Project-Based Learning Archives - Page 2 of 4

Nov 22 2021

Man with a thought bubble above him and a flow chart behind him

How to Be Proactive About Classroom Management in PBL

By John Spencer Podcast, Project-Based Learning 4 Comments

I want to make something clear before we dive into this topic. I made huge mistakes in classroom management as a teacher. I let certain disruptive behaviors go unchecked because I was tired and I didn't want to put out another fire. I had moments…

Sep 20 2021

Direct Instruction Is Still Necessary in a PBL Classroom

By John Spencer Podcast, Project-Based Learning 3 Comments

Early on in my project-based learning journey, I made a vow to go 100% project-based. My students would learn everything through exploration and discovery. I would remain the guide on the side observing the process and helping out only when necessary. After leading students through…

Apr 28 2021

How Do You Teach to the Standards When Doing Project-Based Learning?

By John Spencer Podcast, Project-Based Learning 11 Comments

It’s easy to remember the highlight reels of the project-based approach I used when I taught eighth grade. I think about the moment we finished our second mural and my students were so excited they started spontaneously cheering or the moment students asked thoughtful questions…

Apr 19 2021

Seven Myths Keeping Teachers from Implementing Creative Projects

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast, Project-Based Learning 9 Comments

Every year, I ask my pedagogy students about their most memorable learning experience as a learner, whether it was in school or out in the "real world." Nearly every example involves a creative project. These were the moments when learning stuck and often it was…

Apr 08 2021

Every Student Deserves Access to Project-Based Learning

By John Spencer Podcast, Project-Based Learning 7 Comments

Years ago, my friend Chad (who tragically passed away from cancer last year) started the 21st Century Classroom initiative in our district. Teachers would be part of six-person teams where they would attend professional development, receive state-of-the-art technology, and have a learning coach who would…

Mar 12 2021

Dr. Melissa Deutsch on the PBL Journey

By John Spencer Podcast, Project-Based Learning 2 Comments

Project-based learning can feel overwhelming. It can seem like an entire transformation in your teaching practice. However, it doesn't have to require a massive overhaul. Often, it's more like an evolution. In my latest podcast episode, I interview Dr. Melissa Deutsch about her PBL journey.…

Mar 05 2021

Four Ways to Boost Collaboration in Student Projects

By John Spencer Creative Collaboration, Creativity, Podcast, Project-Based Learning 5 Comments

Creative collaboration can be challenging at every every level of education. Sometimes the issue is work imbalance, with one student doing the majority of the work while others slack off. The term organizational psychology is "cognitive loafing." In some cases, it can feel like one…

Jan 19 2021

Using a Wonder Day Project to Spark Student Inquiry

By John Spencer Creativity, Project-Based Learning 13 Comments

My friend George Couros once said, "If students leave school less curious than when they have started, we have failed them." I tend to agree. I've never heard of a cosmologist who says, "I'm done with the universe. No more questions here." I've also never…

Apr 14 2020

How to Make PBL a Reality in a Distance Learning Environment

By John Spencer Podcast, Project-Based Learning 5 Comments

If you think about your most powerful learning experiences, there's a good chance at least one of these experiences involved a project. This is where you learned how to research, how to ideate, how to work with others, how to engage in productive struggle, and…