The Big Plan

As my students create and pursue their learning goals, so too will I. We will use blogs and pod casts to share our triumphs, frustrations, questions, and SUPERLATIVES! So, while we infuse the California standards into the fulfillment of our goals, we will also learn about new technologies. I hope this will make our endeavor fun and current.
I will use my blog (and eventual podcast) as a model for my students. My "life goal" (duly titled because it will pertain to my life and not simply to school) will be published and I will document my progress in the same manner I will invite my students to use. This will, of course, force me to actually fulfill my goal. Yikes! I only hope I can accomplish this between catnaps.
So, without further delay.... let's get started!

The Big Idea

I agree with the wisdom of William Glasser. To this end, I will invite my students to embark on their own self-directed learning odyssey. The grand idea is to have my students develop a learning goal, perhaps passing the CASHEE, learning to play the guitar, or even becoming a more compassionate brother, sister, or friend. This will be similar to an I-Search, but rather than being one project on the fringe of the curriculum, I hope to embed their learning goal(s) fully into our coursework for the semester. What the heck does that mean?
Well, when it is time to learn about writing compositions, reading comprehension skills, technology, literary devices, public speaking, and author's perspectives, they will demonstrate their learning through the work they produce as they pursue their established goals. I will use conferences and self-evaluation activities to monitor the learning process and create individualized experiences for each of my students. I hope they will find this strategy meaningful and rewarding.