Projects Class in the Uppers
This is my 11th year teaching in the Uppers at the Center School, and during that time, a lot of things have changed. Teachers and students have come and gone, we are in a new building with lots of different spaces, we have rotated through lots of different lit books and even have a new math curriculum! It sounds corny, but it’s true that in many ways change is the main constant in schools. But one important piece of the Uppers that has stayed the same is the importance of our Projects Class. Initially created by one of my mentors, the illustrious Bob Strachota, Projects Class is a requirement for all Uppers in their 6th and 7th grade years and culminates in the 8th grade Ambitious Project (which you’ll hear more about from me in the winter!). In class we work with kids to develop passions and skills as well as work to foster independence, collaboration and reflection.
In class, we have just finished a Partner Project, where kids worked together to plan and execute a project of their choosing over a 5 week period. The projects ran the gamut:
Painting a decorative mural in one of the bathrooms
Making a short film
Planning and running Bake Sales in support of the Greenfield Housing Authority
Writing an origin story for a fictional character
Designing some new Center School Merch
Designing an invention that returns a basketball to you after you make a basket
Creating a basketball return system
Creating a pinball type game with working ball return and ball launcher
Animating a cartoon and creating a virtual short
Kids get to tinker, bake, plan, build, paint, write, and design pretty much whatever they want. But it’s not that easy! Along the way, they have to plan, collaborate, revise, problem-solve, communicate, and present. So many skills and habits are practiced during Projects Class!
The power of Projects class is very real. It supports a key piece of the identity formation that is happening for kids in this age group. They get to explore new interests and ideas in a school setting. They get taken seriously. They mess up and fix things and reflect on the process. The learning that happens in this type of student-centered environment is huge.
Ben and Madax collaborating on an animation project
Millie and Eva selling treats for their bake sale project