MODEL: PLAN-DO-REVIEW

(or intention/reflection)

OBJECTIVES: Students learn life-long skills of self-direction, responsibility, and personal cause-and-effect. For long projects, students learn to stay on task. Parents see a running record of studentsí goals and accomplishments.

MATERIALS: This model provides a framework for projects, for "choice time," for the immersion model, or for blocks of time, such as the school day. The only materials, in addition to the materials necessary for the project, are pencil and paper or any other format where students can record their plans.

PLANNING: This model is always supporting another assignment. The only additional planning needed is to decide on a format for students to use the PLAN-DO-REVIEW process. For young children: a board where they can clip their names on their choice or a graphics-intense daily check sheet. For older: a journal is an effective format for long projects; for a shorter project, use the "Intention/Reflection" format.

STEPS FOR THE MODEL


 
SET Introduce the recording materials and tell students that this record-keeping will help them set their own goals and accomplish them. 

LESSON

1. After the associated project has been explained, tell students that they can go to work as soon as they set their own goals. They might check a graphic or picture of their choice on a paper check-list. Older students might use a daily form or a response journal to write something like this:

9/24/00 

Today I intend to use the encyclopedia to find the answers to the questions on my mind map. Then the teacher checks this goal, makes sure it is reasonable for the time allowed and that each student really has access to all the needed materials. As each student is checked she or he goes to work.

2. Students do what they intended. If they change their minds they should go back to change the recorded goal before beginning the new work. This cuts down on aimless wandering.

3. When the allotted time is up, students return to their records. Young children often share what they have accomplished by showing it, or drawing a picture of what they did. As they grow in writing skills, they add words to their pictures. Older students add to the original form their reflections about what they have accomplished, like this:

9/24/00

Today I intend to use the encyclopedia to find the answers to the questions on my mind map.

Today I actually did find the answers to three of the questions but I couldnít find the others.

Tomorrow I will try to use the Internet to search for my information.

 4. This process continues each day until the project is completed. It keeps students on task and helps them adjust and achieve their goals. For ongoing projects such as a daily "choice time," a new journal can be started each month.

EVALUATION: You can evaluate the success of the PLAN-DO-REVIEW in several ways:
*Look for the following: 1) is there an increase in on-task behavior? 2) do students seem to be taking more responsibility for their projects and problems? 3) are the goals they set becoming more realistic? 4) are they accomplishing those goals more frequently?
*Listen to their comments as they fill in their journals before and after working: 1)are they expressing pride? 2) are they communicating with others about their needs and accomplishments?
*Notice 1) how many students are on task during the project. 2)how many finish their projects on time.

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