PBL Simplified by Magnify Learning (Magnify Learning)
Explorez tous les épisodes de PBL Simplified by Magnify Learning
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Feb 2022 | PBL Learner Reflections, PBL Project Blitz | E63 | 00:13:31 | |
It's the second Wednesday of the month, so it's time for a PBL Blitz episode. This week we are going to be hearing from learners instead of the facilitators. I toured Babcock Neighborhood School in Babcock Ranch, FL. It's one of the Magnify Learning demonstration sites. Babcock Ranch teachers have been through a lot of PBL workshops. The majority of their staff is PBL certified. I toured the school and got to see the learners in action and ask them questions about PBL learning. You’ll get to hear the answers straight from the learners in this fun episode. You’ll love hearing these responses and how they are connected to experiences, not just bits of knowledge. Episode Highlights: [03:44] During the day, I saw a room with three classes of 1st graders. They were all collaborating on math. [04:58] I asked learners about PBL. You are going to love the answers that I received. [05:44] What is project-based learning and why do you enjoy it? The answers are so cute. The first learner's favorite part was learning. [06:23] It was the second learner's preferred way of learning. The third learner loved how she gets to interact with things. [07:07] The learner's also enjoyed working with community partners in a hands-on way. This learning style is preferred over repeated testing. [08:07] Students also shared their favorite PBL experience from visiting senior citizens and sharing the experience to community partners and building custom robots and driving them in swimming pools. [09:31] The first graders share their math motivation collaborating with community partners. [10:56] Learner's share PBL advice for new teachers. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 16 Feb 2022 | Leadership Episode-The Key to Deep Work | E64 | 00:17:11 | |
It’s time for another leadership episode. I’m going to share one tip for time management that will help you get the most important stuff done. The thing that will move the needle for your school and your learners that keeps getting pushed aside because it’s not urgent. This one habit will create an opportunity to use deep work to impact your productivity and progress. Our Need to Know is about getting our vision and action together to affect change for our learners and communities. I share a quote by Joel Barker that sums this up perfectly. Then I share how to implement a futures protocol that allows you to look three years ahead and, through a series of questions, find the gap between where you are and where you need to be. Episode Highlights: [04:02] Need to know: How do we get our vision and action together so we can change the world for our learners and our communities? [04:39] You can use the futures protocol to answer these questions. Where do we want to be in 3 years? Where are we now? What's the gap or how can we get there in three years? [09:40] You need to find time for deep work. This is where you work without interruption and get into a flow state. [10:17] A 30 minute amount of deep work each day will transform your leadership, productivity, and even your home life. [10:32] I challenge you to schedule 30 minutes a day where you shut your door, turn off your email, and focus on what matters. [13:50] In 30 straight minutes, you'll probably get done what would take you 2 hours of interrupted time to get done. Schedule it on your calendar. People will understand. [14:39] Choose Tuesday from 9:00 to 9:30 and set that time aside every week. If you don't know what to do at that time, use that time to figure it out. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 23 Feb 2022 | Engineering Design Process PBL Unit, PBL Showcase | E65 | 00:19:54 | |
Alison Kern is a 6th grade science teacher who rocks authenticity. She's been PBL certified through Magnify Learning and has been through several different trainings including PBL Jumpstart, PBL Advanced, and the entire PBL Certification process. On this PBL Showcase, we get to follow Alison’s PBL journey with her class. She had five different groups of learners that she did this PBL process with. We learn all about what her PBL Unit was and how it’s possible to focus on big processes and use the same grading process for different content. We also learn some of the genius ideas and solutions that the learners came up with. We talk about contracts, structure, and how PBL helps disengaged learners become engaged. Episode Highlights: [03:07] EDP or engineering design process in the office. The standards they focused on were engineering process and general design, including how to go back and improve the project. [04:16] The question was how do we as engineers create something to help the office staff have a more fluid day. The principal, secretary, nurse, etc. we're bombarded with too many little tasks. They wanted to improve their daily actions. [05:02] Each worker came in and posed a problem to the classroom. The secretaries wanted a solution to the lost and found problem. The Learners developed a system to help with this task. [05:54] They set up a camera and recorded what would happen with planted lost items in the hallway. They then set up a prototype and put a bin out. [06:39] Another class partnered with the counselor and the life skills teacher to create fidget toys which turned out to be helpful for all the students. [10:19] Alison shares the group contracts and structure for starting PBL. [16:56] It's important to make solutions attainable. [17:54] PBL is a great way to give kids a connection and a reason to come to school. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 02 Mar 2022 | Leadership Episode - Mission Drift - Positive Staff Culture | E66 | 00:20:22 | |
