Many schools are making major changes in structures and professional development (PD) to make sure teachers are implementing effective project-based learning (PBL) schoolwide. I've been honored personally to be part of that journey with many schools. I have seen many different kinds of PBL schools, and with it, many kinds of PBL projects. This work has also reaffirmed the belief that the principal is one of the cornerstones to effective PBL implementation. We know this! This is not new news, but since PBL is a change in the paradigm of curriculum and instruction, it also means that implementation has unique strategies and challenges as well. Here are some straightforward ways I have seen principals at PBL schools lead toward excellent PBL implementation.
Create the Buy In
It's easy to jump right in and start PBL trainings and PD, but this alone will not create the momentum. Some of the best schools I have worked with spend a lot of time creating the buy-in before even starting training or PD. I’ve seen principals organize school visits to great PBL schools as well as debrief the process. I've also seen principals allow teachers to read short articles of blogs at staff meetings and create inquiry questions so that staff can explore and learn what they want about PBL. This requires a "hands-off" to truly honor teacher questions, concerns, as well as the excitement. If considerable time is given to this buy-in process, a principal can lead as a guide to bring teachers to a PBL implementation that will work for them and their
The Whole Child Requires Whole Tech
So you're actively working to implement the tenets of the Whole Child Initiative? Excellent! How about yourwhole tech initiative? What's your vision for technology in education? Not what you have in your inventory or what you're comfortable using, but your action plan for technology empowering the whole child. Why? Because in today's world, technology is not an add-on or a nice-to-have; it's an essential array of tools that support and energize every Whole Child tenet.
Through the ubiquitous use of technology, students can experience and internalize:
- Healthy values, habits, and attitudes essential to working successfully online.
- Safe practices for connecting, communicating, and collaborating with others virtually.
- Engaging, meaningful learning embedded in their local and global communities.
- Supportive, personalized learning that accommodates their unique needs and interests.
- Challenging, higher-level learning that prepares them to realize their full potential as global citizens.
Technology in whole child schools is more than simply putting in place web portals and student information