HOMEforward

Pod-project Manual

This manual was originally intended to help children create and develop their own projects, but is also useful for adults planning out projects that are more pre-defined in advance. Many of the ideas are general enough to apply to all sorts of projects working with children.
If you would like to download this manual as a PDF file - click here

Introduction

This manual explains how our scheme works - with children forming their own groups (pods) to work on particular projects.
The whole 'Cabinets & Pods' format is intended to be fairly informal, but it seems worthwhile considering the following:

                  How to explain to children what we mean by a 'project', in terms of structure and processes involved.
                  How to discuss the different kinds of thinking involved in overcoming problems and developing ideas throughout each project.
                  How much to intervene in pod-projects that do not seem to be making much progress.

We also consider how to discuss such ideas with young children (mainly aged 7-11) using 'archetypal' characters to represent the different styles of thinking and learning required in the different stages and activities within each project. Children will already be familiar with many of the characteristics associated with the four roles we have chosen - Explorer, Detective, Builder and Story-maker from many stories, games, TV programmes and films - providing a foundation for discussion of how such characters' thinking is related to the way the characters live and work in their real or fictional worlds.

Contents

Pod-Project Overview - describes how the roles outlined in the following pages could fit together within each project.

Definitions – explains the vocabulary we are using to describe the project.

Role description pages – Explorer, Detective, Builder and Story-Maker. These pages describe the different kinds of roles children might take on as they engage with their projects, and the different qualities they will need to be successful in such roles and activities.

The Role of Assistants & Experts – describes the way we would like adults to interact with children, when helping in the project.

HOMEforward