Launching the MYP Personal Project

Goals for today  Outline the process and timeline for completing a Personal Project  Identify student actions to be completed over the next three weeks

To Review: The Personal Project is a long-term, independent project that students undertake in their 10 th grade year. Projects are focused around a topic of your interest and take a wide variety of forms. Students complete projects independent of their classes, under the guidance of a project supervisor. This project is required of all 10 th graders in the MYP. It appears on your transcript as a course called “MYP Research Seminar”

Last Year Introduction to the Project and Initial Topic Choice Materials from last year are available on the school website. Extra copies are available in room 200. You are not required to stick with the project topic that you chose last year. You will need to remind your supervisor that your topic has changed during your first meeting.

Timeline Beginning of October – Proposal and identifying a goal or outcome End of October – Background research and refining your goal / outcome (first Supervisory Meeting 10/21) November – Creating your criteria for success and working towards achieving your goal December – Continue refined research and action towards achieving your goal. January – Complete your final goal / outcome and share with your supervisor. February – Complete your project reflection and exhibit your project outcome or goal. March – Evening exhibition for parents and families. Project scoring and submission of projects to IB April – In-school exhibition and celebration for students.

Next Steps in the Process During the beginning of October, you will be writing your formal proposal.  Proposals are entered into a form on the school website.  You must be logged in with your Google account in order to see this form. First meetings with your supervisor will happen on October 21 during an extended lunch period.

Supervisor’s Role in the Process Your supervisor is there to be a resource for you throughout the process. You will have monthly meetings to review actions and future plans. Meetings have three parts:  Pre-meeting reflection - for all except the first meeting, located in your student handbook.  Meeting and review of process journal  Post-meeting reflection If you miss a meeting, you need to contact your supervisor to reschedule.

Student’s Role in the Process Take responsibility for your own project. Do something small every day. Record everything you do. If you fall behind, don’t hide. Ask for help. Pursue your interests, but keep focused on one goal. Know that you won’t probably have time to look into everything that interests you, but that you need to make consistent progress.

Structure for supervisory meetings In 4 th Period – Receive student folder and Handbook, as well as a copy of your proposal and pass to the gym, main office or guidance office. At 11:00 - There will be an announcement dismissing you to the gym, main office or guidance office for your meeting. In the gym, you’ll find your way to the table with your number on it. You will wait for your supervisor to arrive. If your supervisor is not in school on that day, you will need to reschedule your meeting with him or her.

Structure for supervisory meetings Your supervisor will meet with you, sign off on your folder and you’ll be dismissed to lunch. You may not leave the gym until you have met with your supervisor. Supervisors will be coming to the gym from their 4 th period classes. It will take them 7-10 minutes to get there. Supervisory meetings begin when your supervisor gets there and end at 11:30. During your first meeting, you will discuss your proposal and plans for getting started on the project.

Supervisory Meetings Remember to:  Come prepared with your materials.  Complete your pre-meeting reflection before you arrive. Not required for the first meeting.  TAKE NOTES either while you talk with your supervisor or immediately afterward.  Follow-up with your supervisor if you need additional time to discuss your project.  Contact your supervisor if you miss a meeting.  Complete your post-meeting reflection.

What Next? Start thinking about what you’re interested in pursuing. If you don’t know what you want to do, start thinking now and talk to some current 11 th graders about what they did. Remember the projects you saw at the exhibition? What was interesting or inspiring to you? Talk to your parents and friends about your interests and what you want to pursue. Get ready to write your proposal! See Ms. Clarkson if you have questions – room 200. Parent meeting October 6 th – 6:30 -7:30 PM

Get Excited!