Pedagogical+Practices+(Mod+3)

​ How do I ensure that students meet standards- and meet enough of them to make the effort worthwhile- in open-ended activities and projects?​

Won't the kids get bored if they are redoing work? T.W. I would give my student parents a list of goals that students will be able to accomplish doing project-based curriculum standards. The following would be listed as goals for project-based curriculum:
 * = **Concerns** ||= **Solutions** ||
 * < I am concerned that parents will get the impression that the teacher is really not teaching their child but that the students are teaching themselves in a project-based curriculum. ||< Projects are designed to reiterate what the student has already learned. Can you not explain to the parent the difference between lecture and worksheets and pbl?
 * effective communication
 * problem solving and critical thinking
 * create high-quality work
 * explore & employ emerging technologies
 * social cooperation and self-discipline ||
 * < Students may feel overwhelmed if you try to incorporate too many standards in a single unit. ||< It is not an effective teaching method to incorporate too many standards into a single unit. True, but how many are you talking about, three, four, eight? One of the strengths of pbl is the ability to cover several related standards at a time. It ties content across the curriculum. It means the teacher must adjust their teaching styles for some lessons. We expect kids to adjust their learning styles to our teaching styles, so why not the other way around?

T.W.Students will feel overwhelmed alot of time until they get the swing of how things will go with you teaching your first unit. I would just a sure the students that I will walk them step by step. ||
 * < Fear of state and county evaluation (too much focus on projects and not enough on standards). ||< Standards should be taught all year long; therefore, students will be able to identify with the concepts during assessments. Projects are designed around standards. If projects are well designed they will address the standards, content, and skills. Student products will illustrate the content and skills learned.

T.W. Project-based learning is an instructional method in which students learn a range of skills and subject matter in the process of creating their own projects. At times, these projects will be connected to solutions and real-world problem. Therefore student working in groups will bring their own experiences, abilities, learning styles and perspectives into the project. This will cover state and county evaluation. || T.W.Project-based learning develops students' skills in areas such as problem-solving, critical thinking, visualizing, decision-making, cross-cultural understanding, and reasoning, as well as in written and oral communication. Students engaged in project-based learning take responsibility for their own learning and in so doing become lifelong learners with-in the process. || T.W. I believe it would be wise to choose a project that solves a real-world problem for which there are multiple solutions. The teacher should make the project relevant to the students' lives, so that they feel they are making an impact in their community. The goals must meet the standards. || T.W. I can teach the project content and students will then begin to understand the project-based learning. || T.W. Yes, special accommodations should be provided as needed per projects and/or activities based on the need of each individual student. ||
 * < Self directed learning can be misunderstood by the student and parent. ||< Most projects are independent; therefore, students should have the ability to work independently. If the student does not have the ability (a student with a disability) to work independently accommodations will be provided. Nevertheless, students have to develop a sense of independence. Projects do not have to be independent . That is one of the benefits of pbl-it requires the use of multiple instructional strategies. One of the 21st century skills is the ability to work productively with others. If you don't teach and guide the students how will they learn?
 * < Some students have a tendency to get bored quickly, so the projects may not be motivating enough while focusing on standards. ||< It is important to incorporate higher-order-thinking skills. Teachers must create activities to attract the interest of both high and low functioning students.
 * < How can I help the students understand the connection between standards and project-based learning? ||< After a standard has been taught, the teacher could reinforce the standard through project-based learning . Does teaching anything in isolation help connect to the bigger picture? Why can't you teach content within the project?
 * < Do I provide special accommodations for students with disabilities on projects and/or activities? ||< Accommodations should be provided only if it is a requirement of the student's indiviualized education program (IEP). Are you saying that if a student is not labeled as a special student and they are having trouble you should not provide any other instruction than that what you've already done?