My Kids Are In Love
The most beautiful thing is happening in my anatomy classroom.
My kids are in love.
The day has finally come - a day that I, and apparently they, have been waiting for all year.
You see, I promised on the very first day of school that they would each get the last 4-6 weeks of the school year to do an independent study project of their own choosing. I told them that no matter where I was in the curriculum that I would stop and they would get their chance to take ownership of their learning.
My theme for this school year was, "We're goin' outside!" And it started as a way to get my Freshmen Natural Resources Biology class outdoors and actually experiencing this thing called nature they were supposed to be learning about. But then I realized I could take it another step further. "Outside" could mean so much more than spending the class period outside of the classroom walls. It could mean bringing the outside in with guest speakers - industry professionals. And I did. John Prucich, The Falconer, brought his birds to share. Andrea Steele taught my students how to do punch biopsies. It could mean reaching outside traditional curriculum - using current events, broadening the scope of the class to all things "science". It could mean getting outside of our comfort zone - through discussion of controversial topics like vaccines and reproductive health.
As a second year classroom teacher, I felt like I was beginning to find my groove and decided to try adding to my list of experiences so I applied to be a part of the Tech Leadership Cadre. Little did I know that it would be so fulfilling and so connected to my theme for the year. I was inspired to get out of my own comfort zone, to be even more vulnerable with my students, sharing my own successes and failures, and encouraging them to do the same. It took me most of the school year to combine my learning and experiences into a final project for my students that I fell would provide both freedom and support. It may not be perfect. But I feel confident about where it is and it's potential for greatness.
So what are we doing, you ask? Well here is a link to the document I shared with them yesterday introducing the project, if you're interested. I used the introduction from a project that Bob Kilmer has done in her classes with a similar structure, but the rest is me. The philosophy behind the project is Real Tasks for a Real Audience. The real task is about the student using their own interests to drive passion for the project, and learning that the content they are learning is far reaching and applicable in any setting. the real audience is about producing a product that matters. It's not an essay I will read and then recycle. It's a book they publish, market, and read to a class of 1st graders. Or a piece of art that will be displayed forever, to be enjoyed, not discarded.
What are the requirements?
But I also told them that freedom is scary. And I'm not convinced that as a culture we are good and training our youth on how to manage freedom. The panic in some students eyes when I say, "do whatever you want!" is staggering. So I gave a list of possible options. They could pick from the list, use the list and a jumping point, or come up with their own project completely separate from my list. I will be there for them. I will help educate them about goal setting and self-reflection and time management.
They were in love. There was so much passion in the room. So much inspiration and excitement.
I have welders creating art with metal, future teachers planning lessons, an artist writing a children's book, someone who wants to design a video game to educate people about the affects of video games on the brain, future fireman who want to educate and inspire people about their profession and how to be first responders if they are present when disaster strikes.
And I tried to alleviate the pressures of a due date. I am not necessarily evaluating a completed project. I'm evaluating their growth and ability to persevere when they run into obstacles. I will be proud of whatever they accomplish by the end whether it fits the traditional definition of finished or not. If the welded sculpture of the human body only has a leg, two arms and a rib cage by the last week of school but he put some much detail into it that that's as much as he could finish, awesome!
My students are in love with this project. They didn't even blink and the need to research the neuroscience behind video games and the impact on the game. Because he was planning to use the research to figure out the different evil bosses that you would have to defeat each level. Can you imagine? The Caped Seratonin in a mortal combat style battle with his arch-nemesis, Adrenaline Junky?! Or the girl who wants to raise awareness for immigrant families. She is motivated to research the emotional and physical effects separation of family members due to deportation or separation at the border.
They are in love. And I am in love. And I won't be disappointed. Because I've set them up for success the best way I know how. I've attempted to eliminate the traditional stressors and encourage to have fun and be passionate, while promising to help them when they fall.
"We're Goin' Outside" has new meaning, more meaning, and I can't wait to see what they discover!
My kids are in love.
The day has finally come - a day that I, and apparently they, have been waiting for all year.You see, I promised on the very first day of school that they would each get the last 4-6 weeks of the school year to do an independent study project of their own choosing. I told them that no matter where I was in the curriculum that I would stop and they would get their chance to take ownership of their learning.
