The 20% Project in PWHS Honors English encourages mastery, autonomy, and purpose
The 20% Project in PWHS Honors English encourages mastery, autonomy, and purpose
What do 3M’s Post-It Notes and Google’s AdSense have in common? They were both invented as side projects during time companies set aside to let workers explore their own interests in order to encourage creativity and innovation. This idea has come to Plymouth Whitemarsh High School’s Honors English classes through the 20% Project.
The 20% project at PWHS allows students to devote one-fifth of their class time, including one full class period each week, to following a personal passion, leading to mastery, autonomy, and purpose. The students create action plans and goals, and they’re required to check in with their teacher regularly through a blog.
Dylan Reid studied photography for his 20% Project.
Dylan Reid took the time to explore photography as a hobby, where he spent months capturing images of nature and at events.
“I’m excited to inspire people with my interest, and I hope to encourage other people to explore their hobbies,” he said.
Other students took the opportunity to get a head start on their future career. Colum Dougherty learned Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) and challenged himself to design a model plane for a Technology Student Association (TSA) competition where he qualified for states.
“I don’t know if I would have really taken the time individually to sit down and learn CADD. I think it gave me the opportunity to learn a lot about my career,” said Colum. “I’m also just very grateful for what I was able to do with the TSA. I don’t think I would have succeeded in my event without my 20% time.”
Colum Dougherty learned CADD to help him design a model airplane for a competition.
Two of the students in the Honors Writing Fellows class had their plans thwarted by the fact that they were under 18. One student looked into Day Trading to help pay for college and, after exploring how the system worked, was up nearly $10,000 on paper but not allowed to use actual money. Another student learned how to create a variety of balloon animals to share with patients at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia only to find out that she was too young to volunteer.
“We tell them to shoot for the moon at the beginning, and they often have to adapt, because life is about problem solving,” said PWHS teacher Brian Weiner. “They’re going to hit obstacles along the way, and they have to adjust for those obstacles. It’s really about the journey and not the destination.”