Taming the PBL Beast

Michael C. Hall, Ross B. Addler, Julie L. Tullar

Introduction (Mike Hall)

• Our PBL Story
• Buck Institute Training
• How changes in size affected our instruction
• Knew PD needed to be overhauled
• Reform team time
• You can’t take on PBL without building the right culture
• Here’s what we did to rebuild culture

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Our Story (Ross Addler/Julie Tullar)

• We were the “newbies” in our team
• We didn’t know we were dysfunctional
• Why we needed to change
• To give all a voice
• Segmented team
• No synergy
• Took feedback too personally, so we stopped giving it
• Negative/complaining dynamic
• No real agenda/PD/no reflection on functionality or curriculum
• Knew we needed to recognize/appreciate other’s compass point

Compass Points - take a post it and write which one you are (pick your dominant one)

Acting - “let’s do it.”

Likes to act, try things, plunge in

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Speculating - likes to look at the big picture and the possibilities before acting

Caring - likes to know that everyone’s feelings have been taken into consideration and that their voices have been heard before acting

Paying attention to detail - likes to know the who, what, when, where and why before acting

Culture - How does knowing yourself affect team dynamics?

Supplementary resource: “Willing to be Disturbed” article

On post-it notes,

• list 2 things you need from yourself to be successful (one per post-it)
• List 2 things you need from your teammates to be successful (one per post-it)

Norms

• Gather in a group of 4 or 5 (if you are here with your team, feel free to stay together)
• Based on your needs from the last exercise and your experience with your team, brainstorm other behaviors that are important for a healthy team (for example: not being on your cell phone during team, or having a positive attitude)
• List one behavior per post-it

Affinity Clustering

• Group similar themes from brainstorming exercise
• Give each cluster a label that describes that way of being
• These “clusters” are your norms!
• AIM for 3-5 Total Norms

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AMS Example

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Norms to protocols

We revisit the norms frequently. It may not be needed daily, but it does help us re-ground ourselves for our team time.

We find these norms to be so important when facilitating PBL that the students utilize them as well.

Protocols:

• Allow for all voices to be heard
• Create meaningful professional dialogue (common language)
• Allow teachers to understand what is happening in other classes
• Harness the group’s creativity
• Allow for critical professional feedback that enhances instruction

Critical Friends

Protocol

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We use as professionals, and the students also love this to get feedback before their final presentation

Group Dynamics/Discussion Protocols

What’s on top:

• Within the group, the leader states a problem/topic of discussion
• A timer is set for a predetermined time (10 minutes, or TBD)
• Individuals may speak one at a time, until each contributes once
• The group may start a second round, but an individual may not speak again until all have spoken once
• You can begin a third round in the same way

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Group Dynamics/Discussion Protocols

Whys/wordle:

• Team members write a “why” for a posed problem/issue/topic
• Using a wordle website (http://www.wordle.net/create), paste these responses to make a wordle
• Examine the wordle, and see which words are larger.
• Discuss…
• Why do some words have more frequency than others?
• Is the frequency of use (either low or high) of some words surprising to the team (and why)?
• What might this lens suggest you do moving forward?

Our Wordle for “why we chose a PBL approach”

Decision Making Protocols

Fist to Five

• Pose a question on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being low and 5 being high: “How confident are you with…” or “I am excited about…”
• Have audience show on one hand their opinion of their answer
• Quickly assess the room, using the results to inform if clarification, reassurance, or further action is needed.

Decision Making Protocols

Pros and Cons

• Use the template provided to summarize several options/solutions to a problem or issue (generated by team members or through other channels)
• Give each individual time to independently read each solution (TBD, depending on the number and complexity)
• Before listing pros and cons, participants should ask clarifying questions
• Give each individual time to independently write pros and cons to each solution
• Share pros and cons, allowing team to take notes
• Vote for the best solution

Article Study/PD Protocols

Save the last word for me

• Read an article relating to a topic of study. Specify the lens to focus the reading.
• Ask the participants to annotate the article, paying special attention to points they wish to call out during discussion.
• For discussion, get into a group of 3 or 4.
• Each person takes a turn leading: Start by sharing the quote/passage (less than 1 minute) and then elaborating on their quote (1 minute).
• Other members of the group get 1 minute to speak to the quote, until all have spoken.
• The leader gets 1 minute to respond to the points other group members discussed.
• The cycle continues until each person has been the leader.

Article Study/PD Protocols

4 A’s

• Read an article relating to a topic of study.
• Ask the participants to annotate the article, using the following “A”:
• I AGREE with…
• I ARGUE with…
• An ASSUMPTION was made when…
• I ASPIRE to...
• Discuss each A, having participants note their findings.

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Feedback Protocols

Critical Friends

• See previous slides for facilitating the protocol

Compass Points

• See previous slides for facilitating protocol

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Reflection (exit slip)- What’s On Top Protocol

Reflect on your compass point, establishing norms, and the critical friends protocol

What’s on Top Protocol-

• Each member should try to share their reflection/thoughts
• A member can only speak once
• Once everyone has spoken than group members can speak again if they would like to or respond to another group member
• If there is silence that is ok. This can still be a time of quiet reflection

Take four minutes within your group to express your feelings regarding what you have seen/experienced today and how it can impact you personally as well as your school team.

Resources

Developing Team Norms/Protocols -Conference Handout

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Contact Info

Mike Hall (AMS Principal)

Email: mhall@avonworth.k12.pa.us

Twitter: @mhall_AMS

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Julie Tullar (7th Grade Math)

Email: jtullar@avonworth.k12.pa.us

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Ross Addler (7th Grade Learning Support)

Email: raddler@avonworth.k12.pa.us

Twitter: @rossaddler