Experiential Learning Depot
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Courses
    • Free PBL Mini Course
    • PBL Teacher Academy
    • Student-Led Learning Made Easy
    • Group Course Enrollment
    • Student Login
  • Guest Blogging
  • About
    • Contact
Experiential learning resources for the innovative educator

How to Prepare for Student-Led Project-Based Teaching

7/7/2023

0 Comments

 
Student-led project-based teaching blog post featured image
Student-led project-based learning is a fantastic approach for any classroom or homeschool. The benefits are enormous. Learning is personalized, exciting, real-world, and offers a portfolio of 21st-century skill-building opportunities. 

But what does the teacher do, and how do you prepare for student-led project-based teaching? Learn how in under an hour and take immediate actionable steps with my free course!

Get ready before you start student-led project-based teaching so you can cruise later.
Getting student-led project-based teaching ready blog post cover

Free Course: Get Ready for Student-Led Project-Based Teaching in 5 Easy Steps

What is Student-Led Project-Based Learning?

The idea behind student-led project-based learning is that students themselves design and lead personalized PBL experiences.

Students might design projects around a specific subject or theme or around standards or targets. Or they design project-based learning experiences around their interests. 

Regardless of what sparks or frames the PBL experiences, students are doing the designing, planning, and managing.

So if the students are developing and directing the learning experiences, what does the teacher do?

The short answer is that they mentor, coach, guide, and facilitate learning experiences.
What Does Student-Led Project-Based Teaching Entail?
​
  • Work with students to develop personal learning plans
  • Help them develop high-quality project-based learning experiences
  • Scaffold the PBL process
  • Implement a variety of feedback and revision sessions
  • Apply a diverse array of formative and summative assessments
  • and more. 

It’s important on so many levels to be ready for that experience; to be ready for student-led project-based teaching, guiding, mentoring, and facilitating.
Free course for readying student-led project-based teaching year
Access Free Course
What Does it Mean to be Ready for Student-Led Project-Based Teaching? Ask Yourself the Following Questions:
​
  • Do you have a student-led project-based learning structure in mind?
  • Is your student-directed PBL implementation strategy ready?
  • Do you have a schedule and systems in place? 
  • Do you have scaffolding materials ready and available for guiding and/or training student-led learners in PBL design and execution?
  • Does the learning space nurture creative, collaborative, and personalized project-based learning experiences?

​These are all elements of student-led project-based learning that I have ready BEFORE starting any project-based learning experience with my students.

​I take action on these FIVE elements before I start any new learning year or session that will include student-led project-based learning.
Student-led project-based teaching blog infographic
What are the Benefits of Preparing for Student-Led Project-Based Teaching BEFORE Implementing the PBL Experience?

Having your student-led project-based teaching ducks in a row prior to PBL experiences themselves will help you and your students feel more confident and less overwhelmed. 

As an educator, saving time is critical. Student-led learning in itself naturally saves you time, as you no longer spend hours planning lessons.

Instead, you can head home from school or walk away from your homeschooling learning day and enjoy the night. You can walk your dog, watch a movie with your family, cook an awesome meal, or sleep! 

Preparing for student-led project-based teaching before you head into the new learning year or session saves you even more time.

​Flying by the seat of your pants can get exhausting as you're constantly trying to pick up the pieces from unorganized and unstructured learning experiences.

Having systems, routines, materials, and more in place right off the bat saves you from those experiences that inevitably cost you time and energy.


Not being ready may lead to confused kids, and therefore, apathetic, nonproductive, low-quality project-producing kids. 

I don’t want that! I know I don’t want that because I’ve experienced it.

I have spent the past 14 years refining my student-led project-based teaching approach so that I walk into excited, productive, and high-quality project-producing students that are clear on the process and the expectations.

​And I want to share that with you!
Free Course: Prepare for Student-Led Project-Based Teaching in Five Actionable Steps

Are you ready for student-led project-based teaching in your classroom or homeschool?

If not, and you want to be, click on the image to access my short and free course all about readying your student-led project-based teaching plan. 


This free digital course is less than an hour long. It offers tips and suggestions for preparing yourself, preparing your students, and readying the learning space for a successful year of student-directed PBL.

It is comprised of five videos, and each concludes with an actionable step!
Free Mini-Course Sneak Peek!
Yes, I'm ready! Give me Access!
Student-directed project-based learning is such a powerful and life-changing experience for everyone. Getting started on the right foot gets all of you to that point sooner! 

I have been doing project-based learning with self-directed learners for over a decade, and I’m still in it because I’ve seen the results!

I’ve watched my students take ownership of learning. I have observed them on the path to developing the skills required to manage life’s many projects. I’ve witnessed my students develop deep, lifelong connections to the community. The list goes on. 

So grab access to that free course! Because, really, what do you have to lose?

Let’s do it! Email anytime with questions about the free digital course on student-led project-based teaching, or questions about project-based learning in general.
More PBL Online Courses:
PBL Culture Building Mini-Course
Student-Led Learning Made Easy introductory online course.
High School Student-Led Project-Based Learning Resources
Student-led project-based teaching starter kit for high school students
Student-led project-based teaching mega bundle
Free student-led project-based learning topic brainstorming activity
More Blog Posts About Student-Led Project-Based Teaching
What is student-led project-based teaching? Blog post.
Student-led project-based teaching steps. Blog post.
Student-led project-based teaching final product catalog.
Join our experiential learning Facebook group!

Did you know there is an experiential learning Facebook group? Check that out - Experiential Learning Community for K12 Teachers - and join in the discussion about experiential learning ideas!
​

Find us on social media!

Follow Experiential Learning Depot on Pinterest, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram for more on experiential education, and check out my shop for experiential learning resources. ​
Observe. Question. Explore. Share.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Blog Intent

    To provide innovative educational resources for educators, parents, and students, that go beyond lecture and worksheets.

    Free Tools

    ​Author

    Sara Segar, experiential life-science educator and advisor, curriculum writer, and mother of two​.

    Check out my experiential learning resources on TPT, Experiential Learning Depot 

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    21st Century Skills
    College And Career
    Community Action Projects
    Community Learning
    Design Thinking
    Distance Learning
    Educational Travel
    Experiential Learning
    Experiential Science
    Holidays
    Inquiry Based Learning
    Outdoor Education
    Personalized Learning
    Problem Based Learning
    Project Based Learning
    Senior Project
    Service Learning
    STEM
    Student Activism
    Student-Led Learning
    Technology

    RSS Feed

    Shop Resources
© 2025 Experiential Learning Depot, LLC

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Disclaimer

Contact

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Courses
    • Free PBL Mini Course
    • PBL Teacher Academy
    • Student-Led Learning Made Easy
    • Group Course Enrollment
    • Student Login
  • Guest Blogging
  • About
    • Contact