The 2D classroom from The Columbus School, witness 22 students work for more than six weeks on a self-chosen project of their preference.

The idea of the project was to make a book and a slideshow presentation. Last Tuesday the students presented to parents and staff from TCS. In this project they tested their ability to work autonomously. The kids had library books and computers for the past six weeks to create this project, they had the opportunity to use all the tools in their power to create the book, the PowerPoint presentation, and if there was time they could also prepare a video.

“We took notes, we read books, we research in the computer and then we make the powerpoint and the books and if people want the video,” said Elisa Marulanda, 2D student from TCS. “I’m working on Black Widow Spiders,” she added.

The 2D integrants had the luck of choosing whatever topic they wanted to research about, the other Second Grade classes were given an specific category to research upon.

“Like only this class could choose whatever they want, in other classes they (could) choose whatever they want but it was in the same topic,” Marulanda said. “Everybody is studying different things, somebody is studying horses and another one Christopher Columbus,” she commented.

Another 2D student, Emilio Jaramillo, is getting ready to present his project to his parents and staff tomorrow during class. He thinks it would be an excellent way for his parents to see the progress he has made.

“It is due tomorrow because tomorrow we we are all going to present the projects,” Jaramillo said. “Trentino told us to do it; we did it because our parents are coming and we are presenting so they can be proud of us and we teach them our intelligence,” he added.

This project was created for the purpose of letting the second graders have something they could freely work on based on their choice, a piece of work that wasn’t related to everyday topics like math or history, and a project where they could show what they have done using Self Directed Learning or (SDL).

According to SDL official website, this method is “an instructional strategy where the students, with guidance from the teacher, decide what and how they will learn. It can be done individually or with group learning, but the overall concept is that students take ownership of their learning.”

“The purpose is that Trentino invites Diana Mitchell, and the parents (as well as the staff) to see that with self directed learning we can learn about things that we want; we don’t have to learn only math or science but we have to learn things that we like,” Marulanda said.