Teacher Leader Project: Benefits of

Implementing Project Based Learning in

Schools
Colleagues at Options For Youth, Fontana 2
Cecilia Nardulli
Spring 2020
 Objective:

Objective & Inform and educate my audience on our

socio-disadvantaged students, the community
outreach in place to assist these students, and

Special Emphasis the benefits of implementing project based

learning in our school to help facilitate

Standards
educational success for this population of
students.

Special Emphasis Standards:

Why does this matter? Teacher Leader Model Standards:
Domain I: Fostering a collaborative culture to
support educator development and student
learning

NBPTS:
Proposition 5: Teachers are members of
learning communities
“We’ve been moved from the kiddie
table to the adult table, but our portions
remain the same.”

–Elijah Jones, 11th grade student, The

Tatnall School, Wilmington, Delaware

How does this quote relate to our

students?
Leadership Action: Where do we go
from here?
Why might a student
not want to attend
school?
 How can project based
school initiatives

Inquiry Focus
motivate student
participation and
Let’s dive in... achievement?
San Bernardino County Demographics
High School Completion Rates | 2018
High School Graduation Rate 78.20% *Lower than the state average of 83%
% of students who did not finish 9th grade 10.00%

Poverty | 2018
Poverty Level 18.2% *Higher than the national average of 13.1%

Crime | 2018
Overall crime rate is 112% higher than the national average
San Bernardino Country is safer than 3% of the cities in the United States
Issue at Hand
Possible consequences of dropping out of school…

● Income
● Incarceration
● Public Resources
Community Outreach:
What opportunities is our community
providing to students?
Fontana, CA | FLIP Program
Intensive 16-week Leadership Academy for at-risk teens

Problem to address: Delinquent behavior and strategies

which would promote educational success.

Students taught skills to improve academics while at

the same time receive instruction regarding strategies
to deal with real life issues.

The following three guiding principles were developed:

● Bring about a lasting, life-altering, and positive
change in the attitude and behavior of
participants.
[Cont.] Fontana, CA | FLIP Program
Results from FLIP:
● Reduction of school referrals
● Reduction of disciplinary referrals
● Youth Development
Students, initially referred to the program on
the verge of expulsion, have accomplished the
following:
● Regularly volunteer at county library
● Joined ROTC programs
● Applied to the police explorer program
● Participate in varsity sports
● Participate in peer counseling and
leadership programs
● Earned student of the month honors
● Entered trade schools
● Received college scholarships
● Entered workforce
School Outreach:
What can we do?
What do we already have implemented?
● Pathways Trips
● WIOA | Workforce Innovation Organization Act Partners
● College Preparation
● Student Council Program
● Health & Wellness Program
● Support for Special Needs and English Learners students
● Some CTE courses

What can we add? How can we further meet the social,

emotional, and educational skills of our students?
...Think in terms of curriculum...
WHY project based
learning?
Embracing Multiple Perspectives:
Why Student Voice Matters:
Project Based Learning
(PBL):
“You don’t just “do” PBL, it’s a mindset and shift to using the
process in all of your work and culture, leadership and all.”
-Drew Perkins, Director of TeachThought Professional Development
 Benefits of Project-Based Learning
● Students develop communication,
collaboration, critical thinking
skills, and overall teamwork skills.
● Meets the CSTP’s: California
Standards of Teaching Profession
● Student-Centered learning
● Student Inquiry, Problem Solving,
Real-Life Connection
What goes into PBL?
Focusing on a project that has a
challenging problem or question:
● Students must... inquire
● Focus should include real-world
contexts
● Students should be involved the
creative process
● Students and teachers should reflect
on the process
● Critiques/ revise/ feedback between
student and teachers
 Examples of PBL within Different Curriculum
From TeachThought
● Identifying, analyzing, and visualizing recurring
themes in human history; then contextualize
those themes in modern society.
● Choosing an issue you claim to be ‘important’ to
you, then somehow addressing or supporting
that issue with real-world work. Afterwards,
documenting the learning process and what you
learned and how that might change your
approach next time.
● With current trends in climate change in mind,
one example of project-based learning might be
to design a modern city for the year 2100
(clean-sheet design), or re-imagine existing cities
and how they might cope with climate change.
● Launching a profitable business with actual
documentation of real-world business metrics:
profit, loss, cost control, etc. (depending on the
nature of the product, service, or platform).
● Solving the problem of negative and/or ‘fake
news.
● Designing a new form of government (or
democracy, specifically) that addresses some
perceived shortcoming of existing democratic
forms (partisanship, non-functioning
checks-and-balances, etc.)
● Helping local businesses increase
environmental sustainability (e.g., reduce
waste).
 Reasons why we need to implement PBL
Setting the Standard for Project-Based
Learning This Teaching Method:
by John Larmer, John Mergendoller and Suzie Boss
● Motivates students
● Prepares students for college, careers, and
Student Development:
citizenship
● Problem solver
● Responsible
● Works well with others
● Can work independently
● Critical thinker
● Confident
● Manages time and work effectively
● Communicates well with a variety of
people
Success Rates
How can you include
PBL in your classroom?
How does PBL embrace
Multiple Perspective and
Student Voice?
Survey
Sources:
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/reports/2019/08/14/473197/elevating-student-voice-education/
https://www.opendatanetwork.com/entity/0500000US06071/San_Bernardino_County_CA/education.graduation_rates.percent_high_
school_graduate_or_higher?year=2018
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/san-bernardino-county-ca
https://www.areavibes.com/san+bernardino-ca/crime/
https://education.seattlepi.com/effects-high-school-students-not-finishing-high-school-3118.html
https://www.cacities.org/Top/Partners/California-City-Solutions/2013/Fontana-Leadership-Intervention-Program-(FLIP)
https://www.tolerance.org/frameworks/social-justice-standards
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/reports/2019/08/14/473197/elevating-student-voice-education/
https://www.teachthought.com/project-based-learning/the-pbl-mindset-for-leadership/
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/social-justice-projects-in-classroom-michael-hernandez
https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/114017/chapters/Why-Project-Based-Learning%C2%A2.aspx
https://www.definedstem.com/blog/project-based-learning-research/
https://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/hs/educateglobalcomp.asp
https://www.teachthought.com/project-based-learning/20-examples-of-project-based-learning/
https://teaching.cornell.edu/teaching-resources/engaging-students/problem-based-learning