Duluth’s Marshall School Gets Creative With Learning

DULUTH, Minn. — Marshall School in Duluth is taking a unique approach to teaching students something new.

iTerm is a period after winter break where kids sign up for classes that are different than the regular curriculum. Classes have been chosen based off of things that teachers have special skills or interests in and a mix of student input.

They include woodworking, canoe building, coffee making, knitting, listening to Taylor Swift, and more. Grades 5th through 12th are all participating.

Students can sign up for classes at the end of September. They are always very excited to see what their options are.

“There’s always a ton of buzz around ‘what are the classes gonna be this year?’ Am I gonna get into that class that I really wanted to get into last year, but I didn’t get into.’ And so, we try to make sure that kids at some point in their career get those classes that they really want to take. But yeah, there’s always a lot of excitement when the course list is dropped,” said Heather Fishel, Upper School Principal.

Students might be in classes with other students that they don’t typically have classes with. One senior is making new friends while learning to bake.

“I remember when I was a sophomore, we had classes with 6th graders, and it was fun. I got to mentor them and I’m still friends with them today. Even in this class like we got partnered with people that I’ve not necessarily spoken to that much and I’m making friendships out of it and it’s really fun,” said Rebecca Landherr, senior at Marshall School.

iTerm not only teaches students new skills and lessons, but it is also an opportunity for teachers try out new tools or strategies to use in the classroom. Classes are not graded, and students do not have any homework. iTerm ends January 12th.