PBL: A Unique Educational Experience

The art of TEACHing is the art of ASSISTing DISCOVERY” – Mark Van Doren

I want you to imagine yourself sitting at your desk in your grade-nine Math class. The teacher is standing at the front of the room writing numbers on the chalkboard while you and your classmates passively copy the information onto your page. Tonight you will go home and memorize this material for your upcoming quiz. Does this scenario sound familiar? For most people, the answer is yes. This is because this scenario reflects the traditional model of education. Through my experience in the Education Program, I have been taught there is a "call for change." So what does this change look like? Project Based Learning otherwise known as PBL might be one solution. PBL is “learning that begins with the students’ own interests and questions. Learning activities are long term, interdisciplinary and student-centered and are integrated with real-world issues and practices. Students are involved in making decisions about how they will find answers and solve problems” (Alberta Ministry of Education, 2004).

Principles of PBL (Source)

As opposed to telling students what they have to learn, in PBL teachers encourage students to select specific topics that interest or inspire them. Students take on the role of project designers who investigate real-world problems while integrating multiple subjects across the curriculum. In my last post I discussed the topic of teachers knowing their students interests and making curriculum relevant and meaningful. PBL offers a context where teachers can make connections with students and establish a deeper level of learning. As an aspiring teacher, I am intrigued by PBL and I encourage current educators and future educators like myself to implement this approach in their classroom. 

The Glossary of Education Reform provides typical examples of open-ended or driving questions that may be posed to students in PBL. For example students might be asked, “How can our school serve healthier lunches?” The students then may choose to research health concerns related to specific food items that are being served in the cafeteria and create flyers or awareness videos to gain the attention from staff and students. Now, you see how this approach is much different than the traditional model we are accustomed to. The following video demonstrates PBL in a Physics classroom where students are creating, building and testing wing structures. In teams, they are responsible for their own design and then present their project to a panel of experts. 

PBL in the Classroom (Source)

PBL for 21st Century Learning (Source)

An article on PBL from Edutopia (2007), explains how PBL helps students develop twenty-first century skills necessary for living in a knowledge based and technologically dependent society. Such skills include: personal and social responsibility, planning, critical thinking, reasoning, decision-making, cross culture understanding and many others. As opposed to spoon-feeding students information, a teacher who implements PBL in the classroom is preparing students for challenges and set-backs they will encounter in the real world. 

I can recall an educational experience where I participated in project that resembled a PBL approach. It was in science class, and we were challenged to build an “egg protector” using a variety of specific materials to withstand tests of being dropped from multiple heights. We participated in research for angles, trajectory, velocity and so on and then had to present our findings to the rest of the class (to determine if our egg protectors could withstand the tests). While completing the project, I remember being increasingly motivated and engaged in the assignment and I remember feeling proud of myself once the project was finally completed. Research supports the value of PBL in the classroom. Studies prove that when implemented well, PBL can “increase retention of content and improve students’ attitudes towards learning” (Vega, 2012).

 Characteristics of AA (Source)

Through researching the topic of PBL, I also found a strong connection to authentic assessment. Authentic assessment occurs when the assessment task presents a real-world challenge and students construct their own response rather than choosing from provided options (Drake, Reid & Kolohon, 2011). As a future educator, I will strive to move away from standardized rubrics and meeting specific curriculum expectations in a certain number of days. As mentioned in my previous posts, I am a strong advocate for adapting and meeting the varying needs of all learners. Implementing PBL in the classroom allows for authentic assessment.

So what sounds more interesting… memorizing the names and structure of chemical compounds, or becoming a member of a research team for a “green” company to evaluate potential power sources and methods for creating a chemical salt? I challenge teachers to use PBL in their classroom.

Until next time,
Rachelle

Teachers: Becoming a Student of Your Students

“I hate that class, I have the worst teacher, she never understands.” Most students will feel this way towards a teacher at some point throughout their educational experiences. Children have no interest in learning from teachers they do not like. Typically these are teachers who fail to recognize the value of building positive relationships with students. The importance of knowing your students as learners and as people is fundamental for success.

“They may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel.” - Carl W. Buehner

Drake, Reid, and Kolohon (2014) explain curriculum can only be relevant when it connects to the students interests and experiences. Considering this, if content material does not resonate with a child, chances are they will have no interest in learning about it. The profession of teaching is more then just knowing each student by name, a great teacher is one whom invests themselves in the lives of every student. Does that student get a good breakfast every morning? Does that student have to babysit younger siblings after school? Is that student from another country? To know your students calls for knowledge of their cultural, social and socioeconomic backgrounds. Once a teacher knows their students, he or she can refine their lesson plans to incorporate content that is relevant and meaningful.

Students Have Different Backgrounds (Source)

I was fortunate enough to have a positive relationship with a teacher from my high school who made the effort to care for every student in and outside of her classroom. My locker was right beside this teacher’s classroom and everyday she made a habit of asking students in the hallway “how are you today?” This teacher was aware of student’s extracurricular activities (whether it was sports, music, dance) and demonstrated how a simple act of kindness can make a vast difference. Although I never had the chance to be taught by this teacher, she always made me feel important, she made me feel like she truly cared. Emma McDonald (2012) in her article The Secret Weapon: Getting to Know Your Students discusses the importance of teachers taking the time to build a positive relationship with students. Teachers should schedule time in their lesson plans to talk to students one on one and further connect with each student as a unique individual. As an educator, this entails prompting your students to open up to you, trying to assist them when their upset, but most importantly showing them you care. As a future educator, I will be questioned, my limits will be pushed and I will become very angry by students behaviour. At the end of the day, if I am able to demonstrate to students I care for their wellbeing, I will have a greater chance of creating a welcoming and successful learning environment.

