High School Programs On Bali Island
Upper Years - Middle School and High School
Wood School's Upper Years program is centred on Neohumanism, which teaches love for all creatures, sustainability, morality, and reciprocity. The program's core is a Neohumanist philosophy.
The Upper School program rests on 3 pillars:
1. Project-based/ experiential learning
2. Service (seva) and "gotong royong"
3. Personal and spiritual development
What this means in practice is that learning in the Upper School is hands-on and purposeful.
Students work on both short-term and long-term projects that require deep and broad
understanding of how to apply Neohumanist philosophies in practice.
Upper School students, ages middle school and above participate in:
a) Ongoing work related to growing and preparing food.
b) Medium-term projects like installing solar panels at Wood School to transition Wood School to carbon-zero operations.
c) Short-term projects like flood relief or coral restoration, and regular out-trips and
workshops with local guides and experts who will teach students about traditional
knowledge, customs and practices that sustain and strengthen Bali, Indonesia and the
region.
By working on projects that exemplify Wood School’s philosophy and values, students learn
how to practice Neohumanism in the world and are able to clearly articulate how their
actions contribute positively to society.
The project-based/ experiential learning that students engage in Upper Years program at Wood School ensures that students consider and apply multiple integrated perspectives in all that they do.
Project learning is recognized as requiring students to gain broad knowledge that extends beyond standard, siloed subject-learning, to include creativity, critical thinking, collaboration,
communication and personal commitment.
Subject learning (e.g. math, science, language arts, practical arts, social studies, sports, etc.) is integrated into students’ project work. Projects combine and integrate multiple subject areas simultaneously. For example, understanding climate change will involve science, math, history, law, and economics. Developing solutions may involve science, chemistry, engineering, language arts, law, and social studies, as well as environmental science and natural science.
Wood School students learn to articulate their journeys of discovery and
their contributions to society in terms that are expected and required by accredited secondary
and post-secondary institutions. This means that while students discover, integrate and apply
knowledge from multiple disciplines, they will - at a minimum - acquire the knowledge required
of graduating students so that they are not limited in their choice of post-secondary learning
opportunities. However, more and more, post-secondary institutions are looking for candidates
who can demonstrate skills and maturity that extend beyond core academics; Wood School
students will meet and exceed post-secondary entrance requirements.
Projects require a variety of skills and perspectives to be successful. By participating in projects,
students have the opportunity to explore what excites and interests them, and how they
want to participate in learning and in society. This student-centred approach enables each
student to find their own learning style, and the manner in which they choose to interact with
and impact society. This self-discovery allows them to express themselves in ways that make
sense for them so that they can develop and access their potential and find their own
confidence and place in their community and the world.
Upper Years
Lisa Papania (PhD, MBA, BA, BC Certified teacher)
Dr Lisa Papania is an educator, social entrepreneur and activist. After 10 years of product development and innovation, Lisa transitioned to working in education and social entrepreneurship where she has 20 years of experience leading sustainable and social entrepreneurship programs in education; and teaching, researching and engaging in sustainable and socially just entrepreneurship. Lisa has a PhD in innovation from Simon Fraser University, Canada, an MBA from Wits Business School in South Africa, and is a certified teacher. Her teaching and social entrepreneurial practice has always involved working closely with partners from across the academic institution, outside institutions, and local communities; and has always focused on getting students involved in their communities and their environment.
As an educator, Lisa has imagined, planned, developed and managed courses, programs and experiences to teach school-level, undergraduate and graduate students how to engage in social and sustainable innovation that create positive change in the world. As an entrepreneur, her focus has been on creating socially responsible businesses that demonstrate how every link in an organization's value chain can and
must be sustainable and equitable. As an educational leader, curriculum developer/ program manager, Lisa focuses on designing and leading programs that enable and motivate students to become positively impactful citizens and considerate humans.
Lisa believes it is her role to empower students to take a stake in their future. Her ideas are influenced most by philosophers, educators and innovators whose teachings focus on improving how humans interact responsibly with the world around them and on empowering students to make real positive contributions in their own and others' lives.
Daniel Papania (PhD, BSc, BC Certified teacher)
Dr Daniel Papania is an educator, a maker, a problem solver, and an environmental and social activist, who believes in the power of making and fixing to bring out people’s confidence and passion for solving problems in the world. Daniel’s background and education is in statistics and information technology (PhD in Information Technology from the University of British Columbia, Canada). Daniel spent the first
part of his career building IT systems and then transitioned into education and environmental sustainability.
Daniel is a Canadian certified teacher and has taught middle, high school and university students. He uses his passion for technology and problem solving to address environmental and societal challenges and to inspire others to become the next generation of problem solvers. Daniel’s classes are always
highly experiential, hands-on, engaging, encouraging and fun. Daniel’s students are encouraged to go beyond their comfort zone and will regularly be seen building things, working with tools, and getting their hands dirty, all while smiling and laughing. His belief is that every student has confidence waiting to be unlocked and if given the right opportunity, they will find their confidence and their passion, and this
will stay with them for the rest of their life.