With each of these projects we started with great enthusiasm and excitement, and similar to all projects about midway the students and I dipped into that area of trepidation where questions such as these arise:
- Can I do this?
- What will go wrong?
- How can I inspire myself and others to do well?
- Will people like my creation or performance?
- How will my project/performance measure up?
At this bottom of the upside down bell curve, there is a lot of doubt.
I explicitly taught students about this when we reached this stage for each project. I wanted them to know that this is a natural step in project/problem based learning and they can successfully move up from this space by doing the following:
- Try a different way
- Take a step back and think
- Be willing to fail and learn from it
- Ask for help, look at what others are doing
- Sleep on it as when you do you'll likely come back with the right answer
- Research and study more
- Positive self talk and perseverance
- Belief in yourself, your idea, and your potential
Just letting students know that with every project there is a low point, and when you tackle that low point with good effort, there is lots of sunshine and happiness on the other side.
