Classroom Benefits of the 20% Project

The summer break gives time to reflect on the past year. One of the best classroom experiences has been our 20% project. Every Friday students had the entire class period to learn what they wanted to learn.

Now, this is not a free-for-all. It is actually very structured with a few non-negotiable rules:

                Learning must be new learning or service learning.

                You must work during class. (You can work outside if you wish.)

                You will present your learning. (We presented at the end of each semester.)

                You will keep a record of your progress and learning.

Baghdad Battery

While some teachers restrict the topics, the only restrictions for my students were that it is safe and school appropriate. After eleven years of being told what to learn and how to do it, they are on their own to choose. 

They choose what they want to learn, how they will do it, and how they will show their learning. This is not for a grade, it is just learning for the joy of learning. Every Friday they are given the chance to choose to do the right thing during class. They set the pace, decide what to accomplish and must decide if they are meeting their own requirements. Howard Gardner calls this using the ethical mind (Gardner, 2008, pp. 127-151). Students call this difficult. I call it real-world learning.

Genius Exposition

Since there is no grade assigned, teachers wonder how they will get the students to do the work. First, it is their choice of learning or service project. This will help them embrace the idea and become engaged. Second, the hesitant will see others dive in and love what they are doing. They will follow along with some coaching. Lastly, students have an audience for their learning. They must present at the end of the semester. In May we hosted our first Genius Exposition. Friends, family, and community members were invited to attend and see the wonderful work our students have done. They can also opt to keep a public blog.

Since these projects are primarily individual learning. The opportunity to learn to work with others has been limited. According to Howard Gardner learning how to use the respectful mind and work together is an important part of learning (Gardner, 2008, pp. 103-125). Next year, to encourage more interaction between students, I am setting up a peer review process where the student of their choice comments and guides the other through the process. By giving students the opportunity to give constructive criticism and comment politely and professionally they practicing skills for coaching and collaboration they will need in the future.

The Gariphone

Being a guide on the side for this experience I have had the joy of watching students learn how to learn. They struggle with the freedom and then embrace the opportunity. Student who never smile or speak are sharing what they are doing with others. I have the chance to see what students really want to learn. I have watched students start a novel, begin an illustrated movie, create a recipe from least favorite foods, build an original musical instrument, write a musical, compose music, and design a car. It is amazing the things I have learned from my students. 

More information on the structure of the 20% project in my classroom can be found at 20% project.

Gardner, H. (2008). 5 Minds for the Future. Boston: Harvard Business Press. p. 103-151.

Thoughts on Summer Learning - video blog

Gardner, H. (2008). 5 Minds for the Future. Boston: Harvard Business Press.

Respect and Good Work in a Bubble

I teach Scientific Research and Design (SRD), an elective science course for seniors, in the largest high school in Texas. Allen High School has over 6000 students. A week ago our community filled the American Airlines Center, where the Dallas Mavericks an Dallas Stars play, to celebrate the graduation of over 1500 students. There is only one school in our town, so eventually every kid in Allen is together; all income levels, all ethnicities and races. In a school the size of a small town it is important to provide opportunities within a classroom that not only teach the content but build community and foster good work.

With such a large school it is often the case that in a class of twenty five students any given student may only know one other person. I have had cases where a student who has lived in our community their whole life is in a class with no one they already know. We also enroll one hundred to two hundred new students each semester. SRD is problem based learning and it is essential to build a collaborative environment. Students must learn to work together with others outside their usual groups. To give this opportunity (or force the issue) at the start of the year, the first project begins with small groups selected by the students and becomes a whole class project. Students are tasked with designing a bubble out of a piece of plastic 50 feet by 10 feet that can be inflated with a standard box fan, has an entry, and can contain twenty students comfortably. The bubble will be used during the year by our class and then given to an elementary science teacher to use for lessons in the future.

In small groups they create proposals and model of their bubble. As a class we chose solely from the written proposal and model. After an opportunity to collaborate with the whole class to improve the plan, the chosen bubble is built for the whole class. The designers of the bubble are now the project managers and other jobs are assigned based on conversations about abilities and interests. Everyone must have a job every class period.

While students begin with a group they are comfortable working with, eventually they have to learn to work with everyone in the class. Personalities clash, skills are discovered and students learn to interact with one another with a goal in mind. Students range in academic ability from the struggling student to those taking Advanced Placement courses. Some students have never built anything before; others are welding barbecue smokers in other classes. They all must figure out how to relate, communicate and cooperate with one another. The expectation is that all discussions will be polite and constructive. This takes practice. Students have to learn to replace “that’s dumb” with “the problem with that is _____, and _____ might work better”.

