Live Interactive Chat

Answers to Questions (Transcript)

June 1, 2005

The Project Approach and the Early Learning Standards

Sallee Beneke M.Ed.
Resource Specialist, STARnet Regions I & III

IELmoderator
Greetings, IEL Chat participants. Welcome to IEL’s sixth and final online chat of the 2004/2005 academic year, another in the online chat series sponsored by the Illinois Early Learning (IEL) Project. Tonight’s Chat is titled "The Project Approach and the Early Learning Standards." We’ll begin our chat by introducing tonight’s guest speaker, Sallee Beneke, Resource Specialist for STARnet Regions I & III.

Sallee Beneke
Hi. I'm glad to be here, and I'm looking forward to our discussion this evening.

IELmoderator
The procedure for the live Chat session is as follows. Participants can send questions to the chat guest at any time. When you send your question, please note that it will not be visible to all chat participants. The IEL Moderator receives the question first and will post it to the whole chat group. If there's a long queue of questions, the Moderator will notify the questioner that the question was received. Then, at the next break in the discussion, the question will be posted for all to see and for our guest to answer.

Note that there will be a pause after a question is posted while the Chat guest speaker composes a response to the question. So please be patient! During these pauses, the Moderator will post occasional information about the IEL Web site. Because some Chat participants enter the Chat in the middle of the session, some of these messages may be posted more than once.

Questions will be posted in the order they're received, unless there's some obvious reason to group similar questions together. Participants may send follow-up questions. If you do send a follow-up question, please remind the Guest and other participants of the earlier question (something like “In my earlier question about the third-grader’s reading difficulty…”) because it’s easy to forget earlier questions in the long list of questions that occur during the Chat session.

If your question is not answered by the time the Chat session ends at 8 pm, the question and its answer will be included in the Chat transcript that will be made available online approximately 3 weeks from today.

If, at any time during the chat, you want to review the procedure for participating in the chat session, you can do that at this Web page: http://ecap.crc.uiuc.edu/info/ecapchat.html or in Spanish at: http://ecap.crc.uiuc.edu/info/ecapchat-sp.html.Editor's note: This url has changed:http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert.htm#pastchat

IELmoderator
Now let's begin our chat. Ms. Beneke, we have a question that we received in advance of the session.

It seems to me that the early learning standards establish a basic level of knowledge and skills for young children. The children in my program come from highly educated families and typically perform higher than their peers on measures of achievement. Won't the focus on early learning standards force us to "dummy down" the enriched curriculum we've been offering over the years?

Sallee Beneke
No, I don’t think so. The early learning standards are really benchmarks that teachers can use to see the relationship of the learning that takes place at the preschool level to the goals that have been set for children on exit from high school. They provide a picture of what typically developing children should be learning at 3 and 4 years of age.

Some children will be functioning well below the level of mastery, and the teacher will use the benchmarks to give her direction in planning for that child. She will plan activities that will challenge him at his current developmental level and will move him further along the continuum toward mastery of the standard.

Similarly, the teacher can plan to challenge the child who has mastered the early childhood benchmark to take a step further along the continuum toward mastery of the final goal. In other words, the teacher can use the standards as a tool, not as a required curriculum that she has to follow.

IELmoderator
Ms. Beneke, here's our next question.

I'm a new teacher. I've heard a lot about the Project Approach, but I haven't used it myself. Could you give a short explanation of the Project Approach? Why is it a good method to use in early childhood programs?

Sallee Beneke
When teachers use the Project Approach, they help young children become involved in a first-hand investigation of a topic about which the children have questions.

This is a good method to use, because children are actively engaged in answering their questions about the topic. A good topic for investigation will provide many opportunities for them to read, write, research, discuss, explore, measure, count, weigh, portray, and otherwise apply first-hand the skills they have been learning in class. Guiding topic selection is an important piece of the teacher's work in a project.

While each project is a little different, they all tend to have 3 phases. In Phase 1, the children reflect on past experience and share what they currently know about the topic. They develop hypotheses about how they think things work and questions about which they want to know more.

