Friday, April 21, 2017
Jeneane Allgood---What I used to think but now I know
I've said this before, but anyone who knows me knows how much I usually dislike education classes. It seems like whatever the latest "craze" is in education is pushed really hard for a couple of years and then fizzles out. I figured that Project-Based Learning would be the same way, but it's not. This is a totally different way to go about teaching students, and even if I'm not teaching through projects all of the time, I definitely find myself approaching lessons that I want to teach my kids with a project-based learning philosophy. I have realized that it's not so much about the end product as it is about the learning process that it takes to get there. I used to think that Project-Based Learning meant that the kids had to learn everything on their own, and that's simply not the case (nor should it be). The teacher is typically responsible for teaching some content traditionally, but students typically research ways to apply that content. The teacher has to walk around and facilitate the learning. It is not simply just giving a computer to a student and hoping for the best (as some people perceive it to be). I have become a believer in Project-Based Learning and I know that I will be using it in my classroom for a long time to come. I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone in the class and I am constantly amazed by how creative everyone is. It really inspires me!
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I have really enjoyed watching your passion for PBL. I know how difficult it can be to add PBL to an AP or EOC course. You were very brave to face it head on. When I heard Dr. Smith talk about his daughter and her plants, I could see your passion passing on to your students. Keep up the great work! Your students are very fortunate to have a teacher that will try for them. Thanks for your inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHi Jeneane,
ReplyDeleteI have a tremendous amount of respect for the work you do every single day with your AP biology students. I know how hard it is to balance the demands of the content with the needs and interests of your students and I have seen you thoughtfully consider each of the components of effective project based learning in order to implement them within your existing units of study in ways that would work for both the standards and your students. This is no small feat and you, yourself have shown creativity and innovation in your structure and design of your units of study. I have been thankful for the ways we've been able to work together and to learn from and with each other in this class. We started out as colleagues and have ended up as friends because of the mutual respect we have for each other. Please keep me posted on how I can continue to support your work.
Sincerely,
Dawn
I really like this statement, "I have realized that it's not so much about the end product as it is about the learning process that it takes to get there." I think during this process I got so worked up about what some of my students would create, but I needed to think about the learning my student had along the way. Thanks for this reminder.
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