The Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry (PSII) was founded by Jeff Hopkins because he felt that the what he was seeing and experiencing in public schools wasn’t lining up with what research tells us about teaching and learning. Jeff wanted to close what he called the knowing-doing gap observed in students and opened a school that is physically and conceptually different from the standard high school model.

Based on the inquiry model of learning outlined in the video, students at PSII have no set timetable, classroom, or classes to attend, there are no bells or “blocks” of class time and the school itself is located in downtown Victoria in an office building. Instead, students follow the inquiry process with the aid of a team of teachers who support the student’s learning along the way. Jeff says that this student-centred approach empowers students because it treats them like members of society. Students follow lines of questioning, collaborate with other students, and attend informal “lessons” that teacher’s present in response to student inquiries. They have measurable control over what and how they are learning. This empowerment, control, and flexibility not only teaches students accountability and responsibility, but also attracts learners who struggled in standard high schools. Jeff mentioned that students with anxiety, depression, and who are on the autism spectrum found PSII more accommodating to their needs as learners because they could regulate the environment and learn in a way that worked for them. The main challenge PSII Jeff identified was the funding for students who want to attend. Being a private school, tuition costs can be a barrier to entry for lower socio-economic students, although Jeff tries to admit any student by finding benefactors for scholarships.

Photo by Jaime Lopes on Unsplash

After getting to talk with Jeff and hearing his passion and reasons for creating PSII, it was easy to get excited about how this model supports student’s authentic learning. It was difficult to go back to my Wednesday observation at a standard high school and realize where the school was falling short for some students. That being said, Jeff did mention that all learners are different, and PSII’s model is not for every type of learner. It did have me questioning “what is school?” Is it the building? the classes? the structured lessons? the teachers? the community? or is it learning in general? If we focus on student learning, it’s difficult to argue with the success Jeff is having at PSII. As Mr. Nahachewsky said in our Multiliteracies class, we are in an educational revolution! So, perhaps some of us will experience teaching that will look more like what is happening at PSII under Jeff’s direction.