In Phase 2, the children answer their questions by investigating the topic, often by interviewing experts, going on field trips, and researching in books. As they investigate, they sketch what they see, and this helps them to notice details and to organize their thinking.

Multi-stage artwork is often part of Phase 2 as children draw, paint, and construct representations of their growing understanding. For example, in a project on cars, the children built a class car over a period of several weeks. New questions often come with their growing understanding, and they typically continue to develop additional hypotheses and questions until their curiosity is satisfied.

In Phase 3 they summarize and share their work with others. In my classroom, we often invited guests in for a culminating event, such as an open house.

Since projects are child-initiated, the children involved are usually motivated to do their best work. There is a place for every child who wants to be involved to participate in project work, so a project typically produces samples of work that reflect children's individual abilities.

This helps the teacher get a clearer picture of what each child understands and knows how to do, and where there is a need for further instruction. As she watches what the children do, what they make, and listens to what they say, she is able to document their learning and plan further instruction.

For the definition of a project by Lilian Katz, go to http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/1994/lk-pro94.html.

IELmoderator
As was mentioned at the beginning of this chat, Sallee Beneke is a Resource Specialist for STARnet Regions I & III (http://www.wiu.edu/starnet/). She trains teachers in Work Sampling Illinois (the state of Illinois's version of the Work Sampling System), the Illinois Early Learning Standards, the practice of observation and documentation, and the Project Approach. Ms. Beneke has previously worked as a college instructor, master teacher, prekindergarten at-risk teacher, early childhood special education teacher, child care director, and caregiver.

Ms. Beneke is the author of Rearview Mirror: Reflections on a Preschool Car Project, and co-editor of The Power of Projects: Meeting Contemporary Challenges in Early Childhood Classrooms—Strategies & Solutions, with Dr. Judy Harris Helm. She is co-author of Windows on Learning: Documenting Young Children's Work, with Judy Harris Helm and Kathy Steinheimer.

Sallee and her husband, Bill, live in Princeton, Illinois, with their four children, Maggie, Alice, Tom, and Abby.

jpm
Thanks for being here! What are some approaches to seeing to it that the Standards and the project you're doing with the children are aligned? By that I mean, is it optimal to go with what the children are doing and then look back and note which benchmarks they addressed, or should the Standards be an explicit part of the teacher's own planning or web creation? or both? or neither?

Sallee Beneke
Hi, jpm. I think that, as much as possible, the teacher should anticipate what standards might be met at various points in the course of a project. If the teacher is thinking ahead, she may be better able to document that a child has met a particular standard. It's often helpful for teachers to make a web of the possible things that can be learned in the project, and then add possible standards that might be met.

IELmoderator
Tonight's chat relates the activities of the Project Approach to the Illinois Early Learning Standards that were developed by the Illinois State Board of Education. The standards are related to "state goals," and the state goals are organized into "learning areas." Thus, each learning standard falls under one of 8 learning areas (such as Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, etc.) and under one of 32 state goals (such as "read with understanding and fluency," "Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency," "Comprehend a broad range of reading materials"). The complete Illinois Early Learning Standards are available on the IEL Web site at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/standards/.

Each learning standard is also associated with a number of benchmarks by which parents and caregivers can determine if children have met the early learning standard. The IEL staff has prepared a list of Web resources that are related to each benchmark, to help parents and caregivers use the benchmarks. To view these resources, simply go to the Illinois Early Learning Standards page, click on any of the Learning Areas, and then click on the benchmark's identifying number, which is right next to the text of the benchmark.

For example, when you go to the "Language Arts" learning area page at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/standards/languagearts.htm, you'll see that the very first benchmark is: "1.A.ECa Understand that pictures and symbols have meaning and that print carries a message." Click on the underlined text (1.A.ECa) to go to the list of relevant resources.

Julio
Dear Dr. Beneke, do you think that the use of the project approach can help children from families whose native language isn't English, learn English better or more quickly?

Sallee Beneke
Julio, it's likely that it would be helpful for these children to be involved in project work. One of the great things about project work is that there is a way for all the children in the class to be involved. As the children work together on the project they talk among themselves about what works and what they might try, and they offer suggestions and assistance to one other.

