“When students create for the world they make it good.
When students create only for their teachers, they make it good enough.” -Rushton Hurley
My students have been creating a
digital magazine for the past several weeks and I’ve observed a few things.
I’ve noticed engagement on their part. Not initially, but now it’s there in
spades. I’ve noticed a desire to learn more about the layout process. They all
want to work on the layout, arranging the stories and art in ways they think is
best for the reader. I’ve noticed they keep their reader in mind as they
work—on everything. Videos, picture-taking, stories. Everything. But more than
anything, I’ve noticed they want to revise more.
This
revelation is the most exciting in my mind. These are students who
traditionally have eschewed the writing process. Their attitude majored on
“it’s good enough;” they didn’t take pride in their work or put effort in to
polishing it. But their attitudes are changing with this project. Even when we
discuss the story and I point out ways it could be strengthened, I don’t get
the usual whine. Instead, they nod in agreement and scurry off to do more
research or beef up the weak areas.

So why
don’t we do this more? Offer our students authentic lessons? Is it because, as
I said in my last post, we lack the desire to take risks? One of my students,
who transferred to my school in April, asked me, “Why don’t the other schools
teach English like this? I’d have gone to my classes if it had been more like
this.”
I
thought about his comment for a few days, intersecting it with the quote by
Hurley. My students reinforced this idea, tripping over each other to tell
teachers all about what they’d learned and what they’d produced.
Just as
I observed a few things about the students during this project, I did the same
about myself. I noticed a definite insecurity while managing this project. I
was outside my zone of comfort, treading into unknown territory and that was
scary. What if we ran out of things to do? What if we had too many things to
do? What if I couldn’t keep up with the work the students were doing? How could
I make sure they were engaged? What would happen if they didn’t buy in? Doubts
swirled in my mind during the duration.
I also
noticed it took a lot of extra time to develop this idea and stay ahead of the
students. Maybe this was why teachers were reticent to take on a project. The
management aspect can be just as scary as the self doubts.
Finally,
I noticed how I had to readjust my thinking away from listening to the
traditional education voice to listening to the progressive education voice. This
took almost as much work as developing the project itself.
In the
end, I evaluate myself and the project. Would I do it again? With
modifications, in a heartbeat. I’ve rarely had as engaged students as I did
during this project. Some may argue with that statement, but it’s true.
Watching my students problem solve, collaborate, and interact while honing
their writing skills convinced me my strategy was spot on in choosing this project.
So what’s
the take away with these thoughts? Next year I plan on taking more risks. I
encourage you to do the same. Step out of your zone of comfort and try
something new. And engaging. You won’t regret it.
I am concerned that the importance given to test scores as far as funding, employment and advancement discourages teachers from taking risks and trying new ways of presenting material.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Barb. Engaged kids learn more. Can we engage them by teaching to the test? I have my doubts... Thanks for the comment.
DeleteThis is exactly what I want to do with my classes next year! I'll be asking you for some more information soon. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteI'll help however I can. This project was great!
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