Changes to the Quest Based Program for Quarter 3

My students have one week left in the second quarter, and then they immersed in midterms. I've been thinking about what changes I want to make to the Quest program for the third quarter. For starters, I want to make it completely self-paced. Up to this point, students have had to meet certain requirements every two weeks. They could choose which quests to complete on different days, but they had to complete those quests by the end of the two weeks.

Now that my students are used to the structure of the class and the different types of quests I typically assign, I'm ready to set them loose. What might this mean? One student might fly through a year's worth of grammar in a month, and then focus on vocab. Another might dabble in literature for a couple of weeks, then address vocab and grammar together.

I think I will conference with every student to set up goals every few weeks. This will allow me to give them individualized feedback, which will translate in progress grades. I am looking for mastery of material, which is going to look different for different students.

What I particularly like about this setup is the ability for students to truly "win" the class before the end of the year. I have several students who are ready to be set loose to fly. They don't want to be reigned in! If they reach the end early, I can supplement with enrichment material, which will be particularly helpful for those students who wish to transfer out of the Quest program, back to the regular classroom.

I imagine the biggest challenge will be getting students to work through those quests which are necessary but not appealing. I will have to work twice as hard to create quests that engage students in essay writing for the SATs in a meaningful, authentic way.

Game on!

In Defense of Gaming

My three kids and I play a popular, family-friendly MMO together. This summer, I have payed particular attention to the way that they play and what they are learning through gaming. Here are some things that I've observed:

Seamus (8 years old) - Seamus does not need any reason to play a game. Somewhere I have a video of him playing chutes and ladders at age three against his blanky. He would take his turn and then pick up his blanky, wrap it around his hand, and make a move. He always played fairly, which meant that he fought hard for his wins. Blanky was no pushover. Fast-forward 6 years and my almost-9-year-old is a gaming machine. He loves games of all forms: playground pick-up games, board games, and video games. I love to watch Seamus play MMOs, because he is such a benevolent player. Need help defeating a boss? He's the one to call. Really want that new castle? He'll spot you the gold. Seamus will drop everything to help a friend in need. As I am typing this, I just heard him yell out, "Eva, need help?" That's my gaming boy.

Eva (10 years old) - Eva is not a typical gamer. She's a social being, a lover of music and dance. She scoffed at Seamus when he tried to convince her to play an MMO, and then finally gave in and fell in love with it. For my mathematically challenged daughter, I have enjoyed seeing how this game is helping her understand math practically. Yesterday, I overheard her in a deep discussion with her brother talking about probability and percentages when it comes to winning battles with certain attacks. She finally gets it (and doesn't even realize she's doing math).

Jireh (7 years old) - Jireh loves playing MMOs, because he gets to play with his siblings without feeling left behind. He can battle with the best of them. This year, we learned that Jireh is behind in his reading skills. He needs a little extra help as he gets stuck and frusterated, often giving up before he's really started. What I love about playing MMOs with Jireh is that he's reading without the frustration. Many of the quests have voice-over, but I've watched him tracking the words with the audio. He's playing the game and improving his reading skills at the same time.

In conclusion, gaming is a worthwhile summer activity for my family because we get to spend time together enjoying challenges and rewards. The gained life skills are icing on the cake.