It is so interesting to think about how knowing our students can impact the WHAT and the HOW of our teaching, even when we think we've got everything planned out perfectly. I'm in a unique situation, as I see all grade levels and all abilities on a daily basis, and it is fascinating to see how those "perfect" plans change, improve, and develop into such different situations from one class to another. What makes PBL so much fun from the teacher's perspective is watching what the WHO of our classrooms can do to make our original ideas that much better. The diversity of our students undoubtedly brings challenges, but it is also such an exciting thing to observe. When we've started to create a classroom community that celebrates our students' questions and ideas, they have the confidence to question and challenge us even further, to create the best, most meaningful experiences for themselves. For example, our reading coach and I have been working with our 5th grade teachers on a mini geometry unit about tiny houses. We prepared resources, including interactive videos, graphing websites, infographics, and a floor plan-designing website. We divided the class into 5 groups (mainly because that's how many free floor plans the website would allow us), and challenged them to design their own tiny house, specify the dimensions, build a scaled model of their house, and create a House Hunters-style video to convince us of the economical and environmental benefits of "going tiny," along with the design elements that made their particular house the one to buy. It's been fun--and I spent a good hour of today on the floor in my room, hot-gluing tiny cardboard rectangles together in order to help each group construct their tiny models.
We started a second group on the same project yesterday: same challenge, same resources, same basic approach. However, this group was really fascinated by the idea that we measured out the area of an entire tiny home within their classroom--and, instead of wanting to divide up and out-design each other with multiple model homes, one student simply asked: "Can we build a real one?" Well...I have a seemingly endless supply of cardboard in my room, and we have the courtyard right outside your window...so, why not?! With this end goal in mind, our approach has completely changed with this second group. So now, we have two completely engaging and fun projects going on, which I honestly look forward to each day--and the two very different directions that they have taken can be attributed simply to the WHO we have encountered in each classroom. The statement from Table 2.1 of Chapter 2 has been SO evident to me this week: "Human brains are as unique as faces." This is such a fascinating truth, even when it causes what can seem like a "mess" of our plans. As we begin work on my community photojournalism PBL unit for this class, the reading coach, the 2nd grade teacher, and I are already seeing the influence of our WHO; students are already asking questions and expressing interest in visiting locations that we had not even considered. Their unique ideas, experiences (or lack thereof), and curiosity will undoubtedly shift our unit plans in some way. But if we approach it with flexibility, and support them as they try to make sense of their community and tell stories in their own way, I am confident that it will end up even better than I could have anticipated.
As for the physical classroom environment discussed in Chapter 3, I was happy to see the phrase "busy-messy" used. That's a gentle way to describe the constant situation in my room. As a classroom teacher, I thought for many years that staying neat and tidy and meticulously organized were signs of being a competent teacher. I WANT to be neat and organized all the time. But in a creative classroom environment--at least in the one I inhabit--it's just not possible. There is always a work in progress, and there should be. "Busy-messy" invites students to take some risks and explore their curiosity, and I want to provide that type of space for all students who come into my room. My PBL wish list seems to be endless (one possible explanation for the constant clutter), but I have started re-vamping my room to work with what I have NOW, and I've found that some small changes have made a big difference. I love the idea of flexible seating, and I've made that a priority as I re-made our old computer lab into a STEM lab with a more relaxed atmosphere and makerspace. Simple things like lowering desks and providing comfy materials (so far, a rug and a toddler play mat that can be separated for any seating arrangement we want) have completely changed my room. I always have a few dream items, like the LEGO wall I'm currently begging for on Donors Choose, but I've got a more-than-decent collection of electronics, a multitude of craft supplies, various building sets, and plenty of recyclable materials that students are free to use however they see fit. It's an inviting space for any grade level, and I'm fortunate enough to have the supplies I have needed for any project-based learning I've facilitated so far. Our kids have done some outstanding things with LEGOs, laptops, and a mountain of cardboard! The great thing about PBL is that we don't necessarily need a fancy wish-list (although the fancy things are so fun!) to create great experiences for our students. With curiosity and ingenuity--ours AND our students'--they will find ways to learn and share that learning with pride.
Hi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI am always in awe of how well you capture your thoughts. Your first paragraph is wonderfully written. In fact, this statement right here is one that I've written down in my own pbl notes to come back to because it captures how I feel about one of the best benefits of effective pbl is the transaction between what we are teaching and who we are teaching. "When we've started to create a classroom community that celebrates our students' questions and ideas, they have the confidence to question and challenge us even further, to create the best, most meaningful experiences for themselves." I absolutely loved hearing about the tiny house pbl you and Heather are supporting the 5th grade FES team of teachers with and I smiled picturing you on the floor gluing together different models for students to use. Yes, that is time consuming work but you are exactly right in knowing that it is the best kind of work because it doesn't lead to telling students what to think but rather leads to giving them an opportunity to think for themselves. YES!
You discussed how working with the second grade team with the photojournalism unit you have already seen the benefit of approaching the implementation of the pbl unit with flexibility so there is room for the beautiful brains of this unique group of students to subtly or dramatically shift the shape of the unit to best meet their academic strengths and needs and to provide opportunities for growth.
You explained how you embraced the "busy-messy" description for effective pbl rooms. That one freed you and me both up from the unrealistic goal of a perfectly organized classroom. To me learning is most evident when you see what and how students are working. That is never neat and tidy but at best can be organized in a way that reflects each group and shows the progress. I am glad that this chapter also gave you some possibilities for further expanding your pbl classroom environment to help make tangible differences in your student learning.
Thank you!
Dawn