Bridging the Gap: How Experiential Learning Connects Classroom and Community

Do you remember teaching your child to ride a bike? How did you go about the task? Did you draft a thoughtful, yet engaging lesson plan and present it to your tiny rider via PowerPoint? Did you review movies or film demonstrating the proper pedaling technique? Perhaps the two of you spent hours pouring through the theories of the greatest minds on biking in the latest edition of a widely accepted textbook?

More likely, you went out to the driveway, helped your child onto the seat, and you gave them their first tentative push across the pavement. 

Even though we all know about classroom learning, no one had to explain to us that this wasn’t the best way to teach someone to ride a bike, because we understand that some things we learn best by doing. 

Beyond the Classroom

Learning by doing is called experiential learning. When students are able to engage in hands-on experiences, they are able to make stronger connections between intellectual theories and real-world situations. 

In order for true experiential learning to take place, we have to create the proper environment for students to physically and mentally experience the concepts they are learning about. While traditional schools are confined by the four walls of the classroom, The New School considers the entire city of Atlanta its campus. Imagine the history, art, business and culture of a vibrant city as your lesson plan, taught by the leaders of their prospective industries. This is the kind of hands-on learning that makes an impact in the life and trajectory of a student. 

In addition to an engaging learning environment, students who participate in experiential learning gain a better mastery of course material, a greater appreciation of community, and a deeper understanding of themselves – their skills, passions, and values.

Another key difference between experiential and classroom learning is the implication it has on the community itself. Because students are constantly tasked with applying their new ideas to modify and improve the world around them, the student enjoys the benefit of growth, while shaping and building the community. 

Bridging the Gap

One innovative way The New School connects students with their community is through our year-long social entrepreneurship incubator. In partnership with the Center for Civic Innovation, every TNS student will have attempted to start at least one business, and will have had the opportunity to become an expert in lean-startup methodology by the end of their Junior year. By developing their strengths, attending workshops, and forming connections with mentors, our students identify needs in the Greater Atlanta area, and strategize ways to execute their vision for the city and beyond. Where classroom learning prepares students to plan and pitch their ideas, TNS students go further by actively growing their enterprises in real time. 

Think back again to teaching your child how to ride a bike. Because you were out there in the driveway, the lesson was more engaging, the missteps more impactful, and the successes more immediate. Incorrect calculations taught them better than the mark of a red pen, and every setback motivated them to get back up and try again. This was the best way for them to learn–by doing–and there was no greater feeling than the wind on their face as they took their first solo ride down the neighborhood, propelled by their own two feet. 

This is the opportunity experiential learning provides. At The New School, we give students the support they need to take that first unsure step into a new world of their own creation, followed by another, and another.

If you’re ready to take that next step and learn more about experiential learning opportunities at The New School, reach out for more information today.

Peter Lefkowicz

Peter Lefkowicz is the founding Head of School at The New School and has served in that role since 2014. Over the last 25 years, he has taught English and History at both the high school and university levels and is passionate about creating rich learning experiences both in and outside of the classroom. Peter has a B.A. from the University of Virginia, an M.A. in English from Hollins College and a J.D. from the University of Virginia.