Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Melissa Terry - Blog Post #2 - Main Course, Not Dessert
A "main course project" compares to PBL in that the project is what drives the inquiry and the learning. The project is not an add-on at the end of the lesson, but rather the driving force for learning throughout the project. Teachers determine what students need to know to complete the project and then provide that information throughout. As well, students participate in sustained inquiry to find answers they seek to complete the project. Students have some choice in what the project will be, which is a part of PBL. In these ways, the project is the "filling meal" of PBL rather than dessert as projects have been typically been used before.
Because I won't actually have a classroom, I instead will discuss how I can help provide supports to teachers in my school for PBL. Time is always a major factor that is discussed with the implementation of PBL. At the current time, I know the master schedule allows for common planning daily among grade levels. So I feel that there is some time allotted for planning. However, when I taught, I always found one of the most frustrating parts of planning units during planning time was having to stop (often at critical times) to resume later (only to struggle to remember what we were working on.) I would like to provide money for subs to allow teachers to have full day planning times each nine weeks. Also, I really liked the conversation about being a "coach" that we had in class today. I would like to share my experiences and work alongside my teachers in planning and implementing units in the common year. I would like to be there to encourage them along the way as well as be able to take "pulse checks" and see where extra training or time for planning is needed. I hope to provide an environment where teachers feel comfortable to take risks when trying PBL and not be afraid to fail. I plan to offer as much support as possible to help with successful implementation at my school.
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From Marie: I would love to be a teacher at your school! Your commitment to getting PBL off the ground will be a great inspiration to your teachers.
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of allowing for a day of planning for your teachers each nine weeks. Often, our "planning time" is used for other things, like meetings, making copies, or preparing for the next lesson, and if we do get to plan, it's not enough time to really sit down and discuss thoroughly. I think it would also be helpful for there to be some specific time allotted for vertical planning. I never know what is truly going on in the grades before/after ours!
ReplyDeleteOur principal arranged for us to half day subs once a nine weeks. This is AMAZING! We were able to get an outline of our unit planned (much like what we are doing this week. This was such a blessing as we weren't having to plan during our planning time or after school when you are so tired.
ReplyDeleteMelissa,
ReplyDeleteI wish all principals were as invested in the creating and supporting of curriculum in their schools. I love the idea of providing teachers with optimal time to plan with released time through substitutes. This has been successful in other schools with full day and half day work days so that teachers aren't trying to start and stop afterschool when they are tired and rushed to get ready for the next day. I also appreciate how you envision your role as a facilitator and as a coach to support and to invest in the pbl work with your teachers. I can't tell you how much that would mean to me as a practitioner. I know your teachers will appreciate this.