Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes. Kenneth Hildebrand Achieving Real Happiness 1955

Project management and motivation series

4: Develop the project

Considerations:

• What do I already know in this area?
• What are the sources of information?
  Text books, reference books, manuals, other print material, web sites:
  in-school resources, out-of-school resources
• Who are the experts?
  Reference librarians, tutors, teachers, professionals, consultants, etc.
  How did others learn in this area?
• Are there sequences for learning?
  Chapters, concepts, skills, levels, etc.
• How much time am I dedicating to this project?
  Number of hours? Weekly schedule?
• What is my timeline?
• How will I check what I am learning?
  Tests, reports, grades, feedback from a group or teacher or expert or professional, pages read, tasks completed, etc.
• Where do I go if I'm not getting the results I want?
• When will I record my progress?
  Daily/weekly/monthly; when I complete a "section", etc.?
• What are my rewards as I progress?
  Rewards should match your effort, the degree of difficulty, or the task.

Post these on your wallboard, or in your notebook.

5: Choosing a mentor

Who will be my mentor?

A mentor will help you monitor your progress, and should

• be a person you trust
• understand your motivation
• understand your project
• ask you how you are doing from time to time
• not test your learning (this is not his/her role!)
• give encouragement without being judging
• be able to suggest ways of getting around obstacles
• confront you if you are avoiding him/her or the project

Preparation

You should feel comfortable about sharing
what you have developed so far with your mentor your project description, intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, etc.

Communications:

• How will you communicate and meet with your mentor?
  In person, via email or phone?
• When or how often will you meet?
  Meet at least three times: at the outset, mid-term check in, and wrap up.
• Copy your project name, your intrinsic motivations, project description, and this page for your monitor.

Write out your agreement on the project, and both should initial

Post your mentor's information on your wallboard, your notebook,
or computer.

Project management and motivation series

Introduction/project identification | Intrinsic and extrinsic values |
Developing the project and selecting your mentor |
Monitoring your progress and project review |
Time management | Avoiding procrastination | Self discipline |
Prioritizing tasks | My to do list | Problem solving