At the brainstorming phase of this project, I listed some inquiry questions that would drive my learning. For this reflection I will return to these questions and provide some tentative answers.
1. How will I measure my abilities? The easiest way to measure my abilities during this project was through repetition and improvement. For example, I was uncomfortable using the surfacer at first because I did not want to ruin the boards or the machine. However, after watching videos, receiving advice from my dad, and working with the machine repeatedly, I gradually became more comfortable with my abilities. The outcomes were better as well, so I had evidence that my abilities were increasing. 2. How will I ensure I am participating in genuine learning? I think when I wrote this question that it would be difficult to answer, but upon reflection it is pretty simple. I learned a ton throughout this project about woodworking and also how I learn. I am realizing that I have become more of a visual learner over time, but ultimately I need to get my hands on something to learn it genuinely. This project supported the hands-on learning, so I know it was genuine for my learning style. 3. How much time will I devote each week to my project? The edTPA break and stress really disrupted my devotion to this project. I started out really strong and then fizzled for about a month. I did not devote the time I wanted to each week, but I pretty much accomplished the tasks I wanted to, e.g. get the wood, design the bookcase, and start the work. 4. How will I supplement my learning? I supplemented my learning by watching videos and talking to my dad about woodworking. I explored websites and researched best practices. 5. How will I stay on track with my schedule? This question is still open because I did not stay on track with my schedule. I think if I just made the time each week I would have been on track, but I felt extremely weighed down by stress from my site and the edTPA. Since I am going to continue working on my bookcase, I will try to update this later. 6. How will I apply my learning to my teaching practice? This project supports the belief that the one doing the work is doing the learning. It reinforced for me that students need to be working and thinking. It was only when I was in the workshop with wood or a machine in my hands that I truly embodied the learning. 7. What are the soft skills I hope to acquire from this project? I would like to say I persevered through this project, but the edTPA really set me back. I hope I can revisit this question with better answers in the future. 8. When will I apply the knowledge I acquire from this project? I plan on making many more projects and hopefully having a shop of my own one day. The real challenge will be keeping the knowledge fresh. 9. Where are more resources for this project? The Internet. There are videos, entire websites, and manuals all online. My dad was a huge resource for this project as well. Nothing beats having an enthusiast at the shop. 10. How can I collaborate with others to accomplish this project? I collaborated with my dad on this project as far as feedback on the design and help with the process. I am indebted to my house members as well for their support and feedback. 11. Where are there communities I can join for help with this project? I did not end up finding communities to help with the project. Doing so would be the next step to becoming an authentic member of the woodworking community. 12. How can I implement play into this project? I definitely played with the design, but I must admit I was hesitant to make mistakes due to the cost. I think when I become more confident with the work I can implement more play into future projects.
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