Homeschool with Project Based Learning

What is Project Based Learning?

Project based learning starts with following the child’s lead and a project based homeschool focuses on engaging children in hands-on projects and activities that give them a well-rounded educational experience.

It’s about paying attention to their curiosities and supplying them with materials to help them learn about those interests…

In their own way, and in their own time.

You listen to their questions and provide them with the resources needed to answer those questions.

Their questions guide the learning.

With project-based learning, the important academic skills are integrated into the learning of their interests.

By sixth grade, your child should have the basic academic skills. Now it’s all about applying those skills in a way this is meaningful.

Homeschooling with Project Based Learning

John Holt once said…

True learning — learning that is permanent and useful, that leads to intelligent action and further learning — can arise only out of the experience, interest, and concerns of the learner.

John Holt

There are important skills our children need to learn like basic math, reading, and writing.

But the most important thing they can learn during our time with us is about their interests…

Those true passions…

Whatever it is that lights a fire in their soul.

That’s where project-based learning comes into play.

Simple, User-Friendly Resources for a Project Based Homeschool Curriculum

One of my best things about project-based homeschool curriculums is their flexibility. You can encompass any subject or subjects you want to. You can include one or two grade-specific kids or you can include the entire family.

Some of our favorite resources for a project based homeschool curriculum is this collection of STEM Made Easy books. These books walks families through engaging in hands-on STEM activities and then diving into the learning behind each activity. Each project in these books is appropriate for ages 3-19 so they are perfect for the entire family.

We have been schooling almost exclusively with these books (minus our regular reading and math lessons) for several months now, and we personally know several other homeschooling families who have used these books in their homeschools as well.

There are several themed versions, including a version that revolves around edible science experiments and a version that revolves around dragons. And more books are being added monthly.

If you prefer a physical copy of these books, they are all available on Amazon. Although they are cheaper to buy digitally from this STEM shop.

How Will They Learn Academic Skills with Project Based Learning?

Just because we stop “learning” academics at 6th grade (or more specifically putting aside separate time for those subjects) doesn’t mean we stop learning them.

Just take a look at one of my favorite quotes from John Holt…

“Of course, a child may not know what he may need to know in ten years (who does?), but he knows, and much better than anyone else, what he wants and needs to know right now, what his mind is ready and hungry for. If we help him, or just allow him, to learn that, he will remember it, use it, build on it.”

John Holt

What’s important to the child today is what he needs to be learning.

Your child may remember bits and pieces of the things you “think” he should be learning…

But we’re not going for bits and pieces here.

We want true, deep learning that your child will remember and carry with him for the rest of his life.

Yes, your child needs to learn the important skills.

And the most simplest and easiest way to do this is through their passions.

It’s more important that our children know 100% of the skills they will need in order to be successful in their own UNIQUE lives than a bunch of random bits and pieces of a million different skills.

Project based learning focuses on building a strong love of learning and teaching our children HOW to learn.

Because when your child knows how to learn, there are no challenges standing in their way.

With a strong love of learning on top of knowing how to learn…

Success is inevitable because they will always know HOW to learn a skill that is stopping them from accomplishing what they have set out to accomplish.

Benefits of Project-Based Learning

1. Learning is inevitable

Project based learning is tailored to your child’s unique interests and learning timeline making your child more engaged.

2. Works for EVERY child

Project-based learning allows the child to learn in a way that works best for them. Which means, they learn more and apply those “important academic skills” in a way that is meaningful.

3. Unknown learning journey

Not knowing where the learning journey may take you can be scary, especially if you’re like me and love a good plan.

But with project based learning, one week you could be learning about a little bug your child found outside. This could lead to learning about other animals in your neighborhood which spreads to your state, your country, and eventually animals around the world.

Learning about different animals in the world could lead to learning about adaptations, animal anatomy, and even weather.

Project based learning takes you on a journey that you may not have ever thought of. I often look back at our projects and realized that my children would have never learned those things if I was in charge of their learning.

Your Role in Project Based Learning

You have two choices when it comes to teaching your child…

You can be the professor or the learning guide.

The Professor

The professor is the teacher/parent who worries if their child is learning everything they need to learn at the right time.

They have a checklist of what needs to be learned each day and love checking off each item at the end of the day.

They often feel frustrated and guilty because their child just won’t pay attention. They usually end up feeling like they’re failing their child.

The Learning Guide

The learning guide learns right alongside their child. They’re confident in their abilities to prepare their child for the real world.

They spend their days going on adventures and building a strong love of learning within their child.

Their head hits the pillow each night with excitement for the meaningful learning experiences that will happen the next day.

Final Thoughts on Project-Based Learning

Your child is learning every moment of every day.

We try to prepare them for their future when we really need to be preparing them for right now.

Because the right now is what builds and prepares them for the future.

When you try to take control of what and when your children learns specific skills, the more you’re limiting their true potential.

The hardest part of this whole project based learning approach is trusting the child and their unique learning journey.

But, you got this!

Beyond Project Based Homeschool

If you remember (or perhaps you missed that post!) we are in the midst of a series of posts on various homeschool styles and methods. This series began with the first post, “How Do I Start Homeschooling?”

The goal of this series is to help families who are feeling overwhelmed with their decision to start homeschooling. Please check out that post if you are just starting out on your homeschooling journey and you feel like you need some direction or some encouraging words.

Here are some of the other styles of homeschooling we’ll be looking into throughout the next few weeks:

• Homeschool Basics – How Do I Start Homeschooling?
• Montessori Style Homeschooling 
• Unit Studies
• Charlotte Mason Homeschooling 
• Thomas Jefferson Education (TJEd)
• Unschooling
• Relaxed Homeschooling
• Hess UnAcademy Method