A District Wide Project Based Learning Movement With Ashley Curtin | E237

Today on the PBL Simplified for Administrators podcast we have Ashley Curtin. Ashley is a district coach in Calvert County Maryland working with PBL teachers. The PBL initiative started in social studies to increase engagement and has spread across the district. Ashley is now under Career Technical Education (CTE) funding and is building relationships with CTE instructors. She connects teachers and suggests collaborations. A key to her approach is meeting people where they are at with their mindset and comfort level with PBL.

PBL Unit Examples

• Eighth Grade Science & Culinary Arts:
• An eighth-grade science teacher developed a project about invasive species, initially thinking about a cookbook.
• The project shifted to educating the public about invasive fish in the Chesapeake Bay and Puxon River.
• Students created posters, social media posts, and websites with QR codes to educate the community.
• Culinary program seniors developed recipes for invasive fish, which were judged in a "Chopped" style competition.
• The eighth graders then featured these recipes on their websites and in their outreach materials.
• The project culminated in presentations to community partners, including the Department of Agriculture and local restaurant owners.
• Third Grade Storybook Project:
• A third-grade team created storybooks about different regions of the United States.
• The project integrated science, social studies, and ELA standards.
• Students recorded themselves reading the books, which were accessed via QR codes in the front covers.
• They sold the books to families, and the project culminated in an author signing event with over 150 attendees.

Roses, Buds, and Thorns

• Rose (What’s going well):
• The shift to CTE funding is a big win.
• CTE programs already have authenticity, so the focus is on infusing pedagogical practices and PBL structures.
• Bud (Promising practices):
• PBL is now a strategic goal for the district.
• There is work with math instructors, and an effort to reimagine education with PBL.
• The adaptability of the PBL framework is allowing it to take shape in different ways.
• Thorn (Challenges):
• Ashley's capacity to support the growing PBL movement is limited.
• There is a need to convince more decision-makers to invest in PBL and create core leadership positions.
• Some teachers who signed up for training are reluctant to fully embrace the PBL mindset and implementation.
• Ashley wants to encourage these teachers without making them feel like they are being dragged along.

Addressing the Challenges (Thorns)

• Capacity: The need for more resources and core leaders in buildings and across grade levels/content areas is a significant challenge.
• Hesitant Teachers:
• Invite teachers to observe successful PBL classrooms.
• Invite teachers to participate in tuning protocols.