenges and the experience and wisdom that can come from it. For me, running poses unlimited challenges and learning. But running is inherently a solo endeavor. And as a long-distance runner I’m always looking for opportunities to share my passion of running trails with students. Some weekends I offer a “donut run” where students opt to join me for a 4km run down the mountain to Meiringen early on a Sunday morning. I then buy them a donut at the train station and we all run 4km back up the mountain in time for Sunday brunch. Our spring hike usually involves wearing a full backpack for six days but one time I led a running hike, where students and I ran with only light day packs and our gear was shuttled to our camping site each evening. Running through beautiful forests for six days straight - with students experiencing that for the first time -  was a new exhilaration for me. 

So this past weekend when I was considering what exciting activities I could come up with, I liked the idea of an all day hike to see how far we could go in one day. Sometimes, on my day off, I will lace up my shoes and run from the Ecole all the way to Luzern, a distance of 55km with much of the route on trails and scenic paths past three lakes, a few forests, and quaint villages. I wondered if any students would want to try and hike it with me. I approached a few known student-athletes with my idea and they instantly jumped on board, then coerced a few others to join us. After all, once a 17-year-old has made a pinky-promise, there’s no going back. On Sunday morning, just before dawn, six of us left the Ecole on foot at 5am. We wore running vests loaded with water, sandwiches, and a significant number of candy bars. Though we should have had enough time to walk the entire route and still return by train in time for dinner 12 hours later, the kids asked if we could run portions of the route to arrive sooner. We had all agreed to wear running shoes rather than hiking boots and we enjoyed running much of the first section to Lungern and we joked that they could still catch a train home from there and return before the others woke up. As the sun rose behind the mountains and the sky turned a soft orange we worked our way along our first of three lakeshores and then down a big hill toward Sarnen, lake number two. The kids were amazed at how much distance we covered even before the rest of campus had finished brunch and dishes. 

By this time, the sun was up but gratefully behind puffy clouds as it looked to be our first warm day. The hiking path along the lakeshore was getting filled with morning walkers and their dogs. We passed so many of them that we decided to create a melodic choral greeting as we passed. As I was in front, I held up my hand in a 3-2-1 fashion and when I closed my fist, everyone broke out in “Gutennn Moooooooorgen!” I would take the higher notes and draw out the “O” of “Morgen” extra long, changing the notes like I was singing the backup soloist’s last tones. 

At this point we had been moving for more than 5 hours and since we started by running much of it, I told them how much time they had just erased from their total by running rather than walking. “Because we’ve run so much, we have just erased 2 hours from the total time it will take to get to Luzern!” They screamed in disbelief and asked if we could run even more. 

There are some lovely sections of river and a calm lake with many Swans in front of towering cliffs in one section but then near Alpnach we entered a dry section. The route traverses a local airport and if you’ve never run the full length of an airport runway, you don’t know the definition of straight and long. This was six hours into our journey, the clouds had burned off, and the sun was in full effect. Additionally, the pollen count was high on those airport fields and one in our group was suffering from allergies. As if a six-hour morning run and now sun wasn’t enough to deal with! Luckily, I knew from previous solo treks that the boat marina in Alpnach had a tap for water coming up because several of the students had just run out of water. Many of us had already downed 3 liters of water each and we had just crossed the halfway point! 

After putting on more sunscreen, eating more snacks, and filling up our water we were ready to start working our way around the southeastern most edge of Lake Lucerne. 

The route there is on a wooden boardwalk literally hanging over the water and we also crossed into our third canton of the day. We passed a group of kite boarders, wind surfers hovering over the water with their foil just below the surface. It looked exhausting but I knew an activity more so, and we were doing it! Kids could see many buildings in the distance on the other side of the lake and they all wanted to know if that was our destination but we still weren’t yet within eyesight of it. At this point the route enters the outskirts of Horw, which more or less blends into Lucerne. We crossed a few neighborhoods, several factory complexes, and some long stretches of sidewalks. A few of them started feeling the distance. There were a few moans from the back of the pack. But I’ve run these distances many times and I knew what to look out for. Being tired after 7 hours of running shouldn’t be surprising; but it’s hard to distinguish exhaustion from calorie deficit. I pulled the group over and pointed out that one of them appeared to be especially struggling. They tried pointing out the obvious that we were all tired, but I explained that perhaps they were misdiagnosing what was actually simply a case of hunger. I reached into my pack and pulled out one of the several pieces of salt-laden focaccia bread I had saved from our dinner the night before and gave it to the struggling runner. A few swigs of water and we took off once more, not sure if my magic prescription would do the trick. Ten minutes later, the person who had been moaning in the back from apparent exhaustion, was now leading the group, doing kicks in the air, and encouraging everyone else to keep up. 

Before we knew it we were on the final main city street which leads to the Luzern train station. Earlier that morning I dreamt aloud with them, wouldn’t it be amazing if we arrived so early that we actually had enough time to cross the historic bridge over the river and get a big bowl of gelato before getting on the train? That small suggestion propelled them and now that it was a reality, everyone hit cruise control and we coasted through downtown toward the water. It was 2:30pm. 

We must have really stuck out on that narrow 800-year-old cobblestone street sandwiched between fish and chips shops, the river, and shoulder-to-shoulder tourists from around the world and Rhine River cruise ships. One lady behind us in the gelato line even said to me, “We saw you back in Horw and I said to myself, I bet those people are running to Luzern! And I was right!” 

With gelatos in hand, we walked to some stone steps at the water’s edge, gingerly took off our shoes and socks and dipped our feet in the cool water while eating three-scoop bowls of homemade fresh gelato. What could be better?! With a few more minutes to spare, and a lot more calories to eat, we also went to some fast food places in the train station and loaded up on fries, burgers, and some fresh fruit for the train ride home. 

It wasn’t until we were on that train, drowning in delicious salt, fat, and sugar, that some of them confided in me that the farthest they have ever gone in their life in a single day was 10km. We just did 55km. Valentine, one of the girls on the trip turned to the group with a look of confusion on her face and asked, “But wait, if we just did that, how will we know what we cannot do?” I’ve never been prouder of a teachable moment than that. 

Next weekend they want to run to Interlaken. I’m a little scared of what I may have created, but I’ll pack some more focaccia just in case. 

Hiking with Noah

The video was produced by our student Noah Bühler (19), who is part of the Swiss Program at the Ecole d'Humanité.
Noah is a passionate videographer and adventurer. When he's not studying for his upcoming Matura exams, he spends his time creating videos that document his love for mountain sports. At the Ecole d'Humanité, Noah has found a place where he can fully explore his talents in filmmaking and outdoor sports.

