Guidance approach: seeing too much risk of compromising projects

(Continued from yesterday) In its integration of the guidance approach, Otapi high school notes that large-scale projects are attractive, but are not guarantees of success. Return on two real-life cases and their results. Today, a hebertism trail designed, but not built.

(See the first article here.)

The second example of a project carried out according to the guidance approach to Otapi High School on the other hand, was much longer and more complex. During a full school year, pupils of 5^e secondary school worked on the creation of a track hebertism. To do this, teachers of French, mathematics, history, science and technology and carpentry have combined their efforts at different levels. In French, the students wrote a request to the village administration to obtain funding, as well as another to determine the appropriate location for the installation of their track. In math, they calculated the materials and quantities needed for the project. In history, they carried out research to know the origins of Hebertism. In science and technology, they explored the different avenues so that the track is as harmless as possible for the environment. Then, in carpentry, they had to make the said track.

This very large-scale project could not be completed, however, due to lack of time. Only the steps prior to the construction of the runway could be carried out because, too often, coordination problems delayed the subsequent steps. By the same token, the results remain mixed, summarizes a teacher who participated in the project. “It's a shame that none of this is visible today. We worked hard to make this project happen, for the students. All this was not done in vain, but there will always be a downside because skills could not be valued at their best.

The importance of leadership

In fact, the key to success with the guidance approach is the presence of leadership within the school, whether it is a teacher or an educational supervisor. Of course, the duration and scale of the project are important elements to consider, but the role of the leader is crucial. As Dominic Leblanc, educational advisor in the Lanaudière region, notes, “the leader is the one who coordinates the entire project. Without it, each teacher goes their own way in isolation, and it is sometimes difficult to tie all the pieces together. This can lead to unnecessary waste of time. The leader will ensure communication between the teachers of each discipline and thus promote the entire success of the project. Students will then feel all the more valued, which is an essential element of the guidance approach. "

In your community, do you have any examples of projects carried out using the guidance-oriented approach that have been successful? Others who present challenges to be achievable? Please feel free to participate using the comments module below.

Editor's note: To watch: Symposium on the Guidance Approach : March 26, 27 and 28, 2014 at the Hilton Quebec