TPOL Reflection Questions
Personal Connections and Adult World Connections
1. Which project did you have the most personal connection with this year? Why?
Well I think for me and a lot of other people, the project I have most connected with was the mask project in Humanities. This project was the most personally involved in the sense that we all explored how we personally had been socialized.
2. What have you learned (skill, lesson, or knowledge) this year that will be most helpful for you in the future?
I think that the ability and knowledge of how to effectively work on projects as we learn at Animas is crucial to success in the future and this year especially with the transition to project based learning I have developed that skill and grown as a person.
3. What project or projects have you done this year that have inspired you to want to learn more? Explain how you were inspired.
Near the beginning of the year in Geometry we had a unit on geometric art, specifically on tessellations. Stuff by artists like M. C. Escher and so on. We ended up making our own tessellations but I still was super interested on the subject of geometric art and all the cool things one can create with math.
4. How has your attitude toward learning changed this year?
I think with the transition from traditional to project based learning a lot of aspects about school have changed. I definitely enjoy working on a project more than working out of a textbook and because of that I think I have a more positive attitude and higher motivation towards learning.
5. What connections have you made this year between what you have learned in your classes and your own personal experiences outside of school?
I think that the socialization project in Humanities had the most personal connection to our personal lives because we implemented our own personal lives and socializations into our final project.
6. How have your learning and experiences at AHS this year changed the way you see the world?
I think that the learning we do at AHS is really a lot of preparation for the future and thus really gives perspective of what we can expect from the future.
7. What work from this year would you like to look back on and remember when you are a graduating senior?
I think I will look back and remember the Midsummer Night’s Dream project from Humanities most. The play we did was a truly unique way of experiencing Shakespeare and I don’t think I will forget it.
You as a Student and a Learner:
1. What is the most important change that you have made as a learner this year?
I think the biggest change I have made is how I learn; transitioning from Miller to Animas I had to adapt to the project based learning model and learn from that style rather than what I had before.
2. How have you taken an active role in your education this year?
I think I have taken the biggest role in making sure all of the assignments that I turn are done to the best of my ability and I think that is really shown by the grades I am leaving this year with; a cumulative 3.94 GPA.
3. What piece of work that you’ve done this year are you proudest of? Why?
I would most definitely say that I am most proud of the desmos drawing project in Geometry; I really did take initiative and spent hours on what would usually be 30 minute project and I am really proud of the way it turned out.
4. If you could go back and refine one piece of work this year, what piece of work would you refine and how would you refine it?
I would definitely go back and refine the mask I made for the socialization project in Humanities. I would go back and redo the mask in a way that would be of higher quality.
5. If you were the teacher, what comments would your teacher make about your work habits?
If I were a teacher, I would say that Ben has two modes: hard work and no work. I feel that there are times when I buckle down and can get a ton of work done but there are also times when I am very distracted and barely get any work done.
6. What might you want next year’s teacher to know about your work habits?
I would want my teacher to know that I can totally slack off so keep me on a leash so I can get more work done. I most definitely get more work done if a teacher is near me or has given me a warning or something like that.
7. What is the most difficult thing you have done this year? Why was it difficult, and how did you deal with that difficulty?
Honestly POLs. Both the one for first semester and this one right now. For me it can be really hard to reflect back on what I have done and how it helps me and also public speaking I think is a bit of a challenge for everyone. For the reflection piece I just took a lot of time to figure out what it was exactly that I wanted to say and for the public speaking bit, a lot and a lot of practice.
8. How has group collaboration helped you as a student?
I think that working with other people this year has helped me realize that even though collaboration can be a challenge at times and maybe not the best solution, through it much more can be achieved. A great example of this is the final video project for Digital Arts; I would never have been able to get that done on my own and, even though it was difficult at times, collaboration is really what got it done.
Reflecting on Yourself and Our Model of Education
(Project Based Learning and our Student Culture)
1. What would you say to an incoming 9th grader about how to succeed in project based learning?
I would tell them that with project based learning it is up to you to push and challenge yourself and if you really do want to succeed and learn, that is exactly what you need to do.
