Struggling with Motivation? Try Engaging Students with Project-Based Learning!

Are you a teacher struggling to keep your students engaged? You’re not alone. A team of teachers at Sandown North Elementary School faced similar challenges, witnessing a decline in student engagement and an uptick in students that were dysregulated. Instead of giving up, they began a journey of transformation, ultimately finding success through project-based learning.

Meet the team: Alison Carroll, Eileen McCarte, Carolyn Nenart, and Taylor Santti. Faced with the daunting task of delivering a fair amount of content in limited time, they realized traditional teaching methods weren’t cutting it anymore. So, they decided to shake things up. Instead of using typical discipline strategies that didn’t seem to be working, they decided to focus on student engagement through academics.

Their solution? Project-based learning, a dynamic approach that empowers students with choice and voice in their education. But it wasn’t just about what students learned; it was also about how they learned and demonstrated their knowledge.

The team started by designing an integrated project centered around habitats, drawing inspiration from their science curriculum. Students were given the freedom to choose which habitat they wanted to explore and which animal they wanted to research within that habitat. This autonomy sparked excitement and curiosity, laying the foundation for deeper engagement.

 The team developed a rubric to outline specific criteria for the projects, ensuring that both teachers and students had clear expectations. To make it more accessible, they transformed the rubric into a student-friendly checklist, allowing students to take ownership of their learning journey.

Pre-teaching essential skills and enlisting support from staff and specialists further reinforced the project’s success. As students delved into their research and creation phases, data collection revealed a remarkable increase in engagement and on-task behavior across the board. Even the school administration noticed a decline in discipline referrals from the students in those classes during the project period.

The culmination of their hard work was a celebration of learning, where students proudly showcased their projects to parents and community members. The sense of accomplishment was palpable, both for the students and their dedicated teachers.

Reflecting on their experience, the team is eager to replicate their success in the future. Project-based learning has proven to be a game-changer, not only in terms of academic outcomes but also in fostering a deeper sense of ownership and joy in learning.

So, if you’re feeling stuck in a rut with traditional teaching methods and you are finding barriers to engagement and regulation, why not take a page from the playbook of this Sandown North Elementary School teacher team? Embrace the power of project-based learning and watch your students thrive like never before.