We interviewed him to learn more about his journey and passion for video production.

When did you come to the Ecole d'Humanité?

Before attending the Ecole d'Humanité, I was at another school until 8th grade. After passing the gymnasium entrance exam, I was ready to start 9th grade and expressed a desire to improve my English. I saw the Ecole d'Humanité as an opportunity to immerse myself in the English language for a year. Initially, the plan was to return home after this year and continue my studies there. However, after six months, I asked my mother if I could stay at the Ecole d'Humanité.

I really like it here, especially the school structure: every morning, I have the same three subjects, which allows me to focus better on each topic and delve deeper into them. This approach reflects how I work on my video projects: I usually try to complete one project before starting a new one.

When and where did you first explore the world of video production at the Ecole?

I initially got into video production because I was interested in music production and wanted to make my music accessible through video. When videographer Tatiana Khokhlova started working at the Ecole d'Humanité, I had the opportunity to work with her and learn a lot.

I quickly realized that I could produce not only music videos but also outdoor videos, especially when I went on my first hikes with the Ecole d'Humanité. That's how my interest in hiking videos was born.

What do you take away from the outdoor program?

Both my parents are mountain guides, so going into the mountains was not new to me. What was new was taking responsibility.

Regarding video production, I've learned a lot about safety through the outdoor program: when you're on a glacier, you can't just step anywhere to get the right angle for a shot. You have to prioritize your safety and that of the group.

I also can't always take all my equipment with me; I have to adapt my kit to each excursion because it's not easy to climb with a heavy backpack!

Do you have any plans for your life "after the Ecole d'Humanité"?

Most likely, I will do an internship in video production after school to gain more experience. After that, I will do civilian service, which is an alternative to compulsory military service in Switzerland. In the future, I would like to continue my education in video production. Recently, I discovered CGI (Computer Generated Imagery), which fascinates me. I also find show technology exciting, which I got to know here at the Ecole d'Humanité, particularly in French theater. Music, video, and lighting production are fields in which I would like to specialize later: the choice is quite broad, but I still have a lot of time to decide.

It's also open whether I will stay in Switzerland or go abroad. On the one hand, Switzerland is beautiful and diverse both in terms of landscapes and culture—mountains, lakes, villages, cities, four languages, and different traditions in the various cantons. On the other hand, I would also welcome an experience abroad, and the English skills I have acquired over the years at the Ecole d'Humanité would certainly make this step easier.

Vielen Dank, Noah!

Would you like to learn how the Ecole d'Humanité helps young people pursue their passions and discover new talents?

Save the date! French Theater 2022

SAVE THE DATE

When:   December 9 and December 10, 2022 at 19:30

Where: Ecole d’Humanité, Grosser Saal

The Ecole d’Humanité is pleased to present, "Le Dormeur du Val", a student-written play put up by our French Theater program.

The inspiration for the play is the French poem, "Le Dormeur du Val", a classic sonnet written by French poet Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891) when he was just 16 years old. 

Elle pleure (she cries), il pleut (it rains). These two verbs are near homonyms.

In this play, the words are dependent on each other, because when the child cries, it rains. And then, something terrible takes place – all of a sudden, the human child can no longer cry, and it will not rain. The world of the play becomes dryer, and dryer, and descends into a climatic catastrophe.

Je déclare la sécheresse universelle (I declare a universal drought), says the girl. Thus the connection between il pleut and elle pleure, between nature and culture, between environment and man is broken.

Climate change does not exist, says the dictator. Will he, his minister and his army, succeed in making the child cry?

This is how the story begins. What will happen next? 

Join us, at the Ecole d’Humanité, and find out!

Intensive Week at the Ecole d’Humanité

Intensive Week is one of the highlights of the student experience at the Ecole d’Humanité. Each year in the fall term, our students take a break from our regular boarding school rhythm and dive into a week-long project. During intensive week, students participate in projects various and sundry – silversmithing, spelunking, or staging a play –  where they can explore new topics, uncover hidden talents and learn valuable skills.  

In line with the Ecole philosophy, the talents and interests of the students are always taken into account when we plan our Intensive Week projects, and they are invited to choose a project that interests them.

Of course, the decision is not easy as there are so many courses and projects to choose from! This year we had baking, wood carving, ceramics, blacksmithing, darkroom, theater, creative writing, digital music composition, natural cosmetics, cave hikes, university visit to the UK, just to name a few.

This year, Alessandro Viale hosted Composing with a Computer  – a week-long look into the making of digital music. Together with Alesandro, students worked to conceive, design and compose their own musical projects. In our graphic lab, students in Alesandro’s project had the chance to experience working with professional recording equipment and tools, including using Ableton Live, a popular tool used by musicians, sound designers, and artists around the world.

In Silversmithing, taking place right next door, the atmosphere is completely different! In a quiet and tidy workshop, the intense concentration of all the students is palpable. Tatiana Ivensen leads the course with passion and with know-how as she supports more experienced students working on complex designs, while giving space for beginners to try their hand at metal working, shaping rings out of silver.

Unlike silversmithing, things can get dirty in the Switzerland Underground. Brian Stark, accompanied by Tom Sampson who heads up our Outdoor Program, led a group of students to explore the deep, dark, (and dirty!) depths of Switzerland. Each day Brian, Tom, and a group of students explored a new cave in the Haslital region, which is in the immediate vicinity of the Ecole. On the last day, they went further afield, visiting the Muota Valley and the karst cave system Hölloch, which happens to be the second longest cave in Europe. Thanks to Brian’s expertise - gained through years of experience as a park ranger in the Kartchner Caverns in Arizona, USA - he can guide his students through each cave and give them expert instruction on cave geology and research, as well as cave rescue.  

Now we head back to the Ecole campus (virtually!) where Ryan Küther and a group of five students* built the entire Ecole campus in the computer game, Minecraft. It was not just fun and games! The students had to use their spatial skills to map the campus, log all the details, and record appropriate proportions to create an accurate model of the Ecole. Of course, this required diligence and structure: Every day, the course started with a scrum meeting – often used in project management – in which the goals of the day are set, progress is tracked and difficulties are addressed. The students thus learn important skills for software development, such as project management and problem solving.

