9 -- Character Ed. Project Due Date has Come and Gone :-\

The character education projects were due yesterday for my Freshmen.

*Sigh*

Needless to say I was disappointed in what was turned in. However, I do want to take some responsibility for their failures (and successes) throughout this project. I know that there are a lot of things I would do differently with this project calendar, assessment, and expectations leading up to that final due date.

Project Calendar: 
Despite having this same issue with the short story project and Baker Youth Club, I didn't give enough time between the due date and that final presentation date. I think if I had the kids going to the elementary schools next week rather than this Friday I'd have more time for revision and feedback for groups that are struggling. At the same time they received way more feedback throughout the project process than last semester. They had a full blown critical friends group session and worked with both elementary school principals to get some feedback. I think next year it'll be important to discuss what to do with that feedback. So I think giving myself more time between final "due date" and presentation date will help me keep some of my sanity.

Rubrics (will be the death of me): 
I think my expectations as far as requirements could've been more specific for this project. I really gave the kids a lot of freedom and choice with the final product, which is great, but I fear that I needed to give them a rubric or checklist to also keep them in the guidelines and purpose of the project. I tried to steer them in the right direction during discussion, feedback, group work time, etc but I can see now where a physical, written product would've helped some groups reach their final goal, more successfully.

What I'm really struggling with and don't really have answers for is how to guide the kids through a project more. I think My Big Campus will be helpful next year because the project calendar will be there rather than on paper. I think the freshmen struggle with keeping track of deadlines, and setting out a project timeline. I had multiple checkpoints this time and chances for feedback.

I just expected to get more turned in yesterday.