Authentic Experiences

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

In my very first education course, Evaluation & Assessment, I created a unit plan called Building & Celebrating Community. This idea stemmed off a club I had started at Treherne Elementary School that involved Grade 7 and 8 students reporting and writing for a school blog.

I think blogging offers a great opportunity for students to engage in a global audience using a relevant communication platform in today's world. This unit incorporated authentic community connections with a guest speaker and having students reflect on self-concept and their role within the community. Students engaged in a variety of writing and "doing" tasks, compiling advice for future students, evaluating media & communication, and performing effective interviews.

As I near the end of my degree, I reflect back on my first unit, connecting with so many ideas that are fundamental to my professional practice - authentic tasks, connections to community and opportunities for self-reflection. I think this unit can be adapted for most grade levels, and there is certainly room for extended these activities to a year-long activity or perhaps something that progresses each year.

Building & Celebrating Community Unit Plan