idea for the next few weeks
I like the idea of this approach in learning. It completely highlights the child driven learning which I hope to achieve.Christian explains his strategy in practical terms:
“I’ll present them with the pros/cons to all of their decisions (assigning nightly reading, what types of assessments will give them a reasoned ‘final grade’, etc.). I’ll present them with a ‘menu’ of elements they must accomplish (solo and in rotating small groups) before the project comes to an end and the semester exam is handed out. I’ll offer myself as a ‘free’ consultant for a specific # of days that they can ‘hire’ when they feel that they have exhausted their own instincts/research. And I’ll present them with a series of sink-or-swim options to allow those who are invested in learning to succeed and those who want to tread water to avoid absolute drowning along the way, all the while being a sheep dog with an eye on those that near a current they can’t escape on their own. ”
My first years are about to start a new project making a small wooden shelf. Now to get my thinking cap on and see if I can figure out how to make it a much more child driven activity…
November 25th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
This probably won’t be useful – but I thought I’d give it a go at trying to be helpful!
For your small wooden shelf thing for your first years – why don’t you let them be involved in some of the design aspects of it?
November 28th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
thanks for your idea. The pupils do a small amount of design on the shelf, though this is very small. All the wood was cut at the start of the year so there is little room for leeway.
Any help is always appreciated, just a little idea can get me thinking