Multigenre Reflections

I cannot begin to express how impressed I was with the multigenre presentations tonight. I always find activities like this intriguing. Everyone receives the same assignment, yet the diversity of topics is always interesting. The individuals in my group selected topics which were so heartfelt and sincere. For example, Holly's project on Ada Byron Countess was refreshing. I never would have thought about investigating a person/topic that I didn't enjoy! As a result, she investigated this lady's life and now has an appreciation for the pioneer of the modern day computer. Toni's choice of displaying the internal struggle of Donnie McClurkin through the interpretive dance was more effective than anything she could have articulated. To me, this was more meaningful because she read, choreographed, and immersed herself in the life of this person. Every intricate movement directly correlated to an event in his life. How creative!

Tonight, I witnessed students actually enjoying their project and literally glowing with excitement. Heather's face was one of pure joy when she described her experience with the loggerhead turtles. With her background in Environmental Science, she had the opportunity to share her passion with us. I learned about ecosystems and how man is contributing to their demise. The two ladies-Kari and Mary both took the assignment and created a memoir. Their raw emotions truly gave me insight to topics such as Ellis Island and tuberculosis. They have inspired me to learn more about these subjects. The products keep the audience's attention and make history literally come "alive." Students such as Caroline has learned and enjoyed studying about the Civil War. She has a personal connection because it's an authentic, relevant assignment. This is what our students also want. The fact that this project is one of self- selection makes the student want to read and research even more!!

It's really nice to work on an assignment that is productive, informative, and not "busy work. " I did have a hard time trying to balance school and this assignment. However, I feel like the work was purposeful and I have a product I can actually use. I don't know when I can incorporate the product into my own classroom. Nonetheless, I now have new ideas to present to my students such as the poetry. It is my sincerest hope that my students will one day enjoy this paper. I certainly did!