Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning is a main component of 826’s model for the development of successful writing skills and the overall advancement of student learning. In the process of producing and finishing a project, students invest themselves deeply in their work. Projects are a source of pride for students, as well as a permanent reminder of their own accomplishment.

The major tenets of project-based learning are:

to give students the chance to collaborate with instructors and peers
to place students in decision-making roles, thereby reinforcing the skills and techniques learned, as they are forced to employ them independently
to design assignments with more than one right answer leaving room for creativity and critical thinking
to take advantage of an authentic audience of readers outside the classroom setting, bolstering students’ pride in their work
to show students that school activities have value beyond the classroom. Challenges students face throughout the process coincide with real-life problems, motivating them to perform at a higher level
to engage students in a project that is meaningful to them at the moment
that culmination in a final, finished product makes the learning experience more meaningful

826’s workshops and field trips utilize project-based learning strategies on a regular basis. All workshops culminate in a finished product, such as a chapbook, reading performance, or online audio/video production. Students work harder when preparing for an audience, and we work with this knowledge in our programming whenever possible.

One of our most popular field trips, Storytelling and Bookmaking, requires students to write, illustrate, and bind their own books in only two hours. By the end of this experience, students have a finished product in hand—tangible proof of their hard work and creative thinking to show to parents and friends.

Finally, our student publications offer an opportunity to showcase our students’ accomplishments. Our Young Author’s Project is just one example of our many student publications. Each year an influential and well-known mentor partners with a particularly at-risk school to sponsor an anthology of student work. Over the course of a semester, tutors help students turn drafts into published books. Having a beautiful, professionally bound book of their work heightens students’ faith in their own abilities and inspires a dedication to continued learning.

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