As Amanda Shroyer sat in on the first session of the Jennings Institute listening to the presenters discuss how to “create cultures of thinking in the classroom,” her mind was already conjuring up ways to apply what she was hearing to her classroom at Glacier Ridge Elementary in Dublin. 

“They talked a lot about student creativity, deep thinking, and critical thinking skills,” explains Mrs. Schroyer, referring to presenters Fred Burton, associate professor of education, Ashland University; and creativity specialist and art teacher Jason Blair. “Sometimes, we as educators get so afraid and so caught up in the content standards that we forget how to allow kids to be creative and to make things that are all their own.”

Several months later, her third graders are accustomed to creative projects inspired by these ideas. One challenged them to design a toy of their choice and to create advertising messages after studying different types of writing. Another required the class to clear a large area in the back of the classroom to accommodate a “giant city” the students planned and built over several weeks.

“I now approach projects backward, says Mrs. Schroyer, who has implemented project-based learning in her classroom before but never to this extent. “Instead of starting with me and the content standards, then giving students a task to complete, I ask them to create something of their own; and then I apply the content standards to it.”

The town planning assignment resulted in a construction project that includes a house for every student and additional buildings that contain support services necessary to keep their citizens happy. Students started planning by distinguishing between “needs” and “wants.”  Needs, they determined included a bank, doctor’s office, hospital, grocery store, police station, library, and school, among others. A McDonald’s, Target, Verizon store, and ice cream shop fell on the list of wants.

“We created this giant city and put many real-life experiences into it,” Mrs. Schroyer continues.

“We created this giant city and put many real-life experiences into it,” Mrs. Schroyer continues. As citizens, the students earn a salary, pay taxes, buy houses, establish laws, and even write letters to the mayor describing changes they think would better their community.

“We have tied in so many math and writing standards; the project just keep getting bigger and bigger,” she remarks.  We didn’t plan on doing as much with it as we have, but the kids don’t want to let it go.  They come up with ideas as to where to take the project next; it is completely student driven.”