Learning in Action: Artifacts from MSON Classrooms
As we prepare to welcome both new and veteran MSON instructors to the annual workshop (this year at Porter-Gaud School!), it feels fitting to celebrate some of the learning that unfolded across our classrooms this year. During this spring’s end-of-year meetings, MSON’s Dean of Instruction Maura Foley invited teachers to share an artifact from their course that captured something meaningful about the student experience.
The selections below offer a glimpse of the hands-on activities and intellectual engagement happening across MSON classrooms. From interpreting and performing a song in American Sign Language to generating food desert data visualizations, these artifacts highlight learning in action and remind us that students are developing far more than content knowledge. They are learning to take risks, building communication skills, collaborating with peers, and applying their insights to the local communities they inhabit. We hope you enjoy this window into the remarkable work of our students and teachers, and we look forward to showcasing more examples in future posts.
In American Sign Language, Level 1, taught by Katie Mower (Canterbury School), students applied their signing skills to communicate Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.,” making sure to incorporate facial expressions and multiple interpretations of different words and phrases.
In Anatomy & Physiology, taught by Joel D’Angelo (Hopkins School), students joined one another online to dissect items widely available at grocery stores, such as chicken wings, steak, and shrimp.
And in A Mathematical Modeling Approach to Social Justice, taught by Jay Noland (Mounds Park Academy), students learned to identify food deserts by visually representing and analyzing the proximity of grocery stores vs. fast food restaurants.
As we look ahead to the next academic year, students can continue to expect opportunities to explore big questions, tackle authentic challenges, and execute meaningful projects. We’re especially excited to introduce several new courses, including Introduction to Psychology, The Physics of Failure, and Artificial Intelligence: A Human Perspective. Student enrollment continues through the summer and into the fall semester, as space allows.
We wish everyone a wonderful summer!
