Intentional, Purposeful, Highly-Structured, and Messy

Steve uses this resource to help
teachers define PBL.

Last week, Steve Loser ended his blog with this question: If PBL is NOT a Project, what is it?  This week, he begins the conversation of answering that question, and he provides several opportunities for longer discussions this summer.

From Steve Loser: What is PBL?

The answer to this question is sometimes difficult to nail down. With the buzz-word power and consequential funding of the concept in recent years, numerous scholars, academics, consultants, and professional development companies have worked to define and brand their own unique definition. In order to redefine the term, I often work with teachers to construct their own working definition from all these sources.

My Definition:  “Project-Based Learning is student-centered or student-driven inquiry.”

Want more depth
about PBL?
Click this link to
Buck Institute.

PBL is strategically taking the naturally inquisitive "wondering" of human nature and targeting that energy and engagement on authentic, rigorous learning outcomes rooted in a standards-based curriculum. This is done with specific PBL components, strategies, and tools that are too extensive for this blog post, but there are some good places to start, such as the Buck Institute for Education.  (Click the link under the logo for more information.)

Done With, not To Students

Teachers often plan in a linear way, but I often try to shift teachers from thinking about a set path to learning.

In PBL, teachers take on a facilitator role to leverage the engagement of student voice and choice to give students an opportunity to apply and use knowledge and skills authentically. It is intentional, purposeful, and highly structured instruction that can appear chaotic and messy because authentic inquiry is never, nor will it ever be, a linear process with a pre-determined path.

This was in last week's blog, but it's worth looking at again!

I use a "fence" analogy to understand the protections and restrictions you wrap around student explorations. This form of instruction is not only the most engaging for students, but also creates the most highly effective instruction.

PBL teachers create the classroom conditions to be responsive to each and every student while bringing students into the instructional conversation so school is done with them and not to them. The struggle for teachers is often just that first step of shifting the concept of "project" and acknowledging they were never taught this way and likely never taught to teach this way.

The First Attempt

What happens when you shift the concept
of "project"?  Often something incredible!

Your first PBL unit and implementation will be a mess, but you find this amazing engagement power and a classroom culture that will give you chills.

This feeling was captured in a voice mail I got from a first-time PBL teacher, who said: 

"Today was the most incredible day I have ever had in the classroom, but I have no idea what I should do tomorrow! Call me back!" 

This teacher is right.  The final key to successful implementation of PBL, or any shift in your professional practice, is to get the support of experienced practitioners innovating with their students in their classrooms. 

If you are interested in learning from other teachers, we have two great opportunities for you to explore ways to use PBL in your classroom.  You can register for these events by clicking the links below:

• LaunchingInquiry: Join me on June 7 and 8 at Fishers High School to learn more about PBL and many other topics.
• Authentic Unconference: Join me on June 26-28 in Indianapolis to "Uncover Your Standards through PBL."  HSE teachers can attend for half price.  You can design a PBL unit and connect with the Indiana PLB Network.

Respond to Steve at sloser@hse.k12.in.us

Let Steve know if you have questions about PBL or about his plans at Launching Inquiry and the Authentic Unconference.  If you get a chance, take him up on his offer to learn how to design and implement those intentional, purposeful, highly-structured, and messy PBL units.

Have a great Spring Break, HSE! 

Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team

• Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
• Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
• Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
• Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
• Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education

PBL: Changing Your Concept

What images come to mind when you think about Project-Based Learning (PBL)?  Many of us either draw a complete blank, or we think back to an experience we had that wasn't necessarily positive.

Do you recall project work that ended
like this?

This week, Steve Loser, assistant principal at Fishers High School writes about PBL and addresses why attempts at Project-Based Learning have led to some negative experiences for students and teachers.  The follow-up entry will give resources for making PBL an outstanding learning experience for both the students and teachers.



From Steve: The Essential Nature and Dangers of Project Work

The Essential

The need to shift classroom instruction to be more project-based is not just some educational fad. The ubiquity of information due to technology and the need for students to practice, develop, and master "21st Century" or "soft skills” like critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, and empathy require us as educators to craft marketable experiences where students apply and use knowledge and skills not just for their own purposes, but to solve actual problems and challenges in their communities.

Connections to PBL are everywhere
in the HSE21 Best-Practice Model.

This results in high levels of student learning, development of transferable employability skills, and connections with the community that not only develops talent in a local workforce but retains it.

The Dangers 

The problem with Project-Based Learning (PBL) is really the word "Project.” Some teachers, students, and parents often bring a great deal of traumatic baggage to project work in the classroom from their own experiences. Ask any individual what they think about "projects" in the context of education, they will likely recount being put into groups and taking days or weeks to create something with their peers.

Ever get this look when you ask a student, "So
what did you learn?"

