This is a selfish blog.
Its purpose is not to proclaim my thoughts to the world, or to create a site where people can read what I write and learn, but rather it is a way for me to take this year's scattered manner of learning and focus it. A sort of log or journal of learning.
Why is it necessary? Well, instead of spending my senior year at Winchester High School taking classes like the thousand other kids in my school or the millions of teens in the country, I decided that I would try to do more. I decided that I would take a little more control of my learning in hopes that doing so would allow me more opportunity to learn, often in ways or in subjects my school doesn't offer.
I will now list the elements that make up my education for the following year:
1. I am taking the humanities class at Winchester High School. This is a combined English, History, art, and music class. I am told that it's a great and challenging class, and so I am looking forward to it.
2. I am taking math classes at Harvard Extension. In the fall, I am taking Multivariable Calculus, Math E-21a, and in the spring I hope to take Linear Algebra, Math E-21b.
3. I am taking physics through MIT's Open Courseware. http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/8-01Physics-IFall1999/CourseHome/ If I get through 8.01, I will continue on to 8.02 and 8.03. The lectures are by the renowned MIT physics teacher, Walter Lewin.
4. I am taking a welding class at Mass Art. I enjoy metal working, and I think that this complements the occasional blacksmithing classes I take at Prospect Hill.
5. And to me the single most important of these, I have a job. I work for an innovative start-up company that creates CVD diamond for industrial applications. I work part-time. I started middle of last July, and because of my non-traditional schooling, I can continue to work during the school year. I've learned a lot of practical and hands-on lessons about science and run small businesses from this. Specific things will be covered in this blog.
6. While this is not definite, I am hoping to keep up my study in Spanish in a similar manner to how I learned English. I intend to find young adult science fiction and short stories in Spanish, and read them, and learn words and grammar as I encounter it.
At the same time as I do all of this, I am keeping up an active role as captain of Cross country and track, a role as leader of clubs like the Juggling and Improv club, and as a participant in the math team, Spanish club, and GSA.
And tomorrow is the first day of school, though it won't be until the day after that we see if a regular day is going to work out well.
Busy! Exactly as I like it.