My theme for this school year was, "We're goin' outside!" And it started as a way to get my Freshmen Natural Resources Biology class outdoors and actually experiencing this thing called nature they were supposed to be learning about. But then I realized I could take it another step further. "Outside" could mean so much more than spending the class period outside of the classroom walls. It could mean bringing the outside in with guest speakers - industry professionals. And I did. John Prucich, The Falconer, brought his birds to share. Andrea Steele taught my students how to do punch biopsies. It could mean reaching outside traditional curriculum - using current events, broadening the scope of the class to all things "science". It could mean getting outside of our comfort zone - through discussion of controversial topics like vaccines and reproductive health.
As a second year classroom teacher, I felt like I was beginning to find my groove and decided to try adding to my list of experiences so I applied to be a part of the Tech Leadership Cadre. Little did I know that it would be so fulfilling and so connected to my theme for the year. I was inspired to get out of my own comfort zone, to be even more vulnerable with my students, sharing my own successes and failures, and encouraging them to do the same. It took me most of the school year to combine my learning and experiences into a final project for my students that I fell would provide both freedom and support. It may not be perfect. But I feel confident about where it is and it's potential for greatness.
So what are we doing, you ask? Well here is a link to the document I shared with them yesterday introducing the project, if you're interested. I used the introduction from a project that Bob Kilmer has done in her classes with a similar structure, but the rest is me. The philosophy behind the project is Real Tasks for a Real Audience. The real task is about the student using their own interests to drive passion for the project, and learning that the content they are learning is far reaching and applicable in any setting. the real audience is about producing a product that matters. It's not an essay I will read and then recycle. It's a book they publish, market, and read to a class of 1st graders. Or a piece of art that will be displayed forever, to be enjoyed, not discarded.
What are the requirements?
Again, whatever they choose to do must have a real audience. This is dependent on their project. If they plan to pursue a career in teaching, they must present something to teachers or students. If they plan to pursue art, they have to showcase their creation.
Goal achievement is a requirement. This means they will be making weekly plans and evaluating their progress. It's not necessary that they achieve each goal they set, but it is required to improve their goal setting skills, and to be able to evaluate their strength, weaknesses, successes, and failures. This also means they can’t finish early. They must continue to grow and improve until presentation/final due date. If their plan for the project is something they can complete in two weeks, then we will use our weekly meeting to figure out how to take their project one step further. For example, say a student in interested in marketing. They may choose to create an infographic to raise awareness for muscular distrophy. If they finish early, I would challenge them to build a social media campaign around the graphic, get them printed and post them, create a website and share the link, then track site statistics to measure their effectiveness. Not only are they focusing on a health related topic, but they are doing in through a medium that is personally meaningful to them. I'm not asking the welder to perform research on new medicines, or job shadow someone in the health profession.
Should somehow relate to anatomy, physiology, health, wellness, public safety, etc. If they aren’t sure, I help them make it relate.
Weekly Check-Ins with me where we discuss their goals for the week and their progress.
Some sort of self-reflection - they choose the format: Journaling? Blog? Vlog? Documentary? Something else?I am lucky to have a wide range of experiences and contacts to help facilitate these projects. I don't know if everyone could do it. But I once build a 90 foot long, 15 foot high banana slug tunnel complete with moving antennae that you could walk through with yellow tarps, chicken wire, and PVC pipe. (See photo of building in progress from 2013 at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park for Slug Fest) I told these kids I can help them do anything they want. The sky is no longer the limit.
But I also told them that freedom is scary. And I'm not convinced that as a culture we are good and training our youth on how to manage freedom. The panic in some students eyes when I say, "do whatever you want!" is staggering. So I gave a list of possible options. They could pick from the list, use the list and a jumping point, or come up with their own project completely separate from my list. I will be there for them. I will help educate them about goal setting and self-reflection and time management.
They were in love. There was so much passion in the room. So much inspiration and excitement.
I have welders creating art with metal, future teachers planning lessons, an artist writing a children's book, someone who wants to design a video game to educate people about the affects of video games on the brain, future fireman who want to educate and inspire people about their profession and how to be first responders if they are present when disaster strikes.
And I tried to alleviate the pressures of a due date. I am not necessarily evaluating a completed project. I'm evaluating their growth and ability to persevere when they run into obstacles. I will be proud of whatever they accomplish by the end whether it fits the traditional definition of finished or not. If the welded sculpture of the human body only has a leg, two arms and a rib cage by the last week of school but he put some much detail into it that that's as much as he could finish, awesome!
They are in love. And I am in love. And I won't be disappointed. Because I've set them up for success the best way I know how. I've attempted to eliminate the traditional stressors and encourage to have fun and be passionate, while promising to help them when they fall.
"We're Goin' Outside" has new meaning, more meaning, and I can't wait to see what they discover!
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