IELmoderator
Chat participants may also be interested in an earlier Chat session with our guest, Sallee Beneke. This chat, held in May 2002, was the third chat in the IEL online chat series. The transcript for the chat, “Using Work Sampling in Pre-K Settings,” is available in English at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/beneke/trans.htm and in Spanish (“La aplicación en los medios pre-kindergarten de Work Sampling”) at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/beneke/trans-sp.htm.

LONEone
How do you guide children's choice of a project?

Sallee Beneke
Well, if these are children who have not done a project before, I often watch what they like to pretend in the dramatic play area, listen to what they talk about, and notice what they bring to school in their pockets.

I want to say a little more about guiding children's choice of a project topic. It's okay for teachers to negotiate the topic with children. After all, they are the adults who are responsible for the quality of children's education. So, if the children want to study Power Rangers, teachers don't have to feel like they have to follow the children's lead. They can attend to the children's interest in topics that are better suited to learning.

IELmoderator
Ms. Beneke, here's another question that we received prior to the chat.

I'm skeptical about the new early learning standards in Illinois. Can you convince me of their value for children?

Sallee Beneke
Early childhood education is offered through a variety of providers in the state of Illinois, and each of them has their own history and traditions. For the most part, they have operated separately from one another. In my view, one of the best things about the early learning standards is that they have opened up discussion among these educators about what should be happening in high-quality early childhood programs. I believe that discussion revolving around what young children should be learning and how it is best achieved has helped to raise the quality of early childhood education in the state.

Likewise, the need to be accountable for meeting the early learning standards has led to the development of Work Sampling Illinois, a systematic authentic assessment system. Early childhood educators from all types of early childhood programs have become involved in learning and using this type of assessment, which has helped them become better teachers of young children.

IELmoderator
You can find additional resources on "The Project Approach and the Early Learning Standards" in the supplement to this Chat session. This supplement is available on the IEL Web site at this URL: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/beneke2005/sup.htm.

jpm
I have a testimonial to add to what Ms. Beneke said about children who are learning English. I have seen several children whose home language was not English do very well with project work. Their classmates saw the kids in action, doing project-related tasks and activities, and were able to get conversations going about their shared experiences. The collaboration kind of gave them a common background.

And now another question. Do you know if STARnet or ISBE or any other entity will be offering professional development this summer related to Projects or to the Standards?

IELmoderator
Thanks for that testimonial, jpm.

Julio
Yes, thanks, jpm. That's good to know.

Sallee Beneke
Yes, STARnet Regions I and III will be offering a one-day training on the Project Approach on July 19th and then again on January 13th, 2006. To see information about the STARnet trainings, check out the Web sites for STARnet Regions I & III and the Illinois Resource Center (IRC). The Chat Moderator will post those URLs in a little bit.

IELmoderator
Here's the STARnet web site: http://www.wiu.edu/starnet/ and the other Web site for the IRC is: http://www.thecenterweb.org/

Sallee Beneke
jpm, the one-day Project Approach training will be offered in two areas of the state, and there will be a follow-up training later in the year for those who have attended the first session.

IELmoderator
The transcripts of the IEL Chat sessions from 2002 through 2004 are archived on the IEL Web site. Go to the IEL Chat Resources page at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chatres.htm, then scroll down the page to the particular chat that you're interested in. For each chat, you'll see a link for "chat transcript." Click on that link to view the transcript for that particular Chat. Editor's note: This url has changed: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert.htm#pastchat

The most recent chat, with Dr. Lilian Katz of the University of Illinois, was titled "Saying No to Your Child" and was held on May 4, 2005. The transcript for this chat is available at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/katz2005/trans.htm.

The chat prior to that occurred in April. In this chat, Dr. Samantha Wulfsohn of the Erikson Institute in Chicago discussed "Young Children's Mental Health." The transcript for this chat can be found at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/wulfsohn/trans.htm.

The transcripts of both of these recent chats will be available shortly in Spanish.

Julio
Won't our focus on the very specific benchmarks of the early learning standards narrow the kind of learning achieved through the Project Approach?

