“How do you give your core team professional development? You want to inspire them. You want to show them why PBL on a passionate level is important.”
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SHOW NOTES
Ryan answers the question of how to bring Project Based Learning into your school or district in a sustainable way. PBL should be integrated in a way that creates excitement and long-term success. It starts with personal development for every leader.
You, as a leader, need to understand why PBL is essential and how to generate excitement about it. You also need a core PBL leadership team to help educate the entire staff.
Today’s "need to know" is about whether it's better to solve real-world or hypothetical problems. Having authentic and engaging PBL units excite everyone, from learners to community partners. It can also bring about remarkable life-changing results in your community and your learners' lives.
Episode Highlights:
[05:10] "Need to know": Are actual problems more successful than hypothetical problems? Which one is the more effective question?
[05:53] The authentic problem is always more effective and more engaging. Because of the real-world aspect.
[06:51] A real world problem also creates complexity, because real world problems aren't clean.
[12:18] Every PBL leader needs three forms of personal development. #1 YOU need to have professional development around Project Based Learning.
[12:40] You need to know the "why" of Project Based Learning. You need to know why it's important for your staff, parents, community, and learners.
[13:01] School visits and talking to other administrators and kids is a great way to do this.
[13:33] Jeff Spencer blogged about his PBL experience. You can use this as a cheat code. He talks about design days, learning teams, the staff, and his thought processes.
[14:27] #2 Is to have a PBL team, or core team, or leadership team. A core group of facilitators that can model and advocate for PBL.
[16:17] Your PBL team needs to be passionate about the "why" and have solid training to plan out PBL units.
[17:16] #3 is the whole staff. You need to start with the "why" and the passion. Start with a passionate idea, show what PBL can do, and have a 3-4 year plan, and you will get a group of first followers.
RESOURCES & LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE
Project Based Learning Stories and Structures: Wins, Fails, and Where to Start
Stanford Research - How High-Achieving Countries Develop Great Teachers
PBL Leadership - Build a Movement, Not a Mandate - PBL Learning Teams | Episode 97
PBL Leadership Guest - How To Create a Winning School Culture - Coach John Bacon | Episode 96
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