I did some "old fashioned" project learning last year and the year before when one of my functional students brought a sewing machine in and she had a sewing project each year.
Many of the teachers in the general ed classes such as Science and English do some projects. Science classes built a mousetrap race car.
I see projects off and on in our district too, from elementary to high school. It is inconsistent from grade to grade but the ones that do projects seem to get more from their students in regards to attitude, focus, and behavior.
The idea of Project Based Learning is intriguing, but almost overwhelming. I love to have students learn through projects. They get so much more out of it and are more likely to apply the learning and make outside connections. I love when students take ownership of the project, and it becomes more student-driven (not just teacher directed).
I sure there are teachers using Project Based Learning, but may not call it that. I do have a book that I am reading about it, but have not yet used it. The idea is good, but time restraints always make me hesitant to do it.
The teachers I have seen do it develop one project per semester, or one project per subject area per year. It would be overwhelming to do every lesson with projects in one year. I don't think anyone could fit that much planning into a day! But taking baby steps keeps it manageable.
After reading your comment, I thought about our student in Montezuma (And a couple other HSers), and how they're involved in so many extracurricular activities or have missed school for whatever reason. Could you imagine trying to get through an entire project with them??? Haha! ;-)
Do you use project-based learning or know of someone that does? I try to do project based learning in my classes that I have when I am able. Because I try to accommodate their in class assignments, many times this turns into a project based assignment for my classroom. I think most of the teachers use some project based learning, especially the new teachers. The older teachers in my building tend to have very structured lecture classrooms.
What is your opinion of it? I like project based learning but think it takes time and energy to get it going. Once is is going, I think huge gains are made by the students.
Sadly in my building there have been a reduction in project based learning in the core subjects. It seems that new teachers are afraid to ask and take chances, while the veteran teachers are set in their lessons. Even the "cross-discipline" projects are just ending up more like papers then projects.
I do not use project based learning like the author does but at the end of every unit my students make a project for that unit. For example, at the end of the biography unit my students choose 1 person we studied and create a bio poster about that person. I provide the poster, it is something I found on Scholastic.com. The students research the person they chose and fill out the poster. I have other projects that my students do like making mobiles, cartoon strips, movie posters, silhouettes, story cubes, book jackets, etc... I do this instead of testing them over the unit. The project is their test grade and I display on the wall in my hallway. I switched to projects a few years ago when I attended a summer reading conference in Holcomb and 2 teachers were there talking about their project based units. I got alot of great ideas from that conference!!!
Thanks for sharing your ideas....this has got me thinking about how I can work with a general ed teacher and have some of the students on my roster do a "project" rather than a final test. A few of our teachers have moved away from tests.
I think that having our students do a project instead of a test is a great idea! After all most jobs want to see what you can produce and are not to interested in your tests scores. Plus it give students a new way to showcase their knowledge without having to worry about test anxiety.
I think our 7th grade reading teacher attended the same conference as you did Carol. She does a unit on the Christmas Carol every year that she got from a reading conference she attended here in Holcomb.
I personally do not do project based learning unless it is with a lower functioning student. If I have the student for pull out classes, then I can incorporate it in, but if I just see the student for study skills class then I won’t do it. Usually the study skills student bring me so much homework to clarify or re-teach that it would be challenging to get them complete a project for my class. However I think that project based learning is a great idea! I think that there are so many different ways to measure a student’s comprehension that do not involve testing. Plus it would eliminate most of my student’s text anxiety.
I do think it is more difficult when a lot of special education instruction is intervention type strategies to build basic skill in order for the students to improve and succeed in the general curriculum. But maybe, some of these instructions can be turned into projects? It would definitely take some creativity on the teacher end to figure out how.
I'd wonder if this would be an opportunity for kids to connect meaning to the basic skills they are learning, by applying them to something they have a personal interest in.
I personally do not do project based learning unless it is with a lower functioning student. If I have the student for pull out classes, then I can incorporate it in, but if I just see the student for study skills class then I won’t do it. Usually the study skills student bring me so much homework to clarify or re-teach that it would be challenging to get them complete a project for my class. However I think that project based learning is a great idea! I think that there are so many different ways to measure a student’s comprehension that do not involve testing. Plus it would eliminate most of my student’s text anxiety.
