Although I had already written my UbD for chapter 11, I restructured it so that it was truly something different... something to push me out of my comfort zone... and push me into a place I think can be the base of a lot of growth.
I took Chapter 11 and put it into the terms of quizzes/test and expectations they needed to reach... and then I gave them a resource sheet for the information. We will be having a hybrid class: some whole-class work, some group work and some individualized work. I'm excited to try it because it's a step toward that constructivist classroom... in a way that I can definitely handle. It's also a way to eliminate truly "busy work" and have meaningful work opportunities for everyone. Theoretically, if it goes well, it's also a way for me to spend some more time on differentiating resources for the students... and that seems like a bite that's easier for me to take than the words of differentiating instruction... which seems overwhelming and unmanageable.
I showed Shawn the plan the students will receive tomorrow and he asked some clarifying questions that helped me touch up some of the semantics... but he also made a connection I hadn't come to yet: this is preparing the kids for college and the real world, where your boss/professor doesn't care how/when you get the project/work done... they just care that you get it done and that it's your work. Exciting idea... preparing them with the skills of goal-oriented work at their own pace. This goes beyond curriculum then and into life skills. If it goes well.
My questions:
1. What do I do when kids aren't working on German?
Is this truly a personal attack on me for not having enough planned or not making it challenging/engaging enough for them? Or is it a case of them truly being able to plan their own time and they're prioritizing, perhaps other class homework, above the German? Is that something I am okay with? Do I just trust the process? What kinds of discussions do I need to have with the kids about this?
2. How will I know if this worked?
What questions can i ask the kids as they reflect on the unit as a whole to know what went well, what could be better and (perhaps) what should be completely dropped? Will the test/quiz grades drop initially and then go up? Will they always be up? Will they cheat?
3. Will I enjoy it?
Will I get to spend time really encouraging and working with kids? Will I get to work with those kids that are at a high level and would love to have a challenge from me? Will I see progress in the skills and talents of the students?
I know it's just one chapter, but there is a little voice in me that says I should have been doing something like this for a very long time... so I and the students can see and know progress more clearly. Then there's the dark horse on the other shoulder saying, "This could just as easily go terribly... and then all of your hopes for it being an answer to a lot of these problems will put you in negative progress in everything. Keeping it status quo would only be neutral progress instead of negative."
Shut up dark horse.
I'm pushing myself.
Trying something new.
If I fail, I will fail gloriously... and learn from it: thus, no matter what, it will be a success.
So, "dark horse", you can just shut up.
PROST!
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You're doing the hard work of fitting the structure you're stuck with (textbook, tests, etc.). Even more so, You're pushing yourself toward constructivism, which is hard work. Try for a few days of just letting them go (time mgmt. wise), then deconsruct it with the kids when you've had some time to see how it goes and how they do on the test. The most direct way to judge success is probably comparing test scores to the past.
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