Let’s build a sustainable project-based culture at your school
Get started by selecting an enthusiastic grade-level team and give them access to curriculum, coaching, courses, convenings, and a community of practice to accelerate their journey as project-based educators.
Our professional development program guides teachers through the STEPS (support, tools, education, plan & self-reflection) necessary to become high-impact project-based educators. Teachers learn how to transition students from being passive learners in their classrooms to being change agents in their schools and communities through real-world project-based learning experiences.
If you are ready to launch project-based learning at your school site or within your district and seek a research-based professional learning experience, join our network.
OVERVIEW
A Glimpse Inside Our Network
Our comprehensive approach strengthens the capacity of project-based educators by providing curriculum, coaching, courses, convenings, and a community of practice so teachers can foster the next generation of problem solvers, critical thinkers, and change makers. When teachers become a member of the Impactful PBL™ Network, here’s what they can expect:
the Convening
Teachers begin their professional learning experience with our summer convening. On the first day, teachers engage in workshops to guide them through utilizing our planning framework, the Impactful PBL™ Roadmap, and curriculum resources to personalize a project-based learning experience aligned with their students' social, emotional, and academic needs.
On the second day, teachers focus on building a culture of collaborative problem-solving around typical challenges project-based educators may face when scaling their impact in classrooms and beyond. By the end of the convening, teachers have a ready-to-facilitate project-based learning unit and actionable next steps for contributing to a thriving professional learning cohort throughout the school year.
the Curriculum
Teachers can access turnkey research-based instructional resources, enabling them to teach academic standards via PBL, even with limited time and materials.
The Impactful PBL™ Curriculum includes:
Lesson agendas
Lesson slide decks with facilitation notes for teacher-guided instruction or
Lesson slide decks with narration for self-guided instruction
Student interactive notes and field guide to document learning
Explorative learning activities that build students' reading, writing, researching, sorting, brainstorming, and communication skills
Formative assessments to monitor students' progress
Parent newsletter to offer tips, resources, and ideas to support their child's learning at home
the Community of Practice
Teachers can connect, collaborate, and learn with other project-based teachers inside a private community platform with the goal of enhancing their instructional skills through monthly expeditions.
Each expedition includes:
Co-planning sessions where teachers can ask questions, share ideas, and receive feedback
Skill-building webinars focused on fostering students' intellectual curiosity
Small group problem of practice discussions where teachers can share a challenge and seek guidance
Portfolio-building moments where teachers share classroom artifacts to show a shift in their teaching and student learning
the Course
Teachers can access our foundational course, where they learn how to utilize the nine phases of the Impactful PBL Roadmap to customize a project-based learning unit plan unique to their student's interests and needs.
The Impactful PBL™ Roadmap Course includes:
Module 1: Identifying students’ learning goals
Module 2: Mapping the project scenario and driving question
Module 3: Planning students’ assessments
Module 4: Attracting students' attention
Module 5: Creating daily learning experiences
Module 6: Tracking students’ progress
Module 7: Finalizing students’ showcase agenda
Module 8: Uniting students and building a collaborative culture
Module 9: Leading students through the reflection process
the Coaching
Each grade-level team has access to a virtual PBL mentor who will play a pivotal role in guiding and supporting them on their journey to becoming proficient project-based educators.
Mentoring support includes:
01.
Personalized project design feedback on instructional plans documented in teachers' learning journals to track growth
02.
Just-in-time support via chat or private messaging capabilities in our online learning portal
03.
Monthly webinars to explore instructional practices and anecdotal evidence of what's working in classrooms
Are you ready to launch a PBL initiative at your school or within your district and seeking a research-based professional development experience for your teachers?
Frequently Asked Questions
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This professional learning experience is great for 4th and 5th grade aspiring project-based educators who prefer to learn in a guided, semi-structured format and want access to an online community of peers and a virtual mentor for ongoing support and feedback.
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Due to the collaborative structure of the professional learning experience, it's designed to accommodate grade-level teams. Therefore, each team should teach the same grade level. However, you can register multiple teams (ex: 4th grade team and 5th grade team). Teachers receive access to professional learning experiences and instructional materials that align with their grade band.
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A benefit of this learning experience is that course participants are encouraged to help co-create the professional learning community of project-based educators by bringing a grade-level team. Therefore, you must register at least one grade-level team (a maximum of four teachers).
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During the 2024-2025 school year, we are releasing supplemental curriculum materials for grades 4th and 5th. Therefore, we are accepting educators who support students in those grade levels.
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Tier 1 support is a professional learning experience that includes curriculum, courses, and a community of practice for 4th and 5th-grade teachers. Tier 2 support is a professional learning experience that includes a convening, coaching, curriculum, courses, and a community of practice for 4th and 5th-grade teachers.
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The enrollment fee to join the 2024-2025 cohort: Tier 1 support is $5,000 per grade-level team, and Tier 2 support is $9,000 per grade-level team. Review the previous question for details about the support teachers receive with each tier level.