I like what this
chapter says about the end of a project being an open door to new projects,
instead of a dead end. In order to see this though, sometimes reflection is
necessary. The reflection piece lets both the teacher and student step back and
see how far they have come and what their project has meant. With all the work
that went into the beginning and in implementing the project it is important to
give that same dedication to the ending.
For teachers it is
important to see what worked and what didn’t. Good projects can be used for
many years with new students, but this is only possible by reflecting back and
making the changes that are needed. Technology use is a big part, was it used
appropriately and effectively? Reflecting on the students work is needed as
well. Making sure students are really driving the project and staying engaged
is an important component of project-based learning and the teacher needs to
ensure they are doing their part to foster this.
Collaboration is a
big part of project-based learning and it should not end with the project. The colleagues
that have helped with the project should also be a part of the wrap up,
included in the reflection. Sharing the work with others is also important.
With all the work that went into it others are sure to appreciate it and learn
from it. Overall, just take the time to step back and enjoy the whole process
and the end result.
I agree with that the end of the project should be an open door to other projects. This helps the students by easing their process into a new project where they can learn something more, and it helps the teacher because now the teacher can tweak the project and learn from the past to make the project better year after year.
ReplyDeleteEmily you made an excellent point saying, “good projects can be used for many years with new students, but this is only possible by reflecting back and making the changes that are needed”. The amount of time we spend creating these projects deserves reflection time at the end. If you do not take the time, you are screwing yourself and your students. This not only will help us tweak our lessons for the future but also give the opportunity for our students to have a voice, realize how much they have accomplished, and reiterate what they have learned. Reflection is the key ;-)
ReplyDeleteI agree that teachers need to step back and reflect as well. The teacher can decide what went best with the project and what didn’t. That way, the teachers can make adjustments to the project so the future students that have to do the project might have better success. It is definitely important for teachers to be aware whether students are engaged or not. It is part of a teacher’s job to try and engage the students into the content material as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteEmily your discussion on this last chapter was very interesting to read. I agree with you when you said that teachers need to step back and reflect and how important the reflection process is. This was something that I also discussed in my post as reflections help in so many ways and can show a teacher important things like what worked, didn't, what should be done differently and other things but all of those things build into making the project a tradition as we learned in previous chapters. I like how you also mentioned the importance of collaboration, which is important not only through the project but after as well. I have enjoyed this book as I can see myself implementing project based learning now in my classroom one day.
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