9th Grade TPOL Questions Spring 2015 Which project did you have the most personal connection with this year and why?
I had the most personal connection to the Mask Project and Socialization Essay because I did a lot of self-reflecting during this project to help me realize how much of an impact society has on me and how much of an impact I have on society.
What have you learned (skill, lesson, or knowledge) this year that will be most helpful for you in the future?
The writing skills such as TEA format and semicolons we learned will help me in the future make better essays. I also think that the video editing skills we learned while doing our video project will help me learn how to edit and produce videos.
What project(s) have you done this year that have inspired you to want to learn more? Explain how you were inspired.
The Alice in Wonderland Project in Lauren’s class made me want to learn exponents because it was a cool way to learn by making it into more of a story.
How has your attitude toward learning changed this year?
I enjoyed most of the projects we worked on this year and the connections I have with my teachers and peers really helped me along with the hands on approach.
What connections have you made this year between what you have learned in your classes and your own personal experiences outside of school?
One connection I’ve made between my personal life and classwork would have to be the water filter project in Brian’s class because my dad is a well driller and he has to put in water filters for people’s drinking water. This helped me figure out what my group and I should put in our water filter.
How have your learning and experiences at AHS this year changed the way you see the world?
My learning has made me see that the projects we are doing is for preparation for the rest of high school and college. My experiences have made me more accepting of others.
What work from this year would you like to look back on and remember when you are a graduating senior?
The Mask Project is the one project I want to look back on when I’m a senior because it was the first big project of freshman year and it was my first exhibition.
What is the most important change that you have made as a learner this year?
I started out the year not really caring about school and just slacking off but I’ve ended the year trying harder. But I still have those times when I slack off or don’t care about school and I think this is something I can improve upon next year.
How have you taken an active role in your education this year?
At first I wanted to go to DHS because all of my friends were going there. But when I came here I didn’t expect to meet so many cool people who have become my friends. This has made me realize that I can’t let my friends or social life affect my education. I think I have a better education here than at DHS and that Animas was overall a better choice for me.
What piece of work that you've done this year are you proudest of and why?
The Socialization and Final Essays because I refined these essays a lot and made me realize a lot about love and society.
If you could go back and refine one piece of work this year, what would it be and how would you refine it?
I would want to refine my video project more because I switched groups in the middle of the project and I slacked off on editing and filming. This led to not following the rubric as much and getting a passing grade instead of a really good grade.
If you were the teacher, what comments would your teacher make about your work habits?
That I may not get the best grade on a project but I did learn something from it. There are times when I may not feel like doing a lot and there are other times when I do my work on time.
What might you want next year's teacher to know about your work habits?
My work habits are very inconsistent. Sometimes I’m in flow but sometimes I slack off or am never on task. I also don’t get much done sometimes when I work with my friends.
What is the most difficult thing you have done this year? Why was it difficult and how did you deal with it?
Balancing social life and my education. I failed Algebra One First Semester because I didn’t turn in my POWs on time along with the Cookie Project. I did a lot to get and keep good grades Second Semester especially in Algebra by staying on task for the math projects.
How has group collaboration helped you as a student?
Because I’ve been able to be more social and responsible in a group project knowing that my work affects others. During the Water Filter Project and the Graphic Novel Project I worked with people that I didn’t work with before.
What would you say to an incoming freshman about how to succeed in project based learning?
Be as open to new things as possible and have a good connection with your teachers and peers.
How have any of the habits of heart and mind helped you be successful as a student or person?
I have been able to persevere through projects that I wasn’t really interested in doing. For example, I didn’t want to do the wave project in Brian’s class but I persevered and finished it. I collaborated really well on all of my group projects which helped me succeed in finishing and getting good grades on most of my group projects.
How has a relationship with a faculty member helped you be more successful in school this year?
I think having a connection with a person who is older than you is very important in high school because they have gone through some of the same things you’ve gone through and they can give you good advice. Being able to come to my teachers and ask them for help made me more successful in completing and understanding my assignments.
How has the work in advisory helped you grow or change as a student, a friend, and a citizen?
I only have classes with some of the people in my advisory but I like advisory because you get to meet with a group of peers that you may or may not have a connection with once a week. This has helped me be more social because I talk to different people who I don’t know very well.
Project based learning is a different model than traditional models of education. Explain how project based learning has influenced your learning and production of work?
I think that project based learning has more of an impact on what I am learning rather than sitting in front of a book and learning about unnecessary topics. I think I’ve learned more doing projects and hands on work than doing book work.
SMART Goal
My goal for this year is to get mostly A’s and B’s in all my classes. I am going study and try hard on most of my work for my main classes. I’m not going to let my friends and classmates affect my decisions negatively. To know when I’ve reached my goal I’m checking my grades every week. I will accomplish this goal by the end of the semester. My goal for my life is to live a life full of surprises, happiness, faith, and love. I hope to spread love and happiness through my actions. I’m not going to let other people’s negativity get to me and physically, mentally, or emotionally ruin me. I’m going to try harder to be nicer to people I don’t really talk to or people that don’t like me. I will accomplish this goal by the end of 2015 but I will try to accomplish most of it by June. I feel like these are realistic goals for me because I don’t always try hard on things so these goals will make me try hard.