Ernest Seaholm High School - Piper Yearbook (Birmingham, MI)

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' ' Discipline and responsibility are the keys to independent study. -Kathy Morgan Seaholm Students Fend For Themselves by K. Morgan and C Lamarche How would you like to have a class without a teacher and be able to make your own lesson plan? Well, independent study courses are designed to allow students to work individually at their own pace. Seaholm offers independent study in various areas of English, industrial arts, foreign languages, fine arts, and piano, to name a few. Counselor Don Laatsch feels, Independent study is useful in a counsel- ing situation because it gives the exception- al student a chance to go beyond. Each independent study student has an advisor who helps them when needed and who is responsible for giving the student a grade. According to junior Jeff Jones, whose independent study was piano, An advisor is the key to success in this type of course because he she sets guidelines for you and helps keep you on the right track. Of the students who took independent study this year at Seaholm, each had a :i ' - Paul Donar, chief photographer on the yearbook staff, uses his independent study to sort pictures and meet deadlines. During his independent study period, junior Jeff Abel goes to the industrial arts room to work on his drafting. photo by Paul Donar slightly different reason for selecting the course. Some, like senior Katy Andreae, needed the extra time for another course that they were taking. I really need the extra hour for yearbook without losing a credit, said Katy, so an independent study has helped me to budget my time. Others, like senior Kathy Morgan, took independent study because of outside interests. Kathy liked the freedom and responsibility that accompanied her pho- tography independent study course. I am very interested in photography and I wanted to develop more skills without the pressures of a classroom, said Kathy. Although senior Elissa Sard jokingly calls independent study a study hall for credit, she, too, realizes the value of the course. I ' ve really gotten a lot from my independent study, said Sard, and I would recommend it to any student who wants to go beyond what the classroom offers. 150 INDEPENDENT STUDY

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' ' The new requirements provide better preparation for college ' -Brad Kasselman New Requirements Create Key Benefits by H, Burch. L. Miller, P. Newton Beginning with the freshman and sophomore classes, students have their choice of a variety of practical arts courses to com- plete the new minimum IV2 credit require- ments. Of the many practical arts classes from which students can choose, typing is most popular and word processing is the least popular. Until recently, students who wanted to take a health course had to ride a bus to Groves, as Seaholm did not offer health classes, but this is no longer the case. Next year, all students must take at least a half credit of health during either junior or senior year. Junior Julie Adkins feels the health classes will be successful because students will not have to commute. A lot of time is wasted going from Seaholm to Groves, and the fact that the hours are shortened doesn ' t help. Having the class at Seaholm will give the student more time to learn, she explained. After polling several students, it was found that most felt the new requirements would be beneficial. On the other hand, junior Jeff Jones said, The student should have more freedom in choosing classes. Next year, Seaholm students will be dealing with the new practical arts require- ments. Although some students do not agree with the new standards, they must keep in mind that the requirements are intended to benefit all students. If these students apply themselves, and take the task of utilizing these new course require- ments, then Seaholm ' s excellence in edu- cation will continue. ACADEMICS 149

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During independent study yearbook, senior staffers Elissa Sard and Liz Krebs discuss important yearbook matters over the phone. Senior Bob Matz, a photography independent study student, processes and develops his film in the Seaholm darkroom. photo by Paul Donar Sophomore Stephanie Spellman practices the piece In Rank and File during her classical piano independent study. ACADEMICS 151