This year in physics class, I have had a plethora of projects to do. I made an egg-safety chamber, a catapult, a propeller powered car, a mousetrap powered car, and a bottle rocket. So, I figured, “Why not write an article on the pros and cons of school projects?” And guess what? I wrote one!
First of all, I am going to list the pros, just to build up your little spirits and then crush them with the cons.
- Projects are fun! Period. If we didn’t have projects, we would spend our school days taking tests and quizzes, doing classwork out of the book, and have worksheets for homework.
- Projects give students that have trouble with tests a better chance. If you’re a student who is very skilled in making things but has trouble with tests, the project is your savior. You can make things like a catapult that outdo all the others.
- Projects help kids learn better. See, some kids learn by doing, not by seeing or memorizing. So, using a project, these kids can learn how to absorb shock or prevent friction.
- Projects can help you attain certain skills. No worksheet can help you use a screwdriver, but a project sure can. These projects can help you with hands-on skill.
Projects are beneficiary in many, many ways. But…, now it is time for the cons. Dun-dun-dun!
Actually, what I said about the cons was a farce. I love projects! I was able to find only two reasonable downsides.
- Some kids are just bad at projects. But, there will always be tests, quizzes, and classwork for these kids to work on, so they can make it up.
- Projects can be dangerous. There is no way around that. But, everything is dangerous in life, so get over it. I could get zapped by my computer typing this!
So, why not have kids take part in school projects? They have a few downsides, but the pros outweigh the cons considerably.
(Although I promote kids working on projects, parents always should help when using power tools, sharp objects, and flames.)
[…] School Projects: From the Teen’s View- Part 2 February 15, 2010 — By Jacob P.Academics, Adolescence, Arts & Crafts, College, Elementary, Helpful hints, Learning, Safety, Teen Perspective, Teens So, this is part two of my discussion of whether school projects are good or bad for students. For those of you who haven’t read the first part, here is a brief summary: projects are very good for students, although they do have some negative aspects. If you want to read it, here is the link. […]