NFTN: Spotlight On Learning - Final Reflection in English - Nov 17

Spotlight on Learning - Final Reflection in English

Submitted by: Ms. Irwin-Hopaluk

TEACHER REFLECTION: This assessment functioned as a final assessment as well as being a tool for deeper learning. The main core competencies meant to be a focus in this assessment were critical thinking & communication. Students were to pick a research topic of their choice, narrow it down, find credible & reliable sources, create notes based on their sources, create a essay outline, write a first draft with citations, build a works cited page, finalize a final copy of their paper (with proper formatting), and then turn in their paper. After handing in their paper, they prepare to present their topic and their findings in a group research panel, where they would address their peers, share about their research and answer questions. Lastly, students completed a self-reflection on the learning process. Students were guided through the research process, as it was chunked out, aspects were modeled to the class, worked on in small groups (such as peer editing). They were also provided explicit & direct criteria for all curricular expectations.

STUDENT REFLECTION: For the Final Research Paper and Presentation, I constructed an essay that displayed the core competencies of Creative and Critical Thinking. Being given the opportunity to choose our own topics for this assignment, it allowed me to express my creative and artistic expression through my writing. For this project, I chose to discuss an author, Dazai Osamu, and his incorporation of his life experiences within his literary works, such as No Longer Human, which discuss prevalent issues that reside within society. Speaking on this topic, I wanted to show that in literature, there are much more connections within the work and its author, and that personal experiences in life can affect what we write in these pieces. In accordance with Dazai Osamu, his own experiences with depression and self-alienation was displayed through his work through his creative tone and symbolism. Through this research topic, I was able to discuss these topics that individuals around me may experience in their own life. Understanding that, I was not only able to research on a topic that I found interest in, but I was also able to connect my own personal experiences to this literary piece. Additionally, being able to present my work through a panel presentation, it gave students a chance to present their works and reflect on their research through questions. I was able to display my research through expressing what my topic was about, and it created for more experience in the future, where panel presentations may become more prominent. Working on this project, I am also able to apply my new skills in creative thinking through future events where problems may arise in my work. I am grateful for the freedom in choosing my own topic, and it was able to display my growth in Creative and Critical Thinking within this English Studies 12 course.

Read the entire News from the Nest for November 17