Real-World Issues Motivate Students

The article contends that project-learning is the ideal for classrooms. Students should start with engaging, real-live, concrete, hands-on, in-depth investigations into topics worthy of a child’s attention and effort. This should be the beginning point. Math and science learning come from it instead of the other way around. Using technology within project-learning allows students to call up knowledge of the world’s best thinkers quickly.
Sylvia Chard advocates a three-phased approach: Phase 1 involves an initial discussion of a project topic, including children's firsthand experiences related to the topic. Phase 2 involves fieldwork, sessions with experts, and various aspects of gathering information, reading, writing, drawing, and computing. Phase 3 is the presentation of the project to an audience.
Through this type of learning, it mimics what scientists do which can be more exciting and fun for kids. Students learn to ask questions and link what is known to what’s relevant to the topic to say something about it. Students who are excited about what they are learning tend to dig deeper and expand their interest in learning to wide array of subjects. They retain it more, make connections and apply their learning to other problems. Social and collaboration skills improve, while students attend school more, have better test scores, and behave better in school.

Application within my classroom: This method is the ideal. Orchestrating every topic and covering every standard is the challenge. I teach gifted students in four grade levels reading and math. It is such a challenge getting all standards in all grades mastered. Beginning with science, social studies, and real-life topics makes so much sense. My challenge will be to make it all work.