Sallee Beneke
Oh, I don't think so. Julio, if you look at the Illinois Early Learning Standards, you will see that they are very broad and reflect integrated skills and processes, rather than narrow bits of knowledge or discrete skills. In fact, they really do not lend themselves to teacher-initiated on-demand activities.

However, they are the kinds of things we often see happening in the context of good project work, such as: exploring quantity and number, investigating and categorizing living things, expressing wonder and asking questions about their world; participating in the visual arts; exhibiting persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.

IELmoderator
Remember that you may send a question at any time to the IEL staff. Just email your question to: iel@uiuc.edu.

You can also phone in a question. Please note that IEL's toll-free telephone number changed in 2004. The new number is 877-275-3227. IEL staff are usually available between 8-12 and 1-5 on business days.

Besides this general question-answering service, IEL offers an "Ask the Expert" service with Lilian Katz, the project's principal investigator. This service, called Ask Dr. Katz!, allows individuals to ask more extensive, in-depth questions about early childhood education than can be dealt with in the standard question-answering feature. Visit the Ask Dr. Katz! page at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/ask-dr-katz.htm.

And remember that the IEL Web site is available not only in English but also in Spanish. The Spanish home page is at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/index-sp.htm.

IELmoderator
Ms. Beneke, here is our next question.

Many of the accounts I've read about the Project Approach take place in child care center programs. I'm a family child care provider. Can I use this method in my program?

Sallee Beneke
Yes! Your situation has many advantages. The Project Approach can work very well in a small group of mixed-age children. The smaller the group, the more you can personalize the opportunities for research and expression. If this is a mixed-age group, the younger children will likely enjoy apprenticing themselves to the older children as they investigate the topic.

Since you are in family childcare, you may have more than one child from the same family, and you probably have a good relationship with the parents. Families may want to extend the project into the home and collect information together that they can share with the children in your group.

Watch and listen for common interests. A topic that is in your home environment or neighborhood will probably be most beneficial, since they can return to it periodically to gather more information. Look for something concrete that they can study. Examples might be backyard insects, trees, plants, or particular neighborhood shops.

Once you have identified the topic, you might try introducing it through a story or by bringing in an artifact to share. Because of the intimate ongoing nature of family child care, you should have lots of opportunities to collect children's questions and to provide them with opportunities to investigate at their own level. For example, younger children might explore by using their senses, while older children may be able to do more in-depth research on the Internet or in books.

jpm
In your experience, what seem to be some typical responses from parents whose children are in programs that are addressing the Benchmarks? What I mean is, how do they seem to feel about the Standards and Benchmarks?

Sallee Beneke
I think parents are really interested in seeing how the activities children are engaged in, in the preschool classroom, are the basis for higher level knowledge and skills that children are expected to achieve in high school.

IELmoderator
Participants in IEL chats may also be interested in the series of online chats offered by the Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior (CEBP) and the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL). For general information on the work of these two centers, visit their Web sites at http://challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu and http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel, respectively.

So far, four online chats have been held in the CEBP/CSEFEL Chat series. The first of these was "What to Do When Children Say 'NO!'" with Lise Fox from the University of South Florida. This was followed by "Classroom Environments That Work: Preventing Problem Behavior" with University of Illinois professors Micki Ostrosky and Tweety Yates.

The third chat presented information on "Creating Home/Program Partnerships That Work: Supporting Children with Problem Behavior" by Matt Timm of Tennessee Voices for Children. Finally, in the fourth chat, Barbara Smith discussed the topic of "Leadership Strategies for Supporting Children's Social and Emotional Development and Addressing Challenging Behavior."

Further information on each of these chat sessions, including transcripts in English and Spanish, is available on the CSEFEL Chat Resources page at: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/chat.html.

Nancy
Is it better to consider what standards to address when planning a project, or to work them in as it develops?

Sallee Beneke
Since projects develop out of children's natural curiosity and questions, it won't work to plan a project around the standards. Essentially, that would be putting the cart before the horse. The investigation of the topic should drive the project, but it's a good idea to anticipate what standards might be met before you begin the project. That way you can be prepared to document children's accomplishments.

