How do you take the first steps into project-based learning, and help others across your school take theirs? How do you get the critical ‘buy-in’ from parents, students, teachers to really help PBL fly?
I explored these BIG questions with Catriona Woodard, Director of Community Outreach and Partnerships at Bloom Academy in Hong Kong. Through discussing 2 of her projects, Catriona shares how she took her first steps into the PBL pool, and how she is empowering others across the school to take theirs. You will learn how to:
- Keep your best teaching materials, just look at them in a new way.
- Make 1-2 simple tweaks to transform teacher-centered units, into learner-centered magic.
- Use the power of exhibition to turn the biggest PBL skeptics into believers.
- Run meaningful project-based experiences and still cover your curriculum.
- Help parents, students and other stakeholders become comfortable with the ‘organized chaos’ that is PBL.
Connect with Catriona: LinkedIn
Learn more about Bloom Academy
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Catriona’s Bio: Catriona is an educator and school leader who is trying to bridge the gap between creativity and education. Looking at the similarities between how designers approach creative tasks and how learners can approach problems in class and bringing this to the classroom in the every day. She specializes in start-up schools and embraces these opportunities to offer young people a dynamic and fresh educational outlook. Catriona is supporting with the Project Based Learning roll-out in Bloom KKCA Academy, brought the importance of outdoor learning to many HK parents during her leadership at Malven College Pre-School. She’s an advocate for creative chaos both in and out of the classroom!