Depending on their engagement with the project, they will then either describe doing all the work for the group or simply, "it was pretty easy,” most likely because someone else did all the work. Too often, due to our competitive culture, we collaborate poorly. Tie a grade to that collaboration and you get some of the most dysfunctional classroom conditions ever, often with high engagement, but very little learning and students with a wide variety of knowledge and skills at the end.

In fact, the most dangerous but telling follow up question you can ask in these experiences is "What did you learn?" All you get is an IDK or a blank stare. 

Ouch! We can't afford to give and investment of weeks of instructional time for a fun, feel-good, "fluffy" experience with little to no learning.

Rigor Over Relevance

This is not written to be critical of teachers or projects. The first step of moving toward PBL is likely acknowledging your own project baggage, shifting your entire concept of the word project, and committing to pushing your professional practice beyond the project through reflective implementation.

As educators we always plan instruction with the best of intentions. However, we must be cautious to plan for rigor over relevance. Relevance will engage students. Rigorous skill targets that leverage that engagement will ensure high-level learning. 

If PBL is NOT a Project, what is it?  

We know--and maybe experienced--what PBL isn't.  Above is a foreshadow of what is to come in Part 2. I hope to follow up with great ways to implement Project-Based Learning well and to share opportunities for you to learn more about this instructional practice that is essential to helping our students learn the knowledge and skills needed in today's world.

Respond to Steve at sloser@hse.k12.in.us

Have a great week HSE.  It will be a short one, and we hope it is filled with learning, for you and for your students.

Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team

• Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
• Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
• Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
• Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
• Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education

Trauma-Informed Schools

From Simon Senek: The Golden Circle.
What is our "Why"?

Last week I attended a conference on alternative education, which provided lots of good information and a really good reminder.  While most of our students in HSE Schools do very, very well, it is good to remember that we also have students who could benefit from a whole different kind of school experience.  

These are the alternative education students, and each one has a unique reason for why the traditional setting is not working.  

At the heart of what we do in HSE Schools and why we exist is learning for all students, even the ones that struggle with school.  These students who need a different approach are also "our" students.

Let’s be clear. The work of alternative educators is not to “fix” the student.  Rather, it is to provide the best possible opportunities for the student to learn and be successful.  In order for this to happen, trauma-informed educators can use very specific approaches to dealing with struggling students, but the first and most important step is to learn to know their students and build strong, positive relationships. 

This is an illustration of the categories of
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

Of course, this applies to any educator in any setting, doesn’t it? 

Adverse Childhood Experiences

One of the main strands of the conference on alternative education was on the topic of Trauma-Informed Schools.  This work is based on a study completed by the Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called “Adverse Childhood Experiences.”  The results of the study may not be surprising: The more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) a child has, the higher the risk for health and educational issues.

What is surprising, even for educators who see all kinds of students daily, is how many of our students experience multiple ACEs.

Yes.  These are national averages, but HSE
is not immune.

In order to get a feel for what Adverse Childhood Experiences are, take two minutes to complete two tasks.  Click the link below and then click again on the blue box labeled "What's Your ACE Score?" 

Take the test twice.  It will help you get a feel for what might be happening with some of our students.

1. Take it for yourself, and see what your ACE score is.
2. Make some guesses and take it for someone you know who struggles in school.

The Link: What's Your ACE Score?

Take the test twice, and read the
article if you have time!

Whether your ACE score is high or low, it’s good to recognize that being healthy and successful is not dictated by the score.  You may or may not have hurdles to overcome.  As educators, however, we should be informed how ACEs are affecting our students.

The rest of the NPR article in the link above is worth reading as well.

For us in education, the first step is to recognize that we have students in our classes for whom ACEs are very real experiences.  The next step is to consider how this impacts their performance in school and what we can do to ensure that our schools are places where we can meet their needs and help them learn.  That might take more work and study, but even awareness can help.

Try It This Week

As we close in on Spring Break, you are likely to see some behaviors that make you think about the ACE study.  If you do make this connection, before you react, pause briefly to remember that what you say and do next will escalate or deescalate the behaviors. It's a simple step, but it may make all the difference for one student.

Let me know if you are interested in more information about trauma-informed schools.  I would love to talk with you about how it can improve interactions with all of our students.

Have a great week, HSE! 

Respond to Phil at plederach@hse.k12.in.us

Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team

• Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
• Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
• Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
• Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
• Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education

Extending the Classroom

This week’s entry comes from Brandon Cloud, a guidance counselor at Fishers High School.  Outside of school, he is also an EMT/Fire Fighter in Tipton County.  In this role, he developed a relationship with the Tipton County Corner, which grew into an opportunity for his students at FHS.  Warning: If you are squeamish, you may want to avoid this entry!

Real life experience can help
students make future choices.

