Class 3 - Blog #3

Dawn came for my final observation last Tuesday, 3/7. My students had completed the unit I designed for implementation during the fall - Friday Night Lights - and had created individual PPT presentations (collaboration was not happening at this point) for Dr. Smith, our principal,  proving their knowledge of basic chemistry by presenting him with information about fireworks in hopes he would approve a fireworks display after a sporting event. So, Dawn, Dr. Smith, and 2 of our assistant principals came to see students present. Long story short - these presentation were painful. So painful, every visitor, except Dawn, only stayed for a handful of presentations each. I believe they went and volunteered to donate a kidney to a stranger without anesthesia as that would have been less excruciating. I am exaggerating of course and mean no offense, but all but two presentations were terrible. And on top of that, they were horrible audience members. I was distraught. All I could think was everything I had planned and implemented and everything the kids had done over the previous 2.5 weeks were a waste. It was as if they had not learned any chemistry much less practiced presenting (which we did a lot of both of these). And then, I invited administrators to experience the lack of knowledge going on in room A112! I was a failure. That was plain. However, Dawn emailed and messaged me reminding me of the fact that this is possibly the first time these kids have ever been exposed to PBL and asked to do so much. Let's be honest, taking a test is easy compared to having to prove your knowledge in an oral presentation to your administrators (I remember senior seminar - it was scary and I was 20 something years old in college). So, after A LOT of reflection, I put my adult face on and actually showed up to work the next day! I revised the last 20 points of the project grade into a test (these were originally "respectful audience" points, but no one would have earned those). I then had the students add to a Padlet that I included below. From these responses about group work/collaboration, I have planned team building activities to complete at the end of class some days. We have done one or two so far and are hopefully learning to depend on each other and work with each other at least a little more than before. They asked me if I was mad at them the day after the presentations. I told them I was not, but I was disappointed as I was 100% sure they were capable of more than they had demonstrated the day before and I would never expect anything less. They agreed with me. We also agreed to work on this group work thing together so that when they leave my class in May, they will be armed with a few more skills than they entered my class with in January. Just maybe. And that, friends, is my new goal - giving them confidence to get out of their comfort zones - whether that be being an addition to a group instead of a hindrance, orally presenting in front of visitors, writing business letters, being more of a leader, working together with others instead of riding their coattails, etc.