FOURTH FORM INDEPENDENT RESPONSE PROJECT

FOURTH FORM INDEPENDENT RESPONSE PROJECT Students are tasked with independently creating a body of work in response to a novel of their own choosing. CHOICE VARIETY CREATIVITY SELF-DIRECTION RESPONSIBILITY ORGANISATION TIMEKEEPING REFLECTION & EVALAUTION THE POTENTIAL TO FAIL ANALYSIS WRITTEN ACCURACY CREATIVE WRITING PERSUASIVE WRITING SPEAKING & LISTENING PEER MARKING SELF MARKING

WHAT’s IT ALL ABOUT? Students taken to Library to choose a book. Some requirements and guidance but essentially a free choice. Read over the holidays Chose 1 task from a selection in each of the 4 categories: – an analytical task; a creative response; research, write and deliver a persuasive speech; and a two-part reflective task. Make decisions about when and how to do each task Complete an ongoing reflective diary, documenting their progress and decisions each week. Complete a final reflective task that assesses how they approached the different stages of the project, overall. Work exhibited at the end.

WHY? - ESTABLISH SKILLS EARLY CHOICE VARIETY CREATIVITY SELF-DIRECTION RESPONSIBILITY ORGANISATION TIMEKEEPING REFLECTION THE POTENTIAL TO FAIL

WHY? – TOWARDS EMPLOYABILITY Employers consistently cite that an employee’s ability to: work in a team; approach a new, unfamiliar task effectively; independently manage workload; think creatively to solve strategic issues and effectively reflect on their methods used to tackle tasks are more important than grades. VERBAL COMMUNICATION 1 Able to express your ideas clearly and confidently in speech TEAMWORK 2 Work confidently within a group COMMERCIAL AWARENESS 3 Understand the commercial realities affecting the organisation. ANALYSING & INVESTIGATING 4 Gather information systematically to establish facts & principles. Problem solving. INITIATIVE/SELF MOTIVATION 5 Able to act on initiative, identify opportunities & proactive in putting forward ideas & solutions DRIVE 6 Determination to get things done. Make things happen & constantly looking for better ways of doing things. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION 7 Able to express yourself clearly in writing PLANNING & ORGANISING 8 Able to plan activities & carry them through effectively FLEXIBILITY 9 Adapt successfully to changing situations & environments TIME MANAGEMENT 10 Manage time effectively, prioritising tasks and able to work to deadlines. https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/top-ten-skills.htm -= AGGREGATED FROM Microsoft, Target Jobs, the BBC, Prospects, NACE and AGR and other organisations, 

WHY? – CHOICE, ENGAGEMENT, LEARNING ASSORTED STUDENT COMMENTS: “I loved the fact I could choose my own novel.” “I really liked the independence of choosing my own tasks.” “ We never get asked what we want to learn” “It was hard to organise my time at first but it taught me a lot about time management and my own habits.” “The author visit and the awards ceremony to celebrate our work was good fun...Thanks for the doughnut!” “ I can’t believe I got put in touch with the author I was writing about!”

WHY? – CELEBRATION - EXHIBITION - AUTHOR VISIT – A RECIPROCAL ARRANGEMENT - PRIZES FOR BEST (EFFORT & ATTAINMENT) / CELEBRATION FOR ALL - UNEXPECTED OUTCOMES

WHY? – OPPORTUNITY TO FAIL “ I panicked on hand-in day; it was really stressful. I was pleased I got it all done, though.” “ I think I could have done better on some of them. I had to rush at the end.” “ I wish I had planned my time better.” HOW MANY OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR KIDS TO FAIL?

WHY? – HIGH CEILING / LOW FLOOR WORKED IN A HIGHLY–SELECTIVE, SINGLE SEX SCHOOL WORKED IN A CO-EDUCATIONAL BOARDING SCHOOL ALLOWS STUDENTS TO ENGAGE AND PUSH THEMSELVES TO THEIR LIMITS, NOT THE LIMITS OF THE TASK. GENUINE SCHOLARS PRODUCES ASTOUNDINGLY VARIED WORK LESS ABLE FEEL INCLUDED AS TASKS LESS DIRECTLY COMPARABLE AND ALSO FOSTER A SENSE OF PRIDE – UNEXPECTEDLY WONDERFUL WORK EAL / SEN BENEFITS USE YOUR AMAZING LIBRARY MORE

WHY? – HIGH CEILING / LOW FLOOR

140 different books taken out…

TEACHER as FACILITATOR - A NEW TEACHING EXPERIENCE - FACILITATOR - LET THEM GET ON WITH IT - REFUSE TO GIVE ANSWERS - LET THEM MAKE MISTAKES - REST YOUR VOICE! - QUIET CLASSES! - MARKING BURDEN – TRADE-OFF - WHEN ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO GET TO DO WORK THIS FREE?

NEXT STEPS - Apply to other subjects? - Cross-curricular? “Weather.” - Use the model on a short term collapsed timetable – higher pressure? ‘Work – like.’ - Scholarship projects - First steps to real Project Based Learning – remove the scaffolding. - Solving problems. - Group work? “Connecting academic situations to the real world is one of the largest benefits of project based learning. Students learn with the same approach they will eventually use in their hobbies, passions, and careers. This ingrains essential problem-solving techniques within them early on, drastically increasing their chances of success in whatever career they choose once their education has completed.”  https://www.methodschools.org/blog/the-benefits-of-project-based-learning "One of the major advantages of project work is that it makes school more like real life. It's an in-depth investigation of a real-world topic worthy of children's attention and effort.“ Education researcher Sylvia Chard https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-importance