Education in 2036

In the year 2036, my baby girl will graduate from high school. Between now and when she graduates, I wonder what school will look like. Will the momentum that is slowly building and gaining traction among many teachers finally be enough to push the system towards something more innovative? Or will it be still be similar to what it is now?

When I think about what education looked liked when my parents graduated high school the late 60s, when I graduated high school in the late 90s, and what many schools look like as I write this post in 2018, I am sometimes amazed at how little has changed. Yes, classrooms are more high tech and connected with computers, tablets, cell phones and the internet, but has there really truly been change? Perhaps in pockets, as explored in some of the work by Grant Lichtman or Ted Dintersmith, but not large systemic change.

I have been thinking about change in education for almost my entire career. Not satisfied with teaching by telling, my Master of Education thesis was a qualitative study on the impact of developing a math program that taught the curriculum through problem solving and promoted critical thinking. I have been quick to embrace technology with the hope that it would benefit the learning of my students. I was one of the first users of SmartBoards in the classroom at my school and was also part of a research group that piloted the use of the Texas Instruments Navigator system. Around the time I was pursuing my Doctor of Philosophy in Education, my school was investigating becoming a one-to-one laptop school. I visited schools and studied the impact of laptops on the teaching and learning of mathematics for my thesis and shared my findings with my school. I have created online units for my students, flipped my classroom and have taught in a blended format. I have been working to adjust my assessment practices away from an emphasis on grades and towards an emphasis on growth. I have recently been trying to create a thinking classroom inspired by the work of Peter Liljedahl and use vertical, non permanent surfaces as a way for students to get up out of their seats, work together and show their thinking. 

When my school adopted a new strategic plan in 2013 called Towards 2020, I offered to lead a group of teachers examining one aspect of this plan – more personalized and authentic learning experiences for our students. Given all that I have tried as a classroom teacher over the years, looking at ways to personalize the learning experience for students was of great interest to me. As we investigated ways to personalize the classroom and make it more authentic, we came across project based learning (PBL). What was most striking to me about PBL was the impact it had on students. Despite all off the things I have tried as a teacher up until now, my classroom has more or less stayed the same. Yes, it is a more engaging and exciting place for my students. Yes, I feel I am better able to reach each individual student more effectively. And yes, I would argue that my view of teaching and learning has progressed since I began teaching, but it has not been revolutionized. As I dove further into what PBL was, went to my first PBL 101 training through the Buck Institute of Education, and tried my first PBL unit, I realized that PBL does have the power to revolutionize what I do and what my colleagues do.

PBL, when done right, begins with a challenging problem or question. I have seen this question come from the students directly or have seen it be shaped by the teacher. In both cases, as long as the problem or question is authentic, and has a personal connection for the students, it can be a very effective driver for learning. Equally important is that the students have the opportunity to use their voices to solve the problem or question. In addition, this problem must be “meaty” enough to sustain interest. It can’t be solved by google or in one or two class periods. It takes time and a lot of work. What I find most exciting about PBL is the potential for it to help teachers break away from subject silos. I LOVE teaching math and it is my passion; but, students need to know that math does not occur in isolation within the classroom. PBL is helping me to step outside of my “math teacher” comfort zone and plan collaboratively with my colleagues in other subjects. What I also love is that PBL makes reflection and seeking feedback a large focus of the learning process. This critique and feedback does not just come from the teacher. It comes from peers and from outside experts. Students have the opportunity to converse with others about what they are trying to accomplish, which in my opinion, makes the learning experience more authentic and meaningful. I also believe that students are not just learning for the sake of learning. They are learning content and skills because they are what is needed to help them answer the problem or question. Finally, holding students accountable to presenting their work outside of the walls of the classroom makes the process more engaging and relevant for them. With PBL students learn that their voices matter and that their thoughts and ideas are important.

My school is just beginning our journey with PBL. The basic tenets of PBL fit in very nicely with our latest strategic plan and this is something that I will be exploring more deeply during my sabbatical. I am looking forward to learning from my colleagues and from other schools about how we can better integrate Gold Standard PBL into what we do at our school and how it might be the spark we need to have a transformational change. In no way is our goal to become a “PBL School” along the lines of High Tech High, but what I find encouraging is the openness that I see in my colleagues to take risks. Without a doubt PBL has helped me to be more open-minded. I am beginning to look beyond my subject and am searching for ways to make learning for my students more authentic. I am learning to give up control and learning to be alright with the messiness of PBL. After all, learning is messy! I can see these changes in my colleagues as well. Teachers are trying out new ways to assess and teach, they are becoming more collaborative and are making learning more authentic and student driven. I truly believe that if we stay on this path, education at our school in 2036 will be a much different place than it is now. PBL might just be the catalyst we need to push ourselves to become more creative and innovative teachers who are partners in the learning journey with each other and our students. I can’t wait!