I agree with you in there being various ways to assess a student's knowledge without using a typical paper/pencil type test. And I also agree with your comment about test anxiety. I don't think I've ever known a student to be on edge about a project (Unless they've just procrastinated to the point of not completing it), and most of the time, it seems like they're really excited about working on it. This is great, too, because I feel like if you're actually WANTING to complete a task, you'll do better on it than if it's something you don't really care about.
We have had teachers that did some project based learning. It was often coordinated projects with the history, reading, and English teachers. Over the years students have created living history museums over topics like WW II and the Holocaust, Egyptian History, Ancient Rome, etc. They have researched and dressed in period dress. Recently, we had a history teacher that developed a Kansas History unit on Indians. The students researched and then built Teepees, they learned about their symbol writing and then drew symbols that represented their group on their teepee. The science teacher has a strong Indian heritage so she taught lessons on the different symbolism in their beadwork. The kids then created bands and incorporated symbols in their beadwork that represented them.
I can see where living the history would make it more real and stick in you mind. Too bad it is not done in more classrooms, but there are so many restrictions on them that make things difficult.
I think thats really cool, the dressing up strategy.
Also, the holocaust and WWII era are such emotional things to learn about, that I see students get interested in these shocking and gripping stories. Because the shock factor is already there, these may be easier to start with getting students to learn more information on their own-I remember when I was in middle school, I had to interview someone that was alive during WWII and get someones first account of their emotions and views. This is getting more difficult as time goes by but I'll never forget that. Pretty soon, people may be doing that for 9/11. The impact of history is such a powerful thing to hold in our emotions and life events.
Project based learning really does help make history come alive. Maybe we can videotape interviews of first person accounts to help keep that part real. A gentleman who lives in Brighton was interned in a Japanese concentration camp here in the United States during World War II and he has a very fascinating story of how he grew his vegetable farm business to be a major industry leader.
I like the idea of gathering oral histories. Kids become disconnected and desensitized from history and even current events with the graphic nature of programs and the news. It's hard for them to put themselves in another person's shoes. Meeting a person who had lived it, especially if they lived it at the age the students are now, would give it much more meaning.
I haven't used project based learning as it is described in the book, but I do feel like I have done a little bit of it. I would like to implement it more, give my students more responsibility as well as more practice on self-advocacy and peer collaboration. I see a lot of project based learning with our science teachers; the bug project and the rat project are two. But each student is responsible for their own powerpoint or presentation. It isn't as collaborative as described in the book. I would like to use this more, rather than a lesson and some activities/assignments to support retention for my kids. Once the lesson/unit is over.. it seems to be over and gone from the students memory as well.
I don’t personally use project-based learning in my profession, but am in support of it for basically the same reasons I gave about liking simulations and science fairs. I feel like students are better able to retain the information they learn from this type of instruction, and I also believe it gives them much more freedom, creativity, and personal input when it comes to their education. However, it seems like because of time, convenience, teaching styles, etc. there isn’t as much of this going on (that I see at least).
When I taught regular ed I used some project based activities but with my littles this is a not something I do. However in 1st grade just this week as we were learning about Earth Day and what all it means the teacher talked about a lot of the information in several areas of her lessons this week. Today they took the knowledge they had learned throughout the week to make a flip book. They were asked to make 3 goals to help with conservation. They would were given 3-4 squares of paper and they would write their goal and then draw a picture to go with each. I liked that there was no right or wrong goal that could be written and goals could be one short sentence or some of the kids who like to write went into step by step details. Students who like to draw could show their goals through drawings at the top of the pages.
I've seen project based learning on a smaller scale in the last few years, with a science project where students are assigned a broad topic and make choices within that umbrella. There is some project based learning in after school clubs more than in regular classrooms. I believe it is a valuable way to improve student engagement, and to build skills for life after school. On the job, students are asked to apply what they've learned, not recite it.
I did some "old fashioned" project learning last year and the year before when one of my functional students brought a sewing machine in and she had a sewing project each year.
ReplyDeleteMany of the teachers in the general ed classes such as Science and English do some projects. Science classes built a mousetrap race car.
I see projects off and on in our district too, from elementary to high school. It is inconsistent from grade to grade but the ones that do projects seem to get more from their students in regards to attitude, focus, and behavior.
