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Experiential education informs many of the lessons we teach in the classroom. At St. Margaret’s, we have taken advantage of the world around us to provide our students with experiences that augment their education.
For example, in October, the school joined in celebrating the 400th anniversary of Jamestown by visiting the archaeological dig and replica of the Jamestown Settlement. The overwhelming student response to this experience was that it genuinely helped enhance their knowledge of this part of history.
“The US History class just finished learning about the settlement of Jamestown a few weeks ago,” said Meghan Cooke ’09. “Being able to see where these settlers actually lived and trying to understand what life was like during that time helped me better understand that period in history.”
“This experience added to my overall education because I was able to see what I learned in the class room come alive at the location where it all took place,” echoed Sarah Keating ’09.
Tobey Taliaferro’s Literature and Composition class had a similar opportunity to connect the classroom to the outside world when they traveled to the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA for a performance of Romeo and Juliet.
“Shakespeare was meant to be heard,” said Mrs. Taliaferro. “Enabling the girls to hear the play and see the expressions the actors bring to the characters helped lift the words from the page. In addition, enhancements like lighting and costumes with a contemporary flair teach a lesson that can only be learned through experience —that Shakespeare is alive and well.”
Students don’t need to travel too far to find these experiential learning opportunities at St. Margaret’s. French teacher and dorm parent Diana Maggini uses hands on learning both in the classroom and in her role in the SMS residential program. Earlier this year, she infused a bit of French culture into McCuan House when she held “crepe night,” teaching girls the art of making French desserts.
The Rappahannock River right outside our back door is one of the most effective teaching tools we have at SMS. “The river is an additional classroom, a natural laboratory teeming with specimen for study,” said ecology teacher Susan Foulk. “Students are not just interpreting data
handed to them by a team of researchers—they are the researchers. The river allows them to measure the data, organize it, and contribute to a larger body of knowledge.”
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Students touched a piece of history during
the all-school field trip to Jamestown.
Meghan Sisk ’10 and Melanie Waitzer ’09 enjoyed Madame
Maggini’s crepe night. Mrs. Broad joined in the fun.
Maggie Keilhauer ’10 and Anna Louise Rohr ’09 calculate the
salinity of the Rappahannock in Mrs. Foulk’s ecology class.
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