Why does PBL implementation go smoother in some schools rather than others? It starts at the top! Wether it be District or Site leadership, those in the position to make critical decisions about Professional Development (PD), teacher planning time, and staff collaboration opportunities play an important role in determining the success of PBL at a school. Because our household is in the thick of football season, I can’t help but think about a year of PBL growth and development from the lens of a coach on a football field…

 

Stage 1: The Pre Game

Setting the stage for success is critical- for both a football game and project-based learning. What happens before the game/ first project is just as important as what happens during and after. Instructional leaders who ask their teachers to “do PBL” should be sure to do the following:

1) Communicate their expectations for all members of the community- parents, students, teachers and leaders.

2) Model the PBL Model as much as possible by reflecting, engaging the staff in PBL practices, and using the language and modeling the expected actions of PBL as much as possible

3) Lead the staff through calibration exercises to be sure all the teachers are on the same page with their understanding, language and expectations of PBL

4) Start by encouraging small shifts rather than total overhaul overnight…after all, you don’t build a championship team in one day!

 

Stage 2: Half-time 

Once projects are launched it’s important to build in a break, or half-time if you will, to reflect and refine project work- both student outcomes and teaching practices. Leaders can support this by doing the following:

1) Continuing to model the model- This is also a great way to expose teachers to new PBL practices!

2) Keep the work collaborative- Continue to ask teachers to work together during planning time or simply to provide feedback, or engage in discussion through protocols. *Pro PBL tip: Mixing up grade levels and content areas can be great for a fresh perspective.

3) Maintain your role as an active instructional coach- visit classrooms, ask for feedback from stakeholders: parents, students, industry experts, teachers. Use concrete tools to provide feedback- my favorite strategy is to co-develop teacher feedback tools.

4) Give PBL Pep Talks- Don’t forget to highlight those bright spots!

Stage 3: Post-game 

At the conclusion of your school year, semester or PD learning cycle be sure to build in time for teachers to reflect and refine. This is a critical step in developing PBL teachers, and one that needs to be repeated over the course of the year. This is also a wonderful opportunity to model the model AGAIN- teachers can use feedback tools that can also be used by students in the classroom. Another favorite tool is a Looking at Student Work protocol to help teachers give and receive feedback on student work.

 

Championship teams aren’t built overnight- it takes tending to the individuals and the collective of the players on the field. Similarly, instructional leaders play a critical role in coaching teachers toward PBL success. To learn more check out CraftED’s workshop for school leaders: Leading PBL.