Reflection 10

The importance of setting aside time for reflection is an essential element in learning. Setting aside time for conscious reflection helps students reveal things they might not otherwise think about: what they learned ( and what they enjoyed about learning,) their growth as learners, and what/how they want to learn in projects ahead.

The reason students need to reflect and elaborate is so they can become more accomplished project-doers. You can ask them: What does this get you wondering about next? What do you want to learn now, and how do you want to go about it? We must ask our students where they want to go. We may find that their answer might yield a more ambitious project than we would imagine.

Many schools’ identities are tied to their traditions. Some schools are sport powerhouses, while in other communities the school symphony is a source of great pride. These schools share a sense of tradition and expectation of excellence.

Celebrating a project is very important because it gives students pride in their own work. Make sure any celebration includes the following:

·  An opportunity to look back one more time

·  Acknowledgment of how hard work and commitment contributed to the success of the project and culture of excellence at your school

·    Appreciation for those who helped

·    A display of the learning, including both student creations and presentations

·   A look inside the learners with opportunities for them to talk about their processes and growth

·  An opportunity to show case projects to colleagues, administrators, parents, and others in you larger learning community.

Concepts in this chapter relate to my topic because we are building tradition and identity in our project. We are asking our community to come together and participate in the celebration of learning in “All Things Birds, a Community Event.”