Teamwork is emphasized in the Project Lead the Way curriculum taught at W-C’s T.J. Connor School. Submitted photo
T. J. Connor elementary students and staff in the Wheatland-Chili District hosted a showcase to share with families what students are accomplishing with the hands-on, problem-based learning approach of the pre-engineering program Project Lead the Way (PLTW).
The purpose of PTLW is to engage students in critical and creative thinking, to build teamwork skills, and to learn to persevere when faced with challenges. All T.J. Connor classroom teachers are teaching the PLTW modules. According to PLTW, students complete activities based on the problem they will solve using the Engineering Method that includes: Ask, Explore, Model, Evaluate, and Explain.
A few examples of what students are learning are as follows. In second grade, students design a cooler that will keep popsicles frozen for one hour so that children may enjoy them at the end of their soccer game. In fourth grade, students design a way to keep an egg safe as it travels on a car down a ramp. Every problem that students solve during their grade-level module relates to a real world problem.
Four years ago, educators from around the area were invited to T. J. Connor to see the PLTW Launch program in action because T. J. Connor was the first elementary school in our area to implement the program. T. J. Connor is the only elementary school in Monroe County offering PLTW.
Last year, T. J. Connor students in first through sixth grades had the opportunity to present at the PLTW statewide conference for teachers held at the RIT Inn and Conference Center. “It was amazing to see the students discussing what they have learned and answering questions about their learning,” said teacher, Pauline Emelson.
In the classroom, Mrs. Emelson has seen students take leadership roles when solving problems and think outside the box in order to complete activities. “I have seen their willingness to persevere if something doesn’t work out as expected, knowing that this is what all engineers do. This skill will hopefully transfer to their life experiences when something is difficult.”
