UbD success in ways I would have never thought

I had an interview the other day for a new job and one of the highlights of the interview was for me was when they asked my about my curriculum design. We then spent the next 5 mins talking about UbD and how successful it has been with them in their school and how excited they were to see that I also have found success with using it.

I was offered a job with this School Dist. right after the interview, and I think that from what I have learned in this class was one of the reasons why they offered me the job. Wow things are good in my world. :-)


Brent

3/3 Design Practices

From your experience in OMET thus far, what design practice has resonated with you the most? Why?

This might sound cheesy but I would have to say backwards design. It has really made a connection with me, it is the link to my teaching that I have been searching for. I have always done a good job at teaching for the standards and the essential questions, but there has always been something missing and UbD as filled that gap. I found that by following the backwards design method those empty areas and lost moments can be filled. It also help my students be able to find more relevance to what they are doing and why. Relevance in my students lives is the greatest driving force to this to this model and from what I can see is why it is so successful.

Brent

2/25 665

Are my students engaged in their learning?

I would have to say that they are fully engaged in what they are learning. First because what they are learning was student directed, they selected the what they wanted to learn about. My students wanted to learn how to build Duck Calls, and what a journey it has been. They have seen how such a simple device can evolve into something very big. They thought it would be a fairly simple task and they have learned math, drafting/3D drafting, wood working, metal working, safety, blogging, their eyes have been opened wide in their quest to learn. My students have been so excited through this whole process, it has just been amazing. People ask "How do you really know if they have learned, how do you know your assessment is valid?". Well I can look at my students faces and see the gleam of excitement daily, the look of fulfillment when they finish a task, or the energy at the end of the project when they show you what they have created and the process they went through to get there. There is also the sense of excitement to start on a new adventure again.