The Student-Centered Shift: Empowered International Schools and Classrooms Through Project-Based Learning

How do we move from teacher- led learning to facilitated and learner-led environments?

Luna Rey, a former High Tech High School student and now project- based teacher working with low income, at-risk youth, shares the transformation we can experience when we are willing to LET GO.

Through the retelling of her personal story of classroom transformation, we explore how to:

• Embrace uncertainty and failure
• Use student-initiated discussions as the starting point for incredible learning experiences
• Use student peers as the class' greatest motivators
• Build strong relationships with students in order to build rigor
• Borrow and build on projects that we saw displayed on a wall
• Use the power of exhibition to produce beautiful work

Learn more about Luna's work at missionsquash.org. 

Connect with Luna on Twitter @missionsquash and LinkedIn @luna-rey

Luna's Bio:

Luna Rey is an energetic and innovative leader and educator who has worked with students from kindergarten through 12th grade through Columbia University, Portfolio School, Teach for America, and Mission Squash of Houston.

Luna received her Bachelor of Arts in American Studies with a concentration in English from Columbia University, where her work focused heavily on problems of equity in education. While at Columbia, Luna worked in the Office of Financial Aid & Educational Finance where she developed extensive knowledge of college admissions and financial aid and worked to strengthen financial aid and admissions to provide more support for first-generation and low-income families. In addition, she taught Columbia’s year-long Freedom & Citizenship course to low-income high school seniors living in New York City.

In 2015, Luna was hired as the founding Admissions Coordinator for Portfolio School, a mixed-age, project-based school in Manhattan. During her time at Portfolio, she drew upon her experiences working in the High Tech High Graduate School of Education to connect with educators and curate meaningful, creative, and rigorous projects for her elementary school students.

Prior to joining Mission Squash, Luna taught 7th and 8th grade English, writing, and history at KIPP Connect Middle School in Houston. Currently, Luna utilizes her project-based learninng background and educational experience to support her as the Executive Director of Mission Squash, a non-profit organization which empowers students from Houston's under served communities to unlock & maximize their potential through intensive, year-round academic, wellness and enrichment programs. As a low-income and first-generation college student herself, she is passionate about continuing to grow Mission Squash so that they may serve an even wider community in Houston.

Matt Neylon, Director of Visual and Performing Arts at Mount Vernon High School has students exhibiting beautiful, professional work on a weekly basis.

From partnering students with prominent businesses like Porsche, to exhibiting their work in professional art galas downtown, Matt is an expert at curating the process and finding real world audiences for student work.

But what exactly is 'beautiful' work? Matt's answer might surprise you.

In this interview, you will learn some of Matt's simple strategies for curating work while also learning how to:

• Get students to hold themselves to higher expectations, and save you from 'working all hours of the day'
• Curate physical or virtual exhibitions of student work designed and curated by socially distanced learners
• Stop aiming for perfection and accept that your students' work is beautiful and deserves to be seen
• Create a culture of high standards and excellence

Connect with Matt:

Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn: @mattneylon

Facebook: @matt.neylon

View more of Matt's Work: https://cre8ivmvmt.com/ 

Matt's Bio:

Matthew Neylon is the Director of Visual & Performing Arts at The Mount Vernon School in Atlanta, GA where he helps staff & students navigate their creative curiosities and artistic aptitudes. He is a senior consultant with Mount Vernon Ventures and recently released an online course exploring Arts+Mindfulness. As a speaker, Matthew has the opportunity to work with hundreds of educators/artists annually by leading workshops & webinars on various topics from storytelling to arts leadership, STEAM education, mindfulness, trauma-informed care, and interdisciplinary curriculum design. Matthew seeks to help bridge art+innovation by exploring the intersections between various art forms with mental/physical wellness, diverse storytelling, and connection to emerging creative industries. Recently serving as the guest blogger for the NAEA Monthly Mentor blog, Matthew explored topics of race, whiteness, emotional health, gender, and ableism in the visual art community. Matthew & his partner are passionate advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and work to help people around the world reconcile faith+sexual orientation. His greatest joy, however, is providing opportunities for students and teachers to grow in their artistic/performance skills and find the intersection where passion, talent, and identity meet. Connect with Matthew on instagram or by visiting cre8ivmvmt.com - You are an artist. Be great.

 

You know that 'buzz' you hear when you walk into a high-functioning classroom, with students moving and working seamlessly from task to task in project groups? In Kristin Damburger's classroom, you hear that buzz a lot.

In this short interview, with Kristin Damberger, Learning Coach at the International School Nido de Aguilas in Santiago, Chile, we explore how to create that 'buzz' and...

• Use simple collaborative processes and protocols to help students manage their own teams
• Remove 'the subject teacher hat' and replace it for a 'designer of learning experiences'
• Make students accountable to their peers within project teams
• Create a culture where learning is a continual conversation, not an assessment
• Teach less and have students DO more
• Collaborate and seamlessly across subject areas with fellow teachers through a simple 5 minute conversation

Connect with Kristin on Twitter @MsDamberger or on LinkedIn.

