An Explanation of Project-Based Learning
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is becoming increasingly popular in today’s classrooms. It has created a space for students to collaboratively explore real-world problems and challenges, while discovering resolutions through designing beneficial products or resources presented beyond the classroom. Through PBL, students are able to actively engage in complex projects and activities, resulting in deeper content knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Here are a few PBL examples:
Community Garden Project
Students can explore biology, sustainability, and community needs by designing and planting a community garden to provide food for a local food pantry.
Environmental Awareness Project
Students can research environmental pollution in their community, design an action plan, and present their findings through a PSA (public service announcement) video to raise awareness.
Engineering & Design Project
Collaboration and problem-solving skills can be challenged through building a model bridge, and applying principles of physics and structural engineering.
Mock Trial
Students may research a historical event or legal case, take on roles of lawyers and witnesses, and present their arguments in a mock trial, resulting in learning about history, civics, and public speaking.
PBL is not a new form of learning. In fact, the famous educator John Dewey, back in the early 1900s, was a strong supporter of students learning through their own experiences rather than teacher-directed lectures. At first, it was most often used in science. Today, it is driven by advances in technology. PBL shifts the teacher’s role from instructor to mentor and collaborator alongside their students.
Of course, there are pros and cons with PBL that may impact student achievement. Some advantages include: bringing classwork alive which eliminates boredom, increases their motivation, improves their problem-solving and communication skills, and promotes teamwork.
On the other hand, PBL projects may be superficial or lack an obvious connection to real-world problems. Additionally, PBL can make it more difficult for teachers to assess how individual students are doing. Not to mention the challenge in acquiring experienced teachers who can facilitate and mentor the projects.
While PBL programs are definitely not seen in a high percentage of schools at present, teachers almost universally believe it would benefit student growth overall.
Are Your Children Financially Literate?
Financial literacy is a very necessary skill that is increasingly being taught in high schools. If it is not being taught in your children’s schools, the need for it is a very important subject to bring up in parent/teacher meetings.
How do you know if your children are financially literate?
Naturally, what your children need to know about finances depends on their age. And if their schools are not teaching them financial literacy, that responsibility falls on you.
Toddlers
- Need to know the names of coins.
- Should have a piggy bank to learn about saving.
- Consider a shopping errand with parents and discuss the amount of coins needed to buy small inexpensive items.
Preschool and Kindergarten
- Pay them for simple chores.
- Introduce the idea of budgeting by having them set aside money to purchase small things they want.
Primary Grades
- Give them an allowance.
- Encourage learning experiences that will reward them with money, even if it is taking out the garbage.
- Begin to show them how credit and debit cards work.
Tweens
- Should understand what sales are, and how to make good spending choices.
- Show them how sales taxes increase the price of items.
- Introduce examples of earning money through opportunities such as babysitting or paper routes.
Teens
- Consider having them use a credit or debit card (assigned to them) for approved purchases.
- Let them see how their own family allots money for regular expenses as mortgages, food, dining, clothing, recreation, gasoline, schooling, and so on.
- Have them begin to understand the rudiments of investing by purchasing stocks or bonds or mutual funds.
- Understand the role of financial institutions including banks, credit unions, and insurance companies.
- Learn how to deposit and withdraw money from ATMs.
- Become aware of what cryptocurrency is.
To aid you in supplementing or providing your children with a solid financial education, there are an endless number of books and resources to help promote your children’s financial literacy on every level.
Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com, and visit the dearteacher.com website to learn more about helping their children succeed in school.
©Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2026