Time for a Monday mosey on down the learning trail. Below is what I will present to the kiddos today. Last year, some of you may remember, I had the kids do independent learning projects to  get them to take greater responsibility for their learning. That was last year, before Project 180. This is this year, where now taking greater responsibility for their learning isn’t a secondary target for my kids. It is the target. So, this year, I changed the independent learning projects. Here are a few of the key changes I made.

1. What’s in a name? While it still emphasizes independence, this year’s name, “My Learning” emphasizes above all ownership, which is the hallmark of a P-180 classroom.
2. Last year, we did one project per month. This year, we will do one per semester. It is a much bigger project, which I will use as a vehicle to target, develop, and assess Super-Student learning targets and behaviors.
3. Though there was an “essential-question” component to last year’s projects, there is a greater emphasis this year. One cool thing that I just learned was the idea of reaching understanding instead of reaching an answer, which makes sense, for there really are no definitive answers to well-posed EQ’s.
4. For the final ILP last year, the kids created mock blogs. This year, we will use Google Blogger to create actual blogs, giving the kids authentic, real-world writing experiences with real audiences. So excited for this addition.
5. In an effort to offer support for what I expect, I will allot two class days per week to the projects, which is a major move from last year, where I would not allow any class time.
6. In addition to the time support, I will also offer my support as a resource, which was not the case last year.
7. And finally, perhaps my favorite change, I did away with the points. No points. No grade. Just learning. Just another opportunity, advantage to a P-180 classroom. It will be interesting to see how it goes.

And that’s that. It’s been coming all along, but I had to wait until I felt like we had built a foundation around the principles of 180 before we started building. And I feel like we are there. Learning, HO!

Happy Monday, pardners. Wagon’s a rollin’.

My Learning Project #1

This project is designed to put you in the driver’s seat of your learning. I am excited to assist you from the passenger’s seat. So let’s buckle up and go for a ride.

Project Outline

1. Select a topic from your Learning Territory inventory Be sure that is of genuine interest to you, for you will spend a lot of time with it.
2. Develop an essential research question.
3. Generate informational questions to help you progress towards understanding.
4. Search for answers to your questions.
5. Keep track of your sources, providing a bibliography and works-cited page in MLA format.
6. Create and keep a blog on your topic. Information and requirements to follow.
7. Create and present a product that reflects the depth of your learning.
8. Prepare and deliver a presentation that showcases your understanding from the project, emphasizing both the process and product of your project.
9. Post regular My Learning reflections to your blog.
10. I will provide 2 class days a week (Monday and Tuesday) for your project.
11. I will use your projects to target, develop, and assess Super-Student learning targets and behaviors.
12. Due Monday, January 9, 2017

Targeted Super-Student Standards

1. I can integrate cited text evidence into my writing to support my thinking.
2. I can successfully complete all parts of the writing process.
3. I can construct an effective argument.
4. I can achieve the big-six, real-world writing purposes.
5. I can use effective speaking skills to engage an audience.
6. I can identify, use, and avoid errors with a variety of clauses and phrases.
7. I can use parallel structure.

Targeted Super-Student Profile Characteristics

1. I have a growth mindset.
2. I take responsibility for my growth as a learner.
3. I collaborate to learn.
4. I participate to learn.
5. I reflect to learn.
6. I demonstrate independence and resourcefulness.
7. I ask for help when I need it.
8. I contribute to my classroom community.
9. I use class time wisely.