RR#11

1.     Description of what occurs as a result of using the Project-Based learning approach.

Project -based learning is a great modern way of teaching and learning style. This approach is very different from the traditional way of learning. As a result of project-based learning, their creativity and digital tools become maximized. Students can make immediate findings and global connections through tools such as the Internet. PBL is a positive alternative way of learning. It gets students up and out of their desks to become more involved in the classroom. This approach gives students a view of what most future jobs will be like.

2.     Discussion on way to “bring your project home”.

When the students project comes to an end the students feel like they achieved a very accomplished journey, that they will most likely remember forever.  The project will leave the students with vivid memories and reflections.

3.     Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

This chapter has a lot to do with our classroom kitchen topic/project. As our class and project comes to an end the chapters explains a great way to close our project and what the end of our project leaves the students with. 

Reading Reflection #11

1. What occurs as a result of using the Project-Based Learning approach:

When students (and teachers) are first introduced to project-based learning, it is often a major adjustment in the way of learning, teaching, and working with others. However, using the project-based learning approach offers numerous life skills that students will develop when working with their peers. Students are able to better critique their own work, think back on their project and recall what they learned. Teachers can also look back and think about the most engaging learning activities - what seemed to really "grab" the students' attention? As a result of project-based learning, teachers are able to see how activities from one project could be useful in another project, or even notice how students become particularly engaged in a subject when they have a chance to examine actual artifacts and real-life situations. We may see a transformation in students after taking a project-based learning approach, as if they have matured and "grown up" once having learned how to work with and communicate with their peers at a "professional" level.

2. Ways to "bring your project home:"

• Critique your work: Plan a "project debrief" with the project planning team to discuss the project elements after the project has been completed. Use this opportunity to draw out each others' best ideas for improvement, using whatever communication tools you found useful during the project.
• Share your insights: 
• Share your project idea with an existing network where teachers turn for inspiration, good ideas, and ongoing projects they can join.
• Create a project library within your school where you can archive project plans.
• Turn your project into an archive on the Web, including student work samples and teacher reflections.
• Publish your project to share examples of well-conceived projects, including both your completed work as well as reflections about what made the project successful.
• Become a resource for your colleagues: Consider turning your experience into a professional development opportunity for your colleagues by sharing what you have learned in the course of designing and leading a digital-age project. Help colleagues gain new insights into project-based learning.
• Enter a contest: Gain exposure for your project, as well as your students, by putting your best work forward. This maybe help raise the profile of what you are doing in your classroom, bringing awareness to the community and other school districts. By publicly submitting your work, you may get an opportunity to receive critical feedback from colleagues who share a passion for authentic projects.

3. How concepts in this chapter relate to our topic/project:

Once we have finished our classroom dinner project, after the cookbooks are made and the dinner has been prepared and served, we don't want our students going home and forgetting everything we've just learned. In addition, we as future teachers should document this project. Whether the project has been successful or not, we should seek out critical feedback and review our planning strategies with each other to see what worked and what could have been done differently.

Chapter 11 Reflection

Description of what occurs as a result of using the Project-based learning approach.

When a successful project comes to an end, both the teachers and students will feel as if they have been somewhere together. They will both be left with vivid memories, souvenirs, and artifacts they have collected along the way. They will also have plenty of ideas for the next learning adventure. Good projects should not just end, they should open new doors and create connections that can help both teachers and students build future project designs. Having students reflect at the end of a project will benefit both the teacher and student. If students identify what could have been done better or what additional steps should be added to the project, the teacher can use that in future planning. Teachers should also reflect together in order to improve their future projects.  Project-based learning can also lead to using new tools in the classroom. For example, teachers who used wikis in a project may decide to continue using wikis once the project is over as a new tool for communication and publication.

Discussion on ways to “bring your project home”.

As mentioned above, teachers can capitalize on their investment by reflecting on the project they have just completed. Reflecting on all aspects of the project, especially student work and outcomes, will allow the teachers to measure the project’s success. It will also allow them to make changes and make the next project even more successful. Teachers can also critique their project with their colleagues. Debriefing the project with other teachers allows everyone to draw out each other’s’ best ideas for improvement. It is also a great time for teachers to review students work together to check for understanding. Teachers can share their projects with other teachers and also modify other teachers project plans to meet their students learning goals. Finally, teachers can put their best work forward and enter their project in a contest. This gives exposure to your project, and to your students, which can help raise the profile of what you are doing in your classroom. It will also give you critical feedback from colleagues who share the same passion for authentic projects.

Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

I have really liked using the project-based learning approach in this class. Connecting all of our assignments to one overall theme has really helped me see how helpful technology can be during a project based unit. Even though we had to make up and pretend to do all the elements of our project, it helped me better understand the process of planning and implementing a project-based unit. I will definitely remember all of the things I learned in this class because it was presented to me in the context of one large project. I can see how project-based learning would leave vivid memories for young children, especially since they actually get to complete a project instead of just making one up. Finally, creating this project has given me many ideas for other projects and assignments. All the technology we learned about could be used in many different ways and I look forward to using it in my future classroom!

Concept Map #3

Reading Reflection #10

1. The importance of setting aside time for reflection:

Taking the time to reflect on a class project, or students' individual work, helps students to feel good about their accomplishments, and more importantly, can be the thing that makes learning really stick. When students create their own meaning, it's important that they look at it from all sides while meaning is taking shape, and then view it from a distance, too, as they get ready to step beyond the experience to the next learning challenge. Reflection helps students reveal things they might not otherwise think about.

2. The reason students need to reflect and elaborate:

Asking questions such as, "What does this get you wondering about next?" and "What do you want to learn now, and how do you want to go about it?" gets students' minds to reflect on the work they've just accomplished and gets them thinking about how to elaborate on their previous project. Asking learners where they want to go next is an important tool in developing their minds to recall what they've already done, and think about where they want to go in the future.

3. How schools build tradition and identity:

Schools that build tradition and identity share a sense of tradition and an expectation of excellent. Part of building school identity is by building awareness in others. When families, the community, and students know what you are up to, you have a foundation for tradition. As community members begin to notice and value students' accomplishments, they give enthusiastic support and will, over time, expect to be involved.

4. The importance of celebrating a project:

Celebrating students' work is a way to make students excited about finishing a project, and proud of the work they've done. In addition, it builds the school's identity as a place where kids get to learn through projects and gives students a sense of pride in their work.

5. How concepts in this chapter relate to our topic/project:

Our project highlights the celebration at the end of the unit - a classroom dinner and cookbook, created by the students. Our dinner is a way for students to celebrate with both their families and the community, an opportunity for others to see all of the hard work the students have accomplished. Having such a celebration at the end of this project gives students an event to look forward and may also positively affect their work ethic during the learning process.

RR#10

1.     Discussion on the importance of setting aside time for reflection.

It is important to set time aside for reflection. After fast paced school taking time to reflect is a good thing for students to do. They can reflect their day and think about their accomplishments, themselves, and their learning.

2.     Discussion on the reason students need to reflect and elaborate.

It is very beneficial for students to reflect and elaborate to help them think about their accomplishments and the things they need to do to improve. When elaborating on their reflections they can better understand themselves and thinking.

3.     Discussion on how schools build tradition and identity.

Some schools are tied to their values and traditions, such as fine arts, science, athletics, etc. Tradition gives a way for the community to know what the school is known for. When students attend a school that is known for something they may feel proud to be going there.

4.     Discussion on the importance celebrating project.

Celebrating a project is important. It gives students a great sense of accomplishment. The students can also reflect on all the hard work they did. When celebrating a project, it makes the project so much more meaningful and a great memory.

5.     Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

This chapter directly relates to my classroom kitchen topic/project. At the end of our project we will be hosting a classroom dinner party to celebrate the countries we studied. Students will be able to share their chosen country food with our invited guests. 

Chapter 10 Reflection

1) Discussion on the importance of setting aside time for reflection.

Taking time to reflect helps students feel good about their accomplishments. Reflection can also be the thing that makes learning really stick. While students work on projects and create their own meaning, it's important for them to view the project from all sides, as well as from a distance. Setting aside time for students to reflect helps them reveal things they might not otherwise think about. They will consider what they learned, what they enjoyed about their learning, their growth as learners, and what (and how) they want to learn in upcoming projects. Also offer students the chance to reflect on how the project was personally meaningful.

2) Discussion on the reason students need to reflect and elaborate.

Students should be asked how specific learning behaviors factored into the success of their project. This forces students to consider how they learn the best which will benefit them in all aspects of education. Students should also be asked to reflect on their skill development. This lets them realize new skills they have acquired as well as skills that have developed over the course of the project. Students should be asked about how their collaborations improved as well as how they worked in their group. Considering these things will help them do better in their next group project. Finally, students should also be asked what technology skills they used during the project. This helps them realize all their technology skills as well as things they would still like to learn. Reflecting can also be a great time for students to consider their positive experiences. It's easy for students to gloss over these and consider the negative experiences but considering these can be a great boost of confidence and help students when they begin their next project. As students complete more and more projects, teachers can put more decisions in their hands about the next project. We need to have our students elaborate on their reflections so they can consider what they are wondering about now, what they want to learn next, and how they want to go about it. Teachers just may be surprised by the ambitious projects their students will come up with if they are asked where they want to go next.