2. How have any of the habits of heart and mind helped you be successful as a student or person?
I think that having not only the habits of heart and mind but also the 21st century skills as a principle that we incorporate into how we learn is really unique from other schools. For me it allows me to be more specific when I reflect about how I am actually improving as a person from what we are learning at Animas.
3. How has a relationship with a faculty member helped you be more successful in school this year?
I can’t think of how one single specific relationship has helped me succeed, but I do think that the relationships teachers here at Animas have with their students and the encouragement of being more than just student teacher is a really helpful and pleasant environment that allows for me to be more comfortable and therefore learn better.
4. How has the work in Advisory helped you grow or change as a student, as a friend, and as a citizen?
I think that Advisory allows for a space that isn’t necessarily about learning or education, but is rather about the school and the students within. I feel that having such a space allows for a time where students get to focus on things that are not necessarily related to education and that is really helpful. I personally think it helps me to be at school and rather than think about the content, think about the learning.
5. Project based learning is a different model than traditional models of education. Explain how Project based learning has influenced your learning and your production of work.
I feel that through project based learning I am able to better grasp and understand the work I am doing. Rather than memorize something, take a test, and then forget it forever, I am actually doing something hands on that involves me with the content which adds a lot more meaning to the learning. For me I think I am able to learn a lot more through the process of project based learning and even though it may be harder at times, it still works better for me.
1. Which project did you have the most personal connection with this year? Why?
Well I think for me and a lot of other people, the project I have most connected with was the mask project in Humanities. This project was the most personally involved in the sense that we all explored how we personally had been socialized.
2. What have you learned (skill, lesson, or knowledge) this year that will be most helpful for you in the future?
I think that the ability and knowledge of how to effectively work on projects as we learn at Animas is crucial to success in the future and this year especially with the transition to project based learning I have developed that skill and grown as a person.
3. What project or projects have you done this year that have inspired you to want to learn more? Explain how you were inspired.
Near the beginning of the year in Geometry we had a unit on geometric art, specifically on tessellations. Stuff by artists like M. C. Escher and so on. We ended up making our own tessellations but I still was super interested on the subject of geometric art and all the cool things one can create with math.
4. How has your attitude toward learning changed this year?
I think with the transition from traditional to project based learning a lot of aspects about school have changed. I definitely enjoy working on a project more than working out of a textbook and because of that I think I have a more positive attitude and higher motivation towards learning.
5. What connections have you made this year between what you have learned in your classes and your own personal experiences outside of school?
I think that the socialization project in Humanities had the most personal connection to our personal lives because we implemented our own personal lives and socializations into our final project.
6. How have your learning and experiences at AHS this year changed the way you see the world?
I think that the learning we do at AHS is really a lot of preparation for the future and thus really gives perspective of what we can expect from the future.
7. What work from this year would you like to look back on and remember when you are a graduating senior?
I think I will look back and remember the Midsummer Night’s Dream project from Humanities most. The play we did was a truly unique way of experiencing Shakespeare and I don’t think I will forget it.
You as a Student and a Learner:
1. What is the most important change that you have made as a learner this year?
I think the biggest change I have made is how I learn; transitioning from Miller to Animas I had to adapt to the project based learning model and learn from that style rather than what I had before.
2. How have you taken an active role in your education this year?
I think I have taken the biggest role in making sure all of the assignments that I turn are done to the best of my ability and I think that is really shown by the grades I am leaving this year with; a cumulative 3.94 GPA.
3. What piece of work that you’ve done this year are you proudest of? Why?
I would most definitely say that I am most proud of the desmos drawing project in Geometry; I really did take initiative and spent hours on what would usually be 30 minute project and I am really proud of the way it turned out.
4. If you could go back and refine one piece of work this year, what piece of work would you refine and how would you refine it?
