Educational Program

Project Based Learning and Instructional Program

In Project Based Learning, students rely on each other, their teachers and state standards to generate a topic—a guiding question or a real-world problem.

Students investigate their topics through research, field work, readings, guest experts, construction, arts, seminars and more, all fitting to their grade level and interests. Classes work on a project over an extended period of time – from a week, to a quarter, to a school year. Finally, they demonstrate their knowledge and skills by creating a public product or presentation (a “Project Share”) for a real audience that includes families and school community members. As a result, students develop deep content knowledge, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication skills. You can read more about PBL by visiting PBLworks.org.

PBL In Action

Elementary School

Sample Guiding Questions
at our Elementary School:

Where do animals live in the winter?
How do maps help our community?
How do we care for our environment?
Can we use the sun to take our classroom off the electrical grid?
Why are there fictional texts from various cultures about weather?
Can we convert wind to electricity for our school?

Learn More about Elementary School

Middle School

Sample Guiding Questions
at our Middle School:

Can we change the world by changing what we eat?
Can global warming be reversed in our lifetime?
What’s in the water and how did it get there?
Invisible Wave: How can we prove waves exist?
Best Me: How do I present the best “me” for the situation at all times?
How can we help our community engage in the political process?
How can we as 8th grade students make Durham a more welcome place for immigrants, refugees and transplants? How can we make it more welcoming for ALL?

Learn More about Middle School

Project Shares

Each project ends with a Project Share. Project Shares can be many things – plays, public art exhibits, written publications, constructions, scientific presentations of gained knowledge like solar panels and windmills installed on the roof of the school. Project shares provide authentic evidence of students’ developing knowledge and skills in all areas of learning.

Instructional Program

Social Emotional Learning

We believe that all children must first honor their own dignity—that is, they must learn to respect themselves. This guiding value is at the center of social emotional learning.

In the process of social emotional learning, our children first practice understanding themselves, to be aware and compassionate as they work towards doing the same for their classmates, teachers and broader community. Our students learn that care for themselves is the foundation for being fair and building healthy relationships in group problem solving.

We do this through strategies employed in our daily learning: Peaceful Schools approaches, Mindfulness activities, and our Service Learning partnerships.

Engaging the Whole Child

At its core, the “Whole Child” approach to education seeks to change the focus of teaching and learning from narrowly defined academic achievement to promoting each child’s long-term development and success. The Whole Child approach has become widely embraced by educators in many countries, and it is part of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction curriculum.

We have found that when our students make connections across multiple learning areas, their full selves are brought to life.

Whole Child learning is integrated in all we do at CPSC. Our classes engage a child’s whole being with hands-on, project-based instruction, and integration across learning areas. In our classrooms, social studies connects with literacy, math integrates with science, music and outdoor learning connect with math, and art connects with social studies. We have found that when our students make connections across multiple learning areas, their full selves are brought to life. And when our children integrate all parts of themselves, they feel free. With their curiosity nurtured, they feel confident and courageous, learning to trust. When you are free to be yourself and have the courage to speak your whole heart, deep trust and deep learning can take hold.

As well, we believe children’s whole bodies must be included in their learning. This means daily opportunities to move, feel, build with their hands, speak, interact, play with numbers and shapes and read. Each day includes play time outside, singing, creating art, making meaning, and finding confidence in numbers, letters and writing.