This leadership episode is about avoiding mission drift and staying with our vision. In our last leadership episode, we talked about deep work. These two topics are connected like peanut butter and jelly. Be sure and carve out 30 minutes of deep work each day. We also have a "need to know" about creating a positive staff culture. If you're just going through your day and marking things off your list, you are drifting from your mission. To move your vision forward you need to separate the big ideas intentionally. This topic is so important that we're going to be looking at mission drift over the next five episodes. We are going to talk about how to prevent mission drift and how to move towards the vision that brought you into leadership. You wouldn't step forward into leadership if you didn't have some idea or a vision of how you wanted things to look. Episode Highlights: [01:49] How do you create a positive staff culture? 1. Do all of the things that you expect your teachers to do with their learners. [02:04] Give voice and choice, build relationships, show culture videos, and do work that's really important. [02:36] Create a positive staff culture. Share your why. [04:43] A culture will form whether you build it intentionally or not. [06:26] If your list isn't prioritized, you are drifting from your mission. You have to separate the big Ideas to move your vision forward intentionally. [07:57] You're not going to get to your vision if it's not clearly defined. The big rocks will keep us from mission drift. [08:32] It's about freeing up your time to do the deep work. [09:35] You need to delegate, so you're working in your zone of genius. Make time to do your deep work. Look at things like mission and vision. [12:54] Define your great vision for what learning should look like. What's ideal instruction and communication? What is the impact of all of these things being on the same page? [14:24] Look at your to-do list and circle the three biggest things that will move you forward. [15:04] How does it feel to knock out a big rock? [16:34] Create a clear vision statement around your team, culture, and instruction. Communicate your vision and create impact. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 09 Mar 2022 | Project Based Learning Culture - Jaime Miller | E67 | 00:32:40 | |
Jaime Miller is a coach in a public school district. She works with K through 12 teachers. These teachers are implementing Project Based Learning, design thinking, and maker spaces. Magnify Learning partnered with them very early on in this work. We did a PBL Jumpstart Workshop, a PBL Advanced Workshop and eventually PBL Certification with their staff. Jaime shares the mindset shift story of the teachers, coaches, and learners in this episode. We learn about their three year process of creating a mindset shift and discovering what PBL in all of its forms would look like for their district. We talk about community engagement and challenges that teachers had. We also talk about how career awareness was a good “why,” and how digital design processes helped solve problems in more authentic ways. Episode Highlights: [03:50] PBL has become the foundation of everything they didn't know they needed. It was the catalyst for innovation and learning. [06:37] Allowing all of the aspects of PBL to come in really creates a great learning environment for kids. [07:25] Challenges they faced including not understanding what PBL would mean for their district. [13:23] Community engagement looks different through the different grade levels. [18:18] Parents are stakeholders in the school and make great community partners along with employers in the community. [24:36] Connecting remotely also made partnerships easier and more accessible. [26:15] If you're just getting started with Project Based Learning, start small and infuse something exciting into the unit that you may not be that excited about teaching. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 16 Mar 2022 | Leadership Episode - Mission Drift - Teams | E68 | 00:26:21 | |
We are in the middle of the Mission Drift Leadership Series. We will talk about how you know that you are achieving the vision you want. We will talk about tightening up your mission so it doesn't get off course or fall victim to mission drift. This episode is all about teams and the focus of avoiding mission drift. We also have a "need to know" about what types of books educators should be reading. It's not about the specific books; it's about the kinds of books which makes it an interesting question. Do educational leaders need to read about what they already know? It might be a good idea to brush up on the skills that make you a great leader and set that example for your staff. Episode Highlights: [02:41] As a leader, you probably know the education side inside and out. Leaders need to know how to lead best. That means to open up the types of books that they are reading. [03:14] Helpful books are leadership books, productivity books, books on how to stay motivated, and habit creation. Anything that will make you a better and more productive person and leader. [04:38] I share my Mount Rushmore of books. Click on the Ask Ryan button on the What is PBL? Page listed below and let me know your Mount Rushmore. [09:36] Are you going down the same vision path in three years or ten years? Do you know what mission and vision you are trying to defend? [10:50] You want a clear vision. Look at the team aspect and the culture of your building. What will things look like in 3 years? [11:53] What kind of teams do you want to have? [14:42] Why do teachers want to come and work at your school? [16:35] All of us want our small part to lead up to something bigger. [19:45] Why do you want this? Your why makes your how and what more impactful. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 23 Mar 2022 | What the Workforce Needs from Our Learners - Dan Miller (48 Days) | E69 | 00:29:52 | |
