#10 Reflection

            When educators set aside time to have their students reflect on what they have learned in the previous project just before moving onto an other topic, can really place the everlasting learning experience on the students.  In the projects, just like we created in our class now, are large in size, therefore reflecting at the end of the entire unit will help students in grasping all that was taught and learned throughout.  The way the text described reflections of students was by writing; in this writing they would answer questions that could possibly prompt them in their writing.  Some questions that could prompt your students include what were your joys and good experiences with the project, how was the project important to you, how was the project important to you, and many more.  These questions will pose as a go to when you ask your students to reflect on the project.  Also the reflection will be a good ending to the unit, summing up all they have learned.  When you ask students not only to reflect but also to elaborate what they have learned, a good way of doing this is by asking them where they want to go from there.

            By building traditions and identity within your school or classroom will provide everlasting effects on the children who learned from those projects.  Creating traditions, year after year in your classroom with the same project, you can start inviting others in the community to join in; this will then turn into a tradition that many will know about.  After this becomes a success you will have many who want to join in by having you as a teacher or expect to be invited to the celebrations of the traditions held in your classroom. For the students who participate in the projects, which then become celebrations, have the feeling of honor in their work.  Also, by displaying your students’ work through blogs, having an event to elaborate their learning can also build the identity of your classroom or school.  I liked the idea in the text of having classroom display of the projects throughout the year, and having a retrospective review of the year, where students and others from the community can capture the hard work they did during the school year and respect the learning they have accomplished.

            I think from what I have learned in this chapter of the text that relates mostly to our in class projects right now is the reflection at the end. Now we don’t have an actual classroom of students that we have implemented our projects to, but this last project of ours, our team website is like a reflection of ourselves.  All of the components we have created to make this projects complete is now joining altogether to make this website.