The BIG Project

I promised the details of my seniors’ final eportfolios and here they are! I titled this “The BIG Project” (for lack of better words). Essentially, the goal of this project was to have students writing in multiple forms while also reflecting on the reader/writer they are today and how they have become that way. Though at first, I’ll be honest, introducing an end of the year project to seniors did not go over too well. Seniors + end of the year projects = are you crazy? However, I told them that this was their opportunity to truly dig deep and show what they had learned as well as what they had learned about themselves too.

Another thing that came about with this project is the ability to pick tools that 1) get your point across the way you want it and that 2) you find convenient to use. I wanted my students to be able to pick and choose what they felt would work best, try new “things,” etc. I’m not going to be there next year to tell them, “Hey, go to this website…” They’ve got to be able to find resources that work for each of them based on their need and purpose.

And the end results? Despite the complaining, last minute preps, and frustrations their projects overall were awesome! I am adding some of their work to our gallery for the National Day on Writing, and I really am very proud of all of their hard work!

I survived!

That’s right — I survived! Survived what you ask? Well, here’s what I survived:

• 19 GRADUATE credit hours
• MIDDLE school
• teaching engineers

Before I decided to double degree (or whatever you call it), there were many who doubted and questioned my decision. “There’s no way you can do all of that,” and “Are you really sure this is what you want to do?” Well, those were just a few of the comments. Until the start of the semester, I kept quiet. Colleagues asked how I was managing and my response was always the same, “We will know soon enough!” But now that the semester is over, I’m not holding it in — I DID IT!!!

But enough of all that (though it still feels GREAT to hear myself say that I’m done, haha!:-) )…on to my semester reflection!