I'm great at thinking of really fun, engaging, high level projects (although, often at the last minute). I'm not, however, good at finishing them. This is a problem across all aspects of my life and one that my parents are probably nodding their heads about as they read this. It's been true all my life. I'm good at starting things and terrible at bringing them to completion.
This frustrates me in the classroom. It frustrates me at home, but not quite as much. In the classroom I start wonderful projects with students and then I move on to other, new, exciting ideas. There is no way these projects are even beginning to fulfill their potential as learning experiences when done this way.
I hope somehow, I think, that by writing this I will begin to keep my focus long enough to finish at least a few of these projects. We'll see.
(By the way, it is shockingly hard and embarrassing to admit this, even though folks who know me well must already have identified this flaw.)
3 comments:
I sympathize! My kids are constantly asking about things we started and ended up in our desk folder weeks ago. And my best lesson plans come to me in the shower or on the drive to school the day I teach them!
I am so guilty of this, as well! I just can't believe how quickly time flies... I always think I have plenty of time for something, and then the month's already over!
My son's teacher is so good with keeping up with projects - I don't know how she does it. This fall she's participating in the Healthier Habits program with Scholastic. She has asked us to bring in receipts of Lysol purchases and I guess the class has a chance to win Scholastic books, a dvd player, a digital camera and sweepstakes prizes. I hope this project comes to fruitions - it sounds incredible!!
www.scholastic.com/lysol
Totally get that one. When I had a classroom we would have these incredible all-encompassing units. I was pretty good about getting through - big culminating project or activity, but wasn't too keen on testing them on what they'd learned. Figured, they learned it or they didn't so let's move on to some other great thing. I wasn't so great at keeping up on grading papers, or tracking homework...all that routine.
I think I should have taught in the 70s.
Sounds like you have found a school that appreciates your creativity and your willingness to let your students create.
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