What
I Used to Think About PBL and What I Know Now
PBL is an exciting curricular distribution method that
is effective when well planned. While I do not feel it is applicable in every
classroom all of the time, I learned that it can be applicable to most classrooms
part of the time. Below I listed a few of the anecdotes I discovered about my
thinking throughout this process.
|
I used to think…
|
Now I think / know…
|
|
PBL was difficult to
begin.
|
I can do it
confidently, with a little Googling.
|
|
PBL was time consuming.
|
PBL is time
consuming.
|
|
PBL was a major
undertaking.
|
PBL is a major
undertaking, but it is doable.
|
|
Students should try
to work at the same pace.
|
Students learn at
their own rate and need to be able to do so.
|
|
Projects should have
similar looking results.
|
Projects should be
much more than that.
|
|
PBL was a little
overwhelming.
|
PBL is very
overwhelming.
|
|
PBL was only about doing
projects.
|
PBL can be made into
the complete curriculum.
|
|
PBL was students
working independently researching a project.
|
PBL needs to be
collaborative.
|
|
I wanted to teach through
projects all of the time.
|
Middle school
mathematics is extremely difficult to be project-based all of the time.
|
Hi Robert,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your honest and sincere reflection on project based learning this semester. You are right...pbl is time consuming and can be overwhelming to plan especially at the beginning. That is definitely the reality of the time investment. You are also right that pbl provides students with the opportunity to learn independently and collaboratively. Lastly, while pbl is more difficult with math I am thankful that you have been able to confidently create two units (one for fall and one for spring) for your students that have supported their learning in math and also challenged their application of 21st century learning skills. I am thankful for your thoughtful application of pbl and your continual openness to innovative teaching practices. I am looking forward to seeing the restaurant pbl in action in the spring.
Sincerely,
Dawn
I completely agree with everything you mentioned. PBL is very overwhelming and it takes a lot of planning, but is very much doable. I teach 6th grade math and I find it hard to include project based learning and relevancy with some of the topics that I teach. I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with for your spring unit.
ReplyDelete