PROJECT APPROACHE GUIDE

When a teacher goes beyond of the classic teaching method, he or she realizes this modern world claims for better real experiences.

First steps

At the beginning of the project, students and teachers establish a list of possibilities about any problem that they can see in context. Based on student interests, curriculum, and availability of local resources, they decide what to investigate. Teachers support student questions by brainstorming from past experiences. This first part helps the students or the group to define what to investigate.

Phase I Beginning the project

Teachers plans a set of classes to discuss about the problem and identify concepts and previous knowledge of the situation to be addressed. These prior activities involve students’ stories, parents’ stories, and web findings. After this, teachers should help students develop main questions about the problem and then, encourage them to speak in class about these relevant experiences. All questions and first findings are important to share in any way: oral presentations, letters, class discussions etc.

Phase II Developing the project

Teachers plan a preliminary visit to the field to analyze the potential of the fieldwork and to prepare the students visit in the context of a project. Teachers have to be sure that the visit is closely aligned with the project goals. Afterwards, develop the field visit so the students can have a face-to-face real interaction with the fieldwork, discussing their ideas and follow up investigations. At the same time, teachers need to asses students’ interests and to evaluate how the activity is carried out. Modifying activities or resources according to the development of the students’ analysis. At the end of the visit, teachers need to make reflection on what the visit to the fieldwork ended, about the students’ experiences, what will help the teacher plan upcoming activities, the questions answered or the questions that raised in the process.  

Phase III Concluding the project 

Teachers and students plan a culminating event as a way of especially celebrate the work and learning achieved by students. It is an opportunity to share in a brief way the experiences with an audience and with others. This process of planning can help the apprentice to recognize the value of being responsible for a review of their own projects. In addition, you can encourage your students to continue the studies on the topic if there is something that draw their attention, as well as some of them will be very attracted to similar topics and consequently, you can come up with a new idea. With older children, it is better to generate a discussion in order to know their thoughts and what the next project will be about. As a last step, you can collect information from the parents to have a complete experience about what the project meant for their children.