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Making it
happen in your district
Communication
is key to implementing senior projects, according to Kucker. The
school board, staff, parents and students need to be informed
every step of the way. She also recommends phasing the program
in over a period of time.
“We spent the
last two years planning and talking about it,” Miller said.
Kimball alerted its first group of students at the end of their
junior year, so that they could think about project topics over
the summer.
In addition to
communication, Schultz reminds educators that the topic has to
be a stretch for the student, and it has to be something the
student is passionate about. “You have to be very open-minded
about the topics selected by students,” she said.
In line with
the goals of the 2010 Education Initiative, South Dakota’s
senior project model provides schools with an opportunity to
raise expectations for students. And, as schools like Emery and
Kimball demonstrate, it can be done with a little bit of passion
and perseverance.
As Schultz
explained it: “Any time you do a new project, it’s work. You do
it because you realize it’s a great educational opportunity for
the students.”
[ Part 1
| Part 2 |
Part 3 |
Part 4 ]
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