Project-based learning using portfolios

 One type of teaching that easily gets lost in afterschooling is project-based learning. It's something that takes effort on the part of both teacher and student, and as such, it tends to feel trickier than just doing your daily Duolingo or ixl. 

But one of the things I loved about homeschooling full time was being able to follow my kids' interests. While I had a lot I wanted to cover, there were moments where it made a lot of sense to step back and say, "You're clearly interested in _______, so how about we do a project around that?"

Full disclosure, projects take time and effort. And because of this, my tendency is to reserve projects for areas of student interest. As a teacher, you can cultivate student interest, by thinking about the sorts of things that inspire your kid, and talking to them about what you want them to learn through a lens of what attracts them. 

As an example: a child inspired by art will be likely to enjoy learning about Renaissance science though Da Vinci's work. A child who loves food might enjoy learning about the Renaissance diet (which begs queries around trade, exploration, and technology). The sports fan might enjoy learning about Western sports that come to us from the Muslim world, or how Muslims conquering parts of Europe stopped blood sport. A Harry Potter stan might enjoy a project on alchemy from the middle ages.

So, why portfolios? I think many of us imagine written output as the natural outcome of these sorts of projects. But kids sometimes bristle at writing, particularly if they're already writing reports for school. 

A portfolio can be an excellent alternative to the written report. Instead of one written project, a teacher and student can work together to design a multi-disciplinary portfolio that plays to student interest and strength. 

A portfolio might include:

• Letters to the Editor
• Time Lines
• Maps
• Autobiographies/bios
• News flashes
• Creative stories
• Political cartoons (selected from the time or written by the student)
• Interviews (real or imagined)
• Photos from the period
• Wanted posters
• Brochures
• Journal entries or letters (fictional but based on fact)
• Advertisements
• An account of someone's plight
• Highlighted events, turning points, people, laws, accomplishments, etc.
• Art projects
• Quotes from people of the period that illustrate an idea

The sample above is a writing-heavy example, but it doesn't have to be. For these purposes, I'm a big fan of bulleted lists and infographics, marked-up maps and timelines. A science-based portfolio could include pages from a lab notebook, diagrams, and vocabulary lists. A digital portfolio could use video or other multi-media options. 

We're currently using a portfolio option right now to work on a National History Day project, as a slightly looser and more fun way to organize information for a presentation on history. But I love how flexible the model is. It's a bit more work than I'd do ordinarily, but for an occasional project (like once a year!), there's a lot to like.