EPISODE 4: This Teachable Moment: Finding Opportunity for Real Change in How We Educate Our Kids

Today on The Project, Laureen Adams and Stanley Richards are joined by the CEO of PBLWorks, Bob Lenz! CEO Bob Lenz joined PBLWorks five years ago. Before that, he was the co-founder of Envision Education, a charter school network which puts into practice a highly successful redesign model that opens a path to college for underserved urban students in three Bay Area high schools. Bob is recognized nationally as a leader in high school redesign, Project Based Learning, 21st-century skills education, and performance assessment. He is the author of Transforming Schools Using Project-Based Learning, Performance Assessment, and Common Core Standards, and most recently the eBook, This Teachable Moment: Engaging Our Kids in the Joy of Learning.   In their conversation today, Laureen, Stanley, and Bob discuss how this current pandemic is impacting the present and the future of education and Project Based Learning, and what educators can do to support their students during this time. Bob speaks about the importance of finding joy in the midst of these challenges, how parents can get their kids involved with PBL over the summer. He also shares his hopes and vision for the future of learning as we head into the unknowns of the new school year.   Key Takeaways: [:32] About today’s episode with PBLWorks CEO, Bob Lenz! [1:07] Laureen and Stanley reflect on their careers and when they first met Bob Lenz. [2:25] Laureen and Stanley welcome Bob to The Project. [2:38] Bob shares what is currently top of mind for him and PBLWorks with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. [4:20] How this current pandemic is impacting the present and the future of Project Based Learning [7:16] Bob speaks about some of the PBL-friendly changes that might happen in education as a result of this pandemic as well as what educators should be rethinking. [10:27] Bob shares his top advice for teachers and leaders about how to support their students during this time. [12:28] How educators can support parents during the quarantine. [13:54] How parents can get their kids involved with PBL over the summer. [15:54] Laureen shares two PBL projects from the eBook she co-authored with Bob, This Teachable Moment. [18:00] Bob shares his hopes and vision as we wind down the school year, head into the summer, and prepare for the unknowns of the new school year.     Mentioned in This Episode: PBLWorks Bob Lenz | PBLWorks Envision Education Transforming Schools: Using Project-Based Learning, Performance Assessment, and Common Core Standards, by Bob Lenz, Justin Wells, and Sally Kingston This Teachable Moment: Engaging Our Kids in the Joy of Learning, by Bob Lenz and Laureen Adams   Twitter Quotes (for Social Media Use):   “The quality of the feedback and the ultimate plans that teachers are making for projects are higher quality than we had in-person!” — Bob Lenz   “I would encourage teachers and leaders to prioritize engagement and motivation to learn as the highest priority for students as they are having to shelter in place.” — Bob Lenz   “We’re … hopeful that parents will really take … this idea that this … is a teachable moment … and, … armed with some of the content from our book, [This Teachable Moment], we hope that they’ll use that to advocate for project-based learning for their learner.” — Bob Lenz   “This [pandemic] is a teachable moment and a turning point around education that heads us in a direction of project-based learning and having a high-quality project-based learning experience.” — Bob Lenz   “I am cautiously hopeful that this [pandemic] is going to be a… huge opportunity… to reset towards a future where engagement, … motivation, and cultural responsiveness is the order of the day, … [rather than] test-based accountability” — Bob Lenz