MGRP Reflection

In each one of my classes, I have consistently heard about project-based learning, which creates a student-centered learning environment to allow students to construct their own knowledge. To me, the MGRP is a good example of such a project.  While students have an opportunity to research material that is of interest to them, they also, perhaps unknowingly, are being introduced to many standards within language arts.  As a teacher, students are able to be formatively assessed by periodically checking in with them.  Also, summative assessment is completed through the works that student’s generate. 

Although I was very skeptical of my ability to write in genres other than expository, I was able to note that I do have the ability.   Furthermore, I realized that I already write in many of the genres that I chose; I just wasn’t fully aware of it.

I could definitely see myself incorporating this project into my classroom.  If I were to assign this activity, I probably wouldn’t require the research paper to be quite as long, merely because my students wouldn’t be quite as skilled in the task of researching.  The researching process would also be much more laborious for them.  I did like that we received feedback about our research paper before we continued with the genres.   Also, turning in the research paper before all the other genre pieces made the project seem much more manageable.   Because many short stories that are included in literature books often lend themselves to other genres, a miniature version of this project could be used as a simple writing assignment in which the students pick a part of the story to recreate through a different genre of writing of their choice!