Blog #4

how do you accommodate diverse learners? - I don't have a whole lot of diversity in my classroom because of the nature of the G/T program. However, I do occasionally have kids who have poor fine motor skills and can't print or cut well - I accept a different level of work from them if I know that to be the case. However, I do still encourage them to reach as high as they can - partly by providing extra time and extra personal support. Also, new qualifiers frequently do not have the tech skills that those who've been identified since 3rd grade do. I procide them with teacher support, one-on-one instruction or a peer tutor if they need it until they are up to the class standard.

how do you help your students become self-directed learners? By clearly laying out expectations and examining a sample product prior to the beginning of a prohject, I can both byuild interest and set expectations. G/T kids can look a variety of previous work and determine for themselves where their own work should fall on the spectrum. Many will set their own goals once they see where other people have been. I also provide them with the resources they need - books, websites, technology - to achieve the desired results.

how does project address E, U, & C questions?

Since this is really a sub-unit, the end project for the students gives them an idea how the Essential Q for the entire unit might eventually be answered. The Ppt the kids have to produce addresses the majority of the unit questions. By appropriate application of learning, I know they can answer the specific contents questions - otherwise their reasoning won't make sense. They have to justify why they think they have whatever learning traits they say they have.

introduction?- NOT by showing them the student sample up front - which is what I do lots of times. I would start with very small 'all about me' kind of projects - one verbal and one visual - and then tell them that eventually, they will learn more about why we think and act the way we do and that they'll produce an 'all about me' that is more scholarly and research-based - that uses scientific terms.

Curriculum Framing ???s to assess student learning - can be used to asses prior knowledge, to steer students' inquiry and to develop summative assessments

Q #1 - I can see a few ways projects enhance student learning... in allowing them choice in subject area you increase interest. Increase interest -increase (hopefully) performance. Also, you can provide a list of project/assessment choice that can better address learning styles and levels - so not every kid has to right a book report or make a poster - you can steer kids toward choosing the assessment that is right for him/her. And if they are working off the rubric for the assessment they'll be using, they should be able to aim and hit the grade they want. The whole project thing can help encourage depth over breadth, esp. important since standards driven instruction seems to discourage depth.