It's not just in the Minecraft lab that details matter: in the pottery studio, too, every step in the ceramic production process is crucial! The clay is weighed, prepared, shaped and worked, dried, glazed and finished. All of this requires a lot of patience, which our students  certainly do not lack in the workshop. They are also supported by the course instructor Ben Vinhateiro and can count on his competent help at any time.​​

Just as much diligence and patience is needed in the theater. In the Grosensaal, students are rehearsing the play "Le dormeur du Val,"  a very international production written by our students and presented in French, English and Chinese. The staging of this play is part of a French course taught by Alain Richard, who also directs the piece with the assistance of Nathalie de Montmollin. Both teachers support their students and encourage them to recognize and develop their acting talent, while improving their French along the way!

Intensive week is a memorable part of the Ecole school year as students and teachers engage with their projects with enthusiasm and commitment. This break from our normal school rhythm gives space and the time to devote to projects – be they long standing pursuits or newly discovered interests. This is the spirit of the Ecole d’Humanité, having the freedom to explore, learn, discover, and create while learning valuable skills. We

Every year we are surprised and overwhelmed by the commitment of our students during the intensive week and we are already looking forward to the next intensive week!

Interested to learn more about Intensive Week at the Ecole d’Humanité?

We’d love to connect.

A New Program! The Advanced Placement® Path!

We have some pretty exciting news! The Ecole d’Humanité is pleased to announce a new curricular program launching for the 2022 / 2023 school year. 

The AP® Path at the Ecole d’Humanité is unique amongst boarding schools in Switzerland. This highly personalized program helps academically motivated students achieve the goal of graduating with an Advanced Placement International Diploma® or as an AP® Scholar with Distinction. 

What is the Advanced Placement® Curriculum?

Advanced Placement® (AP) is a curricular program created by the College Board in the United States. AP® courses are rigorous and challenging – they allow high school students to complete college-level work while still in high school. 

Students who enroll in an AP® course may then elect to take the corresponding AP® exam which demonstrates a mastery of the content and skills.

In AP® courses, students study classical subjects such as English Literature, physics, or calculus while they simultaneously learn core academic concepts and develop the intellectual skills required to succeed at University. In addition, many US colleges grant credit to students who have successfully passed AP® courses and their corresponding exams.

The AP® Path Program at our Swiss Boarding School

Each year, the Ecole d’Humanité offers several AP® courses as part of our wider AP® program. These courses are open to all students in the US program who have completed the required prerequisites.

Beginning in 2022/2023 the Ecole d’Humanité is launching a new program called the AP® Path program! 

The AP® Path is a selective program for academically motivated students at our boarding school in Switzerland. In this program, students receive in-depth guidance, support, and encouragement as they work towards the goal of graduating with five or more AP® classes.

What is the Goal of the AP® Path?

The goal of this program is to help students graduate from high school as an AP® Scholar with Distinction – graduating with five or more AP® classes and receiving an average score of 3.5 on all AP® exams taken!

This is an ambitious goal, and we provide individualized support and guidance to help our AP® Path students achieve this credential!

How does the AP® Path Help Students? 

Achieving five or more AP® courses is a formidable challenge and requires advanced planning and a lot of preparation. The path begins when students enter the Ecole d’ Humanité. 

Each student enrolled in this program receives personalized guidance from our AP® Path Program Director, Lydia Breunig. Lydia helps students on the AP® Path to articulate their academic goals, and then map out a detailed academic plan spanning several years of study. AP® Path guidance ensures that students in the program meet all the prerequisites for their selected AP® courses while also building a course load that is goal-oriented, balanced, and aligned with each student’s personal learning style.

In regular check-ins, AP® Path students are given the support they need to excel in their courses. They work with other AP® students, sharing ideas, encouraging one another, and holding each other accountable for their goals. 

Students receive academic support to assist them throughout the program, including academic and college advising, peer support groups and study sessions, preparatory classes, and exam preparation workshops.  Students on the AP® Path are coached on other skills such as time management, effective study habits, and learning techniques that suit them as individuals.

This level of personalized support helps students stay focused on their goals, provides them with the tools they need to succeed, and offers plenty of encouragement as they undertake this challenge! 

Why Take AP® Courses?

There are many myriad benefits to taking AP® classes like acquiring knowledge; developing good study habits; enhancing, getting an edge on college admissions; or creating opportunities to study outside the US!

AP® courses are rigorous and challenging. They are fast-paced and cover more material than regular high school classes. Not only do they provide students with a deeper level of knowledge, but they also teach students habits and techniques that will propel students to success in high school, university, and beyond!

AP® courses give students a taste of university-level work while still in high school. AP® students get the chance to improve and strengthen key study skills before they get to university. As they learn about subjects like biology, English literature, or World History, practice writing lab reports, strengthen writing skills, or learn to read primary sources. In addition, the challenge of taking on AP® course work teaches effective study skills, time management techniques, and prepares students for university course work.

AP® classes also help students on the path to university. Taking AP® classes and passing the AP® exams shows a commitment to academic excellence and a strong work ethic, both qualities that admissions departments at colleges and universities look for in high school grads. A strong collection of AP® exams can enhance a student’s university application, giving them an edge on their college admissions. 

Students who wish to study at universities outside of the US also benefit from taking AP® classes. Many universities in Europe, the UK, or beyond may require additional credentials, in addition to a high school diploma, for example, the Swiss Matura or a certain number of AP® exams with a score of 3 or higher. Enrolling in AP® courses and passing the AP® exams give high school students many more opportunities to study outside the United States. 

Finally, many American colleges and universities grant credit to students with qualifying scores on AP® exams. This can help students advance more quickly through their undergraduate degrees or allow students to enroll in more challenging university classes.

Could the AP® Path Program be right for your student? We’d love to chat. Contact Lydia, our AP® Path program coordinator.

New Foreign Language Teacher at the Ecole d’Humanité

The Ecole d’Humanité is delighted to welcome back Mel Sampson to our boarding school team here in Switzerland. Mel spent five years at the Ecole d’Humanité as a teacher and boarding school family head, before returning to the UK for a few years to raise her small children. She’s back here on the Hasliberg to teach English and French

Mel is a language teacher, avid outdoors person, and she’s passionate about progressive education. Read on to find out the one thing this experienced hiker will ALWAYS bring on a hike!

Welcome Mel Sampson!

A new teacher joins the Foreign Language Department at the Ecole d’Humanité boarding school program in Switzerland.

Tell us about yourself:

I’m a language teacher, an adventurer, an outdoors lover, and a mother of two small children. My family has moved back to the Ecole after nearly 3 years away. We lived here between 2014 and 2019. Our son Myles was born here in 2018 and we come back with another child, Ella who was born in 2020. It’s great to be back!