Education is more than just learning information. It’s about preparing our learners to go out and make it as individuals. This episode is about the importance of the soft skills that will carry the students through a successful life. We’ll be talking about workforce development skills, employability skills, and creating confident individuals who can reach out and shake somebody’s hand. Dan Miller is the author of 48 Days: To the Work You and Life Love, a book filled with innovative ideas for thriving in today’s workforce. Dan is the President of 48 Days LLC and the host of the 48 Days Podcast. He has been on The Dave Ramsey show and has spoken at the White House. Episode Highlights: [03:38] Most hiring decisions are made in the first ten seconds. Integrity is a key component in the real world. [05:16] Smiling can make a big difference in someone's ultimate success. [06:09] Looking for unique characteristics of each child to overcome adversity. [07:51] We need to encourage kids to recognize opportunities that revolve around their unique talents and characteristics. [09:08] An example of a child's uniqueness making him successful. [12:27] Students need to figure out their zone of genius or what gets them really fired up. [15:12] Looking at changes and what can be possible. [17:26] Look inward when looking for a side gig. [20:20] Books have the biggest impact on Dan's life. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 30 Mar 2022 | Principal Crazy Cycle - Jethro Jones | E70 | 00:34:36 | |
This bonus interview features Jethro Jones, author of How To Be A Transformative Principal, a book with over 400 interviews on how to be a successful principal. He's been in the podcasting and educational space for nearly a decade. Jethro is the host of the Transformative Principal Podcast. Jethro wants every student to feel seen and heard and become successful. In this episode we talk about how a clear vision will bring the right people to your school. The principal gets to say what the school is about. This episode shares a wonderful vision of creating real-world opportunities for students.
[03:44] Jethro learned that school wasn't designed for him. It was designed for the ease of adults. He wanted to help make sure that every student felt seen and heard by their school. [05:35] Vision is vital for an educational leader. Without a vision, people don't know what their purpose is. [07:06] Jethro talks about bringing teachers in that will allow students to have real-world opportunities. [14:36] We talk about expressing gratitude to the staff and taking away obstacles without taking the problems on ourselves. [21:08] We learn so much more through experience and failure. [23:28] Creating a vision and making sure teachers are catching that vision and being successful teachers. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 06 Apr 2022 | Leadership Episode - Mission Drift - Communication | E71 | 00:18:57 | |
We are continuing our Leadership Series on Mission Drift. Our focus today will be on the communication of our vision. We also have a Need to Know that I address. The topic is how librarians can help with Project Based Learning. Librarians can be technology experts and provide another space for learning. I’m going to talk about four different topics within the communication. The first one is foundational. Who is your audience? We talk about what value PBL will bring to these audiences. We also talk about your role in communicating your vision, the role of others, and the impact of good or bad communication. Episode Highlights: [02:04] Librarians should definitely be a part of your vision. Use the space for learning. It can also be a hub for presentations or technology. [05:36] What audiences do you have to communicate your vision to? [06:30] I like to use the innovation curve when communicating with teachers. Each group requires a different communication style. [08:29] Parents can be key partners when communicating your vision. [10:22] What value will Project Based Learning bring to these audiences? [10:57] What is your role in communicating your vision? Who else has a role? Clarity is crucial. [14:25] What can happen if your communication rolls out poorly or successfully? Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 13 Apr 2022 | Physical Education PBL Unit and Design Thinking, PBL Showcase | E72 | 00:24:22 | |
