Transformative Principal The Future of Project Based Learning with Thom Markham Transformative Principal 235
Thom Markham is a founding father of Project Based Learning.
Started in the mid-90s at a high school trying to reclaim the positive name of the school.
- Formed charter high school - envision schools.
- Wrote the handbook on PBL
- PBL Global
- PBL = problem to be solved, investigating process, end of process - defining what they did to solve their problem.
- Lots of variations in that definition.
- Inquiry, research, facilitated
- One of the misnomers is the notion is that it is discovery only.
- Teacher has a strong role in PBL, but it changes.
- 3 roles: direct instruction, mentor, designer.
- To be a designer, need to have a better idea of whose role is what?
- What do you need to learn from someone else, and what do you need to discover yourself?
- Sensitive to students, need to know them.
- PBL works better in a personalized culture in the classroom.
- Getting teams to work well is challenging.
- We don’t teach teachers known coaching protocols.
- Skillset is changing dramatically.
- Teaching 21st century skills.
- Goal of working with teams is welcoming disruption.
- Critique as designers.
- Focus on some personal skills.
- Every teacher candidate in personality profile to learn what their strengths and weaknesses are.
- Having very serious conversations about mindset and skillset.
- Self-analysis and inquiry into the teaching profession.
- You have to look at yourself and see if you can handle it.
- Take an inward look and not just an outward look.
- What is high quality PBL
- 6 essential principles of PBL
- Social Emotional learning
- Human performance method, not a content acquisition method.
- If you’re going to have kids working in teams, how are they going to work in teams?
- Chief characteristic is humility.
- Teams of students create quality work.
- Accountability, becoming a leader.
- Breaking down collaboration skills.
- What happens in the middle of the project?
- Teaching design thinking process.
- Social good-focused PBL projects.
- the standards are not capable of containing what we can learn in the world.
- Intelligence as successful behavior
- Z school
- Deep performance rubrics that kids can judge themselves against.
- What’s the nature of intelligence in today’s world?
- The curriculum is the world.
- You’re in one of the most creative professions in the world.
- In places where the PBL is happening, the teachers.
- How to be a transformative principal? Have some basic training in project based learning. How to become an inquiry-based teacher?
Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish everything? Here’s how I help principals work manageable hours: Create your ideal week, so that you can leave work at work and enjoy your life!
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