During the first week of November, the Middle School students at Inly School participated in Internship and Project Week. The Eighth graders spent this week off campus at a diverse array of internship host sites which included everything from an organic farm to the technology department of a hospital.
While the 8th graders were off campus interning, the seventh graders participated in Project Week, a week on campus designed to prepare the students for future off campus internships. During this week, the students completed the Myers-Briggs personality inventory, wrote their resumes, and began planning for their internships in the spring. Part of each day involved participating in projects that were facilitated by members of the Inly community. This year, projects included set-building, photography, creative problem-solving, and self-defense.
Middle School aged children are fascinated with their roles in the larger society and eager to explore these roles through their own participation. An important part of their exploration of the world is that they have authentic work experiences. Inly School’s Internship Program was created to give students the opportunity to experience this key aspect of adolescent exploration and development.
The Montessori educational program leads each student naturally to the world of work that they will experience during their internship. From the youngest age, the child’s activities in the classroom are referred to as “work,” and students are given substantial independence and initiative is encouraged. They are also taught that they are accountable for thorough completion of what they set out to do. Relatedly, at school, they have developed many productive relationships with adults, including their teachers, the school administrators, and many parents, most of whom they are comfortable addressing by their first names. The Internship Program is designated to give our Middle School students further experience being supervised by adults, accomplishing important work, and meeting adults’ expectations.