Last year I was introduced to the idea of an Innovation Day/Week (or as it was explained a Fed-Ex day). A few colleagues of mine attended a session at the Science School in Calgary where other schools mentioned this project. The idea is giving students 100% control of their own learning for a day. June is such a busy month with sports days, field trips etc which left me thinking about completing an Innovation Day somewhere within the craziness. After completing one last year, I'm left now in the reflecting process and attempting to refine the project to make it as successful and engaging as possible.
Basically what Innovation Day is: a week before I will bring up the idea and send a planning sheet home with my students. They will need to think and discuss with their parents the idea "If I wanted to learn about ANYTHING, what would it be?" On their form they will fill out their topic, and why they choose that particular idea/project. Students will also have to fill in materials they will be bringing from home, as well as what materials they need that I can provide at school. Materials from school would involve things such as an ipad/computer, space, construction paper etc. Finally students need to think about how they can "show" what they learned. Whether that it in the form of a poster, a video, a demonstration etc.
I love the fact of giving students ownership and independence. It is amazing to see the results and engagement when students take learning into their own hands. Instead of the traditional teacher dictates what they learn and how they go about doing it.
This project fully embodies the new Alberta Framework of creating Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens with an Entrepreneurial Spirit.
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