Getting started

Working on this project has been interesting. Because engaging students is my job, I am not really sure that I can call it a “project”. However, it feels like it is a new venture, a new challenge, and a new way to connect with people. Because there is less running around there is more time to reflect about the process and see what is working and what is not working.

The first couple weeks were filled with frantic energy to get things done and organized. I set up rubrics, project sheets, kanban charts and assignments. It was all so planned out in my mind and I was ready to go! I felt like if it was all down on paper, there would be at least some successful days. I also felt like I could adapt the online schedule to create awesome engagement with the students by creating assignments like divergent thinking activities and focus activities along with the content.

The structured planning and the format were nice to have for the beginning. Then I realized that I didn’t have a fixed schedule anymore as well and then lost a bit of motivation. There was so much time in my schedule and I was not used to not having deadlines that were looming every hour. So I really had to adapt to that and create a schedule that kept me motivated.

And of course I needed to take into account that the students were dealing with teachers that were trying new things IN EVERY CLASS! So that variable really was the one that made me take a step back and reevaluate what I was doing. My project was good, my ideas were still creative and engaging, but I needed to listen to the students and find out what they needed.

Now that we have made it to week 6 in the project, there has been a lot of learning. Listening needs to be better on both sides. And we are learning how to communicate. Some kids need one on one meetings every week, some kids just need the directions laid out very clearly, and some kids need different amounts of assignments. And without being together we are having a hard time with that communication. I need to continue to be aware of that element and keep asking questions.