Out of the many factors that thread together the educational
experiences of the innovators highlighted in chapter three, the fact that there
existed an “outlier teacher” using a project-based learning style is not insignificant.
I was fortunate enough to have a high school teacher who had a lasting impact
on my learning and personal development. However, it was not until I began
these courses and started thinking about PBL that I put two and two together
and realized that my own “outlier teacher,” Mr. Sherard, used PBL as the
primary mode of learning. Mr. Sherard was the agricultural education teacher in
my small, rural, hometown high school. Even though I was not really interested
in the subject matter, his classes were some of the most engaging I’ve ever
taken. When learning tree identification, for example, we walked through the
woods, noting leaf patterns, drawing sketches, and experiencing trees
firsthand. When studying soils, he dug a hole with a backhoe and had us in the
soil pit judging the different layers. When preparing for environmental
competitions, we were placed into teams, given a real-life environmental problem
affecting South Carolina, and asked to develop proposals for a presentation
that we would deliver to a panel of stakeholders. We learned everything from
tool identification and construction to public speaking and parliamentary
procedure, all in a collaborative, project-based setting. We were usually in
class for three days and in the field for two, and I still remember much of
what I learned in those classes.
I suppose it’s only natural that I should aspire to be an
outlier teacher for students who are too often stifled by the hoops of education.
I find myself, however, a bit envious of disciplines that allow for more
hands-on, practical learning, learning that requires students to create something
that is innovative and useful for other people. As a humanities teacher, though,
I question if PBL is a natural fit for our discursive curriculum. How much of a
classroom shift can I make in light of the limited number of authentic products
for PBL units? Sure, I can ask students to make presentations and design
exhibits and create photo essays, all of which develop essential skills that
are transferrable for any job. But oftentimes with literature, the end product
is a rich discussion about character motivations or universal themes. Granted,
those discussions still foster skills that accomplish the end goal of helping
students become problem solvers, great communicators, and empathetic leaders,
but there is not a necessity for a PBL project. I am currently teaching Lord of the Flies, for example, and
while I am about as far away from PBL on the pedagogical spectrum as can be, I
feel as though I am creating some of the most effective and engaging lessons of
my teaching career. These lessons, though, center primarily on close reading
analyses, psychological concepts, and great discussions about good and evil and
the human condition. This also raises another concern for me. Let’s say that my
PBL project for Lord of the Flies
were to run a mock trial in which students either prosecute or defend the
crimes of the boys on the island. Although I would love to facilitate this
project, I wouldn’t want to be tied down to the full model throughout the
entirety of a unit. I would want there to be time for Socratic Seminars and the
ability to completely break away from the project to just read and discuss a
passage – content or ideas that probably have little to do with the end
product. I am sure that there are ways to build PBL products into literary
units, but for now, I think implementing PBL with writing units is my current level
of comfort with the model.
This brings me back to the idea of creating a classroom that
looks like the D-Lab or even my high school “FFA” classes. It may not be
possible for that kind of hands-on learning, but I still am convinced that the
humanities class is practical and teaches invaluable skills. PBL achieves the
process, but I still need to figure out how to incorporate the content.
You are very articulate in your writing. I enjoyed reading your post. Your post made me think more about "Outlier" teachers that Mr. Wagner mentioned in his book and some of us have been fortunate enough to experience. I think it is sad that we are having to label teachers who are innovators themselves as "Outliers" . I am hopeful that with more and more teachers getting trained in PBL and implementing PBL passionately with innovation in their classroom the number of conventional Teachers will be minimized.I am impressed with what you are already doing in your class as mentioned in this post, Jonathan.
ReplyDeleteYou are very articulate in your writing. I enjoyed reading your post. Your post made me think more about "Outlier" teachers that Mr. Wagner mentioned in his book and some of us have been fortunate enough to experience. I think it is sad that we are having to label teachers who are innovators themselves as "Outliers" . I am hopeful that with more and more teachers getting trained in PBL and implementing PBL passionately with innovation in their classroom the number of conventional Teachers will be minimized.I am impressed with what you are already doing in your class as mentioned in this post, Jonathan.
ReplyDeleteYou are very articulate in your writing. I enjoyed reading your post. Your post made me think more about "Outlier" teachers that Mr. Wagner mentioned in his book and some of us have been fortunate enough to experience. I think it is sad that we are having to label teachers who are innovators themselves as "Outliers" . I am hopeful that with more and more teachers getting trained in PBL and implementing PBL passionately with innovation in their classroom the number of conventional Teachers will be minimized.I am impressed with what you are already doing in your class as mentioned in this post, Jonathan.
ReplyDeleteYou are very articulate in your writing. I enjoyed reading your post. Your post made me think more about "Outlier" teachers that Mr. Wagner mentioned in his book and some of us have been fortunate enough to experience. I think it is sad that we are having to label teachers who are innovators themselves as "Outliers" . I am hopeful that with more and more teachers getting trained in PBL and implementing PBL passionately with innovation in their classroom the number of conventional Teachers will be minimized.I am impressed with what you are already doing in your class as mentioned in this post, Jonathan.
ReplyDeleteWow, Jonathan! I absolutely loved reading your own personal experience with Mr. Sherard! What an exciting opportunity to have experienced PBL as a student! I think this is the reason many of us struggle to make this transition...it's hard to connect when our own experience as a student was so very different. I, myself, can only think of a few isolated situations that I would classify in this arena. Fortunate for you, you had a true PBL experience! I can only imagine the STEM, literacy, and math integration that a unit like could include!
ReplyDeleteJonathan, I also want to continue to encourage your thinking of what a PBL is and can be for your class. While I do believe a true PBL does need to commit to the 8 essentials we've discussed, I do think what you have said is also applicable and very practical for your area of focus. The things you have mentioned, including Socratic Seminars, are part a inquiry driven classroom. I don't necessarily think you must fully immerse your class within PBL for the full duration of each and every class (Honestly, I wouldn't even encourage this!). As with everything, there must be balance...a balance in teacher led, whole group discussion, collaborative groups, independent work, etc. PBL would be a strong theme of your instruction but doesn't have to be "on" all the time!
Keep "swimming" within some of your ideas. You are really close to conceptualizing a really doable unit. Lets keep talking!