Mitchell, S., Foulger, T., Wetzel, K., Rathkey, C. (2009). The Negotiated Project Approach: Project-Based Learning without Leaving the Standards Behind. Early Childhood Education, 36. 339-346.

I found this article extremely fascinating because it described the exploits of a teacher named Ms. Rathkey who was able to successfully incorporate project-based learning (PBL) into her classroom that was both aligned with state standards and student interests. From reading this article, I had a number of takeaways that I would ideally like to implement in my own classroom. One of the biggest takeaways for me was the observation that Ms. Rathkey was able to manipulate the standards to fit student interests rather than vice versa through the use of the “Negotiated Project Approach”. In other words, she was able to reach an understanding with her students on the parameters of the project so that both stakeholders would be satisfied with its final outcome. This meant that both Ms. Rathkey and her students were satisfied with the project because they both got out of the project what they most desired (a standards-aligned project that accounted for student interests and needs).

I also appreciated the fact that the authors of this article took the time to outline the reservations many teachers have when it comes to implementing project-based learning in their own classrooms. These include a hesitation to adopt this particular style of teaching due to a lack of guidelines, a contradictory desire to teach in a more traditional style, and pressure from above to increasingly focus on standards-based instruction and assessment. Having now read this article, I feel that the objections these teachers raise (which I would have also raised at one point in time) may not be as strong as I previously thought. Whereas PBL does require a little bit more creativity and flexibility on the part of the teacher, some studies have shown that it heightens the reflective and critical thinking skills of children as early as preschool. Therefore, the reason why teachers may be resistant to incorporating PBL is because they are accustomed to teaching they way that they were taught. Since PBL appears to be a relatively newer approach to teaching, it would explain why it has faced much resistance in the education world. Similarly, with the increased focused on standards-based instruction and assessment with the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act, I, too, am guilty of thinking that PBL does not align well with standards-based teaching. With that being said, this article did a good job of challenging my internal biases and making me reevaluate the way in which I was teaching my own classroom. It’s much easier to teach standards using the traditional means of direct instruction and assessment because of the short turn around in prep time. Furthermore, standards-based assessment prepares students for the real deal because you are more easily able to assess students in a manner that is similar to the actual standards-based assessment they will receive at the end of the year. Despite the fact that PBL may require a bit more work to ensure that it is aligned with standards, I think it is a great tool to wield in the classroom due to the fact that students generally find it more appealing than direct instruction. As I said in my earlier blog post, it is my belief that the best teachers are able to successfully incorporate both direct instruction and PBL into their classrooms. Both teaching methods bring something different yet equally worthwhile to the table.