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Project Based Learning Ideas: Making Project Based Learning Work for Your Homeschooler

by Jessica Parnell | Mar 27, 2015 | 2 min read

We’ve spent a lot of time here on the blog helping you, homeschool parents, determine what your child’s learning style is, and providing tips and ideas on how you can design a curriculum tailored to fit their needs.
It is no secret that your child’s learning style determines how he absorbs and understands new information. For instance, kinesthetic learners tend to learn best when using their bodies or hands to build and organize their thoughts and ideas. On the other hand, visual learners may benefit from color coding their notes, while auditory learners appreciate working with recordings or having information repeated back to them. But, no matter what your child’s learning style is there is one approach that should serve as the foundation for any curriculum – project-based learning.

What is project-based learning?

Project-based learning allows students to explore real-world problems and challenges in a way that encourages problem-solving skill and develops critical thinking. In other words, project-based learning gives kids the opportunity to learn about and understand a subject through research, critical thinking, planning, and presentation.
Why does it work?

Thanks in large part to technology and other societal necessities that can serve as distractions, it is harder than ever before to keep children engaged during their studies. Thankfully, children experience a higher level of involvement with project-based learning that captivate them from start to finish, keeping them occupied and engaged.

Studies have shown that project-based learning is beneficial to students of all ages and learning styles. Visual and kinesthetic learners particularly benefit from project-based learning,as visual learners are able to physically create something manufactured in their mind’s eye and kinesthetic learners get to use their hands.

By engaging with various research materials – whether those are written, recorded, etc. – children develop a deeper understanding of a topic, and retain information for a longer period of time.

There’s more to project-based learning – so keep your eyes on the blog! Next week, we will be continuing this series by showing you how you can make it work for your homeschooler and providing examples of projects you can begin using immediately.

Jessica Parnell
Hello everyone! I’m Jessica Parnell — mom, homeschool evaluator, teacher, and CEO of Bridgeway Academy. In my 20+ years of experience as a homeschool mom and evaluator, I have had the privilege of meeting homeschoolers that take a variety of approaches to their education. It is their many stories and successes that inspire me in my own homeschooling and I love to pass on the knowledge that I have gained from them to other homeschooling families. The one constant that always remains true is that there’s no such thing as a “cookie cutter child.” Each child is fearfully and wonderfully made and as a result, learns and functions differently. It’s our job to ensure that we’re raising each child to fulfill their individual purpose and when we can teach in a way that inspires them, we are on our way to homeschool success. When I’m not writing or teaching my children, I like to ski, write and participate in triathlons. I graduated from Kutztown University with a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Masters in English and I am currently pursuing a degree in Neuroleadership.
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