April | 2016 | michael clapper

One of the best parts of our program has to be the ways in which we try and connect students and their work with the outside world. We do our best to break down the barriers between school and the outside world — no easy task — and hope that the work can be measured against real world standards and that the successes and failures of trying to do something authentic can provide important experiences.

Today we’ll begin by asking the why connecting to the outside world matters. I know I’ve asked this a thousand or more times before but I want to make sure that we discuss why this matters. Tomorrow, I think I’ll look at what’s get in the way, mostly because I want the eleventh graders to consider their role in these partnerships, i.e., how can I stop being the gatekeeper or the conduit to the outside world and become a coach instead?

Later in the day:
We had a good conversation. What’s striking to me is how closely they’ve internalized this notion of an outward facing education. While we do not explicitly criticize how other schools operate, the students definitely have an understanding of what this means, to focus on outside connections.

Here are some of their thoughts, which I’m going to build around tomorrow as a way of seeing whether it’s happening or not:

Our projects should connect because our projects solve real world problems. TJC
So that we understand the work we do and how we learn from them. TJC
To inspire others. ES
…our projects need to connect to the outside world because we need to be able to understand …how it will be once we actually are on our own. JF
To see who likes our stuff. AB
Projects are more important than a grade. AB
The only reason I can think of is because we have real standards for our work. QG
We learn about what’s out there in the world but also how to change it. TC
Maybe our projects can touch people in a way that they can help themselves. DL
It is important for projects to connect to the real world because you can make a change somewhere, you can better a community. JH
Sometimes when you do projects, you break barriers, you do things people don’t believe you can do, and you can prove people wrong. JH
Projects connected to the outside world have more meaning. KB

One of the tensions in a space where kids are all working on different projects is maintaining a common culture. We spend circle time talking different topics — grit, feedback, problem solving — but they then take on their own projects. I have to find ways so that they can weigh in on each other’s work in substantive ways.

I also have to do all the work necessary for any group of ~~adolescents~~human beings who will happily form and reform into groups where they’re most comfortable or, for lack of a better word, cliques.

Step one: Establish four ground rules for the table.

Step two: Read the paragraph description. As a large group, make a list of the traits and characteristics that will make the final version of this project outstanding.

Step three: Read/skim through the deliverable you have in front of you. What evidence do you see of outstanding work? What have they read? What have they written?

Step four: What are four to six concrete things this group has to do in order to move this work along so that it will become outstanding?

Student feedback on the process
Why should we do this?
*It was helpful to see what the other groups are working on.
*It was helpful for the one group with making their purpose stronger.
*We all got a chance to see all the work that everybody does.
*Everybody learned about the process they went through (while doing their projects).
*It gave some groups feedback they’d never even thought about.
*Everyone gave and got good amounts of feedback.
*It was helpful…people who did not understand our project before now know.

How should we do it differently?
*have one representative in the groups to hear the feedback.
*the sheet could have had better and stronger questions.
*Maybe next time we can have a group by group process where everyone gives everyone else feedback.