March 01, 2010

The “Project Approach” in education is rapidly gaining ground in schools across the nation.  It builds upon the natural strengths of young learners with regards to their interest in exploring and discovering the world around them.  Children become active participants in their education and learn valuable skills through hands on experiences.  This curricula approach enables young children to interact, connect, problem solve and explore the learning topic at hand. 

In recent weeks, I have been amazed at the examples of how this is happening in our Head Start classrooms. Here is one recent example of this approach in a classroom. The theme for the month was Italy.  The children learned about the different languages that were spoken in one another’s homes and discussed what toppings they liked to have on their pizza.  This expanded to the children drawing pictures in their journals and the teachers assisting with learning how to write words about pizza.  The project culminated in a day where the classroom was turned into an Italian Bistro.  Every child had a job at the “Bistro” and the children were thrilled to welcome their parents into the classroom, set the tables, provide menus, take orders and serve the meal, which was pasta.  There were wonderful examples throughout the classroom of how the staff incorporated the theme into all the activities.  There were books about festivals celebrations that took place in Italy, and pictures of flags.  Once the children learned about the festivals in Italy, they decided to make masks, wear the colors of the Italian flag and have a parade.

I continue to be struck by the passion and the talent of our team and the way in which they are engaging the children in the learning.

-Aimee Mitchell