In The Studio
Our Studios
Studio School of Durham classrooms – or Studios – are created for research, learning, invention, and intention. We draw our inspiration from the studios or “ateliers” found in the highly successful municipal preschools of Reggio-Emilia, Italy. The studio approach is specifically designed to foster a culture of respect, promote student achievement, and develop individual character. For more insight into life in our studio, check out our blog or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Project-Based Learning
Rather than focus on traditional units of study, The Studio School projects are carefully developed and designed for students to learn traditional topics like science, social studies, and history. Our projects do double duty and also instill and incorporate the growth of valuable real world skills and abilities to prepare children for the jobs of the future.
Beyond rote learning and and strictly academic review, each project includes hands-on activities, core skills development, and artistic explorations. Thoughtful project work creates an authentic need for students to learn more – to gain knowledge or acquire a specific skill, or formula to further their work.
Our project work encourages our students to become active in the learning process where their curiosity is seen as a valuable resource. Through this process students address interesting and relevant challenges, develop driving questions, set goals using a co-created rubric system, research their topic, document their process, present their findings and reflect upon their learning process. Students learning through inquiry and investigation have vast opportunities in the areas of decision-making and critical thinking – it allows them to acquire information and concepts in an authentic way. Our projects often take students off site on field trips, such as walking through the community during a study of architecture. Experts and special visitors knowledgeable on our topics of study are also frequent visitors to the Studio.
Our projects last about six weeks, ending with a public exhibition where students share their project work and learning with peers and families. Our focus is not a beautiful end product, but a true representation of learning, challenges, breakthroughs, and failures. All of this is documented over time for a clear view of progress.