In the beginning stages of developing my project idea and driving question, I am reminded of my undergraduate studies and the first time I was "turned loose" with lesson planning. I had my lesson idea, and it was going to change the world. Once I got past my own ego, I realized that there were a lot of little things I had to consider before I was even close to ready to even think about setting foot in a classroom to teach the lesson.
Beginning to plan my PBL unit felt very similar to this experience, but in a less egotistical way. My project idea came to me the previous week, and I informally began to construct the lesson in my head before I started the formal documentation. As the idea continued to develop in my head, I grew more excited about the end product. The wood chips on our playground are a huge issue among our students and I am very excited to see what the kids can accomplish if given the opportunity to try to influence change.
My excitement powered me through the first phases of project planning. I had already targeted the basics in my informal planning. It was when I reached the driving question phase that I had to force myself to slow down and catch my breath. The class resources, especially the webinar video from BIE, were very helpful in directing me toward a guiding question and thinking about effective sub-questions to help guide student learning. It is just as difficult from a teacher's standpoint to encourage open-ended thinking as it is for students to engage in open-ended thinking. It is much easier to ask a closed question with a simple answer, so it was helpful to slow down and really think about the big idea. It seems like it helps to start the project off on the right track.
I am still excited about my playground resurfacing project, but I have shifted my excitement toward the next stage of development, rather than the end product. I know that in time, I will get there.
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