I would definitely go back and refine the mask I made for the socialization project in Humanities. I would go back and redo the mask in a way that would be of higher quality.
5. If you were the teacher, what comments would your teacher make about your work habits?
If I were a teacher, I would say that Ben has two modes: hard work and no work. I feel that there are times when I buckle down and can get a ton of work done but there are also times when I am very distracted and barely get any work done.
6. What might you want next year’s teacher to know about your work habits?
I would want my teacher to know that I can totally slack off so keep me on a leash so I can get more work done. I most definitely get more work done if a teacher is near me or has given me a warning or something like that.
7. What is the most difficult thing you have done this year? Why was it difficult, and how did you deal with that difficulty?
Honestly POLs. Both the one for first semester and this one right now. For me it can be really hard to reflect back on what I have done and how it helps me and also public speaking I think is a bit of a challenge for everyone. For the reflection piece I just took a lot of time to figure out what it was exactly that I wanted to say and for the public speaking bit, a lot and a lot of practice.
8. How has group collaboration helped you as a student?
I think that working with other people this year has helped me realize that even though collaboration can be a challenge at times and maybe not the best solution, through it much more can be achieved. A great example of this is the final video project for Digital Arts; I would never have been able to get that done on my own and, even though it was difficult at times, collaboration is really what got it done.
Reflecting on Yourself and Our Model of Education
(Project Based Learning and our Student Culture)
1. What would you say to an incoming 9th grader about how to succeed in project based learning?
I would tell them that with project based learning it is up to you to push and challenge yourself and if you really do want to succeed and learn, that is exactly what you need to do.
2. How have any of the habits of heart and mind helped you be successful as a student or person?
I think that having not only the habits of heart and mind but also the 21st century skills as a principle that we incorporate into how we learn is really unique from other schools. For me it allows me to be more specific when I reflect about how I am actually improving as a person from what we are learning at Animas.
3. How has a relationship with a faculty member helped you be more successful in school this year?
I can’t think of how one single specific relationship has helped me succeed, but I do think that the relationships teachers here at Animas have with their students and the encouragement of being more than just student teacher is a really helpful and pleasant environment that allows for me to be more comfortable and therefore learn better.
4. How has the work in Advisory helped you grow or change as a student, as a friend, and as a citizen?
I think that Advisory allows for a space that isn’t necessarily about learning or education, but is rather about the school and the students within. I feel that having such a space allows for a time where students get to focus on things that are not necessarily related to education and that is really helpful. I personally think it helps me to be at school and rather than think about the content, think about the learning.
5. Project based learning is a different model than traditional models of education. Explain how Project based learning has influenced your learning and your production of work.
I feel that through project based learning I am able to better grasp and understand the work I am doing. Rather than memorize something, take a test, and then forget it forever, I am actually doing something hands on that involves me with the content which adds a lot more meaning to the learning. For me I think I am able to learn a lot more through the process of project based learning and even though it may be harder at times, it still works better for me.
POL SMART GOAL FOR SEMESTER 2, 2015:
My goal is to schedule my time for individual projects so I can stay on topic.
Specifically plan is to create a physical schedule and create my own deadlines for individual requirements within a project.
I can measure this by checking to see if I did actually create a schedule that hopefully helped me stay on task more.
It is attainable because creating a schedule for my own individual deadlines would help me manage the things I do within a project on my own time instead of waiting until the last second.
This goal is realistic because doing something like this; creating a basic schedule based on all of the information I already have about a project does not require too much effort.
It is timely because it takes only about five minutes to make a schedule.
Specifically plan is to create a physical schedule and create my own deadlines for individual requirements within a project.
I can measure this by checking to see if I did actually create a schedule that hopefully helped me stay on task more.
It is attainable because creating a schedule for my own individual deadlines would help me manage the things I do within a project on my own time instead of waiting until the last second.
This goal is realistic because doing something like this; creating a basic schedule based on all of the information I already have about a project does not require too much effort.
It is timely because it takes only about five minutes to make a schedule.