Responding to colleagues on a new initiative is three fold. You have the ones that are excited and cannot wait to implement this new method in the classroom, the ones that are going to put together just enough of a lesson to satisfy the principal, and then the ones that will immediately build a wall and throw fiery darts from the intricately placed windows. The first one is the easy one because there is not much I would have to do because they are intrinsically motivated to get it done. The second type are extrinsically motivated and therefore the results are not generally as good as the first group. I would ask the following (not being to pushy or overwhelming): "Hey what can I do to help?" "I found this great source for creating a _____ lesson, want me to help you work on it before school one day next week" or "I know this seems a little overwhelming right now but the end results will be totally worth it" The last group is the toughest. They want nothing to do with this new method of learning (not teaching) because it will take too much time, or their kids can't handle it or they don't care or that's not really project-based learning because that's not how they do it at my friends school. This is a delicate situation and I would complete a PBL unit and through out the unit talk to the colleague about it. Then at the end of the unit give them the completed unit for them to try.
Ensuring that PBL is the main course and not just dessert will take having a final culminating project. The unit will consists of many smaller components and smaller project based learning activities that all lead to the final product. The final product is something that is an artifact or a real world experience that the kids will never forget.
I think that you have pretty well nailed the kind of response that you can expect to get. I hope for you that you get a lot of the "...excited and cannot wait to implement... ." I can tell you from first-hand experience that it makes life hard when no one around you is in that group. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI think that you have pretty well nailed the kind of response that you can expect to get. I hope for you that you get a lot of the "...excited and cannot wait to implement... ." I can tell you from first-hand experience that it makes life hard when no one around you is in that group. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI feel PBL is not a "this is the only path/way," but "these are the paths/ways," kind of learning. Therefore, when presenting this to colleagues, I think, we should never make PBL and/or this one "path" mandatory. That is where resistance comes in to play. I also do not think any one way should be shot down since there are many different ways to go about PBL. I guess I'm saying, PBL should be an optional professional development opportunity. Also, during this optional PD, nothing but support should be offered for whatever "way" the teachers volunteering to change there philosophies.
ReplyDeleteScott I definitely connect to your post about your experiences sharing new practices with colleagues. Resistance is real and the struggle to share excitement for new practices without resentment or fear of mandated compliance expected is also real too. Like you my preferred method of sharing new practices isn't through telling people they should do it, but in applying it myself with students and assuming the role of a learner as well, of someone who practices it. It's hard to argue with student success. The proof of a practice is always in increased student outcomes and engagement. That's when I generate the most interest from colleagues is when they can see what I'm doing, have questions, and then it becomes a possibility.
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