Jordan Manley from STEAM Academy in Lexington, KY is here. This is his seventh year of PBL, and he went to Magnify Learning training right out of college. We spent an awesome week together. Jordan has always had a ton of passion. He teaches health and PE at STEAM Academy. It's a small school with around 400 students. Jordan loves stretching himself and working on new projects with the other teachers. Does PBL apply to courses like PE? Jordan gives a great example in how investigating the origins of pickleball was an exercise in design thinking. We also get to learn all about their project of designing better net games that made PE class more fun and interesting beyond having competitions and tournaments. Jordan breaks down the entire journey of making PE a better experience for his students. Episode Highlights: [03:28] They have a partnership with the University of Kentucky. Jordan trains student teachers. [04:05] The PBL theme for Jordan's PE class was net and wall games. Classes like badminton, tennis, pickleball, etc. [06:03] They asked a question of how they can design better net games for their classmates. [07:34] Design thinking is a five-step process of empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. [10:30] The students brainstormed with whiteboards and then designed and tested games. The iterative process and testing was a huge win. [13:19] Jordan talks about focusing on the experience of the students. They used a framework that focuses on personal relevance, appropriate challenges, emotional safety, and social connections. [20:38] Use the design thinking model to implement PBL in your classroom and find teachers who want to go down that journey with you. Look for teacher confidence. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 20 Apr 2022 | Leadership Episode - Mission Drift - Impact | E73 | 00:20:23 | |
We have a name change coming up. We'll be switching from PBL Playbook to PBL Simplified, because that's what we're doing. We are simplifying project based learning. We also have a YouTube channel with the same name and my book is coming out in January of 2023. This leadership episode is all about the impact of your vision being fully implemented. Our opening "Need to Know" is about why your students may not get excited when you first try PBL. We tried it, and the kids didn’t get excited. Why? The easy answer is authenticity. You may need to bring in a true expert of whatever your project is. On our main topic I go over vision and the impact on your school three years from now if your vision was fully implemented. Episode Highlights: [04:03] If you are trying Project Based Learning and the students or teachers aren't engaged, authenticity is lacking somewhere in the process. [07:59] If your vision is fully implemented, 3 years from now, what will be the impact on your school? How will you measure success? Test scores and a staff culture survey. You may need to struggle with this, because the work is so personal. [11:07] What gets you most excited as a leader? Once your vision is implemented, what are you freed up to do? Do you make time for deep work? How is everyone impacted? [14:19] When learners start talking about PBL, it means they are excited and they tell their parents. The impact of kids telling their parents about school is huge. [16:39] What makes this work worth it? Your vision plan is a lot of work. What would the impact be if people understood your clearly defined vision and carried it out? Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 27 Apr 2022 | Student Empowerment and Mindset - Marianne Renner TEDx | E74 | 00:30:44 | |
Marianne Renner is a transformational leadership coach with a fantastic backstory. By the time she was 32, she had owned her own business, founded a nonprofit for at-risk youth, was a bodybuilding champion, and led youth dance teams. She shares this remarkable story in her TEDx Talk. We talk about how important mindset is for teachers and students. We talk about the fast pace of change that educators face and how to deal with it in a way that calms the mind and sets an example for the learners. Marianne shares inspiring insights on how we can’t control what’s happening, so we must focus on what we can control. Episode Highlights: [04:15] Marianne's TEDx talk was about overcoming fear and resistance. This is a mind blowing story about the strength of the kids she was teaching. [09:19] Stay focused on your passion and stay focused on your purpose. [09:56] Marianne works with educators across the country on mindset and change processes. [10:41] With all of the unprecedented change, educators are experiencing change fatigue. Self-awareness is the first key to change. [13:55] We have choices in the thoughts we think. Focus on what's in your control to gain empowerment. Marianne would tell the kids that they are the writers of their own life story. [19:07] Educator leaders would benefit from understanding predictable patterns of change such as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. [22:46] Using the Grow Your Control worksheet. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 24 Apr 2019 | Standards-Based Grading-Assessment in PBL Series Part 3 | E7 | 00:27:33 | |