Where are you from?

Wales

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Spending time with my family :-)

What’s your favourite occupation?

I really like how rewarding teaching is! Speaking another language is an incredible thing to be able to do! It opens up so many opportunities and feels amazing when you start being able to talk to people in their native language.

What did you do before joining the Ecole?

Before becoming a language teacher in 2013, I was cabin crew for British Airways doing both long haul and short haul flights. It was a great way to see the world!

What will you be doing at the Ecole?

Teaching French and English as a foreign language. I also used to teach mountain biking, climbing and knitting in the afternoons… maybe I’ll do them again this time!

Why did you join the Ecole?

I originally came here because I loved the idea of teaching in a progressive boarding school in a ski resort! And now I come back for those reasons and more, but also it’s a great place to bring up small children. I love how I get to see Myles and Ella throughout the day and not just the evenings and weekends. 

What are you most excited about in your new job?

Being back in the Swiss Alps and using languages every day (Ich lerne auch Deutsch!) 

What goals or objectives do you have for yourself in your new role?

I will lead fun and engaging lessons where students want to learn French. I will enjoy all that the Swiss Alps have to offer, and I will share my love of Switzerland with my children.

What’s your favourite Ecole memory?

Definitely the mountain bike hike in 2017. Such a great group of students and amazing biking in Ticino. I felt like I was on holiday rather than at work!

What is the most important thing you think a young person could gain from an Ecole education?

The ability to take control of their own education and organisation. And the chance to try so many new skills and sports. 

If you were going to deliver a TedTalk, what would the title be? I would probably do some about how changing your perspective on life can make you happy.

If you’re going on a hike, what’s the one non-essential thing that you must bring?

My knitting!

The Arts + Progressive Education — the Dance program at the Ecole d’Humanité

Immersion in the arts is a central tenant of progressive education at the Ecole d’Humanité, and our campus buzzes with creativity. Students explore all manner of disciplines from the traditional fine arts to experimental multi-media projects. As they try out new forms of expression – abstract painting, darkroom photography, throwing clay on the wheel, or putting up a theater production – our students are free to innovate, experiment, and discover. They might produce beautiful blunders or mesmerizing works of profound maturity. Whatever the end result, they are free to try!  Through our arts program, students a the Ecole d’Humanité are engaged in an essential process of becoming who they are – finding their individual artistic voices.

The results of this process can be seen in this incredible work, conceived, choreographed, directed, and performed by Kealy McGough.

Kealy McGough, a graduate of the class of 2022, came to the Ecole as a 10th-grade student with a desire to continue exploring her passion for dance. During her time at the Ecole, dance was always a part of Kealy’s individual artistic identity. Dance allowed Kealy to expand her leadership skills as she participated in and then co-taught folk dancing groups, and her creativity broadened through modern dance. 

As Kealy’s creativity and leadership grew, so too did her artistic vision. In her final work at the Ecole, Kealy presented a piece entitled Nature’s Cry in which she explores the interplay between emotion, movement, topography, global warming, and consumerism. Inspired by majestic glaciers, lush forests, and fresh alpine waterways that surround the Ecole d’Humanité’s campus, Kealy’s work engages with the conflict between the pristine natural landscape and the powerful forces of consumerism. 

Kealy’s piece was created as a two-year independent project.  Working together with her teachers, student dancers, and student videographer, Noah Bühler, Kealy conceptualized, choreographed, performed, and directed her work while Noah filmed the project.

We are blown away by Kealy’s vision and talent. Kealy’s accomplishment is an example of what is possible for students at the Ecole d’Humanité. Kealy had a vision and found within herself the determination to bring it to life. She recruited a team and led them to create an innovative and inspired piece of art. 

Curious to learn more about the arts at the Ecole d’Humanité?

What is Fasnacht and how do we celebrate it at the Ecole?

Fasnacht is a celebration like no other - it’s a topsy-turvy time when the normally conscientious Swiss let rules fall by the wayside, and merriment and mischief reign!

Fasnacht is the Swiss version of Carnival, traditionally the last hurrah before the austerity of the Lenten season. Celebrated primarily in German-speaking areas of Switzerland, Fasnacht has many variations across Switzerland. 

Basel’s Fasnacht is, without question, the most famous iteration of the fete, and is ranked amongst the top festivals in Europe. It was recognized by UNESCO on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Fasnacht at the Ecole

Here at the Ecole, we join in the festivities and celebrate Fasnacht in our own way!

Every year one Ecole Family plans the celebration for months ahead – in secret!  Fasnacht begins with fantastically decorated breakfast tables and the announcement of the theme – which this year was Metamorphosis. Costumes are created almost on the fly, as are skits which are then performed by each Ecole Family. The day’s activities include processions, singing, skits, performances, and a well-loved session of roasting - at which neither students nor teachers are spared!  It all ends with a fabulous dance party. It’s a time-honored way for us to welcome spring, strengthen our bonds as a community, and just have fun. 

We invite you to watch our student videographer Noah’s short video for a taste of this Ecole tradition.

Of course, at the Ecole, we put our own spin on Fasnacht. But what is the history behind this tradition, and how is it celebrated throughout Switzerland? 

The history of Fasnacht

Basler Fasnacht is the best known of the Swiss carnival celebrations and is the largest Protestant carnival in the world. The celebration is documented back to at least 1376, but the roots of this tradition undoubtedly extend well beyond our records. 

The Origins of Fasnacht may lie in ancient Celtic and Germanic rites relating to the veneration of the dead, and the marking of the end of the winter season. With the rise of Christianity in Europe, Celtic and Germanic celebrations were folded into the Christian calendar, and ancient end-of-winter rites became part of the Lenten season.

As history progressed, newer cultural practices shaped these ancient traditions, creating what we know today as Fasnacht.  In the Middle Ages, Fasnacht was influenced by jousting, military assemblies, and parades organized by the city’s guilds. 

During the Reformation, merrymaking and most celebrations were progressively restricted. Fasnacht developed as a response to the constrictions of the times, a sort of sanctioned protest or resistance to the authority of the church.

In the 19th Century, Fasnacht took on its political flavor, becoming an outlet for political satire. 

How is Fasnacht celebrated in Basel?

Fasnacht in Basel is feted over three intense, loud, joyful, and chaotic days. From morning to night (and night to morning!) costume revelers bring the streets to life with music, parades, performances, and lots of fun. The city’s restaurants and bars stay open round the clock during the event. 

