chapter 1 reading reflection

          One theme that really stood out to me in this chapter is project based learning and the how it may affect the standard classroom. As the author points out this type of learning will be viewed as negative because it’s not the normal classroom environment, although this type of learning is going to create a new community of learners. The author contends that by creating this new community our children, they will be prepared to tackle real world complex and social problems because they are using this project based approach. Others like Dewey and Montessori have tried implanting these ideas and it has shown to be effective. Why then is there such resistance to change in the education community if we know this type of learning is beneficial to student’s growth and development?

         Moving from the traditional approach to the project based learning does not require teachers to abandon those strategies that have worked in the past. Instead to build on the previously learned material through using project based learning these children will be exposed to a wide world of potential academic improvement that before was not seen. The benefits to project based learning are vast, children will have a better understanding of learning since so much of this strategy is hands on, As well as better problem solving skills. Project based learning is still a relatively new idea but I think it is one we must consider as future educators with all the unlimited possibilities for academic improvement that it encompasses.