Multigenre Projects

    

    So, for one of my courses I have to create a curriculum support project with regard to some aspect of writing.  I've decided to do a unit on the multi-genre project, which is a combination of smaller projects rolled into one.  Teachers can choose multiple genres of writing to provide for their students on any given topic.  The goal of this type of learning is to generate and support the same ideas you would gain from a typical, boring term paper.  Plus it gives students some choice and the ability to work their strengths in an otherwise difficult practice.

    Melinda Putz, a teacher and author from Michigan, wrote a strikingly effective account of multi-genre projects in her book, A Teacher's Guide to the Multigenre Research Project: Everything You Need to Get Started.  You can find that resource here to learn more about the process and the different interpretations available.  Putz arranges a detailed and organized account on how the process works, what choices you have to give your students and step-by-step instructions on how to bring it to life.
    In Putz's example, she starts off with a topic search, where students can research genuine personal interests to narrow down their project ideas to two different choices, making their ultimate decision from there.  Students then choose at least seven different genres to use in their projects, including, (but not limited to), diaries, letters, recipes, graffiti, dialogues, comic strips, etc.  The kids are encouraged to make their own choices in genre, as long as they relate well to the topic they've chosen.  This aspect of the project is where I think it truly excels; kids can basically choose their own project, down to the content and the type.  The amount of freedom and flexibility is really beneficial to students' educational self-esteem.

    I chose to dive deeper into this project because I wanted to know the true advantage to using this sort of system as opposed to the traditional essay format.  Obviously the multi-genre project has it's perks: almost complete student-driven control, multiple options and a personal touch.  There are virtually no downsides, so why don't more teachers utilize this project?  How isn't this adaptable to other subject areas, such as science and math, as opposed to English and History?  The point, I think, is that the liberal age of teaching is just beginning.
    With the ever-growing access and advancements in technology and the influx of younger, newer teachers on the horizon, the chances of a more hands-on, inspirational learning environment.  I believe the day will come when school districts will be more susceptible to change and classrooms are not places where students go to write their lives away for a standardized test.  I think that day is upon us, or at least I hope so.  If you'd like to learn more about multi-genre projects, you can follow the link I posted above.  With any other aspect of teaching, please don't hesitate to ask:)