Get Parents on Board

If you're new to project-based learning, chances are you're having some interesting conversations with parents who want to know why you're switching up classroom routines. I've heard parents pointedly ask why their kids have to collaborate on projects.
Here's a new (free) guide from Edutopia to help parents understand why 21st-century learning is essential preparation for their children's future. I've culled resources and ideas from a variety of sources to help parents understand the value of collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and creativity. You'll find examples organized by grade level to help parents get a better idea of what 21st-c learning looks like when it's working well.
(To download your copy, first register for a free user account at Edutopia.org.)

My Turn

My plucky friend Suzie toured India with PBL workshops last Fall and now it's my turn. What an adventure! Right now I'm in Gurgaon, about an hour outside of Delhi and known as the "outsourcing capital of India." A megalopolis in just a decade, "As per the provisional data released by the state, Gurgaons population in 2011 stands at 15,14,085 against 8,70,539 in 2001." That's a 73% growth rate. I look forward to learning what this means for the school I'm working with, Lotus Valley, Gurgaon, and India.

My first school, New Era School in Delhi.

So Much More Than That

We often talk about the importance of student voice and choice in effective project design, but how often does a project manage to help students discover--and use--their voices as citizens? Read an Edutopia interview with one of the teachers whose students produced More Than That as a rebuttal to an ABC documentary about growing up on the reservation.

Hip Hop Genius: Remixing High School Education from sam seidel on Vimeo.

Sam Seidel, educator and author of Hip Hop Genius, recently shared his thoughts about the power of project-based learning in this Q&A for Edutopia.
For a fast-paced intro to hip hop education, take a look/listen.

Take a Stand

Not in Our Town: Class Actions, a documentary about three campuses that took a stand against intolerance, premieres tonight (2/13) on PBS.
Educators inspired by these stories will find a range of resources online to launch similar efforts in their own communities. To coincide with the new film, Not In Our Town is offering mini-grants for teachers and art and video contests for students.
Check out the details in this Edutopia post.

Chatting about PBL

Have you joined PBL Chat yet? Launched in December, it's a weekly online conversation about all things project-related. More than that, it's a growing community where project-based learning advocates are sharing experiences and addressing the hard questions that come with projects.
Recent chats have attracted students, parents, and PBL experts along with teachers from across the U.S. and even beyond.
In this blog post for Edutopia, I talk with event co-founder Theresa Shafer and share a few takeaways from recent chats.
The next PBL Chat happens Tuesday, Jan. 31, 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST. Join (or follow) the conversation by following the hashtag #pblchat.
See you there!

Connecting PBL+STEM

We've all seen students whose interest in a subject takes off as the result of an engaging project. These experiences can set the course for future studies or careers if students get a sense of their potential as skilled problem-solvers.
That's why I was happy to hear that project-based learning would be showcased as an effective strategy for STEM education in a new video, "The Future of Science Education: STEM and Workforce Readiness."
The video airs Thursday (2/2), 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST, as the kickoff for a virtual conference. I'm delighted to be one of 25 speakers weighing in on this important topic and taking part in an online chat on Twitter afterwards.
Join the conversation by registering at www.futurewecreate.com. Follow the tweets with the hashtag #futurewecreate. And please share your stories about projects that have ignited your students' interest in STEM careers.