What does Project-Based Learning Look like at Method Schools?

Many people ask me what project-based learning is. For all PBL teachers they have their standard go-to response.

“It’s a curriculum”

“Its hands-on learning.

“It’s connecting to the world around them.”

“It is problem solving with group members”

The truth is, PBL doesn’t have a descript definition. It is all of those previously listed and much more. PBL is dependent on so many variables that it is difficult to give a short concise answer. Heather Ropert-Gawron penned one of the best responses I’ve found in an excerpt from her book DIY Project Based Learning for ELA and History. She states:

“PBL is the ongoing act of learning about different subjects simultaneously. This is achieved by guiding students to identify, through research, a real-world problem (local to global) developing its solution using evidence to support the claim, and presenting the solution through a multimedia approach based in a set of 21st-century tools. Kids show what they learn as they journey through the unit, interact with its lessons, collaborate with each other, and assess themselves and each other. They don't just take a test or produce a product at the end to show their learning.”

The reason I chose quote is believe it or not, this is the most succinct definition that encapsulates Project based learning. Ropert-Gowron explains clearly the multifaceted components of Project based learning. She even refers to it as an “elevator pitch”. Clever.

At Method Schools, we take our projects seriously. Projects at Method serve as a Social Science course for students in grades 4-8. Because of this, our projects are aligned to Social Studies California standards.

We believe that the students connect the material they are learning with a bigger meaning. We observe them working together, finding a solution to problems, and are creating a culture where each student’s voice matters. Because Method Schools is a blended learning environment, projects serve as a tool for students to have off-screen time where they are able to communicate with one another. Projects, paired will online learning, create a unique environment in which students thrive. Above all, Project-based learning begins and ends with the students.