Reflections on My First WALO

Name: Sarvashreshtha Patel 1. My first WALO My first WALO as stated in my PLP was I wish to create and use animations, videos and presentations along with online worksheets which will allow me to flip the classroom on most occasions, so that I am busy facilitating my students with application rather than delivering concepts through lectures 2. Beginning to work At this point of time, almost all my students are busy preparing themselves for the IGCSE and AS Physics Exams. Due to this, I have been approached by students individually with their questions, doubts and learning difficulties. This has given me an opportunity to look at each and every concept in greater detail than before, which is what will help me create presentations or videos keeping the needs of diverse learners. I may say that I am now prepared to take up this task than before and the forthcoming holidays will give me the time and focus required for such a task. Meanwhile, in my interactions with mentee Geography teachers, we discussed the approaches we could take towards flipping the classroom. We all acknowledged the power of documentaries in arousing student interest and making learning happen, even if was just for the purpose of preparing for tests. However, most documentaries are not meant for this purpose and do not quite completely cater to the academic need. At the same time, I shared with them my learnings at the LSP and the power of PBL. As teachers of Geography, we have indeed engaged our students into some exciting projects over all these years. However, there was little method in the making. All of us felt for certain that through the use of tools such as project tuning protocols, critiques and multiple drafts, the quality that students could bring into their project would certainly be of a much higher degree. It was then that it happened. How about combining both the above? Every year, with the purpose of introducing students to field observation and rock sample collection, we organize a trip to a Abu Road, a place about 500 km away. Here students investigate for themselves facts, principles and concepts that they only see in videos and presentations. We intensely discussed the possibility and worth of a documentary of the same. The more we discussed, the more convinced we were. If we could get a documentary made out of the students, they would learn the content in much more detail, have an opportunity to work collaboratively, unleash their creativity and presentation skills and also learn a few other skills. Critical Friend: David Stahnke

3. The model for students None of us teachers has ever even been a witness to film-making, let alone making one. How could we expect our students to make one? Yes. We had to go through the grind before we expect anything of worth from our students. So we took the challenge on. Our research on the subject and area is quite in depth. We have taught the concepts several times, been to the area several time. All that we needed to do is shoot the entire experience and compile it in the form of a documentary. Simple! However, it did not turn out that way. As we visualized our documentary, we discovered challenges which were never there. So we surfed the net and got to grips on the aspects of a good documentary. We discussed the idea with professionals and learnt the process. 4. My learnngs I started with the vision and crafted a pre-sccipt for the documentary. I use the approach of taking the viewer from the known to the unknown, exhibiting the pieces of the puzzle at the beginning of the documentary, and then joining piece by piece, before I show the entire picture to the viewer. After that, I had to analyse each piece and list the shots that were to be taken, the animations that would explain the picture and the effects that would make an impact. I discussed these with a former colleague of mine, a trained film-maker. We then sat together and elaborated the task further by drafting a description for each shot. At each stage, I involved my colleagues and for at least three time now, we have gone through the project tuning protocol and critique. This has helped create a much better version than the first draft. Again, we foresaw this challenge and delegated work amongst ourselves; I took care of the research and scripting, two of them are training themselves on the technical part equipment, videography and editing to start off with, and one of them is busy doing the liaison and logistics. These are not water tight compartments we have begun to complement each other in ways that we never did before! Today, I am going to share this first project idea with my LSP team and experience the project tuning protocol. I am hopeful of getting valuable insights through them as well. 5. How will the students benefit? Once we complete the documentary and present it to our students, we are hoping them to replicate the process. It is possible that students simply replicate the vision, but thats fine. We still can have them do ample research, learn the content and concepts in a greater depth, write their own scripts, refine them, learn technical skills, develop the ethic of collaboration and critical thinking and unleash their creativity, while still being in a better position than before to prepare for their test.

Of course, the experience will be a very valuable one for them as well. What they learn here can be applied in many situations and they can then begin to make documentaries of their own as well. Even the ones who do not make the documentary can still benefit through watching the documentary multiple times to prepare for their tests. 6. What else have I learnt? Excitement and inspiration can make the job much more easier and better. As a leader, how do I get the best out of people as a leader? What difference can critique make to the quality of the product?