In the following video, educators discuss the importance of getting to know your students. As a teacher, your educational plan or structure should be modified on a yearly basis taking into consideration varying interests and needs of students. When a teacher fails to know the students in their classroom, there is a greater chance it will be much more difficult to get through a lesson.

Know Their Stories (Source)

Stacey Goodman (2015) explores the topic of Teaching Through Relationships.This concept examines the complex social environment in which students and teachers interact and share experiences that foster healthy learning. As an educator, I intend to take the time to identify different learning styles within my classroom and recognize how students social backgrounds can effect learning. For example, will individuals with certain personalities work better with each other? Who are friends in the classroom? In taking the time to know my students, I will be more prepared to cope with problems, be sympathetic to individual needs and promote healthy learning. Teachers need to be willing to take the time and recognize the stories of the learners themselves.

Knowing Your Students Interests (Source)

Similar to the teacher in my high school, I intend to know my students. I aspire to show students I truly care what is happening in their lives outside of school. The process of building relationships takes time, patience, commitment and it can most definitely be challenging. However, a teacher who knows their students is the difference between a teacher who is just there to teach the lesson and a teacher that truly cares. We should all strive to be the teacher who cares.

Until next time,
Rachelle

Failure is Not Fatal: Teaching students to embrace their mistakes

"If we only did things that were easy, we wouldn't actually be learning anything. We’d just be practicing things we already knew.” – David Dockterman

Everyone has heard the saying “nobody’s perfect, we all make mistakes.” Reality is those who are afraid of failing are afraid of learning something new, taking a risk, or thinking outside the norm. In schools, students have been conditioned to define success as achieving the highest mark on a test. Failure is a topic that is shushed out of classrooms and one that student’s fear being brought up discussion. For my eight years of elementary school and four years of high school, I was this student. I was the student who did not receive a grade below 90% and the word failure did not exist in my academic world. Until my first year of university, I possessed what is known as a fixed mindset.

Students who experience learning with a fixed mindset have the belief their success is the result of their natural or genetic intelligence. When individuals with a fixed mindset encounter failure, they become discouraged and feel incapable. In comparison, when students develop a growth mindset, failure is seen as a temporary condition and with effort, they believe they can overcome setbacks (Drake, Reud & Kolohon, 2014, p. 21).

 Retrieved from http://carriekepple.com/2015/04/24/growth-mindset-vs-fixed-mindset-which-do-you-have/

Without the experience of failing multiple times in University, I would never have understood the deeper importance of making mistakes. As a future educator, I need to be able to put myself in the shoes of the students in my classes who don't succeed, the students who fail over and over again. Throughout university, I have heard countless times that we, the future educators need to “teach for change.” By developing a growth mindset and understanding the importance of failure, I am ready to take on this challenge.

I have developed a great acceptance for the value of creating relationships in order to understand each student’s individual preferences and needs. As a teacher, my goal is to motivate all students, including those who sit at the bottom of the bell curve. I will need to be prepared with various strategies to help students who are facing pressure from their parents because their grades are too low. According to Alina Tugend (2011) in her article The Role of Mistakes in the Classroom, studies demonstrate when students are taught about growth mindsets and the plasticity of the brain, their motivation to learn noticeably increases. As a future educator, I need to find a way to encourage my students to embrace their mistakes. Once students are able to accept that making mistakes are inevitable, they will be able to transition this mindset to other aspects of their life. The following video demonstrates how success does not come easy to even those who are the most successful.

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6hz_s2XIAU

For more examples of famous failures like these, visit Ruban Garcia’s blog on The Most Inspiring Famous Failures

Failure is not the end but the beginning of a new opportunity, the beginning of the learning process. Marc Smith (2012) explains Why Olympians and A-Level Students Need to fail. He mentions that when we praise inherent abilities, this leads to a fix mindset. In contrast, when we praise the effort that was put into a task, success becomes about hard work and continuously growing. Corresponding to the idea of the fixed and growth mindset is the idea that abilities are flexible as opposed to being fixed. As I continue to grow as a future educator, I will strive to assess students in ways that focus on the student’s mindset and visible actions as opposed to assumed actions (Drake et al. 2014, p.21). By providing students with supportive feedback that assess their special abilities, every student has the potential to develop a growth mindset.

Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/530510031077081298/

Last year, I stepped out of my comfort zone by assisting with the CHARM program here at Brock University, a program strictly designed for youth at risk. The boys in this program had faced setbacks their entire life. Personally, I don't think I would have been able to help any of them if I hadn’t understood how failure felt. A teacher who teaches with a fixed mindset will subconsciously employ their preconceptions onto the student.Although it took me a few failing grades and many years to realize the importance of failure, I challenge you to fail. I challenge you to develop a growth mindset.

References 

Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom Assessment: Engaging the 21^st Century Learner. Don Mills, ON:Oxford University Press.

Garcia, R. (2013). The Most Inspiring Famous Failures. Retrieved from     http://blog.megafounder.com/blog/most-famous-failures/

Tugend, A. (2011). The Role of Mistakes in the Classroom. Retrieved from                                http://www.edutopia.org/blog/benefits-mistakes-classroom-alina-tugend

Smith, M. (2012). Importance of Failure: why Olympians and A-level students all need to fail. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/aug/16/a-level-student-success-failure