Weekly Reflection 6- Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry (PSII) Field Trip
This morning, we had the opportunity to visit Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry (PSII) in Victoria. PSII is a small, public high school that does things differently. Instead of organizing learning around traditional subjects and rigid schedules, the school is built around inquiry, projects, and real-world learning. Students design learning plans based on their interests, and teachers act as advisors and mentors. The goal is not only to meet the BC Core Competencies, communication, thinking, and personal/social responsibility, but to go further by nurturing curiosity, agency, and purpose.
When we arrived, Jeff welcomed us and shared the story behind the school. He explained its philosophy: learning begins with student questions. Instead of asking and students build projects around their inquiries and, through that process, discover the “what” and the “why” of knowledge. Jeff also described how PSII still aligns with BC curriculum requirements, but does so through personalized, competency-based learning rather than standardized pacing.
During the tour, we saw open studios instead of traditional classrooms. When we reached one of the learning spaces, Jessica answered our questions. One exchange that stayed with me was about authenticity. This model does not simulate real learning; it is real learning. Students are not completing tasks for marks alone; they are investigating problems that matter to them. It was powerful to see how engaged the students were. There was no wandering in the hallways, no hiding behind hoodies, no sense of boredom. Students were working, talking, building, creating. Teachers were present and connected. No one seemed to be dragging their feet or hiding in offices. There was a visible sense of belonging.
What struck me most was this: schools like this are completely doable. PSII did not require tearing down buildings or constructing futuristic campuses. The change is philosophical, not architectural. We could implement more inquiry-based, project-based, authentic learning within our existing schools. We can choose to stand beside students rather than in front of them. We can be guides, mentors, and co-learners. Our role does not disappear, it becomes more intentional, more relational, and humble.
PSII shows that education can be rooted in trust. Trust in the process of deep learning. When students are allowed to dream, to investigate, and to create, engagement follows naturally.
Walking away from the visit, I kept asking myself: what is truly stopping us? If belonging, inquiry, and authenticity are possible here, they are possible elsewhere. Perhaps the shift begins not with new buildings or new policies, but with courage, the courage to let students lead their learning, and the humility to learn alongside them.
This way of learning is not new to humanity. Long before schools had bells and schedules, humans learned by wondering, imagining, experimenting, and sharing dreams with one another. We are who we are because we have always been able to dream and to build meaning together.
I hope one day to create a small “dream room” within my own classroom. Not necessarily a separate space with special walls, but a mindset and atmosphere. A place where courage is welcome. Where questions are valued more than quick answers. Where students feel safe to explore their “why.”
If we nurture their questions with patience and care, the “what” will find its place.