On the Monday after Ash Wednesday at 4:00 AM sharp, the fun begins. The city center is transformed, illuminated by a sea of hand-painted lanterns. Thousands of costumed pipers and drummers gather, bringing music and levity to the dark city streets. After the fourth peal of the church bells, the city lights go out, and the piccolos and drums fill the air with sound. A traditional marching tune is played, reserved especially for this day, and the pipers and drummers march through the streets cheered on by spectators from around the world. 

Parades continue from the Monday through the Wednesday after Ash Wednesday with costumes, music, horse-drawn carriages, and of course pipers and drummers! 

Elaborately designed lanterns are displayed on the Münsterplatz, some designed by local artists, some by regular folks.

On Tuesday, it’s the children's turn to celebrate with Kinderfasnacht. Dressed in fanciful costumes, children and their parents parade through the city playing music and banging drums. They come bearing gifts - sweets, and confetti - while they distribute satirical and witty pamphlets made by themselves.

Next, come the brass bands. Trumpets, trombones, tubas, cymbals, and kettle drums reverberate through the city!

Satirical rhyming songs are performed by singers who comment on political and social events of the last year. The singers perform at restaurants and theaters around the city, bringing wit, satire, and some cheeky malice to their commentary on the previous year’s most important news events. 

Fasnacht Luzern 

Lucern’s Fasnacht begins before dawn on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. The city is awoken by a uniform gun salute and a cacophony of brass bands playing joyfully out of tune. People wearing creative and zany costumes fill the streets and join in parades attracting tens of thousands of people. 

Fasnacht Solothurn 

Also beginning with a bang on the Dirty Thursday, Fasnacht in Solothurn is begun by brass and drums. Revelers dressed in nightshirts and nightcaps fill the streets, with music, and satirical comedy. Masked balls are held in the evening. To close the festivities, a straw man or Böörg is burnt marking the end of Fasnacht. 

Fasnacht in Bern

The carnival celebrations in Bern come with a twist - a bear! On the morning of Dirty Thursday, the “bear” wakes from his winter sleep below the prison tower. The bear is set free in the city and revelers run through the city seeking shelter (and refreshments!) in the city’s restaurants. 

Fasnacht is truly an amazing tradition, rich in history and cultural significance, and a whole lot of fun. We are honored to pay tribute to this tradition at the Ecole, bringing music, satire, and of course confetti to our students from all over the world!

What is Student Life Like at the Ecole d’Humanité? Family Evening

Boarding school life at the Ecole d’Humanité is not what you’d expect! 

When you hear the term Boarding School, you may picture a crowd of posh young people - uniform in dress and background - studying in an old castle under strict tradition and significant academic pressure.

What Boarding School Life is Like at the Ecole d’Humanité

Boarding school life at the Ecole d’Humanité is something completely different! It’s diverse, vibrant, dynamic, and connected!

Boarding School Dorms at the Ecole d’Humanité

Instead of living in large, impersonal dormitories, Ecole students stay in charmingly rustic mountain chalets, called Family Houses. In small groups of six to ten, our students live together much as a family does, under the attentive care of dorm parents, or Family Heads. 

Ecole Families form the backbone of social life at the Ecole d’Humanité. These small co-ed, multilingual, multi-age, groups of students live together in our cozy student dorms. Families eat together, work together, study together, and of course, have fun together!

What is Family Evening?

Family Evening is a long-held tradition at the Ecole d’Humanité. Each Wednesday, after a day packed with learning and community life, each Ecole Family gathers together to prepare a delicious meal, share conversation, and have fun together.

Family Evening starts with meal prep. Guided by their dorm parents–Family Heads as we call them at the Ecole–students work as a team as they chop, stir, sauté, and serve up a family meal. 

Each week, one or two students from each dorm design the evening’s menu. Drawing inspiration from favorite comfort foods, or elaborate dishes representing their country’s culinary traditions, the students are responsible for the meal from beginning to end. They work together to plan the menu, make an ingredient list, and even do the shopping if required. The students practice their kitchen skills as they bring their culinary creations to life.

While the delicious aromas of bubbling sauces or roasting vegetables float through the family kitchen, the students and dorm parents hang out, tell jokes, or challenge each other to an impromptu dance-off. Then, they all sit together at the family table and tuck into a delicious dinner.

The fun doesn’t stop there! After the meal, the students collaborate on the clean-up! They hone their scrubbing skills as they wash dishes and tidy up the kitchen.

As the school year progresses, our students become more comfortable in the kitchen, developing skills that will serve them as they venture out on their own after their boarding school experience. Many of our students take a special interest in the culinary arts, becoming competent cooks with a diverse repertoire of recipes and techniques. And our students’ aptitude for cleaning always expands as they learn to take ownership of their shared living space. 

Family Activities at Boarding School

Another highlight of Family Evening is the Family activity! Just as with the meal, the students take on the task of planning an activity to be shared by the whole group. They might hold a fierce match of Tichu, a traditional Swiss card game. Or, plan a more elaborate event, like an evening of sledding under a dusk-blue sky. Sometimes a couple of families challenge each other to an epic game of dodgeball or an evening of stargazing on the Sports Platz.

Family Evening is an important touchpoint in the weekly Ecole rhythm. It offers the opportunity to connect as a community, share traditions, and build a stronger sense of belonging. Family Heads, check-in with their students and share happy experiences that help to build stronger relationships. 

The benefits of shared family experiences extend even beyond the dorm and into the classroom. As one student explained, “When I get to know my teachers in the family, it helps me see them as a whole person. Like, with Ben -  he’s my family head and my biology teacher. Before the Ecole, I didn’t like science. But because I like Ben as a person, I’m more inspired in his class.”

Family Evening allows students to take on responsibility, which develops a stronger sense of competency and self-worth. As they plan, cook, and serve a meal for the whole group, students see themselves as vital members of the community. They feel a sense of pride in their budding culinary skills. They find joy in creating a positive experience for their friends; they discover themselves to be capable of recovering from inevitable culinary blunders; they develop practical life skills like meal planning, cooking, and, of course, cleaning! 

Parents of Ecole students often share their delight when their child comes home from the Ecole ready to share a favorite recipe, and impress their family with a newfound aptitude for kitchen cleaning!   

Are you interested in hearing more about boarding life at the Ecole d’Humanité? Get in touch!

What does a University + College Advisor DO?

University + College Advisors: What do They Do?

