At George Tomlinson, children take part in Project Based Learning, or PBL. This is an innovative student-centered pedagogy in which children have the potential to acquire a deeper knowledge and skills base through active exploration of real world challenges and problems.
They know the bigger picture of their learning and work collaboratively in groups on large-scale projects, constantly improving drafts. By the end of each unit, students create a high quality product which is presented to a real audience.
These termly cross-curricular topics cover the requirements of the National Curriculum, but also provide enough space for teachers and children to develop and follow their own interests. By personalising the topics, we aim to engage the children more fully and meet their needs in greater depth. By linking the subjects and topics in cross- curricular ways, we enable children to make connections in their learning and ICT is used across the curriculum to support this.
The work undertaken often includes rich and stimulating activities where children learn through discussion, active learning, and cooperative group work. Regular trips, cross-curricular learning, and visitors to the school further enhance the learning experience. Throughout the topic, key questions are used to provoke enquiry; research work is encouraged; and activities are built in that allow the teacher to monitor levels of, and progress in, skills and understanding.
An example of a project from PBL: a Year 5 documentary on Ancient Greece, in which the children researched, and wrote their own scripts. They created their own props and costumes, and even did some of the editing on the iPads. They had an amazing time and learned so much!
The video link below also provides a good explanation of what Project Based Learning is:
http://www.bie.org/object/video/project_based_learning_explained
Why PBL?
- It motivates and engages children
- It improves oracy skills
- There is no ceiling on learning
- It prepares them for the real world
- It promotes development that is wider than just academics
- It puts learning at the hands of the learner
- It produces beautiful work of value
- It can solve real problems
- It encourages children to make wider, more complex links.
