AHSB and the SOLE Initiative

With daily progress in all aspects of our lives, it is no surprise that the education system has to face changes as well. One of the most recent teaching methods, which are being actively implemented in schools in the USA, is SOLE (Self-Organised Learning Environment). As a school that always aims to improve and modernize, the American School of Bulgaria will start using this approach in February 2026.

The SOLE technique aims to encourage students to practice what is known as Inquiry-Based Learning, which is the ability to conduct research on various questions without direct intervention from a teacher. 

To apply the SOLE method, the teacher provides the students with the steps that intend to provide freedom in research. Firstly, the students are given the big question in the beginning of the class (e.g., “What impact does the nervous system have on our personality traits?”) and then students are divided into smaller groups. Students are free to use a computer to access the Internet to do their research, as long as each group member actively participates. The time given for the research is limited, and once it is up, the groups present their findings to the rest of the class. It is important to note that during the research session, the teacher does not intervene in the process, and students are allowed to occasionally interact with other groups for the purpose of brainstorming. 

Such a method is indeed modern and quite different from the current conventional system, but this is also its major advantage. The traditional classroom environment now shifts from a more rigid structure to a freer and more creative one, where students develop both social and critical thinking skills through active engagement. 

It is no secret that the current world is changing rapidly, and being capable of quick learning and adaptation is a valuable skill in these times. Such great changes might be quite challenging for both our teaching staff and students, yet we believe that the long-term benefits of this method are worth all the effort. 

We are looking forward to implementing the SOLE initiative at AHSB this February, and we hope that you are just as thrilled to embrace these changes as we are!”

Written by: Ekaterina Meshcheryakova - 11^th grade