When it comes to planning an authentic Project Based Learning Unit, I find it’s helpful to follow a process that ensures students are doing real work for real people and purposes. When my students know their work matters, they are engaged. When they see the impact of their work in the world, they feel valued.
When I left my job of 11 years in May of 2023 for a position at a new school, I knew my world was changing. The school year that followed pleasantly affirmed my choice to switch districts over and over again, with one exception: I was not teaching PBL.
When I worked for Mission Indy, a small local missionary organization in Indianapolis, we would do an Asset Based Community Development protocol with non-profit leaders from around the country. We would draw a map of their city on a large dry-erase board and then ask them to talk about the needs of their community.
If you are a teacher looking to engage your learners in a more meaningful way, Project Based Learning (PBL) might be the answer. PBL is an instructional model that focuses on learning through the completion of a PBL unit.