Kristin's Bio: 

Kristin Damberger is a Learning Coach at the International School Nido de Aguilas in Santiago, Chile. She has spent the last 12 years of her 15 year career in education working overseas in international schools in China, Brazil, and now Chile. She started her career teaching 6th grade English and Social Studies at a Title I school in California, where she began her experimentation with inquiry and PBL. Soon after starting a masters degree in global studies in education, she wanted to pursue a life overseas and moved to Beijing. Over the course of her international career Kristin has served in many roles, including teacher, facilitator, curriculum coordinator, Associate Division Head, and now Learning Coach. In all of these roles Kristin has had the opportunity to continue in her pursuit to redefine the traditional structures of "school" and continue to deepen and expand her work in inquiry, PBL, and design thinking.

What if instead of demonstrating understanding through a worksheet or end of term exam, students produced beautiful, professional work for real clients, and exhibited it in the community?

This is what Alexa Lepp, a PBL and Technology coach gets elementary students to do on a regular basis. 

In our short interview, Alexa shares how to: 

• Introduce students to real clients and connect core subjects seamlessly to project tasks
• Get students to hold themselves to higher expectations and save you from 'working all hours of the day'
• Get students to 'fall in love' with our core content by using real world models
• Connect our classrooms with real world experts and project partners through our own Facebook, Twitter and Instagram communities

Connect with Alexa on Instagram @alexalepp, on Twitter @AlexaLepp or LinkedIN @alexa-lepp-9a3104186.

Alexa's Bio: 

Alexa Lepp is an educator and Project Based Learning coach from Southern California. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology. Alexa has been in education for ten years with a background in teaching students across 5th-12th grade. She has also worked with educators across the nation, grades K-12, on how to integrate PBL in their educational practices. She is currently working as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) in a High School in Acton, California, as an Independent Study Mentor-Teacher, ASB Advisor, technology coach, and professional development team member.

How do you help students reflect as much on process as they do product in project-based experiences?

In this interview with Alfie Chung, leader of the social innovation design unit at PolyU in Hong Kong, we explore how to create a culture of continual reflection and feedback. Using a simple, repeatable process, Alfie has students as young as 11 designing and reflecting innovative solutions to problems ranging from traffic congestion to limited exercise activity at local parks.

In our short interview, you will learn:

• How to provide high-quality feedback for students using simple systems
• Why to never throw away 'first drafts'
• How to help students become as comfortable with failure as they are success
• The simple formula for capturing student's imagination, and retaining it
• How to use simple prompts to lighten your work load and help students reflect on their own and with peers

Get in Touch w/ Alfie via LinkedIn: @alfiechung

View more of his projects: www.rethinkingurbanspace.com 

Alfie's Bio:

Alfie Chung is the assistant project manager for the Hong Kong Design Centre and former project associate at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation - the first design institute dedicated to social innovation in Asia. Under the spatial team, his work involves research and generating solutions to urban-social issues in a spatial context such as revitalising idle resources for social housing and creating inclusive open space. His methods include design thinking, open studio, co-creation and dialogue with industry experts and university students.

Outside of his university work, Alfie is also 1 of 63 Google Earth Education Experts and a member of the former Google Earth Education Advisory Board, tasked to explore the potential of Google Earth products in education. Previously, Alfie created and led “Community Mapping” - an urban design education programs focusing on sustainability and inclusivity under UN Ambassador and renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall. The program garnered $650,000HKD of funding and participation of over 800 students from local and international schools. The program has also transformed into many other design thinking, community-driven education program and design projects for corporate clients and education providers. His work has been featured in design magazine Nonagon Style and local media HK01, Apple Daily and Oriental Daily.

What if you could motivate all of your students without awarding a single grade?

In this short interview, motivation expert and 8th grade Math/ Science PBL teacher Marc Shulman of world renowned High Tech High teaches us how to:

• Motivate our most troubled students
• Build relationships before building projects
• Seamlessly move from the 'sage on the stage' to the architect behind the scenes
• Get students as young as 12 to produce professional work for real clients...and get paid for it
• Create a classroom of high expectations where every student plays a part

Marc's Digital Portfolio (w/ project examples): Digital Portfolio

Connect w/ Marc on Instagram: @mistershulman

Connect w/ Marc on LinkedIn: @marcshulman

Marc's Bio: 

Marc is a 21 year veteran teacher teaching at a wide variety of schools and grades, all in math and science. He has excelled in PBL and coaching teachers in PBL design, and execution. He has had the opportunity to travel around the world and the United States, opening schools and training teachers and administrators to gain confidence and experience in PBL design. He currently teaches 8th grade integrated math and science at High Tech Middle Media Arts in San Diego, California.

The 'Maker Movement' has taken off worldwide. Students are becoming tinkerers, designers, programmers, and builders. But the maker movement isn't about million dollar maker spaces and hi-tech gadgets, it's about a mindset.

