DSHK students are not led, they lead. One of the key ways students lead is through self-directed inquiry projects and assignments. These projects begin as interests that emerge at or away from school and grow into deep independent and collaborative studies.

Students develop important habits of mind such as persistence, thinking flexibly, and working interdependently. They generate meaningful questions to further their understanding on the topic, participate in discussions, work in collaborative groups, use a variety of materials and tools creatively, and find answers to their questions using evidence, predictions, and analysis of information on the topic that is being explored (Dinnerstein).