Hello everyone! I’ve made it through PLP 8! And what do PLP students do at the end of the year? They do extra reflection on their growth as a learner throughout the year in the form of a TPOL. A TPOL stands for Transitional Presentation Of Learning, where you answer this driving question: “Why do you feel you are ready to advance to the next grade level?”. I am the expert of my own learning and you can expect me to give an honest evaluation of my progress throughout the year.

So let’s rewind a bit.  Way back in February 2021, I applied for PLP. I went through a multiple step process, including making a video of me explaining my process of making homemade croissants. I honestly didn’t know what I was signing up for back then, I did the application mostly to keep the option open and so that I had time to make up my decision. Turns out I had to inform them of my decision about 1 month after I got accepted. To do PLP or not to do PLP?

Well I did it. And now, I’ve made it through one whole year! And I just have to say wow, it’s been a journey. But I’ve learnt so much along the way. I want to emphasize some examples of my growth as a learner through FAILs, peer critique and revision, and beyond the classroom.

Throughout my first year of PLP, I have embraced failing as a first attempt in learning. 

People usually see failing as negative, and I did to, but PLP has made me change my mindset about a fail. Instead of failing meaning unsuccessful, it’s just show’s your first effort in achieving your end goal. I can’t really remember further context but Mr. Clancy told my art class that there were once military jets that kept getting the most bullet damage done on the wings of the plane, but the planes were still able to fly. Most people recommended that the next military planes they’d build have more protection on the wings, where they were getting hit, but one person thought well it’s proven that the planes can still fly with damage on the inside of the wings, so we should add more protection to the other sections of the plane. I don’t know where I was going with that example but, the takeaway is that a change of mindset can get you to see things in a new way.

Ever since our first maker project, I stated that I had high standards for myself. 

I usually kept on revising my work until I was proud of it, or until it was time to hand my work in. But sometimes, time, teamwork and struggles didn’t allow for me to create my best work. I have had multiple FAIL’s this year but I would like to briefly go over a few. In scimatics, I wasn’t satisfied with my work in our tectonic chances project. 

I made mistakes, couldn’t control how much the others worked and wasn’t too proud of the final product I produced. I think if I were to redo that project again, I think that with my improved collaboration skills that I’ve builded up the rest of this year, I could come up with, plan and create a better game in a group. 

My second example of failing is DI. Our group actually did pretty well in the tournament, but there were a lot of failed skits in the behind the scenes. Our group’s skits were always better in front of an audience, because I think it felt more authentic and less like random acting and messing around. Learning from our bad (failed) skits, we could reflect and know what to do better next time.

Changing the way I see failing has led me to embrace failing, dust myself off and learn from my mistakes and first attempts.

Critique and Revision

A huge difference in my learning this year compared to the other year’s has been that in PLP, part of the project path is dedicated to revision. All the other year’s, we would do peer critique every once in a blue moon, usually you would just hand your work in and get marked for it. Revision gives us the chance to improve our work based on the kind, helpful and specific feedback we got from other peers, teachers and I’d sometimes show my parents and see what they think I could improve on. In our humanities advertising project, I made at a lot of add drafts, revising the last one to be better based on critique I received. We had a zoom call with graphic designer Derek Hepburn, who told us to have tough skin when it comes to receiving feedback from others. I feel like this step of the project path, was one that allowed me to reach the high standards I strive for. Revision has been one of the ways that I have showed growth as a learner in the critical and reflective thinking competency.

I also did a lot of revision, restarting and asking for more feedback when making our Renaissance triptychs.

Beyond the classroom

I loved our field study to Loon Lake. It was a balance of work, bonding activities and fun. I had the chance to work on a bit of each curricular competency, and work a lot on my social awareness and responsibility competency. Experiencing what it’s like to learn beyond the classroom has helped me make connections with the real world and get closer with friends, and peers.

As I move on into grade 9, I hope to keep my work to my high standards, and keep pushing myself outside of my comfort zone, and making that my new comfort zone and so forth. Now that I know about how much work PLP tends to give, I plan to not procrastinate if they do give a week before something is due. I hope that now that I’m more comfortable with the technology I have access to for creating beautiful work and blog posts, that I create them quicker. So all in all, why am I ready to advance to grade 9? I have learnt so much about technology, myself, failing, revising, what it means to be a PLP learner throughout this year. I am ready to continue my journey of learning and apply the skills I have learnt this year, in my future work. I’m also ready and excited for more field studies! Here’s a screen shot from my learning plan, that tell you what profile I think I’m at out of 6 on the core competencies now, and my plan for achieving my learning plan goals. I believe that I have incredibly worked on my communicating and collaborating competencies through group discussions, teamwork, DI, constructing creative communication on my IPad, and communicating my growth as a learner through high quality reflective blog posts. Since there’s only 6 profiles, each profile is a big change, and this is where I feel I’m at.

This year has been a lot of work, and I am proud to look back on the accomplishments I’ve made throughout this year. I have experienced every step of the iceberg of success! Sometimes you only see the finished product and not all the late nights, tutorial times, revision and process behind it.

That is why I feel I am ready for grade 9. But before grade 9, I’m ready for a summer break. Now I feel dancing and celebrating to some happy tunes!

I know this has been a long post, and a crazy year, but thank you for following my learning journey!!! Got questions? I’d love to hear!