In this interview, Mark Barnett, a Makerspace expert, PHD student and global consultant, teaches us how to adopt this 'maker mindset' and configure hybrid learning experiences that:

• Transform our fixed classrooms to flexible learning spaces
• Design personalized learning experiences that allow students to thrive in remote environments
• 'Hack' the ideal week together with students that allow for asychronous and synchronous experiences 
• Adopt a maker mindset to adapt to changes caused by CoVid-19

Connect with Mark:

Linked In: @makerMark

Twitter: @BarkMarnett

Mark's Bio: Mark is an educator, researcher, ed-tech professional, and a PhD student, studying how children can use Machine Learning as a catalyst for metacognitive thinking. He is passionate about project-based learning and teaching students to create with tools and technologies. With over 15 years of experience in STEAM and maker education, he has consulted with teachers and administrators all over the world to set up and design impactful learning experiences with makerspaces and related technology centres. He speaks internationally about equity and access to STEAM and maker education, most notably at conferences like: Stanford FabLearn, TEDx, MIT Libre Learn Lab, SXSWedu, EARCOS in Bangkok, UNESCO in India and at 21st Century Learning in Hong Kong.

In this interview with Linda Amici, Elementary Teacher, PBL expert, and community organizer, we discuss how to move from teacher- designed learning experiences to co-designed, student-centered classrooms. Through our interview, you will learn how to:

• Develop and deepen student questions
• Gently guide without overpowering
• Save time and headaches by letting go
• Set up simple routines to help students direct their own learning
• Get students to produce work that makes adults' jaws drop

Linda's Bio:

Linda Amici is an educator from Ohio. She has taught middle grade students for 14 years, and has also served as a part time faculty member of Otterbein University. She graduated from the Ohio State University and holds a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Linda’s passion is to empower future leaders to “be the change” the world needs. She has had opportunities to work overseas on projects to bring health and clean water to remote locations of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Amazon river basin. In 2019, Linda was selected as the Inspirational Teacher Award winner for the state of Ohio. Linda feels honored to have had the opportunity to invest work into PBL Works, Transform Education, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Ohio Ed Tech, Ohio Middle Level Association, PBL Matters, PBL Ohio Institute, Teacher Success Summit, National Center for Urban School Transformation, AnchorEd, 24 Hours of PBL, What the World Needs Now podcast, the Engage and Empower project, and We are One Team Podcast. She is a mother to six children, one dog, and a small herd of guinea pigs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, biking, kayaking, and keeping herself and her community strong and healthy by teaching fitness classes to all ages.

Connect with her on Twitter @LindaAmici

In this interview, Brett Carrier, a 5th grade PBL teacher and expert learning experience designer, describes how her food truck project transformed her twenty five 5th graders, into business owners and entrepreneurs. 

Through our interview, you will learn how to:

• Build community partnerships for projects
• Turn students into self-managers
• Immerse students in the community to do REAL work
• Infuse experts as project mentors and advisors

Get in Touch with Brett:

Brett's Website : https://sites.google.com/view/words-dont-stay-still

Twitter: @carrier_brett

Brett's Bio: Brett Carrier is a passionate logophile who has taught English for seventeen years. Throughout her entire career, she has fought to empower the students in her classroom, gradually moving from a teacher-centered environment to a student-centered platform for excellence. For this reason, she has fallen in love with Project-Based Learning because it embodies a pedagogy that allows students to explore, question, implement, create, evaluate, and publish. It finds substance in an authentic audience that makes learning more about the “real world” than any textbook or traditionally static project could conjure. Currently, Brett is researching ways to utilize PBL as an integral component within educational and enrichment programs for need-based populations. She hopes to marry its transformational powers with the work ethic of dynamic students who long for change and growth in their own communities.

What happens when you turn over control of the classroom and project-based experiences to the students? In this short interview, Rosie Howes, a Waldorf kindergarten teacher and 'democratic classroom' expert teaches us how to make the shift from classrooms led by content to ones led by Inquiry. As an educator, you will learn how to:

• Use simple classroom routines to put students in charge of the learning process
• Masterfully guide learning in whatever direction your students want to take it
• Use student passion and interest as a starting point for the learning process- and still be able to teach them how to read, write and do arithmetic
• 'Trust in the Process'
• Get students to ask questions that would baffle full grown adults
• "Sit back and listen and watch the little people in this world blow you away."

Get in Touch With Rosie:

Instagram: @ accidentally_alternative

LinkedIn: @rosie-howes-38b3244a

Rosie's Bio: 

Rosie Howes is a teacher from London, UK. She has worked in a range of inner London schools across the Early Years and Key Stage 1.

After moving to Australia, she discovered a very different school setting. Rosie joined the team at Currambena School, a democratic school with a truly child-centered approach. During this time, a spark was ignited and she never saw education the same way again. Instead of focusing on reading and writing (a previous love of hers), she grew to embrace a uniquely holistic curriculum and the notion of 'Free Fridays'.

The democratic values and respect for childhood supported Rosie's journey into alternative education. When she moved to Hong Kong, Rosie knew she could no longer work in a system focused on assessment and tick boxes. In 2020, Rosie joined Highgate House School, an international Waldorf Kindergarten, and over the last year has thrown herself into learning more about the Waldorf approach to education.

At school you can find her in the garden, baking bread and telling stories.