Students Pursue Non-Traditional Education Through Independent Studies
Learning is a very individualistic process, unique to each student. Recognizing this reality, Riverdale encourages students to take their education into their own hands and engage in non-traditional learning outside the classroom through independent studies.
In these semester, half-credit courses that meet roughly two times a week, students pursue niche topics of interest with mentors, designing their own curriculum. The proposals go to Dean of Faculty and Upper School English teacher Ms. Shelby Stokes, who oversees the independent study application process. They are then approved by the department chair of the subject, the dean of the student, and the registrar, Ms. Nicole Sundell. Even though Riverdale faculty members do their best to streamline the application process to make this incredible opportunity open to all, it is intentionally a challenging endeavor. Ms. Stokes explains, “the idea is that you are doing an independent study because there is no elective or a mini course that exists that could satisfy your interest in a particular subject area.” Also, when crafting their own curriculum, “students [have] to think about what a holistic course workload would look like.” Just like a normal class, they are expected to build in assessments and regular homework assignments into their curriculum.
Despite this seemingly daunting process, Riverdale students have only benefited from their independent studies. For example, junior Eshaan Kothari pursued an independent study on the effects of British colonialism on the Hijra community, which is considered an Indigenous LGBTQ+ community in India. Kothari highlights how independent studies crucially allow him to learn about and empower the voices of marginalized communities, especially since education “can often be centered on a white, Eurocentric perspective.”
Furthermore, senior Daniel Choi took multiple independent studies on the intersection of classical music and literature. The incredibly different topics that Kothari and Choi pursued are a testament to how independent studies encourage diverse and interdisciplinary learning. Choi says that “independent studies are a really good way to find your niche and find something you are really interested in.” Choi felt that his independent study was a crucial space for him to explore his passion for music, which he hopes to continue in his college experience.
Mentors also play critical roles in independent studies. For each independent study, a Riverdale faculty member is chosen to mentor the student who proposes the independent study. Kothari says that independent studies are “very personal.…[there is] so much one-on-one interaction with your mentor that you create such a personal relationship with them that extends beyond the classroom.” Often, these relationships are not only meaningful for students but also for teachers. Ms. Stokes added that “it is a great privilege as a faculty member to be asked by a student to work that closely with them on something that they are really deeply interested in, and that you have some expertise in as well.”
Independent studies also help with in-class performance. During the course of his independent study, Kothari conducted in-depth research, diving into primary sources, reaching out to scholars, and eventually writing a paper centered around his topic. The research element, he feels, “really helped [his] writing and presentation skills in other classrooms beyond the independent study,” especially during the tenth-grade term paper. Choi similarly says that his independent study helped him in other research-based projects and that having “the skill of research organization and research planning” is invaluable.
Moreover, students can draw connections between their learnings in independent studies with the material in other Riverdale courses. Ms. Stokes explains that these connections are common and important: “if you are studying some obscure eighteenth-century European composer [in your independent study], and you are taking Constructing America, and you are studying some obscure eighteenth-century American artist, you are thinking about ‘what is the intersection between this and what I am studying in class?’”
Through independent studies, students can pursue and find their academic passions, making invaluable connections with the real world. Still, these beneficial experiences continue to go overlooked. As Ms. Stokes continues to make the independent study application more accessible, Kothari and Choi urge all students to take advantage of this opportunity unique to Riverdale.
