Method of projects in contemporary primary school

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the circumstances that method of projects began to be actively introduced into Russian primary education of the twenty-first century, as evidenced by publications in professional scientific and methodological sources, in particular, in the journal “Elementary School”. However, the understanding of method continues, especially given the fact that in the Soviet school method was criticized and rejected. We associate the change in attitudes towards the method of projects in the pedagogical environment mainly with convergent and activity approaches to the use of methods in the system of national education, with the focus of contemporary methods on the child’s personality development. We reveal the essence of method and give classification of projects. We show how in project activities under the guidance of a teacher and younger students themselves acquire new knowledge and use already existing ideas about various phenomena of the surrounding world. We also show how project participants improve their communication (group work) and research (finding truth) skills, develop creative thinking, master the skills to learn and techniques of organizing their own activities, which is especially important in contemporary conditions and that Federal State Educational Standard of Primary General Education and the Federal State Educational Standards of Higher Education require. We identify factors that hinder the effective implementation of project method. The use of the project method in education and upbringing is one of the important components of modern teacher’s professional competence. In this regard, we reveal the importance of mastering the method by future primary school teachers.