I had heard about project-based learning but wasn’t entirely sure what it entailed until I watched the Google Project-based Learning video. In the example school, every student has his or her own work area in a room called an advisory. Teachers are called advisors because instead of using lectures to teach, they communicate with each student on an individual basis. The advisor-student relationship, which is built on respect and trust, is seen as the key to success in project-based learning. The projects students choose can be on any topic they are interested in from photography, to sewing, to mummification. The school year is divided into blocks that are five to seven weeks long. Students design projects throughout the blocks and need to earn 10 credits per year. The first step to completing a project is to fill out a project proposal form. Students have to answer questions related to the importance and value of their study as well as develop an outline of tasks and a timeline. Having good time management skills is vital to being successful in a project-based learning program. Students also need to share what resources they plan to use ensuring that their primary resource is a living person. They also have to determine how many credits they think their work will be worth and which state standards will guide their project. Students then go through the approval process by sharing their ideas with parents and meeting with a project planning team. The project planning team usually consists of two advisors and the student or group of students working on the project. The team will either sign off on the project or ask for more clarification before the project is approved. Once a student begins a project, he or she must document time spent and learning daily. The final step after project completion and reflection on the process is to meet with the project planning team for final approval. Students learn how to enjoy learning with this process. In contrast to failing, students might be asked to follow team suggestions and try again. In this way the process offers opportunities for growth and collaboration.
I thought this video was very informative and well done. I have a new understanding of how project-based learning takes place. I was thrilled to see how much project-based learning relates to Montessori education. Some goals of Montessori education are for children to develop independence, time management, and a passion for learning. Students in my classroom use a weekly work plan. The work plan lists all assignments and students must organize their week to complete each task. Students are able to choose when they will work on each activity. As a teacher my role is to provide guidance and the right amount of structure for each student. I teach each student individually and meet with them about their work to give feedback, not grades. Every year students complete passion projects in which they choose a topic to research. It is always amazing and enlightening to discover student interests. Students fill out a project proposal form similar to the one discussed in the video (but at a grade 1-3 level). I love seeing the final projects and the concrete learning that takes place through this process.
The article, Put to the Test: Confronting Concerns about Project Learning, addresses many issues parents and educators might question about this unfamiliar style of learning. Some of the issues addressed include concerns about standards, time, and losing control of the classroom. I can understand these concerns as most of us have a difficult time understanding an education that is different from our experience and schema of what education should be. I always tell people who comment that it must be so hard to teach first, second, and third grade students in the same classroom that they just have to come in to observe to truly understand. The classroom is set-up to provide the necessary materials and structure for independent, active learning. Many times people are very amazed by what they see because it is in such contrast to their previous understanding. Students in the project-based learning YouTube video used words and phrases such as comfort, trust, collaboration, respect, reflection, appreciation, and learning by mistakes to describe the benefits about project-based learning. Who wouldn’t want that for their students and children?
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