Having a culture focused on grades can work against school objectives. There are true dangers of chasing achievement and scores in lieu of creating a school culture that is focused on teaching and learning. If we are truly trying to create a school culture where students and teachers are excited, engaged, and empowered by their work and thinking it will take more than an isolated workshop or a superficial conference trip or even few random session of PD throughout the year. In fact, that type of limited PD can become harmful in terms of teacher performance.
To implement a quality PBL can take several years but it also requires consistent guidance, effort and leadership. Teachers cannot be successful in PBL with occasional instances of professional development. PBL is a major shift for most schools and its processes have to be embedded in the school culture in ways that strengthen and support teachers and students. School leaders are often distracted with administration and that takes the focus about from what matters, teaching and learning.
With all this in mind it is essential for school leadership to engage in the work in much the same way they expect from their teachers. The best implemented case studies of PBL show leaders participated in PBL professional development alongside their teachers and use PBL to engage with the staff throughout the year. Creating a PBL mindset includes democratizing the culture by encouraging questioning and inquiry around purpose, product and audience. Strong PBL leaders learn alongside their teachers and use the PBL process with staff development to solve real problems in much the same way teachers would with their students.
Too often we have observed school leaders running in and out of professional development sessions to their never ending list of administrative duties. While understandable, it does raises concern of how well these leaders will be able to support the work of their teachers going forward. Without the support and understanding that real change requires time and steady focus, the chances of quality implementation are greatly reduced. Leaders with the correct attitude and mindset understand that focusing on achievement and scores come with a low ceiling. Instead they realize that the real growth potential is in refining teaching and learning by trusting teaching and empowering them with tools that allow constructive criticism. This can be an uncomfortable at first but it is essential, just as it is for teachers to relinquish “control” to their students. Once started, the momentum experienced is not only powerful but truly inspiring.
