Mitchell, Sascha, Teresa Foulger, Keith Wetzel, and Chris Rathkey. "The Negotiated Project Approach: Project-Based Learning without Leaving the Standards Behind." Early Childhood Education (2009): 339-46. EbscoHost. Web. 4 Nov. 2008.
This is a case study conducted in a 1st grade classroom exploring how a teacher can collaboratively plan a project with students while at the same time incorporating grade-level standards. The study focuses on the project approach to learning, which in this article is defined as “in-depth investigations that involve students in design and investigative activities and that culminate in a final product or debriefing event.” Research has shown that the benefits of this type of learning include higher order thinking skills, increased ownership and interest in learning, and increased self-esteem. Challenges with the project-based approach include lack of structure and difficulty incorporating grade-level standards into projects. In this study, the teacher is effectively able to allow students to select their own projects, while at the same time incorporating grade-level standards. This is what is referred to in the article as the “Negotiated Project Approach,” where the teacher “integrates the standards into the children’s interests, rather than vice versa.”
I’m quite fond of the teaching strategies Ms. Rathkey implemented in this study. As a student, I would enjoy being in this class because I would have so much say in what I was learning. I would be more invested in my learning. Ms. Rathkey clearly demonstrates why she is an “exemplar” teacher with her ability to “manipulate the standards, not he children.” This is a teaching strategy that I hope to improve on and be able to implement effectively in my classroom.
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