Make Your School Better

Ask the experts! No one knows better than your students how their learning environment could be improved. The Make Your School Better activity knocks it out of the park in so many areas: student choice, engagement, collaboration, presentation skills, authentic audience, and the list goes on. This project requires commitment from your school’s leadership to listen and act upon student recommendations. With that, the rest is easy. Students choose a topic, learn about advocacy, research their argument, collaborate with classmates, present to an authentic audience, participate in feedback sessions, and assist with any improvements to the school. Your school becomes a better place, and students lead the way while learning a variety of essential skills.

How might you incorporate this on the classroom level if your school is not ready for the full version?

Could you work with your colleagues to implement school-wide Make Your School Better activities? What steps would you take to do so?

What competencies might be assessed in this project? What standards could you include?

Check out these resources:

READ: “Demonstrating Authentic and Rigorous Learning in PBL” - Edutopia

WATCH: Institute for Humane Education’s ‘Bring the Solutionary Program to Your School’