“Math is a fascinating and challenging subject for me,” explained Vincent I. ’24, a Storm King School junior who is completing an independent study course in calculus this semester. “I requested independent study because I wanted to have the opportunity to work one-on-one with my teacher, ask a lot of questions, and really understand the material.”
Independent study at The Storm King School offers coursework that enables students to explore their burgeoning passions and deep-dive into their areas of interest. According to Assistant Head of School for Academics and Math Department Chair Dr. Tim Lance, independent study fits into the School’s curriculum in a number of ways: “It is an avenue for motivated students who want to study in a particular discipline, but the overall schedule doesn’t allow for it; or, for students who excel at a subject and want to take a deeper dive than the introductory class covers. At Storm King, independent study is allowed on a case-by-case basis for students who work well independently and have high academic performance overall.”
Students interested in earning credit toward graduation through independent study take the lead by finding a faculty member to advise the study. Then, the coursework is developed in collaboration between the student and the teacher to supplement the School’s departmental offerings. For example, in Vincent’s independent study of calculus, “we are going beyond what is typically covered in AP Calculus AB, including limits, continuity, differentiation, applications of derivatives, L’Hôpital’s Rule, and methods of integration including u-substitution, parts, and, hopefully, trigonometric integrals, trigonometric substitutions, partial fraction decomposition, and rationalizing substitutions,“ explained Dr. Lance. “I work with Vincent 2-3 times per week, and we are flying through material. He is a student with great attention to detail, as well as a curiosity, which is serving him very well, particularly with integration.”
Vincent is equally enthusiastic about his independent study of calculus with Dr. Lance: “I think that proficiency in calculus in high school will make it more likely for me to succeed in college-level math courses. I enjoy optimization the most because I think it has the most interesting real-world applications.”
Vincent is one of many students who have benefited from independent study in various subjects in recent years. “This year, we have students studying calculus, international relations, and environmental science. In previous years, we have offered independent study in English literature, psychology, stagecraft, music theory, art, and fashion,” continued Dr. Lance. “We hope that even more motivated students will approach us with their desire to pursue independent study in the future.”
“I know that I have benefited from the education I have received at Storm King. Taking an independent study in calculus with Dr. Lance is a privilege. I’m grateful that the School has offered me this opportunity. In addition to the value of knowing the material, learning to work hard and be persistent when trying to learn a challenging subject will be useful skills in college and throughout my life,” concluded Vincent.