What I have observed is that in the context of a really rich project, children are meeting standards in all domains with great frequency, but teachers who are not mindful of the standards do not notice that they are being met. I think it's best to try and anticipate the standards that might be met in the investigation of a particular topic.

Then you can work on developing the ability to recognize the various ways it might look when a standard is met. That way you can be prepared to document mastery of a standard when you see it happen. As with most things, the more you practice, the better you get. As you become more familiar with documenting the standards, it will become easier for you.

Also, keep in mind that projects are not the whole curriculum. If, as you observe, there are standards that are not likely to be met in the children's project work, plan other activities or learning centers where children can work on those other standards.

jpm
I've seen copies of Windows on Learning and The Power of Projects in bookstores, but where can a person get a copy of Rearview Mirror?

IELmoderator
jpm and others, you can go to the CEEP Publications page at:

http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/pubs.html

On that page, you'll see Rearview Mirror listed at the very top of the page. There's a link there for purchasing the videocassette or the DVD version of the text.

You can also purchase a print version of the publication. Information on purchasing the print version is available on this page, as are a few excerpts from the publication:

http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/books/rearview.html

IELmoderator
Participants in tonight's Chat session may be interested in a few Tip Sheets prepared by the IEL staff that are related to this evening's topic. These include:

• The Project Approach for Preschoolers
• The Project Approach: Phase 1—Choosing a Topic to Investigate
• The Project Approach: Phase 1—Getting Started
• The Project Approach: Phase 2—Getting Ready for Fieldwork
• The Project Approach: Phase 2—Doing Fieldwork
• The Project Approach: Phase 3—Concluding the Project

Each of these six Tip Sheets is also available in Spanish. See:

• El Método de enseñanza por proyectos para niños preescolares
• El Método de enseñanza por proyectos: Cómo escoger el tema a investigar
• El Método de Enseñanza por Proyectos. Fase 1: El inicio del proyecto
• El Método de Enseñanza por Proyectos. Fase 2: La preparación para recoger datos
• El Método de Enseñanza por Proyectos. Fase 2: El proceso de recoger datos
• El Método de Enseñanza por Proyectos. Fase 3: La conclusión del proyecto

Another place to look for resources related to the project approach is in the IEL "Early Learning Web Links" database. This is a database of Web resources on early learning that the IEL staff has compiled, using careful criteria, so that you don’t need to claw and scrabble your way, scrape-knuckled, over the far-strewn rubble of Google search results. This easily searchable IEL collection of Web links is available at: http://ecap.crc.uiuc.edu/cgi-bin/iel/searchiel.cgi.

Once on the search page, you can search in one of two ways. First, you can search for a word or words in the title. For example, type “project approach” (without the quotes) in the title box and click on the "Go Search" button.

Second, you can search on pre-assigned keywords. Scroll down to the "Choose the keywords" box and select a term, for example, select "Project Approach" once again and then click on the "Go Search" button. With this sample search, you’ll find a couple of dozen resources.

IELmoderator
Ms. Beneke, here's our next question.

What can I tell parents who are concerned that children will not learn necessary skills while using the Project Approach?

Sallee Beneke
I would tell them that children are more likely to learn skills when they have a reason to use them, and that the Project Approach provides them with opportunities and motivation to practice. I would also tell them that the Project Approach helps them understand the value and usefulness of these skills, so children are more likely to feel positively about them.

For example, a child might resent being forced to practice cutting on a line if the teacher requires him to sit at the table and cut circles from a worksheet. But that same child might be eager to use that skill repeatedly, if it helped him accomplish a task that was important to him in the context of a project, such as cutting out coins to use in a class pet store.

IELmoderator
There are a number of excellent places on the Web to find more information about the Project Approach. One of these is the “Project Approach in Early Childhood Education” site maintained by Dr. Sylvia Chard of the University of Alberta. This site is available at: http://www.project-approach.com/default.htm.

Another place is to find resources related to the Project Approach is on the Project Approach page of the CEEP (Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting) Web site. You can find these resources at: http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/poptopics/project.html.

