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LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL

16       

LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL

Experiential learning at Laguna Blanca is getting an 
upgrade. By establishing a new leadership role for 
English Instructor Ashley Tidey, Ph.D., as director of 
experiential learning, the school signals a deepening 
of its commitment to taking the learning experience 
out of the classroom and into the world. Following 
on the work she began in the summer of 2013 at
the Teacher’s College of Columbia University, Ashley 
has crafted an approach that has already yielded 
major results. In the spring of 2014, she led a large
group of ninth and tenth grade students on a new 
kind of study tour, something she called a “Literature 
and Theater Adventure in New York City.” Through 
attending Broadway performances of some of the 
works (A Raisin in the Sun and Of Mice and Men) 
that they had read in English 9, through meeting 
master practitioners in film and theater, and most 
of all, through testing their knowledge of the Harlem 
Renaissance on actual residents of Harlem, students 
were able to discover new levels of interest and 
motivation, both in their scholarship, and in their 
bonds with one another. 
 

Ashley explains the new experiential learning 

initiative as simply “giving capital letters to what 

we’ve been doing at Laguna Blanca for years.” For 
example, this was the fourth year for the Middle 
School’s East Coast History trip, which was led by 
Dana (Martin) Dwire, assistant  to head of middle 
school, and Kevin Shertzer, history instructor. On this 
study tour, eighth graders visited an all-star roster of 
significant American sites. From the Liberty Bell to 
Gettysburg, and from the Smithsonian Museum to 
the Vietnam War Memorial, students encountered
the things that many had only read or heard about. 
The trip was capped by an inspiring connection with 
two recent LBS alumni—Kai Gamble ’12 and Austin 
Patrick ’11—at the United States Naval Academy in
Annapolis, which both now attend. 
 

Experiential learning is about a lot more than 

just travel. Ashley cites programs developed by other 
teachers at Laguna, including Clara Svedlund’s emu-
raising project in the Lower School, Zack Moore’s 
study of physics and engineering through riding roller 
coasters at Magic Mountain, and Kevin Shertzer’s 
storytelling approach to history as examples of 
how experiential learning is already a core part of 
our school’s curriculum. The fact that the school 
has chosen to make a more formal commitment to 

EXPERIENCE TAKES THE LEAD 

IN LEARNING AT LAGUNA BLANCA

Eighth graders visit 

two Laguna alumni 

at the US Naval 

Academy.

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9/10/14   4:03 PM