Welcome to the PBL Playbook, brought to you by Magnify Learning – where we put teachers back in their sweet spot. Make sure you follow us on Twitter: @magnifylearning, @askgiebs, @MissB103, #PBLPlaybook. In this episode, Josh and Andrea conclude their mini series on assessment by chatting with Michael McDowell (@mmcdowell13), Superintendent of the Ross School District in Northern California and author of Rigorous PBL by Design about the use of standards-based grading (SBG). McDowell gives a definition of SBG and why it is a useful method of assessment. He then talks about what SBG looks like in his own school district and what proof he uses to justify that this method of assessment is working. Then they discuss high achieving students who tend to “play school well,” and what concerns they raised based on this system of grading – as well as the value of SBG for those particular students. Here, McDowell also discusses the culture in his district and how a culture of learning and SBG go hand-in-hand. They talk about first steps for teachers who want to start utilizing SBG in their own classrooms. McDowell leaves listeners with some resources to begin their SBG journey. For these recommendations, check out the episode webpage on our website. Finally, Josh and Andrea finish out the episode discussing the ways in which SBG fits into a PBL framework. Be sure to check out the first two episodes in the Assessment in PBL series, wherever you get your podcasts. | |||
| 04 May 2022 | PBL Leadership - Writing Your Book | E75 | 00:23:25 | |
We are now PBL Simplified, a name that matches my book coming out in January of 2023. I'm taking project-based learning and simplifying it, so you can bring it to your school, classroom, or district. Recently, tons of questions about how to write a book, publish, etc. have come up in my mastermind group. It's such a hot topic that I'm talking about it today. In the next two leadership episodes, I'm going to be talking about writing a book. Our "Need to Know" is going to be about finding the topic of the book, because everybody has a book in them. Then we move on to our main topic which is how to get started writing a book. We kick off with the first three steps to getting your book on its way. Episode Highlights: [02:36] Find your topic: What gets you fired up? What do you often say? If you're a leader, you probably have a saying that you start every meeting with. [03:38] My tagline used to be life is choices. [06:23] There are six steps to writing a book: vision and goals, outline, big picture writing, share your first draft, find an editor, and get a publisher. [07:19] Find your vision and goal. Why do you want to write the book? What's your vision and the topic that you are passionate about? [13:47] Outline: I like to use an old fashioned mind map. Major topics will become chapters. You can then formulate your ideas. [16:38] Start big picture writing. Do not edit! Get some words on the page. Don't limit yourself. Create time for this. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 11 May 2022 | PBL Showcase - Authenticity, Engagement, and Early Elementary - Foster Heights | E76 | 00:28:04 | |
I kick off this show with the “need to know” question of how do I increase the engagement level of our students. I use the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge metaphor for filling gaps and increasing engagement through real-world problems. Engagement will lead to rigor in learning which leads to opportunity. Foster Heights Elementary is a public school in Bardstown, Kentucky that had a really exciting PBL unit with kindergarten and first grade learners. These learners were able to create a huge impact for local residents of a nursing home by publishing a book in order to raise funds to purchase technology, so that the residents could communicate with loved ones. The learners learned leadership skills and so much more. Episode Highlights: [01:26] Increasing the engagement level of your students starts with authenticity. [07:43] This PBL unit was about helping nursing home residents connect with their families during a time when they weren't really able to do so. [08:59] The students visited local businesses and told the senior’s stories in order to raise money to purchase technology for the nursing home. [09:54] The kids had enough empathy to publish a book to raise money to help the residents. [10:54] The kids were surprised with a copy of the book read to them by the publisher. [13:35] The Husky Hall of Fame recognized community partners and the learners presented the awards. [19:22] First graders stepped up and led kindergartners. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 18 May 2022 | PBL Leadership - Writing Your Book - Part 2 | E77 | 00:21:14 | |
There's a book inside every person and every educator. This is part 2 of our PBL Leadership Series on how to write your book. First we kick off with our opening “need to know” of how to define my vision. If you can break down your entire vision into a 5-minute speech, you can clarify and narrow your focus. In episode 75, we went over the first three steps of writing a book. Now I’m moving on to the last three steps. We kick off with sharing your first draft with a friend and getting feedback. Then I talk about getting an editor. I wrap things up with thinking about a publisher and why I recommend a professional publishing house. Episode Highlights: [03:09] How do I define my vision? [04:16] Before you do your vision script, give me your 5-minute speech on your vision. [06:03] In episode 75, we went over the first three steps in writing a book which include identifying your why and creating a mind map, outline, and rough draft. [08:36] Step four is to reach out to friends and ask for feedback. Give structure. [13:37] Step five is to find an editor. Get a professional or hire a teacher or maybe even Grammarly. [16:58] The sixth step is to find a publisher. I would recommend a professional publishing house. Think about this early on. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 25 May 2022 | PBL Guest - Andrew Larson - Writing a Book as a Full Time PBL Teacher | E78 | 00:27:10 | |