Of particular note in that section of the CEEP Web site is the series of Project Approach catalogs edited by Dr. Judy Harris Helm. Catalogs 1 and 2 in the series are available full-text for free on the CEEP Web site. The first one is at http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/books/project.html and the second at http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/books/projcat2.html.

Excerpts from Catalogs 3 and 4 are available at http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/books/projcat3.html and http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/pubs/project4.html.

IELmoderator
The Early Childhood and Parenting (ECAP) Collaborative and the Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting (CEEP) publish a scholarly, peer-reviewed, Internet-only journal called Early Childhood Research & Practice (ECRP). This journal regularly includes articles that provide examples of, or discuss topics related to, the Project Approach. For example, you might be interested in checking out the following articles.

In the just-released ECRP volume 7, number 1, see "The Lunch Project" and "The Food and Restaurant Project." These are also available in Spanish as "El Proyecto de Almuerzos" and "El proyecto de alimentos y restaurantes."

In the previous issue, volume 6, number 2, see "The Chicken and Egg Project" and the Spanish version, "El proyecto de gallinas y huevos."

In earlier issues, see the following articles that describe actual projects:

• "The Llama Project" (v5 n2)
• "A Study of Bones" (v5 n1)
  and in Spanish as:
  Un estudio de huesos (v5 n1)
• "The Apple Project" (v4 n2)
• "Faces to the Window: 'The Construction Project'" (v4 n1)
• "The Combine Project: An Experience in a Dual-Language Classroom" (v3 n1)
  and in Spanish as:
  El proyecto de la cosechadora: una experiencia en una clase bilingüe (v3 n1)
• "The Hairy Head Project" (v2 n2)
• "The School Bus Project" (v1 n2)

In volume 1, number 2, the article "From Themes to Projects" provides some theory on the Project Approach.

Volume 2, number 1, of ECRP contains a special section dedicated to the Project Approach. See the Table of Contents of that issue for a complete list of articles.

IELmoderator
Ms. Beneke, here's our next question from jpm. This will be our final question of tonight's chat.

jpm
I'm going to be teaching future early childhood teachers in the fall, and am wondering if there are any other project- or Standards-related video resources you could recommend besides the Rearview Mirror DVD just mentioned that I might use in class?

Sallee Beneke
There are several "Apples" videos on both topics that you might find helpful.

• Project Approach: The Allerton Experience
• Drawing and Sketching: The Art of Expression
• A Children's Journey: Investigating the Firetruck
• Reflections on Documentation and Engaged Learning: A Conversation with Dr. Judy Helm & Dr. Lilian Katz
• The Power of Documentation: Children's Learning Revealed
• The Illinois Early Learning Standards: Enriching Learning Through Play
• Windows on Learning: Documenting Young Children's Work

These videos can be previewed online in a streaming video format at http://scott.mprojects.wiu.edu/video/apples.htmlEditor's Note: this url is no longer active.and can be borrowed from the STARnet lending library at http://www.wiu.edu/starnet/resources/vloan.php. If you would like to purchase one of the Apples Magazines call (800) 322-3905.  Many of the videos are now available in DVD format.

IELmoderator
This brings to a conclusion this evening's online Chat. The Illinois Early Learning project staff would like to thank tonight's chat participants for sending your questions and for your patience in awaiting responses. Please check the IEL Chat page at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat.htm for future events in the IEL online chat seriesEditor's note: This url has changed: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert.htm#pastchat.

And finally, many thanks to Sallee Beneke for sharing your expertise with us this evening.

Sallee Beneke
Thanks. I enjoyed being here.

IELmoderator
Thanks again, Chat Participants. Now please shut down your computers and go outside to enjoy this utterly beautiful weather—Illinois has rarely been so beautiful.

Home | About IEL | Resources | Calendar | Questions | Ask an Expert | Contact | Search
Acerca de IEL | Recursos | Calendario | Preguntas | Pregunte a un perito | Contáctenos | Búsqueda

NOTE: There may be publications on this page that are available as PDF (portable document format) files. To be able to read these files, download the free Adobe Reader.