Many high schools all over the world employ university advisors to help guide students toward their path beyond high school. Our titles vary, from “university advisor” to “college advisor” or “guidance counselor”, but our goals remain the same: to support students in the transition from high school to whatever lies beyond, whether that’s a career, university, or gap year.

For most of us, our work begins with students around age 15, plus or minus a year or two depending on the country where the high school is located. The focus at the start of our work is helping students to identify what they are good at, what they like, and what success means for them. We encourage students to reflect, apply themselves in the classroom, and pursue activities outside of school about which they are passionate, without regard to “what looks good” on an application or resume. Do what you like, what you’re passionate about, or do what you have to do to support your family, whether taking care of your siblings or working a job, but do it with your whole self and your whole heart.

University + College Advisors Help Students Set Goals

From there, we begin to ask students further questions: What are your goals? Your dreams? With your definition of success, how should you move forward to reach it? We spend a lot of time listening, hearing what students say and helping them to determine how their talents and wishes translate into a meaningful career and life, then working with them to figure out how to move from where they are now to what they see as their future. We also have an eye on their academic credits in school, ensuring that students are taking advantage of the opportunities that exist within their high school and are pursuing the best courses available to prepare them for this career.

Once the path (or paths, if multiple exist) have been determined, university work can begin. Because requirements for admission vary so deeply - between countries, courses, public and private institutions - we work to help students navigate and understand the processes ahead of them, and to gather necessary materials. We help organize letters of recommendation, edit personal statements and letters of motivation, and keep track of various processes, portals, and logins. We also aim to manage expectations for students, both of themselves and of the universities they are pursuing and help them to have perspective throughout the process. When students are admitted, we celebrate with them, and when they are not, we support them until they are ready to find a new plan. We also communicate regularly with university admission representatives, facilitating visits to our campuses and understanding the scope of the applicant pool each year with the aim of simplifying the process for both students and admissions offices.

Often, we are also able to support students in completing financial aid applications, particularly for institutions in the United States where the cost of the university continues to skyrocket. This might mean helping a student complete the FAFSA, the federal financial aid application, or something like the TASFA, a parallel financial aid process for undocumented students in the state of Texas. We are often also able to support with the CSS Profile, other university-specific applications, or scholarship applications, which range from very intricate and complex to one simple online form.

University + College Advising in Switzerland at the Ecole d’Humanité

The Ecole d’Humanité is a university and college-prep boarding school in Switzerland. We offer university and college advising services to all students. Our in-house university and college advising program helps students at the beginning of their high school careers. It also supports seniors through the university application process.

In the Fall and Summer terms, afternoon college prep classes are offered to any student interested in exploring their goals and creating a plan for future success. In the later years of high school, college prep classes are mandatory - all juniors and seniors in the American high school program at the Ecole d’Humanité enroll in our university and college prep program.

The goal of our university + college advising program is to help students make a personalized plan for life after graduation from the Ecole. But we go further than that. We help students execute their graduation plans. We walk our students through every step of the university application process - from the very beginning stages of figuring out what fields of study they’re interested in, to the final stages of acceptance to university - picking a dorm or even making travel plans to their future university!

As part of our college-prep program, students meet for university and college prep classes once a week where they discuss their goals, reflect on their strengths and passions, define their own personal metrics for success, and, most excitingly, dream about their futures. With the help of our dedicated university advisor, our students begin forming a personalized plan for their future that reflects their personal goals, ambitions, values, and ideas about success.

High school seniors meet with our university and college advisor every week during application season, and every student may request a meeting at any time. In these meetings, our university and college advisor helps our students take action on their future plans.

A Best Fit Model for University + College Advising

We follow the “best fit” university advising model, which aims to help each student find the university to which they are best suited, without specific regard to rankings or perceived prestige. We are also beginning our implementation of MaiaLearning, which allows students and staff to track deadlines, search for universities, and document plans, which empowers students to manage their own journey beyond high school, wherever they go.

University counselors have a simple goal: To help every student they work with find the path forward from high school that fits best with their goals. Ultimately, we want our students to feel seen, heard, and understood, and hope to use our skills and knowledge to ease the transition into the next phase of their lives.

Interested to know more about our University and College Advising Program?

Get in touch! We’d love to hear from you!

Trees in the Fog

A Poem by Maia Stark

Like a crow clutching at

clouds of smoke,

the beech’s bare, black fingers

rake the gray.

Skeletal digits swathed in pillowy fog

sift out shadows,

as if straining for some last morsel of night

before the breaking day.

Arthritic twigs relax and then like some spidery child

stroking her grandmother’s gossamer hair,

long strands of sunlight appear;

rays running through their branching palms

and up

into the air.

Torchlit ski run

As evening falls on a bluebird day in Hasliberg, students at the Ecole d’Humanité make their way up to the gondola station for an experience of a lifetime. Chatter builds as the students move towards an overlook with a view over the Rosenlaui glacier. The soft orange glow of burning torches welcomes the students at their meeting point. They tighten their ski boots or strap into their snowboards, collect their torches, and prepare to descend the mountain together. 

A parade of students begins the descent. The mountain becomes a river of light. Glowing torchlights sweep down the piste and illuminate the winter night. 

The annual torchlight ski run, or Fackelabfahrt, is a highlight of the Ecole school year. Together our students glide down the ski slopes on skis, snowboards, or by foot, their path illuminated by the magical glow of torches. This annual torchlit procession is an opportunity for our school community to come together for an evening, and share an unforgettable experience. 

What is Torchlight Skiing?

Torchlight skiing is a beautiful tradition practiced in ski resorts around the world. A parade of skiers and snowboarders weave and curve down the slopes holding torches as they descend the mountain. The slope transforms into an enchanted scene, glowing lights bobbing like fireflies in the night. 

Check out this video from our torch run 2021.

What is Experiential Learning, and how does it benefit students?

At the Ecole d’Humanité, a progressive international boarding school in Switzerland, Ben and his class of 13 high school students are donning their warm jackets and lacing their hiking boots as they prepare to leave the classroom and enter the forest equipped with self-made clinometers and sample collection tools. 

Ben leads his students outside the school grounds and into the winter quiet of an alpine forest. Ben, a proponent of progressive education and experiential teaching, is creating a carefully planned experience designed to practice and deepen knowledge and develop cross-curricular skills.

Ben and his class spread out into the woods, each student selecting an area of forest to study, with the goal to evaluate the health and biodiversity of a local wooded area. Together, they apply their knowledge of dendrology, biology, ecology, trigonometry, and random sampling methods to make inferences about the health of the forest. 