One of the key steps in the project is between the selection and the build. This is the time where the class has the opportunity to be sure they are building the best bubble possible. The short time allotted for improvements to the bubble design is often painful for the winning designers. The class chose them so they must be the best. The other class members can go to the designers and suggest elements that they used that would improve our final product. It is difficult for the designers to hear some of the criticism, but they must listen and figure out a way to include the improvement or explain why the improvement will not be incorporated. This process helps student reflect on their work and learn to collaborate to improve their final product.

During the build more ideas pop up and opportunities for trouble shooting always present themselves. As they work through the process they must keep the goal of building the best bubble in mind. Every idea and solution must be measured against the knowledge that this is going to last for years and be used by other, younger students, and perhaps even their favorite elementary teacher.  This project breaks down walls between groups in the class. It also gives students a taste of what is to come throughout the year. Plan, try, make mistakes, learn, fix mistakes, learn and do your best work every day.

Digital Twist on the Word Wall

A word wall is a common sight in a classroom. It is useful for introducing and reinforcing vocabulary. Its usefulness is obvious in an elementary, language arts, or foreign language class where vocabulary lessons are part of the curriculum. In my physics class where there is not enough time to really teach the core of the curriculum, the word wall has become an educational decoration. The main problem is how to use a word wall in a flipped classroom where there is very little whole class instruction.  There needs to be a way to adapt the word wall for individual or small group work time.

Personal Word Wall

For vocabulary, I introduce, define and explain new vocabulary in the video lessons and provide a list of new and commonly misunderstood words. Based on some of the questions and responses from students along with physics word barf, I can tell this is not quite enough work with the academic vocabulary used for physics. For a student paced classroom, I created the Personal Word Wall activity. In this activity students use the vocabulary to describe and analyze the physics found in a photograph. Then create a digital poster, single presentation slide or sharable document. This allows the student to think about the physics, process how their thoughts can be expressed using academic vocabulary and create a product that communicates their learning. The work is compiled to create a whole word wall for the class, giving everyone access to vocabulary with pictures and descriptions.  With the ability to narrate as a choice, students who find writing difficult can still express what they understand about the topic. Pictures give an interesting visual reference to engage students. By using real examples, students are forced to move beyond the diagrams used in lecture and see how physics really applies in the real world.

I am looking forward to trying this next year. This version of a word wall activity, happening at the start of a lesson, has more instructional value than waiting for review day. 

Students + Creativity = Learning

Today I gave my last final exam for the year and am cleaning up after 180 days of problem based learning. Yesterday, during the last senior finals at my high school, I asked some of them how important creativity is in the classroom. To be fair, this is my Scientific Research and Design (SRD) class which is a problem based course allowing for a range from just meeting requirements to being amazing. If you have seen previous posts, you have seen some of the great things these students do in class. This class has worked with physics is comics, art, engineering, flight and just plain physics (because projectiles are fun). Throughout the entire course they have been encouraged to be creative. Now I find what they really think.

I was impressed and encouraged by our conversation. I wish I had recorded the conversation, but I will have to use the notes that I furiously wrote after being amazed.  Here are the main ideas. I tried to record them as accurately as possible:

                Students learn more and learn better when they can put their own spin on the work.

                In classes that encourage creativity you have more interactions with the teacher and students.

                It is the most important thing.

                Creativity gives students an outlet to express themselves in any subject.

                Kids should be encouraged to try new things and make mistakes.

My first impression was that these students really do understand what learning is about and how blessed I am to have them in my class. My next thought is how sad it is for teachers to have missed experiencing amazing learning by inadvertently squashing these students by simply not allowing for creativity in the learning products. I was absolutely thrilled to hear that mistakes should be encouraged.  While many students enjoy the freedom to create, some student struggle with the freedom and are uncomfortable with making mistakes, but once they understand they are in a safe environment, they love it. 

When asked about the use of technology to improve or assist creativity, the answers were instructive. Students are mostly comfortable with technology and trying new things, but the teacher needs to be careful and not overload the student. Just because they are kids,and assumed to be digital natives, does not mean they can do anything with computers without proper instruction and time to practice. Please do not expect the students to teach you how to use technology unless they have suggested the tool. New technology can be as frustrating for the students as it is for the teachers if not introduced properly. However, they do like trying new things, and like teachers, if it is easy to use and it does what they want, they like it and will use it again.

So now, I go back for one more day and finish getting my room summer ready, throw out master works that were not taken home, and decide what to save as an example for next year. Each one of the projects reminds me of the student's struggle followed by the joyful sense of accomplishment. And with each one, I am reminded of how much learning was done by the student because they were given the freedom to create their own path to the solution. In the courses that are more content heavy than SRD, it is important to get those moments of creativity whenever possible. The students will recognize the gift and rise to the occasion. I will warn you, once you are in a classroom where creativity flourishes, you will not want to leave. 

