“Most learning is not the result of instruction. It is rather the result of unhampered participation in a meaningful setting.”

- Ivan Illich

“PBL Associates helps teachers provide meaningful settings where both structured (ie: monitored and accountable) and unstructured (ie: self-monitored and self-accountable) participation occurs.”

- PBL Associates

Why PBL - Teacher Comments

I have been to seminars before that presented PBL, you presented them in more substantive real way.

I like the focus on rigor—if you have rubrics that are standardized and school-wide in your school—that helps to encourage rigor (and avoid Rubric Fatigue!)

There were good ideas on processes and structures like pulling kids out of groups to do mini-classes. It was great that you showed that direct instruction still has a place.

I am glad we were not talked at all day.

A rubric on the wall is better than a rubric on the board. I liked the leadership and work ethic focus.

Yesterday, at 10 am, I was  your biggest skeptic. I was telling anyone around me who would listen all of the reasons why this would never work. Now I am your biggest convert. I currently teach “Intro to Computers” with individual projects at the college level. What turned me around is realizing that all of my individual projects could be paired or done in larger group projects, and the students would feel more support from each other, and my teaching would not be 1-on-1 all of the time. It would be 1-on-4, with 4 students at the same place, ready to have an in-depth substantive discussion about a topic, and if one student gets it and the others are still confused, I can leave them with her and go on to the next group of 4. Also, I can push my abstract content that I used to pre-load up front to the middle and end of the year, and not have all of my projects due at the end of the year like every other teacher.

My regret is that I don’t have a classroom to go back to so that I can try this tomorrow. I found a lot of value in collaboration, thinking outside the box, approaching everything from a different angle.

I appreciated this. You modeled flexibility and self reflection to make things better. I learned to feel comfortable that it is not going to be perfect every time.

I loved learning how to differentiate a kid’s grade. Before that, for me, putting 2-3-4 kids together has been hard to be equitable and fair. I love the “slacker hardball” tools.

Geez, I have a lot to do when I get back. I feel I have more of a basis to stretch my projects to a more academic level.

I will remember that kids don’t know what they need to know. I like the idea that you keep the need to know list up for the whole 2 weeks and keep adding to it.

I appreciated the opportunity to learn to craft a project correctly. That will lend itself to the relevance that we need on the Cherokee reservation. I liked hearing about 500 standards broken down to the 5 power standards. I always thought I had to teach every standard. It is liberating to think that there are power standards.

I applied for a new tech school job because I thought it would look good on my resume for my next non-teaching job. I was applying to law school, but, I don’t want another job any more. I thought I was going to be another “5-years-and-out” teacher. I always wanted to teach this way and I did not know this was out here. So hopefully this will be what I will be doing the next 20 years of my life.