Engaging Children's Minds: The Project Approach

by Lilian G. Katz, Sylvia C. Chard

This popular book describes a project approach that provides a context in which all aspects of children's minds can be engaged, challenged, and enriched. It provides an introduction to the principles of the project approach and presents examples that readers can use to trigger the imagination in light of their own teaching preferences and contexts. Drawing on examples from their own experiences with teachers and young children around the world, the authors offer guidelines for employing the project approach under a variety of local and regional conditions and show how children's intellectual development can be enhanced by engaging in project work. Subsequent chapters indicate the complementary nature of informal project work and formal systematic instruction in the total education of young children; provides a detailed review of research on young children's development relevant to principles of practice in early childhood education; and offers a rich store of examples to help teachers in their efforts to try this approach out for themselves.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Parenting

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Shannon]

Book not read, but useful review: "Ms. Katz's Project Approach allows children to plan-do-review a project according to their interest in a flexible framework that enhances the creative thought process. The Project Approach promotes the development of the brain, because it affords children the opportunity to develop the intellectual dispositions that enhance the higher functions of the brain. This teaching strategy encourages children to collaborate and solve the challenges that are presented in the development of their project. The Project Approach sees learning as an experiential integrative process; children become engaged in their own learning. Educators guide the children in this process, allowing them to hypothesize and predict an outcome. Since there is no right or wrong in the development of the project, it encourages children to take risks and embrace learning through the process of creative thought."

Reminds me of the Tools of the Mind:
http://www.toolsofthemind.org/extende...
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/mag...

[Lauren Hegarty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the project approach. Book got a little repetitive for me. Lots of common sense stuff but I understand why it's in there. The authors have been involved in the project approach in schools for a long time and know better than anyone that implementing the project approach effectively is not easy and none of the details should be taken for granted. I look forward to using this book as an implementation guide for the project approach. I think it will be better as a reference book than a sit down and read front to back book.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this for my MEd. I will be trying this method in my PreK classroom soon.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I hear "add an x-ray..." one more time I'll scream.
Early on the book is quite repetitive.
I think half the content could have been cut with better organization and it would have been a much tighter read.

Overall it had some interesting ideas. While reading through the book it got my mind pondering different exercises I could come up with for children.

[RuthAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a classic! Any parent or teacher will be empowered as they use this book to create an approach to learning that is simply incredible. I love teaching my students using this approach. It's developmentally appropriate and it makes sense.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written for educators with a lot of valuable information but not organized in a particularly appealing way. If you read it, get ready to sift.