Dixons Allerton Academy: Days 2 and 3 - Posted by Cady Staff

Day 2:  The Comic Super-Heroes Project has begun with the Year 8 group at Dixons Allerton. To view the plan for our first full-day of the project, here is the link to Day 1 of the project web page. We were surprised that some of the students were a little resistant to the idea of project-based learning, possibly because it was so different, more independent and the expectations weren't as clear, as they were used to. The resistance melted away and was replaced by creative, original super-hero designs by the end of the full day of lessons, activities and brain-storming. Students gave feedback in their reflective journal responses and we continued to plan the full-day of project-based learning for next week. Holly, Angela and Andrew all put together brilliant presentations for the first day, and we planned more interactive, team assignments for our next session.

Day 3: There is a significantly different amount of prep work that goes into a day facilitating activities with students rather than adults. When students are involved, my energy, sense of humor and patience have to be raised to a whole other level. I pumped myself up on the train ride to Dixons Allerton, listening to music, looking over our plan for six hours of lessons and activities, reviewing the parts I would be leading and facilitating, and hoping for the best. When I ran into Holly, Angela and Andrew in the morning, I felt encouraged to hear that students had been coming up to them with ideas about their super-heroes throughout the week, even though there were no scheduled lessons or assignments due. At the start of the day, we set up the tables and seats in the formation of Freytag's pyramid and reviewed the story arc by applying it to an episode of X-Men. Then, Holly led the students in a discussion of stereotypes in comics. Andrew led the group through the history of how super-heroes are created and portrayed in relation to the current events and political climate of the time. After the first break, we all role-played different super-heroes and students rotated through four stations asking interview questions and taking notes about the history, character traits, super-villain and scientific explanation of super-powers. The students enjoyed the fact we all refused to break character and they tried to pit us against other "super-heroes" in the room.

After lunch, we postponed a current event comic strip activity and allowed students to jump in and design their own superhero's back story, scientific explanation and characteristics. The students invented and shared brilliant ideas. We introduced the concept of Kind, Helpful and Specific critique and asked students to give each other constructive feedback. There was a buzz of energy and creativity flowing through the room. It was a successful, productive day - with its challenges of course - but in the end, students reflected that they really enjoyed it and they are looking forward to next Friday. They were creative and engaged throughout the day. We are struggling to plan full six-hour days each Friday on top of all of the other weekly responsibilities we all juggle, but the school leaders are supporting our efforts and so far, the project has gotten better, each day.