3) Discussion on how schools build tradition and identity.

Many schools' identities are directly tied to their traditions. Some schools are known for their sports programs while others are known for their music programs or science programs. If schools want to establish a tradition of excellent project work they have to build awareness in others. Students, families, and the community need to know what the school is all about, and if they do, you have developed a foundation for tradition. When schools have a tradition of project based learning, or an identity built around it, younger students look forward to experiencing the fun they saw their friends or siblings experiencing. Community members also begin to notice and value students' accomplishments and in turn offer their support. Inviting community members to participate in a celebration of learning allows students to share the challenges and the rewards of their hard work. This allows teachers to make friends who understand their schools tradition and identity and who want to support it year after year. Once schools have established a tradition of excellence, students will feel it's a privilege to honor that tradition with their hard work.

4) Discussion on the importance celebrating a project.

Celebrating a project reminds learners of where they have been and what they have gained along the way. It also helps to build your school's identity as a place where kids get to learn through projects. Displaying student work and sharing projects with others gives students a sense of pride in their work. A "Year in Review" event reminds students of all the projects they did month by month. It also encourages students to recall their project experiences. You can even have students create something that exemplifies the year's experiences. Any celebration gives students an opportunity to look back one more time and allows them to acknowledge how their hard work has paid off. It also helps them appreciate those who helped them. Parties that celebrate the end of a project, or the end of a school year, are the last chance to anchor memories in students' minds. As teachers you will learn a lot about what students remember and value. That information will be helpful when planning projects for next year.

5) Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

I agree that it is very important to have students reflect after a project. Sometimes students get so caught up in big assignments or projects that they forget everything they have done or learned. Our project is a big one and it would be easy for our students to forget all the smaller assignments and all the hard work that went into it. I would have my students reflect on the project at the end but I would also have them reflect as the project goes on. I would have them reflect after they made their recipes and cookbooks and after they hosted their dinner. Their ending reflection would be the place for them to really consider everything, especially what they learned. I would also have them think about their strengths and weaknesses throughout the project because that is information they should be aware of in order to be even more successful during the next project.

Reflection 10

1. Discussion on the importance of setting aside time for reflection.

Coming from an Executive Board perspective, reflection is key in determining what went right, what went wrong, what can be improved, what we can get rid of, or what we might need to add. It also helps with what we have learned, which all of this ties into the classroom. We, as teachers, need this to realize what could make this project better the next time and also gives students the opportunity to go over what they learn so it can stick.

2. Discussion on the reason students need to reflect and elaborate.

When students reflect and elaborate, it gets them thinking about what they did and how they can improve. It can also give them ideas on what they want to do next, which can get really exciting for some students, especially if they are an ambitious bunch that likes new and creative ideas.

3. Discussion on how schools build tradition and identity.

Think about what the students can do to have fun, branch out into the community, and how they can get other people/places to help. When there is a traditional project that happens for every class, the students get excited! Like in my school district, we always did a wheel barrow construction day in 5^th grade. We would build them and get our names put on them and they would be sold at the local hardware store. Every kid below and above that grade knew about it and would always be excited to participate in it.

4. Discussion on the importance celebrating a project.

Celebrating a project, especially a very time consuming and tedious one is a must. Invite the parents, community, and other classes so students can get a sense of pride in what they accomplished! When the students get that positive feedback, they will get a sense of why they are in school and why it is important.

5. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

Our final project is, in a way, a celebration of the unit that the students did. Like our class dinner, it invites parents and maybe community members to come and see what all the good work the students did.

RR#9

1.     Description of a method of understanding prior-knowledge of students.

Teachers should understand the prior-knowledge of their students. They can do so by using a broad variety of assessments to better understand their students. The assessments do not have to be formal. Teachers can use activities as a way to assess. This makes it fun and easy for both the teacher and students.

2.     Discussion on the importance of establishing anchors for a project.

Establishing anchors for a project is important to do. You gain a sense of where students are starting. You can also determine how far they are going as they work to meet their learning goals.

3.     Description of several ways to assess what students learned during the project.

There are several ways to assess what students learned during a project. One way that helps students and teachers are the use of rubrics. These are a great way to help students stay focused and for the teacher to grade from. Online grade books are another way. Online grade books are a great way for parents to stay connected to the student and teacher because all have access to the students’ grades.

4.     Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

This chapter for the most part relates to my topic/project. Students will be assessed on smaller projects that build onto a greater assessment, the family dinner.