Practice: The Art (or War?) of Instituting Projects
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At times, assessment in my room is still a standard multiple-choice test, simply due to me being the “state-tested English teacher.”
However, I try as often as possible to provide project-based learning opportunities for the kids. They get the opportunity to show mastery over the same skills that would’ve been assessed on a test--but they get to show that learning in various ways. Instead of just writing a paragraph showing they understand imagery in Zora Neale Hurston’s “How it Feels to be Colored Me,” they may make a project of any design--while using assertions, evidence, and explanations (just like they would in a paragraph). Instead of writing an essay comparing The House on Mango Street and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, they make a project that answers certain comparison questions regarding the two stories. We’ve opened up a wide realm of creativity with project-based learning in my room. Here are a few benefits I see to project-based learning: 1. Depth of Understanding When a kid makes a project in my English class, she shows more than just the answer to a question--the student shows he knows what parts are required to answer the question and how they should be organized to produce an effective answer. Kids don’t just write standard answers when making projects--they show depth of understanding of the content by organizing the material in ways only they can design. 2. Creativity The kids don’t get to take art classes--who’s going to stimulate that part of their brain? When making projects, kids get to crank up a part of themselves that is equally as valuable (and helpful when it comes to any state test) as the part that teaches them to learn and remember content. Thinking creatively gives kids a whole new way to understand, take control of, and show understanding of material. |
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