My school prides itself on tradition. Daily Chapel with the school hymn on Fridays. Family-style dining in the lunchroom. Latin in seventh and eighth grades. So when innovation presents itself, many of us “old-timers” can be skeptical at best and resistant at worst. I certainly raised an eyebrow when our Associate Head for Academics introduced the idea of an online experience with students from other schools. However, before I could get too far down the path of doubt our Head of School asked me to be the Academic Liaison for this “MSON” program. And soon I was hooked!
The first course catalog I saw (Organic Chemistry, Ancient Greek) revealed that MSON was not going to be students taking a course at home in their pajamas with music blaring and a cell phone in their hand! But what ultimately sold me was meeting my colleagues at the summer workshop at Stanford. The sessions were great, but just as much learning happened simply by connecting with others who do what I do and whose educational interests mesh with mine, much like in MSON classes themselves. This collaboration provided practical and pedagogical suggestions that made our onboarding practically seamless. I share some of those tips for anyone preparing to join this groundbreaking cohort of educators.
Work with your tech liaison to research, set up, and practice with the equipment well before any students log on for their first class. Get input from department heads and teachers when selecting courses to offer so that they can see how MSON will complement, not cut into, their programs. Set your school up for success first year by being judicious with your initial student selection. Those charter members of the “MSON club” will be your best recruiters for students in the future.
Now in my fourth year as Academic Liaison, the best part of the job is celebrating our successes. More than a few of our students – and their parents – have said that their MSON class was one of their best experiences in High School. Several of them have gone on to study their MSON subject at the college level. Admissions often asks me to explain the program to prospective families and it is easy for me to do so enthusiastically. Collaboration is what makes MSON work, so feel free to reach out to me or any of us for ideas to make your program a success.