From Brandon: Building Experiences Beyond the Classroom

One of the goals we have at Fishers High School is to expand the classroom beyond the walls of the school.  In fact, we use this saying as a mission statement for our internship program.  We do this in lots of ways, but one of the most intense and memorable experiences for our students is a visit to the Medical Academic Center Cadaver Lab.

A student tries the arthroscope.

Some background may be helpful. Often, when students think about medical careers, they think about being a nurse or doctor.  You may not be aware of this, but we have many courses that prepare students going on to become a nurse or doctor, but also can prepare them for a wide variety of careers in the medical field. There are many other options, and the sooner students are exposed to these options, the better choices they can make about high school and college classes.

Education outside the walls
of the classroom....

For example, our students can take a Ball State University course in Anatomy and Physiology, they can become Certified Nursing Assistants through a course taught in our high schools, they can take Project Lead the Way Biomedical courses, or students can participate in a medical internship.  We are also adding opportunities for students to train to become an EMT or a Pharmacy Technician.

Few high school students in
the world have an opportunity
like this one.

This is our second year of visiting the Medical Academic Center.  FHS teachers Elizabeth Good and Stacey Young joined FHS guidance counselors to take about 160 students from our medical courses and internships on this experience outside of the classroom.  At the Medical Academic Center, the dissection lab was divided into four stations: Heart/Lung organ dissection, full lower extremity (with hip) dissection, knee arthroscope video manipulation of a leg, and full torso dissection. 

Each student was able to physically participate at each station.  As you might guess, most medical students do not have a human cadaver experience until they are in graduate school, but our high school students had a chance to experience what could be in store for them if they go into the field of medicine.  Students came away from the experience knowing much more than theory, and they are in much better position to make decisions about future career options.

In education, we often talk about real-world experiences.  It doesn’t get much more real than this!

Brandon with his students
at the lab.

Respond to Brandon at bcloud@hse.k12.in.us

We hope your week is a good one, and that you find ways to expand the walls of your classroom.  Keep it real, HSE!

On a related note, take a few minutes to watch how a few words at the right time can change the life of our student forever.  You never know what will come of providing opportunities for your students and encouraging them to pursue their goals.

Click Here: A Teacher Appreciation Story

Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team

• Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
• Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
• Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
• Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
• Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education

Revolution

Chris Edwards is a social studies teacher at Fishers High School.  He also works closely with universities, state legislators, and educational organizations to provide teacher training opportunities.

As a student of history, Chris is convinced that education is at a turning point.  He makes the argument below that we are in a time of revolution, and now, more than ever, is the time for educators to shape the vision of the future.

From Chris: There is Only One Word for It

Sometimes revolutions don’t look all that revolutionary. Revolutions sometimes come about not because of any massive uprising against a system but instead because of a gradual removal of key restrictions, the evolution of new technology, the slow development of a research-based consensus, and the vision of a small number of early practitioners who are willing to begin work in new fields of knowledge. Hindsight only makes it possible to see that a series of connected factors actually made a change so radical that the word “revolution” applies.

Revolutions are not always a massive uprising, bur rather arise
from a series of connected factors.

This was the case with the Scientific Revolution of the 17^th century and it is likely the case in education right now. In the Scientific Revolution, a few “natural philosophers” began to trust the results of their experiments over the authority of the ancients, they published in an environment of relatively free speech with the relatively new printing press, shared ideas, and created a new vision for what could be accomplished using their new methods.

A revolution in education: Teachers can create a vision and
realize it to the benefit of students and other teachers.

This same process is now occurring in education. Research has indicated, time and again, that the individual proficiency of teachers is the key for improving student learning. Teachers are beginning to trust they can build curricula that is superior to what has been created by the people at the textbook-and-workbook companies. Hamilton Southeastern School District is building in time for teachers to collaborate and develop classroom-ready curricula. Universities are changing the way that incoming teachers are prepared. Legislatures are removing requirements for textbook adoption processes and the DOE is creating an open-source network (you will be hearing more about this) so that teachers can create a body of work that we can add to and benefit from. Teachers can create a vision and realize it to the benefit of students and we can help each other in the process.

Join the Revolution!
Email Chris for details and to register.
There is no cost for HSE teachers to participate.

Connect all of these factors and we see a change in the image of a teacher. For too long, teachers have been seen as passive instruments who implement visions created by people outside of the classroom. The new image of the teacher is of someone who defines and shapes a vision individually and a field collectively from the classroom outward.

That’s a change so radical that there’s only one word for it. 

Respond to Chris at cedwards@hse.k12.in.us

As Chris states so eloquently, we are in a time of change. As you enter this week, take time to consider the opportunities you have to shape the future of education.  How will you join the revolution?  We think you will find that these opportunities and options are both a little frightening and incredibly exciting.

Have a great week, HSE.  Continue your work of changing the world!

Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team

• Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
• Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
• Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
• Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
• Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education