Andrew Larson is a full-time PBL Facilitator at the secondary level. He’s also the author of his new book with a tentative title of Life Is A Project: The Six A’s of Project Based Learning. We’ve been talking about books all month, and Andrew shares his processes and thoughts on how to make it happen while being a full-time teacher. We also have a book-related “need to know” focused on how you can get that book written. We know everyone has a book inside them, but very few do anything about it. We start by taking the ambiguity out of the equation. Once you know what you're going to write about, the outlines and chapters begin to fall into place. This episode combines getting that book out there with the benefits of quality PBL. Episode Highlights: [02:07] Need to Know: How do you get your book written? Everybody has a book inside them, but very few get published. [02:21] Take the ambiguity out of the phrase “I want to write a book.” Sit down and write out the title, niche, and start to outline the chapters or main talking points. [03:07] Now start collecting ideas because you have a place to put them. [05:39] You should write your book. Other people can benefit from your unique perspective. [07:34] Andrew became a Project Based Learning Facilitator after his district opened a project based school in 2008. [10:42] His book is an authentic outlet for his content. [12:03] The tentative title for Andrew's book is Life Is A Project: The Six A’s of Project Based Learning. [13:32] After working sporadically for three years, Andrew committed to waking up at 4:15 AM and writing for an hour. [16:28] Andrew structured his book by answering the questions in the six A's rubric. [17:09] His goal is to help project designers check the boxes for PBL units. [21:28] Journaling can help capture your story. A consistent structure is also helpful when writing the book that is in you. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 01 Jun 2022 | PBL Leadership - Creating and Sharing Inspiring Learner Stories in YOUR School | E79 | 00:17:16 | |
I am fired up with today's leadership episode. Our “need to know” for last month was how to publish your book, because I believe that everyone has a book inside of them. This month our “need to know” is going to be focused on learner presentations. How do we get our learners ready to present publicly and give them opportunities at your school? Everyone can have amazing learner stories as long as they take the time to create three processes. We begin with implementing Project Based Learning. The second is implementing opportunities for your students to practice throughout the school day. The third process is to invite visitors to your school. Episode Highlights: [01:54] How do busy leaders find time to write? Get your ideas and words to the page. There are also ghost writers out there that can help like the people at Ghostwriter School. [06:23] I go over three processes to create amazing learner stories. 1. The first process is to implement Project Based Learning. [06:53] Project Based Learning creates opportunities for learners to present. They can practice in smaller environments before they're in front of a large group. [09:55] 2. Create opportunities for students throughout the school day. An example would be talking with a community partner. [10:44] The more reps the learners have when it comes to talking to professionals, the easier it will become. You can also take the learner's outside of the school environment to give a talk. [11:40] 3. Invite visitors to your school. A real world event will get everyone including the leaders moving towards the end result. You could start with inviting educators and learners from a different school. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 08 Jun 2022 | PBL Showcase - The Impact of PBL on Young Learners - Foster Heights | E80 | 00:17:24 | |
I'm Ryan Steuer from PBL Simplified. I have a book with the same title coming out in January. In this book, you'll hear about a lot of student stories revolving around Project Based Learning including wins and fails. I include the failures, because things don't always turn out perfect. Still, it's really helpful to hear the stories to solidify the skills, tactics, and processes. This is a special episode that focuses on the kindergarten and 1st grade learners from Foster Heights Elementary in Bardstown, KY and their insights and takeaways from their PBL Unit where they made a book about local community members. The book, The Influential People of Bardstown, was created and designed by students and then sold to raise funds for a local senior citizen community. The funds were used to purchase technology that allowed the senior citizens to connect with family members. If you want to hear from the teachers that designed this PBL Unit, they were featured in Episode 76. All of these teachers went through our PBL Jumpstart Workshop and then moved to the next level by taking part in a PBL Advanced Workshop from Magnify Learning. This episode highlights just one of many awesome PBL Units they created and completed with their learners in the last year! Episode Highlights: [06:33] A young soccer player explains what it's like to be a student at Foster Heights. It's fun! [08:36] They visited multiple business and community partners. The artwork also took at least a day. [10:15] They do a lot of fun projects at Foster Heights. Making the books was the favorite project. You can be learning even when it doesn't feel like it. [11:42] Another learner shares his focus group experience. They also sold the book and raised money to purchase iPads for nursing home residents. [13:56] There was so much excitement and growth in these learner responses. You don't have to wait for your learners to be perfect. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 15 Jun 2022 | PBL Leadership - Empowering Learners to Present | E81 | 00:18:52 | |