Make Time for Creativity in the Classroom

The message Sir Ken Robinson delivers in his TED Talk, How Schools Kill Creativity

is a call to arms for educators. It is sad, but true, in many cases the emphasis on content and testing has taken up class time that could be used for educational creative pursuits. He challenges us to give creativity the same status as literacy and accuses us of squandering the talents of children. This seems apparent when you compare elementary science students to secondary science students. The younger ones love science and cannot wait for labs. Somewhere between fifth and tenth grade something breaks and many students no longer find joy in science. The courses do become more specific and detailed and less about creating and exploring. The use of technology, including web tools and digital media, can give students the opportunity to find enjoyment in the coursework again. Educators will to take a risk, plan and be patient can save creativity from disappearing.

I have spent last three years working towards a more individual, engaging and yes, creative atmosphere in my physics and scientific research and design (SRD) classes. By flipping both classes, removing lecture from the classroom and making class time work time, I have been given time to add creative activities back into the curriculum. Both classes are science but SRD is an elective and primarily process while physics is required and content heavy.

Even with a great deal of content to cover, physics students have time to create. English Language Learners have been more successful showing me what they have learned in a video or Google presentation than they are on multiple choice tests. Students have used video, instead of pen and paper to submit a lab report. The results have been pleasing, better physics, better learning and real proof of understanding.

Flour Sack by Andrew E.

The most significant changes have happened in SRD. The SRD curriculum is primarily the use of scientific process with the application and extension of prior knowledge.  At the end of a unit on forces of flight, the assessment was to “show me what you learned”. One student who is very creative used the labs and lessons to study how things move when they are in the air. The result was an animated video of a flying flour sack. It perfectly showed what he had learned and how he had created meaning in the learning.  Students are currently completing a unit on conservation of energy and are creating lab reports in the form of movie trailers. They have created comic heroes using Scholastic Comic Maker to show what they understand about physics concepts, build mobiles to explore torque and build roller coasters to examine conservation of energy. I have been impressed with how students go above and beyond to create a wonderful product.

Movie Trailer

This year I have made the biggest leap using techniques and tools I have learned about in my course work. I have also had the luxury of working with students who have embraced the course and always surprise me with their products. Even if the situation was different or more difficult, I would be trying to give students the opportunity to create. As teachers we need to be willing to try and incorporate opportunities for creativity in our classes. We must be take the risk and stretch beyond what we are familiar with in order to better prepare students for a world with jobs that we cannot even imagine.

Robinson, S. K. (2006, February). How Schools Kill Creativity. Retrieved May 26, 2014, from TED Talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity#t-539246

E, Andrew. (2014) Flour Sack. Retrieved May 28, 2014 from https://vimeo.com/96846307

Using Prezi.com to Engage and Inform

Much information is delivered to students using presentation programs. Visual aids for lectures are created using PowerPoint , Google Presentation and Keynote. Prezi.com provides another tool for delivering material. For the creator, it is easy to incorporate sounds, videos and images. The variety of media and the unique transitions make it is visually and auditorily interesting for the student .

Series vs. Parallel Circuit Review

A non-linear presentation tool can be an interesting format for delivering information to students. Howard Gardner calls the disciplined mind one that can practice and train to perfect a skill. He defines the synthesizing mind as one that pulls information together to create a new understanding (Gardner, 2008, pp. 5-6). Students need opportunities to practice and perfect skills as well as collect information and create their own connections. A carefully crafted Prezi can give students those opportunities.

A disciplined mind is one that practices skills in order to improve. A Prezi can easily include questions for review, re-teach lessons and progress checks for students. There is no penalty for not knowing and admitting it, but there is easy access to the remedy. Students can control the pace at which they move through the information. This gives them time when needed and allows them to skip through the portions they are already understand. Leaving the choice of pace and content up to the student gives the student control and responsibility for learning.

The ease of incorporating multiple types of media and sources of information into a Prezi gives students plenty to synthesize. Embedding videos from different authors allows different voices to deliver lessons. Changing the focus, voice or visual aids can make a difference in how the student understands the material. The ability to ask review questions and fade in answers gives students time to reflect on the material and form an answer on their own before they see the correct response. Asking students to summarize and apply the material challenges them to synthesize the information.

Students could also use Prezi.com to create their own presentation to show their learning. By collecting information and including their own thoughts on the topic they can create a fun and interesting product that shows what they understand. Students will enjoy making the presentation swirl and zoom through the material. When assigned a presentation, students always ask how many slides are required. The Prezi has a few frames, finite and not overwhelming for students. Students can easily add to the templates provided, and probably will as they create with swirls and zooms. The engaging and easy to use format of the Prezi gives students an unusual way to show learning.

Prezi.com  is a tool for collecting and presenting information in a manner that offers choice and is engaging. Students and instructors can easily insert, edit and present information from a variety of sources in an editable path. This provides a way to share and show learning that goes beyond standard presentation tools.  

Gardner, H. (2008). 5 Minds for the Future. Boston: Harvard Business Press.