Advantage in College
“The learning style in Flex promotes self discovery and the Socratic method which prepares students for college and life far better than any other high school program.”
–Vikram Sahney, Class of 1996
“Flex first prepared me, more so than any other class, for my college experience. While most students in my class struggled to adjust to the teaching styles and classroom experiences of college courses, I never skipped a beat – and graduated in the top of my class because of it. I was used to large lecture halls, taking notes, study groups and seeking out alternate sources that my teachers may not have thought of because of the Flex teaching model.”
–Marissa Lampert, Class of 1999
“Once I got to college, I felt like I was already familiar with the curriculum and format of my courses simply because of my experience in Flex.”
– Matthew Muir, Class of 2006
“By first semester freshman year in College, I could tell the difference. I was able to participate in dialogues that mostly only Juniors and Seniors were comfortable participating in. My professors quickly spotted me as one of “those” students who could keep up and actually encourage dialogue in a classroom. Flex gave me the foundation of discourse without attacking others for their beliefs. And that was just what Flex literally taught me in the classrooms that I used in college.”
– Cassie Shook, Class of 2000
“I received a better education in FLEX than I did in some of my college classes. The books and focus sections of the FLEX program have stayed with me my entire life. I am 44 years old now and my memory gets dimmer and dimmer every year, but I can name every FLEX teacher I had, every FLEX paper I wrote, every FLEX subject of focus.”
– Lisa Archer, Class of 1984
“My life has been deeply influenced by the education I received in the Flex program. It was by far the best college preparatory education I could have had and not just because we read so many great books and plays but because the Flex team taught me a way of thinking that is still coming in useful. In fact, I am currently taking a graduate level literary criticism class and not only have I already read a number of the texts (all the way back in my Flex days), the heaviest part of my grade in this class comes from analyzing the text and participating in class discussions about the text as well as how it relates to both the context of the period in which it was written and how it relates to a current audience. All of those skills were abilities I picked up during my four years in the Flex program. “
– Taran Muller, Class of 2000
Intellectual Curiosity and a Love of Learning
“I think that Flex just teaches you a whole different way to think that affects everything you do in life. You learn how everything fits together instead of learning history, literature, etc. as totally compartmentalized things. I think it teaches you how to solve problems and really encourages curiosity and initiative. It prepared me for college like I can’t imagine any other course doing. I think it makes me a more interesting human being because it shaped me into a person who always wants to be learning and who seeks out different perspectives and experiences.”
– Kristen Ray, Class of 1995
“Without question, Flex was one of the most exciting and dynamic learning experiences of my life (which has also included a B.A. from Oberlin, an MA from U of M and an MLS from Simmons College.) In Flex, I learned to take chances and to work collaboratively with peers and mentors. I was surrounded by brilliant people who shared my love of reading, learning and creativity.”
– Susan Harari, Class of 1982
Interdisciplinarity
“The Flex program was the absolute highlight of my time in high school. While I was in college I continuously ran across materials, teaching methods, and study skills that I was already familiar with due to my participation in Flex. I’m currently getting a Masters degree in Environmental Education, and much of the research that I am doing into the field of educational philosophy confirms what I learned in Flex–interdisciplinary approaches in which students and teachers have the opportunity to build lasting relationships are some of the best ways to educate. I continually reflect on how wonderful my experiences with Flex were. It’s an absolutely phenomenal program. ”
– Christy McGillivray, Class of 2000
“As a future educator, I am constantly reminded of the advantages awarded to me because of my years in the Flex program at Seaholm High School. In the many curriculum courses I have taken at Eastern Michigan’s College of Education, the importance of interdisciplinary learning is constantly stressed. The highest goal of Michigan’s standards and benchmarks for 9-12 education is to make cross disciplinary connections. Flex is the goal for the College of Education, and for the future of higher learning.”
– Elizabeth Guilmet, Class of 2006