When Class Projects go Beyond Just the Classroom Walls

One of the things I always try to push for in whatever I do in my classes, be it in the preschool or college levels, is to make sure that what we do in class doesn’t just end there. I try to make it a point that the kids take something away from whatever assignment, project or task I give them. I think this mindset comes from my personal training as a child, where my mom always made sure that I didn’t just do my work for the sake of doing it. I remember one time I had to do a cross-stitch project for my home economics class and I really jumped through hoops to get it done right. While I could have submitted a haphazard project, what I took from that is the value of working hard at something and not settling for mediocrity. Now that I am a teacher myself, I try to keep that mindset alive and so I try hard to support my students (and former students) in endeavors that further their development as an individual. It is interesting (and very encouraging) how former students I have worked with and have since graduated are now venturing into their own businesses, such as that of a group of students who I worked with in their Directed Research class. While they are very busy in graduate school and in their own teaching careers, they are working hard at a side-line business which they call Frosted Petal and this Christmas season, they will be joining several bazaars where they will be selling the cutest  fashion jewelry …yes, I honestly think they’re really cute! I’ve bought from them already! This is just one of the many examples of when classroom tasks go just beyond a learning experience. I look forward to seeing more of my kids maximize their own potentials in the future…now when my preschoolers are the one’s in this position, errr…I’d feel really, really old, but very, very proud for sure!

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