DeleteThe idea of Project Based Learning is intriguing, but almost overwhelming. I love to have students learn through projects. They get so much more out of it and are more likely to apply the learning and make outside connections. I love when students take ownership of the project, and it becomes more student-driven (not just teacher directed).
ReplyDeleteI sure there are teachers using Project Based Learning, but may not call it that. I do have a book that I am reading about it, but have not yet used it. The idea is good, but time restraints always make me hesitant to do it.
ReplyDeleteThe teachers I have seen do it develop one project per semester, or one project per subject area per year. It would be overwhelming to do every lesson with projects in one year. I don't think anyone could fit that much planning into a day! But taking baby steps keeps it manageable.
DeleteI think you're right about time. It would be so difficult to finish any project of depth unless you meet with students daily!
DeleteKim-
DeleteAfter reading your comment, I thought about our student in Montezuma (And a couple other HSers), and how they're involved in so many extracurricular activities or have missed school for whatever reason. Could you imagine trying to get through an entire project with them??? Haha! ;-)
Do you use project-based learning or know of someone that does?
ReplyDeleteI try to do project based learning in my classes that I have when I am able. Because I try to accommodate their in class assignments, many times this turns into a project based assignment for my classroom. I think most of the teachers use some project based learning, especially the new teachers. The older teachers in my building tend to have very structured lecture classrooms.
What is your opinion of it?
I like project based learning but think it takes time and energy to get it going. Once is is going, I think huge gains are made by the students.
Yes, the initial set-up is always going to be tough but I agree that after that the gains are worth it!!!
DeleteSadly in my building there have been a reduction in project based learning in the core subjects. It seems that new teachers are afraid to ask and take chances, while the veteran teachers are set in their lessons. Even the "cross-discipline" projects are just ending up more like papers then projects.
DeleteI do not use project based learning like the author does but at the end of every unit my students make a project for that unit. For example, at the end of the biography unit my students choose 1 person we studied and create a bio poster about that person. I provide the poster, it is something I found on Scholastic.com. The students research the person they chose and fill out the poster. I have other projects that my students do like making mobiles, cartoon strips, movie posters, silhouettes, story cubes, book jackets, etc... I do this instead of testing them over the unit. The project is their test grade and I display on the wall in my hallway. I switched to projects a few years ago when I attended a summer reading conference in Holcomb and 2 teachers were there talking about their project based units. I got alot of great ideas from that conference!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your ideas....this has got me thinking about how I can work with a general ed teacher and have some of the students on my roster do a "project" rather than a final test. A few of our teachers have moved away from tests.
DeleteI think that having our students do a project instead of a test is a great idea! After all most jobs want to see what you can produce and are not to interested in your tests scores. Plus it give students a new way to showcase their knowledge without having to worry about test anxiety.
DeleteI think our 7th grade reading teacher attended the same conference as you did Carol. She does a unit on the Christmas Carol every year that she got from a reading conference she attended here in Holcomb.
DeleteI really like your ideas about book units! I'm going to have to do some research for ideas!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not do project based learning unless it is with a lower functioning student. If I have the student for pull out classes, then I can incorporate it in, but if I just see the student for study skills class then I won’t do it. Usually the study skills student bring me so much homework to clarify or re-teach that it would be challenging to get them complete a project for my class.
ReplyDeleteHowever I think that project based learning is a great idea! I think that there are so many different ways to measure a student’s comprehension that do not involve testing. Plus it would eliminate most of my student’s text anxiety.
I do think it is more difficult when a lot of special education instruction is intervention type strategies to build basic skill in order for the students to improve and succeed in the general curriculum. But maybe, some of these instructions can be turned into projects? It would definitely take some creativity on the teacher end to figure out how.
DeleteI'd wonder if this would be an opportunity for kids to connect meaning to the basic skills they are learning, by applying them to something they have a personal interest in.
DeleteI personally do not do project based learning unless it is with a lower functioning student. If I have the student for pull out classes, then I can incorporate it in, but if I just see the student for study skills class then I won’t do it. Usually the study skills student bring me so much homework to clarify or re-teach that it would be challenging to get them complete a project for my class.
