Afterschool programs focus on project-based learning

by Guest blogger on Oct 12 2011 Posted in Community voices

Photo: Duane Watts

Chef Chris Koch, from Greensgrow Farms, teaches knife safety during a culinary arts project.

This guest blog post comes from Jason Schwalm and Karen Smuck-Tylek of the Public Health Management Corporation.

Students in Philadelphia’s city-funded network of out-of-school time (OST) programs have discovered that learning doesn’t stop when the final bell rings. Tarrell Edwards, an Agora Cyber Charter School senior who also attends the OST program at the Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC), is just one of the thousands of Philadelphia students who complete project-based learning (PBL) activities after school.

“The projects are more work than some of my school assignments, but they’re fun,” said Edwards. Recently, he participated in SEAMAAC’s break-dancing project. Students learned about the history and cultural influence of this exciting dance style, and also mastered break-dancing skills with the help of experts. Ultimately, students like Tarrell Edwards performed for their peers and even participated in dance competitions.

Throughout Philly, the traditional afterschool routine – snack, homework time, and free play – has been replaced with PBL, an interdisciplinary instructional model that allows youth to explore their interests and answer their questions about the world. The result is a fun, engaging approach to afterschool education that builds on knowledge and skills learned during the school day.

In PBL classrooms, projects begin with a driving question, and students complete activities, conduct research, and explore the real-world implications of the problem while working toward a solution. As Michelle Thompson, a senior at the Academy at Palumbo, explains, the purpose of PBL “is to gain knowledge through hands-on experience.” Along the way students master both academic content and crucial workplace skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

Students are free to investigate a diverse range of subject matter, and most projects incorporate a number of disciplines. Wakim Figueroa, an Academy at Palumbo sophomore who also attends the SEAMAAC OST program, enjoyed a recent project that combined the creativity of songwriting with the technical aspects of music production. PBL, Figueroa said, “is about letting your thoughts come to life.”

Project-based learning is effective with youth from elementary to high school. 

In the younger grades, PBL integrates fundamental academic skills like literacy and experiential, hands-on activities. To complete a gardening project, students might build traditional academic skills by reading the book Life in a Bucket of Soil, studying the life cycle of plants or measuring the dimensions of their garden, but would also till soil, hold bugs, and plant seeds.

For older students, PBL provides an opportunity to cultivate critical workplace skills. “I have learned responsibility as well as proper workplace etiquette,” says Michelle Thompson of a recent design project. “Since working with graphic design, I have begun to build a portfolio and have even thought about pursuing it as a career.”

The OST Project Based Learning Blog has examples of other skill-building projects, such as the work happening at The Sustainability Workshop.

With the recent termination of School District afterschool programs like Power Hour, more families than ever will rely on city-funded OST programs for education and enrichment. And thanks to PBL, they will be treated to hands-on, engaging experiences, even after school is dismissed!

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