Our Time 1998

B y merging disciplines and approaching concepts from different perspectives simulta– neously, IMSA offers a unique learning experience which, to many, is its claim to fame. Our school remains a strong supporter of defying conventional teaching techniques, encouraging the integration of several academic fields in hopes of forging a more worthwhile and effective education. The ultimate em– bodiment of these ideals are taking shape in the distinguished curriculum known as Integrated Science. Students in ILE confronted real-life situations, and were constantly challenged to provide solutions by accessing knowl– edge from different sciences. For instance, this year, Integrated Science posed a formidable question: how should nuclear waste be disposed of? Students researched the options available by the Yucca Moun– tain site in Nevada, as well as the schemat– ics of nuclear power plants, to familiarize themselves with this topic. This extensive project took the better part of a quarter, so Far Left: Jenny Leung consults Kapil Kamdarfor help during Sophomore Physics class. Above: Sue Styer instructs her students during class. Students always referred to teachersfor aid, who were more than happy to oblige. Left: Amidstpiles of paper, Jon dela Cruz andNeha Narula wrestle with chemical concepts. Organic chemistry posed an intriguing challengefor its students. if you harbor any questions about nuclear waste disposal, an experi– enced integrated student will most likely know the answer. Obviously, independent research plays a vital role this class, and students were expected to pursue their answers on their own. As a result, members of ILE were not forced to restrict their learning experiences to alloted classroom time. "It's nice to a have a class where you get credited for four mods, but only have to got to one ," commented Junior Jake Trevick. While there have been some complaints regarding this experi– mental curriculum, one must remember that ILE is a project under construction. It's a pursuit that is still developing, thus teachers are learning along with the students. "Integrated Science is a good concept, it just lacks in implementa– tion," points out Junior Paul Bierzychudek. £Academic&' \135