As teachers, it is impossible for you to not be involved in your children’s learning. Teachers always want to find a new teaching methodology to make children be more independent in learning and more motivated to learn in the classroom. If you are reading in this article, it is time for you to use the project approach as one of your teaching strategies in your kindergarten.
What is Project-based Learning?
Project-based learning is one teaching methodology for students to learn from problems arise from any situations or projects. Through the problems, students must find a way to solve and produce a product as a solution. With project-based learning, students will gain knowledge and skills by investigating and responding to authentic and complex questions or problems in an extended period of time. Project-based learning is a dynamic approach and student-centered pedagogy designed to give students opportunities to learn through discoveries based on their interests.
Why Project-based Learning?
Project-based learning is all about digging the complex problems and challenges children face in their daily lives. Project-based learning in kindergarten is bridging the gap for children between fun, engaging experiences, and learning. Compared to traditional classroom learning, project-based learning is better because it focuses on developing students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills through the execution of projects chosen by them. Students have the chance to become their own directors of the learning process while teachers will be become the facilitators and guide the students along the way for the next step. By solving complex problems, students will be able to build bridges to connect the phenomena in the classroom and real-life experiences.
How Project-based Learning Works?
Project-based learning requires much preparation and planning from the teachers’ side, even for preschoolers. The questions thrown to students must be questions that can lead to exploration and could prompt more questions from students. Here are the steps for implementing project-based learning:
Start with essential question
The question given must be able to engage students and open-ended. The question must be a problem or challenge that they need to overcome and have multiple answers and solutions.
Design a plan
It is crucial to choose which content standards that will be addressed for the project. Be prepared to go deeper and the emergence of new issues and topics as students will be participating actively looking for solutions.
Create a Schedule
Project-based learning projects could go on for weeks and months. By having a timeline, students will have a deadline on when to finalize their thoughts and findings.
Monitor the Outcome
Facilitate learning and teach students how to work collaboratively with others without preventing students from taking responsibility for their work. Assess the project from time to time and provide resources and guidance needed.
Assess the Outcome
Provide feedback to students.
Evaluate the Experience
Reflection is a key component of learning. Give students time to discover what they have learned from the project.
