Project based learning is one of the core tenets of a great education because of the interplay between a child’s head, heart, and hands. Memorizing facts has a place in education, but to understand something or innovate upon an existing idea, rote memorization isn’t going to cut it.
The other reason I love project based learning is that I fully believe we should never settle for off-the-rack education. Something that is completely outsourced and in someone else’s control is appealing, but we miss out on the opportunity to really get to know our children. Not to mention, they don’t get the chance to see us as their learning partner, and they have one less opportunity to become strong thinkers, learners, and doers.
What is project based learning?
In a nutshell, it’s a teaching method focused on active learning that involves real world projects the child personally wants to do and finds meaningful. If we believe the progression of Industrial Age –> Information Age –> Innovation Age, then it stands to reason that a good number of jobs our kids will hold when they are of working age have not yet been invented. Even if the percentage of uninvented jobs might not be 65% or more like some forecasters expect, we can assume that there will definitely be jobs that have not yet been dreamed into existence.
Project based learning comprises four basic foundations:
- Real world learning experiences,
- Academic milestones (aka common core standards),
- Public exhibitions to showcase work, and
- Integrated subjects (e.g. math is incorporated into the project when considering the industrial revolution)
The easiest way to get exposure to project based learning is to enroll young children in an International Baccalaureate PYP program which has a strong child centered learning ethos. In NYC, there’s also the Portfolio School which has a super interesting co-op model that is rare to see in anything past the nursery school/preschool stage. Barring that, you can also get started at home with these five steps below.
Step #1 Identify interests
There are two ways to literally start with project based learning: you can ask, or you can observe.
Unless they’re profoundly gifted and can communicate well, 3 year olds probably won’t have a realistic answer for you if you ask this. You’re better off observing their play patterns and conversation. What is she asking about? What does he build with blocks? What do they play act? What shows or movies does he beg to watch? Which books does he ask for again and again?
Our 4 year old recently asked me about the Titanic, so as a first pass, I:
- looked around for books,
- found him two different morse code tools which he can use to transmit messages,
- got out the globe to show the route the Titanic was on,
- incorporated a short lesson on telling time with our practice clock, and
- extended the learning to talk about icebergs
Further along, we’ll build our own boats, try to sink them, and see what else he might want to test from the books. It was a lot of fun for both of us, and one day, we will view Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in their full glory:)
For older kids, they will tell you what to do next! They already know how projects work, so you won’t have to think as hard.
Step #2: Prepare the environment
If you want your child to become an independent learner, their environment can either help or hinder that goal. We are a Montessori leaning family, though the beauty of supplementing school is that we can weave in other philosophies as well in support of our broader education vision.
Preparing the environment has slightly different nuances in the Montessori and the Reggio Emilia philosophies. The end result however is that children should have opportunities to become more independent and learn something by themselves. This Australian school has a lovely overview of how their classrooms are set up to support the principle of the environment as the third teacher.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Can your child reach materials independently?
- Can he clean up unassisted after he’s finished with a project?
- Does your child have a dedicated work space (desk or table plus some storage that he/she can access on their own)?
Step #3: Designate a time for creative learning
Projects don’t necessarily need to be completed in one day, and the best ones are those that a child returns to or extends.
Kids need blocks of time to explore, think, play, talk, and plan. Project based learning succeeds when a child knows that they won’t be interrupted and has the ability to concentrate on being receptive to ideas.
By having scheduled time to work on a project, a child can be assured that he/she won’t be taken away from something he cares about, and you’re giving your child a chance to build something really meaningful.
Of course field trips and events should be a part of the project! Involve your child in the planning where possible and before setting up a craft or activity, provide open-ended art experiences first to explore.
For families who supplement school, it’s obvious after reading all this that there is no time in the regular school day to allow for project based learning (unless you pick your child up around 2 or 3 in the afternoon and have a good chunk of time).
So if you’re like our family where pickup is usually after 5 pm, I recommend saving project based learning for the weekends and vacations.
Step #4: Gather tools and materials
High quality art materials (e.g. colored pencils, paint, crayons), recyclable/reusable materials (think pouch tops, small glass jars, ribbons), and kid-friendly tools like scissors, rulers, and flower presses all lend themselves to creativity which is the name of the game.
You don’t need a lot, and you can rotate items in/out as your project demands. You do have to get into the habit of collecting with an eye towards what can be repurposed for building projects.
Step #5: Build and nurture your family culture
Having spent all the time and effort to help kids with project based learning, it makes sense to celebrate and support the work so your kids want to keep doing it and spending time with you (or at least sharing their efforts with you).
The trick here is to think of unspoken messages. If your physical space says “explore/ask/make/share/create” but you believe “follow/obey/please me/don’t make a mess”, then the latter message could end up winning or come into conflict. Alternatively, you could tell your child that they are capable but have an environment that requires them to ask you for help most of the time.
Project based learning can really be boiled down to leaning into interests. Our kids are communicating with us however imperfectly all the time in a bid for our attention. What happens next determines in part whether they’ll keep us close or if they internalize that we’re not listening or are disengaged from their lives.
You know what to do!