Ben’s students are excited, engaged, invested, and motivated. They are engaged in a meaningful experience where deep learning takes place. This is experiential learning in action.

What is Experiential Learning?

Experiential learning, a theory developed by David A. Kolb, rests on the idea that learning happens best through the interaction between the learner and the environment. Deep learning can happen when the student engages with the subject matter - experiencing, feeling, reflecting, analyzing and applying knowledge to real world situations. 

Educators purposely engage learners with direct experiences designed to increase knowledge, develop skills, and clarify values. The focus of Experiential Learning is on process, not outcomes - while the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills are a natural outflow of the process, 

The Experiential Learning Cycle

Kolb identifies four stages of the experiential learning process:

Concrete Learning

Learners engage with their environment, learning something brand new, or experiencing something familiar in a new way.

In Ben’s Forests class, students venture out into the woods, an environment both familiar to and beloved by the students, and see it anew through the lens of ecology. 

Reflective Observation

Students spend time thinking about their observations, asking questions, and reflecting on the meaning of their experiences. 

Ben’s students might identify a gap in their understanding of trigonometry, or they might wonder what the presence of fruiting mushrooms could tell us about a particular forest environment. They reflect on their experiences, opening the doors for deeper learning. 

Abstract Conceptualization

In this stage, learners go deeper. They form new ideas, draw new conclusions, or adjust their thinking based on their reflections. 

Ben’s students examine their data, they think about what they have seen in the forests, what inferences they might draw, what questions come up. What does it mean to discover that there are few trees over 20 meters in height in the forest sample? Through experience, they engage with their material on a deeper level. 

Active Experimentation

Finally, the learner applies their knowledge to the world around them, making observations, and discovering if adjustments to their understanding are required. This is a process that can be ongoing - continuing long after the students leave the classroom. 

Ben is planning a large project - an opportunity to apply their knowledge and deepen cross-curricular skills. They will be studying a proposed site for residential development in our local area. Using the skills and knowledge they have acquired - ecology, biology, forestry, watersheds - they will draw conclusions on the impacts of this proposed development project. As the students work through this project, they will  apply their skills and knowledge to a real world problem. 

What are the benefits of experiential teaching?

Experiential Teaching Brings the Subject Alive

• Students interact directly with their subject matter, engaging socially, emotionally, or even physically with the material.

• A subject that could be dry, or dull becomes engaging when students see real world applications. 

Experiential Teaching Improves Motivation

• Through experiencing and interacting with a subject, students are involved and integrated in the learning process. they see the bigger picture and understand the material’s relevance. This increases the intrinsic motivation to learn.

• Students experience more ownership of the learning process which also improves motivation.  

Experiential teaching Improves Soft Skills

• Experiential Learning requires that students become more creative and innovative when they must look for ways to solve problems and apply their knowledge to real situations.

• Learning experiences often happen in groups. Students develop communication skills and the ability to collaborate. 

Experiential Teaching promotes Cross-Curricular Skills

• A well-crafted experience provides opportunities to develop a multitude of skills. In Ben’s class, biology intersects with trigonometry, forestry, conservation, and even English. Students learn scientific methodology; they write papers, learn formatting, and even practice essay writing skills. 

Experiential Teaching Improves Learning Outcomes + Promotes Deep Learning 

• Practicing a skill, for example, calculating the height of a tree, strengthens neural pathways and solidifies learning more deeply. 

• Engagement with a subject increases motivation which positively impacts learning outcomes 

• Knowledge retention is greatly improved through experiential learning

Experiential Learning And progressive education at the Ecole d’Humanité

Experiential learning is an important part of the Ecole approach to education. Beyond forestry and ecology, our students learn about Physics as they run experiments on the ski hill. Through a visit to a local dam project they learn about force, thermodynamics, and even renewable energy. Experiences are integrated into most of our classes, creating an engaging and motivating learning environment.

Want to know more about how we approach teaching and learning? Get in touch!

A Profile of Student Author, Miles Greene

Miles Greene, a Grade 9 student at the Ecole, has had a pen in his hand for as long as he can remember, so it’s no surprise that he joined Melissa’s Creative Writing Intensive Week project this fall.

Miles describes himself as a ‘pondering type’ who asks big questions and uses writing as a method for investigating answers. He’s also a cynic, inspired by the work of Fyodor Dostoevsky, so he often finds himself drawn to dark, heavy themes. Over the course of the week, Miles produced a short story exploring addiction, mental illness, and suicide.

In Miles’ story, the reader enters the mind of an ill old man and bears witness to his suffering and eventual demise. A gritty tavern sets the scene, and a crow and a tapestry are rich sources of symbolism. The story isn’t what one might expect from this smiling 14-year-old author, but it achieves his goal of shining a light on the stigmatization of mental health issues.

Each day of the Intensive Week began with a writing prompt from Melissa before each writer delved into his or her own work. Students also shared their work and got feedback in the cozy atmosphere of Melissa’s living room. Miles appreciated the balance between the shared activities and the big chunks of independent work time. He had time to explore his topic in gruesome detail and was inspired both by Melissa and his peers. He hopes to submit his story to a journal or contest and would love to have a career in writing some day.

With his rich descriptions and carefully crafted sentences, it’s easy to imagine a bright future for this author of dark tales.

Read the opening scene from “Ropes of Woe Hang From the Ceiling” by Miles Greene:

There was a sickening scratch on the tavern window. A crow. It was a beautiful shimmering black and its polished feathers made the man think of his own pitiful reflection in a pitch black mirror. He softly swept his hand over the polished oak countertop. It must have been the only clean thing in a ten mile radius. The wood shone spotless, in steep contrast to the tattered floorboards and stained leather cushions which surrounded him. What a filthy world, he thought to himself. He wondered why he hadn’t removed himself from such filth entirely-- although --he knew the reason. The burning whiskey being dumped by the gallon down his throat was proof enough that amongst trash and filth, he was exactly where he belonged.

On the wall to his left hung a great tapestry. It was tattered, and nearing the point of being indistinguishable. But the man looked concentrated as he tried to comprehend the masses of dull and torn color. He saw a crowd of men. Well built and armed with large steel swords. They stood in military formation, ready and sturdy. Next to the men, was a vast tear in the fabric where one could only assume that some context was lost, but through the filter of melancholy and alcohol, the man assigned the tapestry an entirely new meaning. You see, the tear left only one boy, in his late teens, isolated and naked, separated from the army, their swords poised at him. A stain upon the tapestry, presumably of urine or spew or some sort of excrement from a lowly drunk who had once trod this tavern of filth, the same as the man sitting pitifully at the counter pouring glass upon glass of whatever alcohol he can get his hands on. Regardless, the stain left a solitary tear upon the cheek of the boy standing by his lonesome, covering his bare and frail frame with his own arms. The image nearly made the man sick as he thought of the tremendously depressing parallel between him and the boy.

