Experiential Education at OES refers to a broad range of learning experiences that complement and supplement the academic program. While “learning by doing” is a part of virtually all of our classes, the Experiential Education program is formalized in Service, Winterim, the Outdoor Program, and Discovery. Including both group and individual pursuits, the program is intended to give students an opportunity to apply what they know to “real life” situations and to learn from new experiences. The activities also help students to broaden their familiarity with different environments and cultures, learn leadership, cooperation and coping skills, gain a sense of the effect they can have on the world, and develop a spirit of adventure.
Students also learn by doing through Activities, College Decisions, and opportunities for independent study. In addition, many teachers use experiential methods in their day to day coursework.
Service to others is basic to the education that takes place at OES. It is our goal to help students understand that we all have an obligation to contribute to the betterment of our community, and through our involvement, we help to foster a sense of community. As a way of encouraging students to be involved in their community, all students in the Upper School must complete a service requirement.
OES defines Service as learning and developing through active participation in thoughtfully organized volunteer experiences. These experiences must be unpaid and donated to a nonprofit organization and/or people who are truly in need.
All students who spend either three or four years in the Upper School are required to complete and document 120 hours of service, of which a minimum of 40 hours must be contributed to the OES community and another minimum of 40 hours to the community at large. Campus jobs for which students may volunteer include tending the student store, assisting teachers in the Lower School, and serving as department or library aides. Offcampus service, which is done for nonprofit agencies or people in need in the community beyond OES, may include activities such as volunteering at nursing homes, parks or hospitals, working as a counselor at Outdoor School, participating in international service programs, or serving meals to homeless people.
Service is also an element of many trips, and the entire Upper School participates in a full day of service to the Portland community each May.
Winterim is a five-day period set aside just before Spring Vacation for students and faculty to explore learning in settings and contexts which are different from our normal school lives. It is a time for members of the community to focus energies and effort for a sustained period in one or two areas, to provide opportunities to learn and teach in new ways, to broaden our perspectives and horizons, and to expand our knowledge of ourselves. Winterim courses have included tapestry, pottery, biking and skiing in Central Oregon, hiking in the Canyonlands of Utah, theater trips, and mask making. Full-time participation in Winterim is required for all students. See the Winterim 2004
catalog for the current year's offerings.
The outdoor program at OES is manifested in class trips, (both grade level and academic), weekend trips, certain Winterim courses, and days on the ropes course or climbing wall here on the OES campus. During their tenure at OES, students have the opportunity to enjoy the Northwest’s fabulous outdoor resources through backpacking, rafting, biking, sea kayaking, hiking, and cross-country skiing. Sharing these experiences with classmates and faculty deepens relationships and enhances students’ education at OES.
Discovery, part of the Winterim program, is an individual apprenticeship or project, designed by the student, to gain “real world” experience outside the school, in a non-classroom setting. It is a requirement for graduation that may be completed during any academic year, but before the end of spring break of senior year. It is normally a five-day, 40-hour project done during Winterim week, but may be done at other times, including summer, with the endorsement of the Discovery coordinator. The students are directly responsible for developing contacts, making arrangements, and completing the apprenticeship. Through this process they learn to create their own out-of-classroom educational experiences, and develop skills and attitudes that aid in the identification of career choices. Recent apprenticeships have taken seniors to architectural and legal firms, television and radio stations, public and private classrooms, city and county offices, film and video production agencies, art studios, and medical clinics. Students who do their Discovery during a time other than Winterim week are expected to take part in a regular group Winterim program.
Each year the dorms sponsor a program that provides OES day students the opportunity to spend some time living in the dorms. This program is designed to improve and promote interaction between day and boarding students. The intention is to invite day students into the dorm community and encourage dorm students to participate in the lives of day students outside of school. To accomplish this goal, students involved in the program participate fully in dorm life, following the same rules and guidelines. Activities include Study Hall, Formal Dinner, and social activities. Please call for specific reservations before planning on a visit.
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