As I "slog" through thirty-nine RRDs (revised rough drafts) of various lengths and qualities, I am reminded of just how laborious the craft of academic writing can be...not only for the student or teacher editor, but also for the student author! These papers are hard work, pure and simple! Each student has been given the task of developing an extension question from one of her anthropology group's guiding questions. Then this extension question is to be addressed, if not answered, in a three-to-five page formal reflection. I am most impressed with the caliber of the questions posed...queries like:
Where does present-day slang come from?
Is the brain still evolving, and if so, how?
How can somebody develop a language without being able to use a previous language to translate it, so that other people can also use it?
We know the negatives…but what are the positive effects of technology on teens?
Hamas: how does it define and reflect Islamic culture?
How do you say no to peer pressure?
Is language necessary in order to consciously think?
What are the similarities between the Jesus of Islam and the Jesus of Christianity?
How are Neanderthal beliefs reflected in their burial practices and their art?
(...and these are just a few of the ones I've read so far...I still have two-thirds of the class to read and edit!)
As you can discern from the quality of the questions posed, our 8th graders are honing their critical thinking skills on a daily basis! One 8th grader, in the introduction to her Anthropology Paper, put it this way:
There is something about this term that has made it a unique experience from all of my previous years at SGS. At first, I was very skeptical about what my school year would be like, especially when I learned that I had the power to choose what I wanted to learn. I didn't think it was such a great idea; in fact, I thought that it would have been better if the teachers just introduced us to a topic. As the first term of eighth grade quickly rolled by, I have discovered what an amazing opportunity my class has been given. This experience has provided me with new ways of learning and has showed me my learning capabilities.
I couldn't have put it better myself! It's ALWAYS a plus when students "get it!" Now back to the rest of those RRDs!
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2 comments:
It gives me a tremendous boost of hope and joy, knowing that on the corner of MLK and Jackson streets there exists a hive of buzzin' gals askin' these questions and thinkin' these thoughts! Woo-hoo! There's a glow in the sky above SGS, sparkling with all that brainpower!
way cool educating and getting educated
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