The PBL Simplified book will be out and in your hands by January of 2023! The foreword is written by New York Times bestselling author Dan Miller. We know there is change in the workplace and change in education. We need empowered learners, not passive learners that sit back and take in information. Today's opening "need to know'' is about engaging learners in the classroom. When you model engagement in your teacher professional development, then you equip them with skills and ideas they can take back to their own classroom. Today's main topic is around how we get our learners to present to different audiences, so that they're confident in taking the next step. We want our learners empowered and ready to present in front of any audience. I share three transformative principles that will improve learner presentations. Episode Highlights: [03:56] What does professional development look like in our school? Teachers will replicate the learning environment that you present to them. [04:47] We need to model an engaging learning environment for our teachers, so that they can take the same tactics into the classroom. [06:30] Every school needs to have learners presenting to an audience outside of the classroom. [07:12] 1. Make learning transparent. All learners are capable of high-performance presentations, but they need to be taught those skills. Share best practices. [10:53] 2. When you bring in presentations, horizons are lifted. Learners begin to see new opportunities when presenting to outside partners. [13:58] 3. Make feedback and reflection part of your culture. Learners want to reflect and refine their work before they present it. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 22 Jun 2022 | PBL Guest - Robyn Jackson -Creating a Vision to Reach Every Student | E82 | 00:34:22 | |
Dr. Robyn R. Jackson is the CEO of Mindsteps Inc. and the creator of Buildership University. She’s the author of multiple educational books and the host of the School Leadership Reimagined Podcast. She’s helped thousands of teachers and administrators turn their classrooms into success stories. She’s passionate about all students being successful and pursuing your vision with passion. We also have a “need to know” where I talk about visioning and expectations from what you would like things to look like three years from now. I also talk about the importance of progress over perfection. This episode is inspiring for everyone who wants to be their best self in their schools and classrooms. Episode Highlights: [02:40] Need to know: visioning and expectations. If we talked three years from now, what needs to have taken place in order for you to be happy with your progress? [04:04] Envision what things would look like in the future. Progress not perfection. [08:30] Robyn's “why” is that every child deserves to be successful at school. [11:11] What would your school need to look like for every child to be successful? This taps back into our fundamental belief of creating success for every single child. [12:10] A student story about why it's important to help every student write a successful research paper. Holding students accountable can change the trajectory of their lives. [17:17] Don't limit your goals. Set big goals to get off the hamster wheel and onto the momentum creating flywheel. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 29 Jun 2022 | Embedding Entrepreneurship Skills in Schools - Austin Brooks (Bonus Episode) | E83 | 00:45:00 | |
This bonus episode is all about how entrepreneurship fits in the classroom. I’m excited to have Austin Brooks the Executive Director at Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship which heads up the CEO creating entrepreneurial opportunities program. Ten years ago, Austin was the “kid who sparked the CEO movement” when he interviewed business leader Jack Schultz. Now he’s pairing community learning with Project Based Learning to create connectors and entrepreneurs beginning at the High School level. I love being an entrepreneur, and I love coaching entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship connects the natural problem solving pieces and brings in problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, strategy, empathy, and many more valuable skills. Austin and I dive into what CEO is all about and how it has helped jump-start the career and competence of learners. Austin shares some incredible stories, including how one student's project made $500,000 in the first year. Episode Highlights: [08:37] Austin shares how he began entrepreneurship at a young age by mowing lawns. [11:16] CEO is a capstone program for juniors and seniors to develop entrepreneurial skills. [13:58] Students in the CEO program get to go behind the scenes at local businesses and see how they work. [14:59] Community learning is paired with Project Based Learning, so that the students can learn to be connectors. The community partner aspect is really leveraged. [17:37] Adam Walters was in the CEO program. He overcame a lack of soft skills to talk to developers and create a Roblox Ghost Simulator. He ended up making half a million dollars. [21:33] We should not underestimate our expectations of our student learners. Interacting with community partners and mentors removes the ceiling of just being in the classroom. [28:22] Austin is the “kid who sparked the CEO movement”. All he needed was permission to connect and then he set up a meeting with business owner, Jack Schultz. This was the beginning of the CEO program, making students great communicators and connectors. [31:59] It's also a goal to help students become accountable and take ownership of their decisions whether they succeed or fail. [32:33] Students who go through the proven framework also become lifelong learners. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 06 Jul 2022 | PBL Leadership - Become a Confident Leader | E84 | 00:17:31 | |
