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March 6 - Getting Busy with Project-Based Learning

(Notes below this agenda)

 

AGENDA

1.    Meet facilitator and staff alum Jane Krauss

2.    Warm up activity – birthday pals

3.    Discuss opportunity,  assumptions,  phases of our work together – seek agreement

• Opportunity: Build community, begin to establish identity, possibly set direction and build capacities toward pbl
• Assumptions:
  • Projects are the right vehicle for taking advantage of and extend these opportunities
  • Projects will be:  Voluntary,  Fun,  Right-sized,  Cross-grade (cross-staff, cross-parent...), Shared & Celebrated, Give parents a participatory role
• Phases of work:

a.    Explore our connections, set direction (today),

b.    Develop PBL project ideas, find partners (March 30)

c.    Supported design, preparation of projects  (ongoing)

d.    Supported launch (ongoing) 

e.    Sharing – to community, however you view that (date?)

4.    Establish operational definition of PBL – 3Rs

5.    Guiding principles of PBL (link to graphic)

6.    Spin out project ideas

7.    Reveal our wealth through Asset Mapping

8.    Next steps:  talk, add to maps, come up with more project ideas, reflect, get ready for meeting two: (March 30)

 

SLIDES

 

NOTES

March 6, 2009

Campalot with Jane Krauss; dual-staff meeting

(Harris-Eastside)

In attendance: Wally Bryant, Mike Garling, Eric Freeman, Larry Hopkins, Bethani Mayberry, Chris Evans, Heidi Hakes, Cindy Carr, Lucian Syman-Degler, Lee Zuber, Antonio Salgado, Linda Reuteler, Nicole Shofner, Challae BarLev, Sue Wilson, Kim Sullivan, Celia Heilbronner, David Adee, Brynne Eidlin, Jane McCleery, Terri Farina, Susan Gusinow, Mary Christensen, Kathy MacPherson, Scott  Bradfeldt., Didi Moore, Donna DuBois.

1.     Jane’s background with Harris/Eastside was shared. (A fabulous and fanciful tail feather was given to Susan in response to her son’s part in one of Jane’s plays years ago! J)

2.     Agreed upon assumptions: Projects are voluntary, get involved to the level you can; projects are fun; right-sized (not “biting off too much . . .”); cross-grade, cross-staff, cross-parent; shared; and CELEBRATED.  PARENT INVOLVEMENT. Other ideas developed: Creating a mission statement, identity and school climate “committees.”

3.     Birthday Pals: Two cards. Up in right-hand corner, Name/ Month-Date (of me and of significant other) Binary sort- top or bottom. Jan-June/July-Dec.. We brainstormed, at our table, what is the probability that two people will share a birthday date? We tried to do the math and also used precedent memory. Question number 2: How could this be used in a school? Buddies, cross-grade blending, “communities” of birthdays. (If you have 27 names, the chance is two kids will share a birthday. ) ***Jane’s idea: 12, 12-minute birthday parties, cross grades. She, Wally and Mike came up with a language “birthday twins,,” “birthday neighbors,” etc.

4.     Jane discussed the value of projects and how they build on “sense of self as a learner,” and multiple intelligences.

5.     The 3 Rs of Project Based Learning: Everyone came up with their own “3 Rs” Examples -- Rigor, Renaissance, Reflective, Relevance, Reason, Relationship, Rounded, Resourceful, Responsive, Research, Risk, Rhythm, Routines, Righteous, Rewarding, Realistic.

6.     Effective Projects: Probe matters of importance, mirror authentic work of professional disciplines; are designed for “optimal ambiguity” allowing students multiple points of entry, directions for learning, and outcomes; develop knowledge, skills and dispositions; may go beyond understanding and studying to some kind of action or resolve; are right-sized; and spin off in anticipated ways. Organization of a project is very important: Preteaching, preparing FOR the project, getting it “framed” correctly.

7.     The difference between project based learning and thematic teaching is: Apples on everything (thematic teaching) compared to (PBL) supply and demand of apples; apple recipes, music. (Ask: Is it worth your time? Is it worth the students’ time?) Will change the students’ view of the world. Will extend “beyond the moment.” (Next time we will do an activity: A project “sketch,” a way to get critical feedback before the project goes “full scale.”)

8.     Project lengths: Two weeks? (We’ll discuss at a later meeting.)

9.     Knowledge: Look at Bloom’s Taxonomy. Verbiage has changed to “verbs.” Evaluating, etc. Andrew Churches has added other ideas that integrate technology. (Posting, moderating, reflecting.) A graphic Web-based link to the visual is at http://campelot.pbwiki.com/March-6%2C-2009.

10. New Skill Set: Creativity and innovation; communication and collaboration; research and information fluency; critical thinking, problem solving and decision making; digital citizenship; technology operations and concepts (as developed through ISTE NET’S.

11. Learning dispositions: One of the most important aspects to look at, including, but not restricted to: traits, attitudes, habits and feelings, such as confidence, curiosity, resourcefulness, cooperation, motivation, persistence, courage, pride and togetherness. They are acquired through experiences, fostered in projects; more greatly advanced when discussed directly; and projects helps students begin to recognize how they learn and reflect on their processes. Letting kids self-assess and determine their own learning styles is important.

12. Jane shared a graphic: What we’re going through is CHANGE. A change for staff, program, families, practices, values, beliefs, space, schedule, resources, time. What projects could we do that would “bring these ideas” down to the classroom level.

13. Sample projects could be:

·      The first day of school (with music, cross-grade involvement)

·      My learning style

·      Naming the school

·      Closure and Celebration; Who was here before? Where are we going?

·      School identity: Mascots, etc.

·      Expectations: School Climate

·      Campus beautification: murals, garden, art

·      Welcoming and access for all parents

·      Communication: Newsletters, Web page

14. Jane handed out an Asset Map from Rhode Island Middle School. It had  several elements.  Each table was to pick out an “idea” and build an asset map about it. One group, for example, chose “Climate,” for school and community. We started “lumping” our assets: Resources, Ourselves, Students, Others.

15. Next steps for March 30^th; talk, add to maps, come up with more project ideas,reflect, get ready for Meeting 2.