In my quest to learn more about Project Based Learning, I research 20% Time, and read up on Kevin Brookhouser's work with his 20Time Project. The slide deck below outlines some of my key takeaways.
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...And Justice for AllReflectionThrough the process of learning more about PBL and trying my hand at creating a PBL unit, I have been inspired to make some fundamental changes to the way I run my classroom. Primarily, I'm driven to cultivate creativity in my classroom - I see that as one of the most compelling reasons to engage in PBL (since writing these units are so difficult, I need a really good reason to keep doing it!).
I used to subscribe to the idea that creativity is not something that can be taught. Some people are just born creative, right? I now consider that to be incredibly wrong-headed. Furthermore, I see teaching creativity to be one of the most important things I can do for my students. I've read up a little more on the topic and learned about the investment theory of creativity and legislative thinking from Robert J. Sternberg and Todd I. Lubart's 1991 article "Creating Creative Minds." The basic concept is that we can teach creativity through giving students opportunities to ask new questions to answer, and find new problems to solve. If we retread the same ground as others before us, there's little creativity in the paths we'd follow to reach the end. So, buy low - sell high, creatively speaking. Next year, I aim to fold these new-to-me ideas into my curriculum in a couple of ways. First, I plan to write at least two PBL units and incorporate a year-long 20Time Project into my curriculum. I also plan to use EduBlogs as a weekly reflection tool for my students in an effort to both personalize their learning, and to give them an authentic, global audience for their writing. Finally, I intend to teach and promote (through some student-made posters, perhaps) the 4 mindsets that develop student agency: growth, efficacy, belonging, and relevance: "I can change my intelligence and abilities through effort," "I can succeed," "I belong in this learning community," and "This work has value and purpose for me." In terms of PBL, this work has value and purpose for me. |
An Online PortfolioThis blog details my adventures through the Future Ready Teacher Leadership certification process offered by the EdTechTeam. ArchivesCategories
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