What is Project Based Learning?
At Fort Worth Academy, Project Based Learning is at the heart of how we teach and how students learn. Our approach is grounded in the evidence-based Gold Standard PBL framework, developed by leading experts at PBLWorks. This framework emphasizes deep understanding, student engagement, and authentic learning.
“Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.”
— PBLWorks (Buck Institute for Education)
We use this evidence-based approach to help students become critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and collaborative learners. Projects are carefully designed to connect with real-world issues and challenges, empowering students to take ownership of their learning and make meaningful contributions to their communities.
In every project, students work collaboratively, learning to speak up, listen actively, and build on each other’s ideas. Because there’s no single “right” answer, they’re constantly connecting what they know with what they’re discovering, deepening both understanding and curiosity. With voice and choice in how they approach their work, students are more invested, more motivated, and more confident, owning not just the outcome, but the entire learning process.
That’s the power of Project Based Learning, and why it’s central to everything we do at Fort Worth Academy. In a world where quick answers are just a search away and AI can draft a book report in seconds, yesterday’s methods won’t prepare students for tomorrow’s world. Real learning is about thinking critically, making meaning, and solving complex problems. Project Based Learning builds exactly that: capable, curious, resilient learners who think for themselves and thrive in the unknown.