Project Led Learning
| Project-Led Learning is a different and novel approach to education during the middle years of a child's life. Rather than sit at a desk doing busy-work, the child learns about the world he or she lives in by doing things that are interesting and relevant to the child. If you are looking for something active for your 11 to 14 year-old child, something that combines real learning with making things and fixing things and growing things, then continue reading. |
At present, we have just three completed project guides for you to enjoy. Those guides are "Raising Rabbits," "Studio Dance," and "A Microscope in the Garden." Feel free to make full use of them as you wish. At the same time, you can follow their example to create your own projects. |
Project-Led Learning: What Is It?
In the past, age twelve was a special time in a child’s life. At that age a child exploreed the work world of his or her heritage. The twelve-year-old learned the real work of adulthood, by being apprenticed to some trade and shouldering real responsibilities.
Younger children usually love school and learning, but by age twelve, children become bored and tired of sitting at a desk seven hours a day, going back over the same subjects dressed in a new textbook all over again. It can be argued that of all the years a child spends in school, the least amount of real learning takes place in the 7th and 8th grades. A twelve-year-old child and a school desk were never meant to be together.
How should a twelve-year-old learn?
By doing things, by fixing things, by growing things, by raising things, by building things, by creating, by nurturing, by running and shouting. By doing things that add value to the world and are important to the people in his or her life.
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A Better Way
The Learning Conservatory offers a different way to learn for eleven to fourteen-year-old students. This answer is a set of projects that directs the middle school student to explore the real world in interesting and active ways. The result is a much greater involvement by the child in his or her own learning, greatly reducing the need for supervision during the high school years and the subsequent costs of education to the parents.
Project-led learning bridges from the structured elementary years to the character-driven high school years. It turns the junior high years from a time of boredom and frustration into a time of wonder and excitement. It is not a time of playing; much will be expected of the junior high student. Those privileged students who get this chance to do projects will look back on their junior high years as the most significant in all their years of school.
Project-Led Learning: How Does It Work?
Students following the model of Project-Led Learning do no (or very few) regular academic courses. Their academics come as necessary building blocks in a series of projects they do.
For each school year, the student chooses 10 projects. (Fewer if the child is under 12.) He or she spends around 100 hours on each project (some will occupy more time). Because of the nature of some projects, the school year can include the entire twelve months of the calendar year.
Some projects are completed within a several-week period, others extend over the entire year, (animal husbandry, for instance). The student is engaged in no more than four projects at one time. Before starting another project, the student completes at least one of those four projects.
The students select their projects from ten Project Categories. At least one project from each category should be selected.
The student can connect projects in a series of similar things. For example, say a student selects “growing an herb garden” under the Natural category. Then, the student extends that interest into the Science category, by studying both the physical botany of herbs and the chemical make-up of the oils obtained from herbs (both could make one project). Finally, the student chooses to make an oil distillery either for the Technology project or even the Vocational project.
With a variety of projects the student receives a broad view of the possibilities that life offers. Every project selected should be one the student believes he or she is really interested in. Even in categories that the student deems less interesting, a project could be devised that truly interests the student.
The ten basic categories will not be changed. However, each category may be interpreted very broadly as to what could be included. The projects listed beneath each category are suggestions only. Any project that could conceivably fall under the category and that can fulfill the project requirements will be considered for acceptance.
Project-Led Learning: Project Categories
Natural: This category connects the student to the natural realms of animal husbandry, gardening, and studying nature and ecology.
Physical: This category includes all the sports activities that often go into P.E., but also including other active studies including dance and martial arts. This category typically involves signing up to a studio or joining a local sports team.
Scientific: This category provides the student with hand-on learning projects in things that can roughly fit into the category of science. These include microscope or telescope studies or the use of geology or chemistry kits. These projects can often be related to other projects the student is doing including the "Natural" project.
Mathematical/Logical: These projects provide mathematical thinking opportunities, rather than formal math. Using a tape measure to construct a project does more to develop mathematical thinking than many trivial worksheets. Playing chess and other games of skill are also in this category.
Technological: This category provides the student with the chance to make things pertinent to the present day, including building a computer, competing in robotics, building a go-cart, and so on.
Vocational: This category takes a useful project and adds business skills to the project. The student does not start a full-fledged business, but does work towards making things for "customers." All types of vocational crafts fit here including woodworking, candlemaking, cooking, and so on.
Literary: This category includes all things of reading and writing, but as projects, not as formal study. Reading great books and writing short stories or poems are included.
Artistic: Any form of creative activity fits into this category, including painting and drawing, playing an instrument, taking artistic photographs, and acting with a theater group.
Social: This category includes everything found in "social studies," reading historical fiction, studying a country or a people group, or even exploring your own larger city or rural area.
Spiritual or Moral/Contemplative: This category includes projects that will uplift or ennoble your child's spirit. These include Bible studies or participation in worship. Helping the needy or visiting the elderly. And even mission trips to other countries.
Project-Led Learning: Student Requirements
The student will:
1. Keep a log of all time spent on each project.
2. Keep a written and a pictorial account of what is done and learned.
3. Include elements in each project from each of the subject areas:
- Language Arts - reading and writing
- Mathematics - figuring and graphing
- Social Sciences - history of, geography of
- Sciences - chemistry of, physics of
- Fine Arts - subject found in art
- Technologies - tools and equipment used
- Physical Disciplines - trained exercise
- Spiritual and Moral Disciplines - application to task
5. Share the project with friends and family in a formal setting.
The time spent on the project must be productive, but can go in any direction the student chooses. Each student will work together with his or her parents to fulfill the project requirements.
Important Point:
Please understand, for a child's healthy development through the ages of 11, 12, and 13, it is not in any way necessary to be bound to reams of academic learning. They already know basic reading, writing, and arithmetic; they will lose nothing by not being forced to repeat these academic exercises.
A child who spends these middle years doing, making, growing, building, fixing things will enter later rigorous academic environments with way more inside of them than their fellow students.
Guaranteed!