Project Based Learning Comes to Westerville.

In Partnership with Otterbein University, Several Westerville City Schools teachers have taken part in the Out of the Gate Project. This project pairs Otterbein students with teachers in the district to take part in intensive Professional Development and, as part of the student teaching experience, plan and implement project based learning in the classroom. The goal of the project is to engage student in deeper, more meaningful learning. Project Based learning involves approaching learning through driving questions that often contain multiple curricular areas. Students research solutions, put together presentations, and present their findings to an authentic audience.

Several Westerville Teachers took part in the Fall symposium where the classroom teachers and their Otterbein student teachers presented the work that they did over the fall semester (photos courtesy of the Out of the Gate Project).

Megan Glassmire (L ) and Dawn Ramsey (R) Huber Ridge 4th Grade
Driving Question: How do we keep the natural environment safe

Beth O'Reilly (L) and Tracy Jones (R) Wilder 3rd Grade
Driving Question: How can we encourage people to live, work, and play in our community?

Several other Westerville teachers are participating in the program as well including Caitlin Begeny (Genoa), Linda Amici (Alcott), and Kelly Moff (Annehurst).

The program will be continuing next year. Interested teachers are encouraged to contact their Ed-Tech coach to learn more about the program.