A Learner-Centered Approach to Teaching Project Construct A Learner-Centered Approach to Teaching

Developed under the direction of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 1986.

It’s an approach to teaching based on what we know about how children construct knowledge. Authentic Learning

Jean Piaget

Child Development Made Easy Children Think and Process Information Significantly Different Than an Adult Children Move Through Development at Their Own Pace

Stages of Development Sensorimotor Stage Birth- 2 years Preoperational Stage 2 years-7 years Concrete Operational Stage 7-11 years Formal Operational Stage 12 and up

Sensorimotor Stage Knows the world through movement and sensations Learns object permanence Learns to separate people from objects Learns that actions cause things to happen

Preoperational Stage Language Emerging Egocentric Learns through pretend play, but struggles with logic

Concrete Operational Stage Begins to think logically Understand conservation Thinking more organized Develops friends Struggles with abstract thinking

Formal Operational Stage Thinks abstractly Thinks morally, philosophically, ethically, socially, politically Deductive thinking Can find multiple solutions

Active Process “I believe knowing an object means acting upon it,…” “We are not passive recipients of knowledge, but actively involved in investigating and experimenting as we build understanding of how our world works….” Jean Piaget

What Does All This Mean? We Can’t Change Development, BUT We Can Change the Quality of the Experiences That Children Receive The Quality of the Child’s Experiences determines how well and how thoroughly the wiring in the brain is complete

Mystery Object

#1 Children have an intrinsic desire to make sense of the world. Principle #1 Children have an intrinsic desire to make sense of the world. PHOTOS [sec010732.jpg, Connie Wilkinson’s classroom (no code)] Project Construct National Center

Slime

Principle #2 Children actively construct knowledge and values by interacting with the physical and social worlds. PHOTOS (sec010104.jpg, sec010070.jpg) Project Construct National Center

The Story of Spilled Milk

Principle #3 In their universal effort to understand the world, children’s thinking will contain predictable errors. PHOTOS (sec010690.jpg, sec010064.jpg) Project Construct National Center

Principle #4 Children’s development is an interactive and interrelated process... PHOTOS (sec010004.jpg, sec010097.jpg) Project Construct National Center

Principle #4 ...and spans the Sociomoral, Cognitive, Representational, and Physical Development domains. PHOTOS (sec010180.jpg) Project Construct National Center

The primary aim of the Project Construct approach is to help teachers foster the development of each child as an autonomous individual.

decide between right and wrong decide between truth and untruth think for oneself decide between right and wrong decide between truth and untruth consider all relevant factors when making decisions make decisions independently of reward and punishment decide between truth and untruth “using one’s own experiences and knowledge” Kamii, C. (1992). Autonomy as the aim of constructivist education: How can it be fostered? In D. G. Murphy & S. G. Goffin (Eds.), Understanding the possibilities: A curriculum guide for Project Construct (p. 9). Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Project Construct National Center

Project Construct Classroom Learning Centers

Project Construct is aligned with developmentally appropriate state and national standards.

Story of Classroom A and B

It’s all about Thinking Questions?

Children Deserve the Best You Can’t Rewind Childhood