ED448856 PS028787
Title: Young Investigators: The Project Approach in the Early Years.
Early Childhood Education Series.
Author(s): Helm, Judy Harris; Katz, Lilian G.
Pages: 145
Publication Date: 2001
ISBN: 0-8077-4016-0
Available from: EDRS Price MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from
EDRS.
Availability: Teacher's College Press, P.O. Box 20, Williston, VT
05495-0020; Tel: 800-575-6566 (Toll-Free); Fax: 802-864-7626; Web
site: http://www.teacherscollegepress.com ($18.95).
Language: English
Document Type: Guides--Non-classroom (055)
Geographic Source: U.S.; New York
Journal Announcement: RIEJUN2001
Target Audience: Practitioners; Teachers
Unlike teacher
directed experiences that often do not provide children opportunities
to take initiative and responsibility for the work undertaken, the
project approach allows in-depth investigation of a topic worth
learning more about. Projects are undertaken by a child, a small
group of children within a class, or sometimes by the whole class,
as a research effort deliberately focused on finding answers to
questions about a topic posed by the children, the teacher, or the
teacher working with the children. This book illustrates how all
children, even those considered at risk, may benefit from the exploratory
and child-initiated nature of project investigations in order to
achieve mastery of basic literacy skills. The story of how projects
emerge, develop, and culminate is told through a combination of
teacher interviews and vivid accounts of classroom practice. Key
features of the book are: an emphasis on how teachers solve the
practical problems of doing projects with young children, including
selecting topics, encouraging children to represent what they are
learning, and involving parents; chapters written from practice
and that include a plan of action that enables teachers to take
their first steps toward following children's interests; photos
of children engaged in projects; and a step-by-step guide for teachers
to use in facilitating and documenting projects. The chapters of
the book are as follows: (1) "Projects and Young Children,"
including benefits of projects in the early years, and opportunities
and constraints of the early years; (2) "Getting Started,"
including selecting project topics, finding out what children know,
and developing questions for investigation; (3) "Developing
the Project," including preparing for investigation; (4) "Investigation,"
including field-site visits, and debriefing; (5) "Concluding
the Project," including types of documentation and evaluating
the project; (6) "Issues in Guiding Projects with Young Children,"
including curriculum requirements and standards, involving parents,
and using the Project Approach with specific populations; and (7)
"The Fire Truck Project." The book includes a project
planning journal. Contains 71 references. (HTH)
Descriptors: Classroom Techniques; Curriculum Development; Documentation;
Early Childhood Education; Elementary School Students; Experiential
Learning; Parent Participation; Preschool Children; *Student Projects;
*Teaching Methods
Identifiers: *Child Centered Education; Investigative Learning;
*Project Approach (Katz and Chard)
