Passion-based Learning

during Winter Term

Winter was slow to arrive in northern Michigan, but mid-January’s blizzards have made up for lost time, and snow clouds now pillow our campus. The branches are heavy, and our skiers’ hearts are light with thoughts of lessons and exhilarating runs down the many faces of Crystal Mountain. Grace, the school’s trusty snow plow, keeps paths and roadways clear, but when we trek off-grid, we must work hard to keep the deep drifts from dropping into the tops of our boots. Our faculty dogs romp joyfully through the fluff and then calmly wait for students to pick the tiny iceballs from their coats when they come inside. Each January, we move toward each other for warmth, comfort, and light.

Winter Term classes generate this same feeling of collective warmth and energy. The schedule eases with only two extended classes per day. Still, our deep dive into topics as diverse as storytelling to travel and cooking to pop culture weave together learning that is creative, satisfying, and often a spark for further exploration. Time to follow a trail of ideas or a tangent of topics is a luxury few traditional classrooms or schools afford. 

January’s playful but passion-filled Winter Term courses, designed by our creative faculty, act as a springboard for curious minds. Leelanau’s hands-on learning approach is ideal for stirring their interest and connection to the material. 

Educator, author, and science evangelist Ainissa Ramirez, Ph.D., explains this phenomenon well. “Love of learning is the key skill for the 21st century…There is a simple way to get a child passionate about something:

1. Find out what each child is innately passionate about.

2. Be an instructor that exudes passion for the topic, and infect your students with that excitement.”

This is the only infection we invite to campus during flu and COVID season! Students take their cues from Leelanau teachers, who are learners themselves. New courses are created all the time to match the ever-evolving interests and passions of faculty and students.

When curiosity is unleashed and students are given a safe space to take healthy risks, magic happens. So, our teens are busy writing songs, painting with watercolors, skiing, baking, heading to Spain, and making lanterns. They’re exploring and learning about what lights them up, and most importantly, they are learning about themselves. Winter Term is a magical and memorable time for our students and faculty alike.

As we trek through the snow and the month, we look forward to the culmination of this new knowledge at our annual Winter Term celebration. Undoubtedly, an avalanche of new skills, discoveries, and passions will amass that afternoon, creating fresh tracks toward a lifetime of learning.