The Buzz

Over the last seven days we have learned and grown a lot as a group during our canoeing expedition, led by our experienced river guide Jeff Renfro with Desert Sports. This trip was a true expedition, having to strap all we needed to live on into our canoes and set off into the isolation that is Big Bend National Park.

After the winter break, our group has begun to return to life on Mountain Classroom. We quickly jumped right back into our responsibilities without hesitation. The first few days we were reintroduced to our classes. We have to be able to manage our time wisely with our homework and our daily routine. Even though we have just gotten back we are pretty independent with the jobs that each of us are assigned every day. We take turns being cooks, who make the delicious meals, and being the leader of the day, who keeps track of the groups timeliness and makes sure the rest of the jobs get done without any problems. As our group grows closer and becomes more dependent on one other in these roles, we are also learning just how independent we can be. 

After meeting with Kayden in Boston, we said our final goodbyes and began our two month journey together as a group. Our red eye flight left Boston around 7pm and we didn’t land in Marseille until late the next morning. It was such a relief to see Jen and Dave waiting for us by the baggage claim. Although the group was both excited and sleep deprived we had finally arrived and were ready to hit the ground running. 

Monday, faculty gathered for a day of professional development centered around the concept of formative assessment. The day was structured to discuss how formative assessment links to faculty professional development over the summer and to Proctor’s Profile of a Graduate. In essence: how do we take the science around learning and put it into practice in our classrooms?

Mountain Classroom director, and former instructor, Annie MacKenzie shares the story of how one Proctor Academy family's life was shaped by Mountain Classroom.

The other day, someone asked me to explain the magic that is Mountain Classroom. My first thought was that Proctor Academy's Mountain Classroom changes student’s lives. However, knowing that in my gut is one thing, proving it is another. Here’s some proof.

Proctor Academy's 2500 acres of woodlands are one of our most prized possessions. This diverse ecological habitat spans from the top of Ragged Mountain to the Blackwater River and is home to one of Proctor’s most dynamic classrooms.