Reflection #1

Ricki Feuereisen

January 30, 2015

When it comes to this newer way to teach to most teachers, Project-based learning is very different from teaching out of a textbook. When using Project-based learning in your classroom, it incorporates using technology. Starting to use this new strategy and thinking about what you need to do, you need to remember what it is like from a student’s perspective, how can you get them interested? As a teacher you need to get students to interact and communicate with one another. When starting to utilize Project-based learning in your classroom, you will be learning along with your student’s, it won’t be perfect the first time and the more you utilize PBL the easier it will be to explain. When using PBL, you also need to keep in mind why you are changing the way you teach, think about the pros and cons that you maybe faced with. Using PBL, allows for teachers to think about the way they teach their students.

            Students get the opportunity to make choices and guide their own learning when using PBL. Students who participate in using PBL are prepared to thrive in what they do. They also learn how to work as a team and how to solve a problem that may occur. Students also have the ability to deal and adapt with changes that may happen.  Along with all of that, students also learn how to become flexible and have more control of what they research from a topic that is given to them.

            Teachers, who use PBL in their classroom, provide students to ask open-ended questions and really activate learning. While using this strategy students become motivated to learn. If a teacher is just starting off with this strategy, they need to know that they aren’t in this alone, many teachers are just starting off by using this and there are experts that are willing to provide advice. There are some issues that may come up, for example, you need to explain to families why you are using PBL and what the difference is, you also need to take in consideration, what is a family doesn’t want their child using technology, you need to explain the pros of using technology. As a teacher, you want students to pay attention and enjoy coming to class. From the reading it seems like using project-based learning will allow for students to remember what they did in class. Using PBL it provides students with goals, and it changes how you interact with your students along with how to arrange classroom.

            New Technology High was founded in California, in 1996 after there was some worry uttered about meeting the needs of the workforce. School districts were challenged to find a better way preparing students for there potential by having them learn to work together as a team along with thinking crucially. With the new tech model, it’s a little remodeled building with no more than 100 students per grade. Students and staff really have the chance to get to know one another and teachers are given time and motivation to work together. Students are provided with real world scenarios.