ReplyDeleteHowever I think that project based learning is a great idea! I think that there are so many different ways to measure a student’s comprehension that do not involve testing. Plus it would eliminate most of my student’s text anxiety.
Stacy-
DeleteI agree with you in there being various ways to assess a student's knowledge without using a typical paper/pencil type test. And I also agree with your comment about test anxiety. I don't think I've ever known a student to be on edge about a project (Unless they've just procrastinated to the point of not completing it), and most of the time, it seems like they're really excited about working on it. This is great, too, because I feel like if you're actually WANTING to complete a task, you'll do better on it than if it's something you don't really care about.
We have had teachers that did some project based learning. It was often coordinated projects with the history, reading, and English teachers. Over the years students have created living history museums over topics like WW II and the Holocaust, Egyptian History, Ancient Rome, etc. They have researched and dressed in period dress. Recently, we had a history teacher that developed a Kansas History unit on Indians. The students researched and then built Teepees, they learned about their symbol writing and then drew symbols that represented their group on their teepee. The science teacher has a strong Indian heritage so she taught lessons on the different symbolism in their beadwork. The kids then created bands and incorporated symbols in their beadwork that represented them.
ReplyDeleteI can see where living the history would make it more real and stick in you mind. Too bad it is not done in more classrooms, but there are so many restrictions on them that make things difficult.
DeleteI think thats really cool, the dressing up strategy.
DeleteAlso, the holocaust and WWII era are such emotional things to learn about, that I see students get interested in these shocking and gripping stories. Because the shock factor is already there, these may be easier to start with getting students to learn more information on their own-I remember when I was in middle school, I had to interview someone that was alive during WWII and get someones first account of their emotions and views. This is getting more difficult as time goes by but I'll never forget that. Pretty soon, people may be doing that for 9/11. The impact of history is such a powerful thing to hold in our emotions and life events.
Project based learning really does help make history come alive. Maybe we can videotape interviews of first person accounts to help keep that part real. A gentleman who lives in Brighton was interned in a Japanese concentration camp here in the United States during World War II and he has a very fascinating story of how he grew his vegetable farm business to be a major industry leader.
DeleteI like the idea of gathering oral histories. Kids become disconnected and desensitized from history and even current events with the graphic nature of programs and the news. It's hard for them to put themselves in another person's shoes. Meeting a person who had lived it, especially if they lived it at the age the students are now, would give it much more meaning.
DeleteI haven't used project based learning as it is described in the book, but I do feel like I have done a little bit of it.
ReplyDeleteI would like to implement it more, give my students more responsibility as well as more practice on self-advocacy and peer collaboration.
I see a lot of project based learning with our science teachers; the bug project and the rat project are two. But each student is responsible for their own powerpoint or presentation. It isn't as collaborative as described in the book.
I would like to use this more, rather than a lesson and some activities/assignments to support retention for my kids. Once the lesson/unit is over.. it seems to be over and gone from the students memory as well.
I don’t personally use project-based learning in my profession, but am in support of it for basically the same reasons I gave about liking simulations and science fairs. I feel like students are better able to retain the information they learn from this type of instruction, and I also believe it gives them much more freedom, creativity, and personal input when it comes to their education. However, it seems like because of time, convenience, teaching styles, etc. there isn’t as much of this going on (that I see at least).
ReplyDeleteWhen I taught regular ed I used some project based activities but with my littles this is a not something I do. However in 1st grade just this week as we were learning about Earth Day and what all it means the teacher talked about a lot of the information in several areas of her lessons this week. Today they took the knowledge they had learned throughout the week to make a flip book. They were asked to make 3 goals to help with conservation. They would were given 3-4 squares of paper and they would write their goal and then draw a picture to go with each. I liked that there was no right or wrong goal that could be written and goals could be one short sentence or some of the kids who like to write went into step by step details. Students who like to draw could show their goals through drawings at the top of the pages.
ReplyDeleteI've seen project based learning on a smaller scale in the last few years, with a science project where students are assigned a broad topic and make choices within that umbrella. There is some project based learning in after school clubs more than in regular classrooms. I believe it is a valuable way to improve student engagement, and to build skills for life after school. On the job, students are asked to apply what they've learned, not recite it.
ReplyDelete