Stronger Together: Make Project Planning a Collaborative Practice
By Suzie Boss
5/7/08
Moving from traditional teaching to project learning takes effort: You have to be willing to rethink everything, from classroom management to homework expectations to assessment strategies. And if you're the only one in the building who is teaching this way, it can get a little lonely.
Last spring, a high school teacher named Telannia Norfar decided to give the project approach a try with her ninth-grade math students. During the last nine weeks of the school year, she had students make their own movies about linear equations and the principles of triangles.
In her blog PBL Birdside View, Norfar describes that initial project: "There were some pitfalls, but overall, I have never seen the students more engaged. The students actually wanted to come to school and stay after to film. They managed themselves, and I looked on in amazement and wondered why I hadn't done this sooner."
During an online conference about project learning earlier this year, Norfar described the many real-world math projects that have followed that first effort. For instance, her students have put their geometry skills to work designing blueprints for a home renovation. They have used algebraic thinking to figure out how to choose the most economical cell phone plan. Hearing her describe how her students respond to this way of learning and how the projects help math concepts stick, I could tell she has become convinced of the power of project learning.
But one thing was still missing -- collegial support. She wanted to know how others have approached planning a cross-disciplinary project with colleagues. What helps move the team-planning process forward? How do you get everyone to buy into project learning?
Wouldn't it be great, she added, if we could hear that whole conversation unfold? I couldn't agree more, and by the end of that conference call, Norfar offered to provide a window to her school's experience with collaborative project planning. She set up PBL Birdside View to track that conversation.
Norfar is a thoughtful narrator for her team's journey into collaborative project planning. Her colleagues teach science, English, social studies, and special education. They are all part of a ninth-grade academy team with shared planning time. They bring unique perspectives, experiences, and teaching approaches. And they don't always agree. Designing a collaborative project is giving them the opportunity to learn more about one another's teaching practices, look for connections across disciplines, and consider technology tools to support the learning experience. It's also giving them time to focus on strategies for reaching students performing below grade level.
After discussing everything from standards to driving questions, the teaching team settled on a topic that's certain to generate a lot of student interest: cafeteria food. Student teams will explore everything from the food's nutritional value to the cultural relevance of menu choices. Experts from a local culinary school and a food co-op have agreed to let the students interview them. The principal will be a sounding board for student proposals for a menu overhaul, which adds more real-life flavor to the project.
A month into the planning process, Norfar posted this update: "The excitement for the project is increasing. We are beginning to see the impact the project can have on the students and the team. Our abilities as educators are increasing, and our students will be all the better for it."
The project launch date is fast approaching. I can't wait to hear what happens when students enter the picture. I'm also eager to find out whether this first team effort leads to more collaborative projects. Norfar and her colleagues may eventually look back on this project as the start of a stronger professional learning community.
Do you work with colleagues to design projects? What helps you work well together as a team? What are the challenges? If you could design your dream team for collaboration, who would you invite? Please share your experiences.
Project Ideas
Submitted by Chris (not verified) on September 30, 2008 - 15:53.
I am not the most creative teacher in the world but I love teaching. Are there any blogs out there where teachers can share and build off each others project ideas? I know there are lesson plan sites but I am looking for something more interactive.
Project Planning
Submitted by Sarah Marten (not verified) on September 25, 2008 - 14:27.
Working collaborative with a group of teachers can be an exciting experience or an unforgettable experience depending on the make-up of teachers. I believe in order to implement project planning; teachers must display an willingly attitude, be open-minded, and communicate effectively with one another. If teachers are not on the same page with each other then the result of project planning could fail.
Working collaboratively
Submitted by Arien W (not verified) on July 20, 2008 - 18:13.
Working collaboratively with other teachers is an excellent way of bringing each teachers curriculum to life. Our 6th grade team has been trying to collaborate a unit together but time has been the devastating factor.
I am one to really rely on
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on May 29, 2008 - 04:35.
I am one to really rely on projects to show what my students have learned in a unit or subject. I feel that performance assessment is an important way to show information gained by the students. The school system that I work for has collaborated and created notebooks that contain some activities and projects for our science units ( social studies will be integrated next year). This has been a wonderful tool for us this year, especially the new teachers. However, we as a grade level do not collaborate on performance assessments. I have banned together with several other new teachers and we have created our own projects to use in our classrooms. I feel that consistency across the board in a school is very helpful. I think that help from veteran teachers would have helped de- stress the first year.
The collaborative project approach
Submitted by Tiffany Payne (not verified) on May 28, 2008 - 20:28.
The collaborative, project approach can only be successful if teachers are collaborating as well. The project approach allows for all students to develop and shine in their own way, highlighting their own interests and talents. Educators must be willing to collaborate openly and discuss successes and failures, which leads to better more effective teaching.
I like the idea of
Submitted by Michelle G (not verified) on May 28, 2008 - 16:29.
I like the idea of collabarative cross-curriculum projects. I think that it can help students in many ways, one being what was mentioned, getting students who are uninterested in school, involved. I also would like to think that it could help improve a students confidence in herself/himself. It could also take struggling students a little closer to where they should be grade level wise and help challenge other students. I would be willing to try this in my first grade class because I have faith in my students to believe they could rise to the challenge.
Making Project Planning a Collaborative Process
Submitted by Michelle (not verified) on May 28, 2008 - 13:01.
I enjoyed reading this blog. At the end of this year, our assessment team decided that each grade level should start planning projects together. I think making projects an intregal part of subjects is a great idea. At the end of the year I did a Geobots project with my students. They had to make robots using geometric shapes. The project worked great and I got the idea from a friend of mine who works at another school. This would have been a great thing for the entire grade level to do. I am happy that we as a grade level will start planning projects together. It will definitely let students show their many talents and provide a different type of assessment.
Project Based Learning
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on May 28, 2008 - 11:50.
I am working with a group of teachers to ensure that our students are involved in more project based learning activities next school year. We tend to remember and learn the best lessons from our experiences.
C. Fayall
Project Collaboration
Submitted by Andy P. (not verified) on May 28, 2008 - 05:40.
I often see missed opportunities to collaborate with teachers in other disciplines, usually when it is too late. For example, if we had done a better job, the Enriched English teacher and I could have collaborated on the novels we were reading, one in English and one in Spanish. We certainly did not share the exact same students, but we were reading the same novel. It would have been an excellent chance to connect the two language classes. It just seems that our lines for communcation are sometimes not there.
Project Based Learning Allows Everyone to "Shine"
Submitted by Louise B (not verified) on May 27, 2008 - 20:24.
One of the best things about project-based learning is that every student can be successful. Allowing students a LOT of choices in their projects helps bring out the strengths in everyone. The challenge is helping students use new information they gain and carefully constructing projects that involve research and also cover the content standards.
The pride and ownership that students take in their learning certainly shines through when projects are presented. It's also a great way to get parents involved and into the classroom.
When I collaborate with my grade level team on projects, they are designed better and have more credibility. We can also assess together and my colleagues help me to see things that I would otherwise miss. It can be challenging to work with others, but it is well-worth setting those differences aside. And the more you collaborate, the easier it gets.
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