Comments on: The Long View http://futura.edublogs.org/2007/08/03/time-for-reflection/ technology, libraries, and schools Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:29:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Margie http://futura.edublogs.org/2007/08/03/time-for-reflection/comment-page-1/#comment-1153 Margie Sat, 04 Aug 2007 14:51:35 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2007/08/03/time-for-reflection/#comment-1153 Carolyn, I have a comment on the time to reflect and evolve idea; and a comment on Vietnam Wall project. A few years ago, you may have been there, we saw Jamie Mckenzie, From Now On, present. One of my 5th grade teachers was with us. We were both very impressed with his idea of long term projects, because of the time to reflect aspect. She did this with her language arts class the following year. The things we both learned: *students were very motivated, at first, to learn about a topic of their own choosing * the technology was not the focus, but were very useful tools. We learned what tech tools we needed to know when we needed to use them. Not every student learned or needed the same tech tools. * a year may have been too long for this age group (10-11 year olds) because the interest waned a bit in the spring *but the time to reflect, did indeed, produce more indepth thinking about their essential question for their topic. There was growth and change in their questions and ideas as the year progressed. She did another long term research project the next year, but it wasn't over the course of the whole year, just the second semester. In retrospect, this was closer to a research project becasue the time was shorter, the ownership and depth of studying was more limited. I'm not sure where the happy medium lies for this age group, but I know I have some teachers who want to continue to find it. The Vietnam Wall project: I have had opportunities to view many of these over the summer and each and every one of them just tears me up. This is because they are so respectfully handled. They capture the feel, the sorrow, the pride of the soldiers, and the inability to comprehend by those of us who watched our classmates, friends, family, neighbors and loved ones go into something that we had no understanding of. These kids are documenting lives of their grandfathers' generation, with a respect and reverence that shows in their choices of music, text and photographs. Carolyn,
I have a comment on the time to reflect and evolve idea; and a comment on Vietnam Wall project.
A few years ago, you may have been there, we saw Jamie Mckenzie, From Now On, present. One of my 5th grade teachers was with us. We were both very impressed with his idea of long term projects, because of the time to reflect aspect. She did this with her language arts class the following year. The things we both learned:
*students were very motivated, at first, to learn about a topic of their own choosing
* the technology was not the focus, but were very useful tools. We learned what tech tools we needed to know when we needed to use them. Not every student learned or needed the same tech tools.
* a year may have been too long for this age group (10-11 year olds) because the interest waned a bit in the spring
*but the time to reflect, did indeed, produce more indepth thinking about their essential question for their topic. There was growth and change in their questions and ideas as the year progressed.

She did another long term research project the next year, but it wasn’t over the course of the whole year, just the second semester. In retrospect, this was closer to a research project becasue the time was shorter, the ownership and depth of studying was more limited.
I’m not sure where the happy medium lies for this age group, but I know I have some teachers who want to continue to find it.

The Vietnam Wall project: I have had opportunities to view many of these over the summer and each and every one of them just tears me up.
This is because they are so respectfully handled. They capture the feel, the sorrow, the pride of the soldiers, and the inability to comprehend by those of us who watched our classmates, friends, family, neighbors and loved ones go into something that we had no understanding of.
These kids are documenting lives of their grandfathers’ generation, with a respect and reverence that shows in their choices of music, text and photographs.

]]> By: dmcordell http://futura.edublogs.org/2007/08/03/time-for-reflection/comment-page-1/#comment-1152 dmcordell Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:52:06 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2007/08/03/time-for-reflection/#comment-1152 Carolyn, I don't know what the answer is - maybe multi-year projects that carry over from Grade 9 through Grade 12? I know that I need another two months off to process everything I've been learning over summer vacation! diane Carolyn, I don’t know what the answer is – maybe multi-year projects that carry over from Grade 9 through Grade 12?

I know that I need another two months off to process everything I’ve been learning over summer vacation!

diane

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