A Field Trip to the Grimsel Dam

Johannes and his physics class took a trip to the Grimsel Dam to see the principles of physics in action!

Johannes Ernst teaches physics in our Swiss System and is a passionate educator and dedicated practitioner of progressive education. In his class The Physics of Dams, Johannes and his students are using the theme of dams as a starting point from which to explore basic principles of physics. Working with models, perspective drawings and lots of engaging classroom discussions, Johannes and his class are learning about some important fundamental ideas such as force, pressure, acceleration, curves and kinetic energy.

Johannes and his class began their investigation into dams by learning about dams made with natural materials, and now they’re taking on more complex structures.

The class prepared for their visit to the dam site by coming up with questions about dams and the physics behind them. The students were particularly interested in understanding how the Grimsel engineers solved problems that commonly appeared in our own classroom models of dams. The students wanted to know how to “fix” the dam to the surrounding rock wall, what shapes were most efficient for holding back water, and how hydroelectricity can be stored.

The new Grimsel Dam project is the perfect vantage point from which to explore these questions.

What’s the best shape for a dam?

At the Grimsel site, there are two dams, an older dam and the new one replacing it. This proved to be an excellent real life example with which to answer the students’ questions. The students discovered how the shape of the new dam, which follows a two-dimensional curve, is a more effective design - the curve adds strength and uses less building material.

How does the dam “fix” to the rock walls?

Johannes’ students wanted to know how to affix the dam structure to the surrounding walls. Do they use steel rebar? Cement? Or Physics…

The students learned that the force of the water pushing against the dams’s curve causes the dam to recess approximately 3 cm, which then causes the dam wall to “grab” onto the rock wall next to which it is built. The opposing forces create stability. Physics for the win!

Can hydroelectricity be stored for use later? Do we need to build giant batteries?

Johannes’ students were also interested in knowing how energy generated by the dam can be stored. This is a notable problem in the field of renewables - energy can not be generated at will, but is dependent on the natural forces, such as sungligh, wind, or even water power. These forces are not equally available at all times of the year.

Johannes’ class learned how the Grimsel Dam project uses solar power to move water between reservoirs, allowing it to be stored in summer months when the sun shines and electricity demands are lower. The reservoirs act as “batteries”, holding water which will be released into the lower reservoir in winter, creating electricity that brings light and heat into our homes.

What’s next?

As they explored questions of renewable energy, they began to wonder about nuclear power. This set the class off onto a new intellectual exploration. They’ll be investigating the energy needs of Switzerland, the power of the sun, wind, and water, and figuring out if our houses can be warmed from these sources alone.

By employing an engaging theme, bringing real world experiences to his classroom, and allowing students questions to guide their learning, Johannes is creating the conditions for learning. His students are motivated, engaged and curious to know more!

And before you go… check out our Instagram Page for an explanation of this dam project! You’ll find it under our highlight bubble “Learning”.

The Physics of Dams

This term Johannes Ernst and his students in the Swiss System are taking a deep dive into the study of dams! Using the principles of experiential learning and progressive education, Johannes is leading his class to discover and experience some key concepts of physics.

Through the lens of dams, Johannes is introducing his students to different structures, reinforcements, and how the flow of water determines the size and shape of dams. The class is touching all manner of physics concepts (kinetic energy! water pressure! gravity! forces!) They’re also practicing the scientific method by asking questions, making hypotheses, testing their assumptions, and documenting their work. And they’re doing all this in a way that invites students to experience these concepts first hand, allowing true, deep learning to take place.

Starting with beaver dams, the students are learning about the function and construction of dams. They’re also practicing perspective drawings, modeling a beaver dam, and using illustrations to demonstrate how they work. The class is creating physical models of beaver dams, testing their daming abilities against their rodent counterparts by stressing the structure with flowing water.

As the class progresses, attention will flow toward concrete dams and figuring out how to reinforce the structures with material - clay will stand in for concrete, and sticks for steel!

Later in the term the students will have the opportunity to see dams up close and in real life! They’ll take a couple of excursions to the big construction site of the dams in the Grimsel Pass and marvel at these masterpieces of engineering. They will also learn about the ecological impacts of artificial dams and get an insight into how the hydroelectric companies are addressing sustainable water use and ecological impact of these massive constructions.

Building a Culture of Thinking in the Classroom

For many students, math can be intimidating. Students often get stuck behind a rampart of seemingly indecipherable symbols and find themselves shut down, convinced that they can not do math.

Warren Schnack, a Math Teacher in the US System, is working to break down these walls and help students think through math, thereby discovering “aha” moments that profoundly change the way students perceive their abilities to do mathematics.

Drawing heavily on the ideas of Peter Liljedahl, a professor of Education at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, Warren is taking an innovative approach to teaching math at the Ecole. Liljedahl‘s book Building Thinking Classrooms presents 14 points that encourage students to think about math which allows deep learning to occur.

The first thing you notice as you walk into Warren’s classroom is a huge amount of energy and sound! The students are working in groups of three, all facing whiteboards or chalkboards, termed Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces (VNPS), talking with energy and passion about math!

The classroom has also been “defronted” - desks are arranged in random groups of three.

Warren begins his class with a highly engaging math problem - something exciting, challenging yet approachable that gets the students working together. As students work through their problems in groups of three, they experiment on their VNPS - this way their work is visible to Warren as well as to their classmates.

As they work, students are encouraged to share ideas and build on the knowledge of their peers. Groups can mix, borrowing ideas, making suggestions and offering support. Warren wanders around the classroom, offering “keep thinking” ideas, and a judicious use of hints designed to help students along their thinking process, and highlighting key discoveries that students have made.

At the end of the class, Warren may provide a quick self-assessment - he gives the students a problem to solve designed to check the students’ understanding of a particular concept. Here, the intention is to show the students where they are in the learning process.

In Warren’s math class, the positivity and energy are truly palpable. Students are engaging with math, thinking through problems, asking questions, testing hypotheses, and building on one another’s knowledge. They get to experience the true magic of an ‘aha’ moment, proving to themselves that math is the good kind of challenging, that it’s fun to think about numbers, that they can, indeed, do math.

For more from Warren, check out this video