Things that work
I got an ol’ blue shirt
And it suits me just fine
I like the way it feels
So I wear it all the time
I got an old guitar
It won’t ever stay in tune
I like the way it sounds
In a dark and empty room…
(Chorus)
Stuff that works, stuff that holds up
The kind of stuff you don’t hang on the wall
Stuff that’s real, stuff you feel
The kind of stuff you reach for when you fall.
This is an excerpt from a tenth grader. This is a first draft — some polishing still needed — but it demonstrates the breadth and depth of project work occurring over a year.
For the “Statement of Readiness” our assignment is to explain our strengths, interests, and success in setting and achieving goals here at The Workshop School. So far in the tenth grade we did a lot of project such as the Digital U project (when we had to make a “wevideo” about a story in our lives. It could be any story you want.), Cardboard Boat project (when the class got put into groups our three (and it was me, Qadir and Kairi) and our assignment was to make a boat out of cardboard and tape.), Solar Panel project (when we had to make a working solar panel. We were given a rechargeable battery and a solar panel and we had to make it be able to charge a cell phone.), Open Mic Night project (we were originally supposed to make a “Poetry Slam” but we added dancing, singing, rapping and also poetry. We were going to make a play but we didn’t want to do the same thing over again. Our assignment was to make an “Open Mic Night” because we thought it would be a great idea.), Kid Science Kit project (where we had to teach children about about a different science topic every week. For example on the first week we each had a planet that we had to teach them. I had Saturn.), Oral History project (where we had to first find two interviewees and interview them on what our two topics were about. It didn’t matter what the topic was about. Mine was on the history of sports. After we were done with that we then had to make three 500 word essays on what we interviewed our interviewees about.), Radio Story project (when in we were in english class we then pick a topic that was a world problem. So I chose to do raising minimum wage. We had to record at least four people and make that into a radio story.) and the Math Trebuchet project (where we had to make a trebuchet in math class.).
burgers on the grill
Continuing our work on the graduation plan, we circled today around the question of the relationship between project work and their transcripts. Somewhat thrillingly, given my unease about student connection between the quality of their work and their grades, nearly ever student talked about the connection between their work and their grades. Elated, I probably didn’t process as much as I could have…
“If my project work wasn’t good, then it would show on my transcript.” JR
“The projects I do connect to my transcript because it show my academic grades.” HG
“If I do well on project work, it will reflect well on my transcript.” TC
“The project work is important to my future plans. Those are important because projects we do here are actually helping the real world.” TJC
“The way our school is set up makes it difficult to focus on one grade. Grades that I get on my projects reflect on my transcript.” JG
I ask my students to keep a document to keep track of their work. We call it a tracker.
I have a tracker, too, for this manuscript I’ve been working on. I don’t have a title yet. When I started it I was reading Judy Blume with Kara, so the terrible working title was “Are you there, God? It’s me, the trying-to-remain idealistic teacher.” Dreadful. Awful.
Here’s the first entry from my tracker:
03142015
Write it as a book proposal?
Why not?
This morning, 7:29 AM, first draft complete!
Talking graduation plan and moving towards some of the more nuts and bolts type of stuff. While we don’t emphasize traditional academic subjects — much of the work here is interdisciplinary — I wanted to ask if they retained some of the traditional notions of subjects and how they might serve them in the future.
Picture of three bits of work coming here. The SDP has blocked flickr again. Sigh.
End of the block Tuesday: When you graduate, what is earned and what is given?
TJC: Celebrations are given; education/the knowledge to get to the next step is earned.
MH: Hugs and cheers are given; how people look at you is earned.
HG: Chance is given; education and skills are earned.
NN: The physical diploma is given; a diploma is earned.
We began this perfect Monday by writing about what the ideal senior year would be like. A few students had detailed plans and ways of constructing the year so that they could meet those goals. Many students seem to understand what our place is about and the kinds of opportunities they can make for themselves. For a significant number, their plan reflects the projects they’ve done and the projects they want to do (glowing feeling of success).
But there’s residual senior year stuff that came up, some areas I am concerned with:
*When students are writing about grades or honor roll. Why aren’t they talking about quality work? About craftsmanship? (How do I change this or how do I use it?)
*When students have leftover “phasers-set-to-adult-leave-me-alone” phrases: “get into college”.
*When students have focused on the trappings of senior year as opposed to the work: “overnight trips” or “proms”.
Yet organizing is what the left must cultivate to make its activism more durable and effective, to sustain and advance our causes when the galvanizing intensity of occupations or street protests subsides. It is what the left needs in order to roll back the conservative resurgence and cut down the plutocracy it enabled. That means founding political organizations, hashing out long-term strategies, cultivating leaders (of the accountable, not charismatic, variety), and figuring out how to support them financially. No doubt the thriving of activism in recent decades is a good thing, and activism is something we want more of. The problem, rather, is that the organizing that made earlier movements successful has failed to grow apace.
Dear tenth grade,
Here’s what you need to know about designing your own project:
* Pick a project that you have some type of connection with because if not it would just be the same as teacher giving you a project.
* Be careful who you choose as partners. Don’t choose off of friendship, choose off of will the work get done? Trust me, had to learn the hard way.
* When it comes down to managing your time, make sure you set small and detailed deliverables. Give yourself real time to complete the work you need to do. (JG)
*Here’s what you need to know about project design; it’s nothing to play with. You have to make sure that you stay motivated to make it to the end of your project. (JH)
*When you start designing your own projects then you will have to figure out your own schedule. But whether or not you stick to it is your problem. (NN)
*It’s not that simple as just wanting to build something and it will be over. You actually have to do tons of annoying research before you even think about designs. It can be fun if you make it and not be negative about it…When doing a big project, it’s good to not overwhelm yourself with too many deliverables all in one week. (TC)
* Always have a plan. Be realistic. Have an idea about how your project is changing the world. Don’t just make up any old deliverable; make sure it’s helping you get to your final deliverable. (TJC)
*Designing your own project is a little hard but once you know how to take it step by step then everything is cool. (DL)
*The process takes longer than you think. A teacher can turn a simple project into something super complicated. If you get a good idea, stick with it. Don’t branch off too much or you may lose your original idea. And it’s better to work on your own. (QG)
* Plan your work (KB)
* Don’t waste time on the project, get right to work at home and at school. If the project is boring, find something that would help you do the work. ()
* You have Clapper or whoever the teacher is. Use them. (JW)
* To design your own project, it has to be something you care about. If doesn’t matter what it is as long as you are happy doing it. You have a greater chance of not giving up and staying on track. (CR)
Here are three more:
