Many people ask why – students and teachers alike.  Why do we need to do this?  Why is this relevant?  They want to know.  Change is inevitable, but it is not as easy as one might think sometimes.  To create any meaningful change, you must win over both the hearts and the minds of people (Kotter, 2011).  If we just target the mind, we may not draw the students into the learning process or draw our colleagues into the change we are attempting to implement.  We must find a way to intrigue them through their heart – what they are passionate about.  When using the “why” statement that targets not only the mind, but the heart, we can create a sense of urgency as we try to implement change for the better of our students.  In order for Project-based Learning to be successful in the music classroom, we must start with our why message.

Why?

We believe in inspiring and building confidence in students on their way to becoming life-long learners.

How?

We engage students in project-based learning opportunities that support choice, creativity, ownership and voice.

What?

Learners make connection to their community through creativity, collaboration and critical thinking; thus, building crucial 21st century skills.

References

Kotter, J. (2011, March 23). The heart of change. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/1NKti9MyAAw