Met School in Canada

REBECA KUROPATWA

After much anticipation on the part of its organizers, Winnipeg’s Met School now has students excitedly hitting the books ... and pounding the pavement. This school-within-a-school opened its doors early last fall. It is housed by Garden City Collegiate and is the newest member of the Seven Oaks School Division.

“Met” is not an acronym. It is an education movement that began on Rhode Island 15 years ago. Met has already proven itself in the United States, but Garden City is the first school in Canada to house a Met School.

Met has three certified classroom educators, referred to as “advisers,” who play a role closer to that of facilitator than teacher. Prospective students and their parents write letters describing their most passionate interests and why they think Met is a good fit for them.

David Zynoberg is one of the advisers. Born and raised in Winnipeg, he studied in the Hebrew-English bilingual program at Seven Oaks until Grade 8. Pursuing his love of computer programming, he earned a BA in business administration and computer science at the University of Winnipeg. After that, he took an IT job at a local law firm, where he had the opportunity to discover his passion for teaching, doing the firm’s in-house training.

With this discovery, Zynoberg decided to return to school for his BA in education. There, he first heard of the concept “big picture learning,” an educational philosophy to which Met Schools adhere, based in guiding students towards life rather than through a standardized, impersonal curriculum.

Zynoberg said he didn’t always know he wanted to teach, but he has always enjoyed helping people. “Alternative education is something I’ve always wanted to get involved in, because the way I see it, every student learns differently.”

There are 35 students at Winnipeg’s Met and, according to Zynoberg, the plan is to expand that number over the next few years to 120.

“We cap each of our classrooms to 15 students, so each student gets individualized attention,” he said. “Our approach is really one student at a time focused. My advisory is for 15 students, and much of the advising I do is one-on-one. We get to know the students really well, staying with the same students from Grade 9 to 12.”

Like all other localities, Winnipeg’s Met School operates according to the Manitoba education system’s guidelines, meeting standards for credits, percentage grading and reporting. However, Met students also get a more extensive, anecdotal narrative report card, along with a progress report. As well, four times a year, students put together a portfolio of their work and give a lengthy presentation to a panel of their peers, family and educators.

The students at Met have a wide range of interests, said Zynoberg. One student is doing two projects simultaneously – on snowmaking and music recording. Another student is doing an internship at a pharmaceutical manufacturing lab, while also pursing her interest in fashion design and nutrition.

“Met is not for every student, but for those with a passion to explore, and who are self-motivated and independent, it can be a great fit,” he said.

At Met, students spend two days a week out in the real world – with a business, community agency or institution – learning and contributing, by planning and implementing a major project.

First, students do some interest exploration, write a resumé and a cover letter and develop their interview skills. Then, they have an informational interview and a full day of job shadowing at their prospective workplace, before starting an internship. Some of the students plan to go to university, while others plan on entering directly into their chosen career.

“Students especially benefit from the internship experience,” said Zynoberg, which has included placements at the Manitoba Children’s Museum, City TV, Oxford’s Hair Salon and École Seven Oaks Middle School. “I hope to see Met expand in Canada and beyond, and I’d love to play a role in that expansion,” he concluded.

Rebeca Kuropatwa is a freelance writer living in Winnipeg.

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