Capstone: Inquiry & Action at School

Capstone: Inquiry & Action at School addresses the what, why, and how of capstone education. Capstone programs are modern rituals that give meaning back to "schooling” and create transformative relationships between students and teachers. Capstone programs energize schools and can point the way for institutional change. Written by teachers for teachers, Capstone contains ready-to-implement materials derived from decades of experience in the classroom. The authors share authentic narratives of failure and success to encourage teachers who are engaged in the risks and rewards of deep learning. Capstone is implementable. Capstone offers concrete tips and templates for teachers. Capstone collects in one place all the resources a teacher needs to build a program from the ground up. Capstone is compelling. Written by teachers, Capstone communicates through a shared experience of the classroom. Capstone offers support for teachers who are committed to authentic student learning. Capstone is connected. Capstone shares emerging practices being developed by current capstone educators and informed by the collected wisdom of the National Capstone Consortium.

Nina Leacock, PhD has advised over one thousand student capstone projects at the university and high school levels. She has taught English, Humanities, Composition, and research methods to students from tenth grade to graduate school. She was Co-Director of the capstone program at Bosque School in Albuquerque, NM for more than a decade. Nina is a founding member of the National Capstone Consortium.

Jon Calos, MS has developed research and capstone programs at Emma Willard School in Troy, NY for the past 20 years. He has taught Biology, Animal Behavior, and other life science courses. Jon is the chair of Experiential Learning at Emma Willard, the department which runs the school’s capstone program. Jon is a founding member of the National Capstone Consortium.