Final 20-time reflection

Questions:

1.    What did you intend to accomplish with your 20time project? What did you actually accomplish with your 20time project?

 2. Describe the impact of your project on yourself and others. How could you use what you learned to create a positive change in someone else or the community?

3.    What roadblocks did you run into? What were the areas of the project that were more difficult than you expected them to be?

4.   What new learning, if any, did you gain because of the roadblock? Did the roadblock give you new insight, change the course of the project, etc.? How?

5.    Finish this sentence: The thing about this kind of learning that works best for me is….

6.    Finish this sentence: The thing about this kind of learning that is a challenge for me is...

7.    Would you consider your project a success? A failure? Somewhere in between? Explain your answer.

8.    Estimate how much time you spent on your 20-Time project per week.

9.  How does what you did in 20-Time connect with the IB Learner Profile (see Moodle or Intro Packet for the IB Learner Profile qualities)? Discuss any and all qualities that apply.

10.  How does what you did in 20-Time show relevant learning in your English class? Things that may apply: written communication, oral communication, collaboration, research skills, technology/digital media skills, reading skills, etc.

11. What advice would you have for teachers who are doing 20-time projects in the future? What would you tell them that would make the project go more smoothly or more successfully

12.  What advice would you have for students who are doing a 20-time project in the future? What would you tell them that would make the project go more smoothly or more successfully?

13.  Will you continue with your independent learning/creating beyond this class? Why or why not?

14.  Anything else you would like me to know? (optional)

My answers:

1.         My plan was to improve my banjo-playing skills and learn more about the bluegrass style. I researched bluegrass music and history, but still have only a bit of a grasp on the mechanics of the actual style. I had a few songs in mind that I wanted to learn, but I was never able to. I did, however, get better at banjo-playing in general and learned basic chords and scales.

2.       Through this project, I was able to become a better-rounded musician and also a happier person every Friday J I could create positive change by possibly teaching others, but more likely I could play for others who might enjoy it and even create my own bluegrass band.

3.       It was difficult finding anyone to turn to for help because I couldn’t find anyone in the area who played banjo. Finding music to learn was hard because there isn’t much banjo tab available and trying to learn a piece by ear was difficult because I wasn’t that familiar with the instrument.

4.       I learned that sometimes it’s going to cost some money to get what you want done. There were a lot of handy books and lessons and music available online but I didn’t really want to spend the money. Had I not been a broke teenager, I think these would’ve helped me a lot.

5.       The thing about this kind of learning that works best for me is that it’s fun and it’s something I genuinely want to learn more about.

6.       The thing about this kind of learning that is a challenge for me is that sometimes I have too much fun and not enough learning. I think that I could’ve learned more if I were more focused.

7.       I’d say it’s somewhere In between. I definitely got better at the banjo, but not nearly to the extent to which I would’ve hoped to. 20-time didn’t miraculously give me all the time I wanted to work on my skill. I was so so busy this spring so that is definitely a factor. I also wasn’t able to learn all of the songs I originally wanted to.

8.       I spent the hour each Friday practicing banjo and I’d say I spent around 2 hours per week outside of class working on my project.

9.       Open-minded: learning the banjo and associated music opened me up to a variety of new genres of music that I otherwise wouldn’t know much about.

Inquirers: this trait is all about following your natural curiosity, which is what 20-time is all about – I genuinely wanted to know more about the instrument and music and that’s what I did.

Balanced: Even if I didn’t get as good as I wanted to, 20-time provided me with a creative outlet in an otherwise monotonous school week. I came to class every Friday excited and left class happy, which was a great change from the typical feelings of dread/stress constantly found during the school year.

10.   20-time taught me better digital media/technology skills as I had to figure out how to set up my own blog, create a nicely-done video, and upload said videos and other links to the blog. Additionally, I learned to share what I learned through not only the website but also at the pitch, where I had to speak with a lot of other peoples – friends and strangers alike.

11.   Do it! It’s fun! Also, get students really pumped up about the Pitch! I was really unsure about it at first, but I had a lot of time while I was there. Make sure the students are really passionate about what they’re doing. Blogs are awesome and fun.

12.    Pick something you really want to do and are passionate about. Don’t expect that the project will automatically make time for you – it’ll still be hard with school and everything, but keep it up. Also, create some clear goals for yourself and benchmarks in the beginning so you can continually make progress. Don’t be afraid to share your projects with friends and family!

13.   Heck yes, the banjo is a lot of fun and I always want to become a better and more well-rounded musician.