Alternatives in Education : Project-Based Learning

How have hunting weapons changed over time?

How do I start my own photography business?

The history of Cosmetology.

A history of Logging in Vermont.

These are just a few of the topics my current students are researching.  The questions were self-created, along with three smaller questions that supported the information that would be found to answer the larger questions.  I then pose another three questions to ensure students are meeting the subject's requirement.  Students then create essays, posters, Prezis, business plans, surveys, their own books to display the information they gathered when answering their questions.  They work tirelessly, with dedication and eagerness.  Frequently, topics are related to a future career or goal they have.

This is Project-Based Learning and it writes the success stories for so many students who struggle in typical classroom settings.  At my current school, students see us for three hours a day.  They arrive on their own schedule, are able to listen to music while they work independently, present myself and my co-teacher with questions, come to us for guidance and typically succeed almost immediately.

Students gain confidence in their own learning styles.  They get to explore real-world questions that are important to them.  As I look around on a daily basis, I wonder why the education system in general isn't catching up to schools like ours, where success is almost inevitable and children begin to enjoy school.  This will be a question I will continue to explore, but in the interim, I've found some resources on the subject that I will continue to visit.

Edutopia
CNN Reports on PBL