Our leadership episodes in July are going to revolve around confidence and how to be a confident leader. Our main topic today is about how to become a competent leader. I’m going to use some examples from The Confident Mind: A Battle-Tested Guide to Unshakable Performance by Dr. Nate Zinsser. I’ll talk about the E-S-P approach and how to draw inspiration from times when things go well. I’m also going to talk about leaders creating a clear vision in the “need to know” which ties into the main topic. It helps to make sure your vision is very clear for you and then allow other people to get on board with that vision. Episode Highlights: [02:13] Opening "need to know" as a business leader, how do I launch my vision? How do I get everyone on board? [02:45] Leaders have a vision of what the school can be. [03:42] 1. Write out a clear distinct vision script. Think about staff, communications, impact etc. Start with the end in mind and work your way back. [04:23] 2. Give people an opportunity to speak into that vision. Bring people in and find out where you can tie them into your vision. [05:55] 3. How do you get everyone on board? Focus on the why and the innovation curve. [11:18] Fear of being a good leader comes from lacking confidence. Dr. Zinsser talks about the first win taking place in our minds. [12:03] We need to visualize things going well. [13:30] Use the E-S-P approach and look back on your day and find one spot where you had a really great effort. Wins will inspire more wins and confidence inspires more confidence. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 13 Jul 2022 | PBL Showcase - Authenticity Engages Learners and Facilitators - Ryan Steuer | E85 | 00:18:44 | |
I have an exciting and personal PBL showcase today about a young man coasting in school until a PBL unit inspired him to step up and become the leader he was meant to be. It’s a PBL unit about helping parents get their questions answered after their child's genetic disease diagnosis. They want to know if their child will be okay and everything else they can learn about the condition. That’s where my class of 8th graders jumped in, and a remarkable young man named Skyler Wagoner stepped up. The idea of helping people motivated him to be the learner and leader he was meant to be. You’ll also enjoy my answer to today’s “need to know” about what type of professional development you should be doing this summer. Episode Highlights: [01:13] Need to know: What kind of professional development should I be doing over the summer? [01:19] You should probably get some rest. Leaders and staff both need to take care of themselves. Teachers need to take care of themselves, because they just had a rough year. [01:51] Leadership always flows downhill and self-care is the first step. Take a break and maybe try some active rest like an activity you enjoy. [03:15] Decide if you want to jump into an in-person workshop. True collaboration comes with people. Find some good books to read. [07:27] My favorite PBL unit is the genetics unit. Everyday some parents find out that their child has a genetic disease. [07:49] 1. They want to know if their child is going to be okay. 2. They want to find out everything they can about the disease. [08:26] Being an eighth grader is a hopeful time where they can make a big shift. We asked 8th graders how we can best help these parents. [10:16] This project showed Skyler, who was smart but underachieving, that he could help people. When he became engaged, he was a great leader. [12:57] Seeing this is why I wanted to get involved in education. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 20 Jul 2022 | PBL Leadership - Help Your Staff Become Confident Teachers | E86 | 00:16:58 | |
In this leadership episode, we are talking about building confidence in your staff. How great do you think your building would be running once you've launched your vision and become a confident leader with a confident staff? You can build confidence by starting with the wins and pointing out the positive aspects of portions of PBL projects. We also have an opening need to know about how to get your staff PBL Certified. Having PBL Certified teachers in your school will revolutionize education. It will also trickle down to your new hires, because they will be training experts. Once you have PBL experts in your school it will spread to the rest of the teachers and staff. Episode Highlights: [01:38] How do I get my staff PBL certified? [02:57] Through our PBL Certification at Magnify Learning, we get to change our relationship with you. When people become certified, we become partners at creating awesomeness. [05:01] Think of PBL Jumpstart as making it to the middle of a mountain. PBL advanced will take you a little further. To get to the top, you would become PBL certified. [08:21] When we talked about you being a confident leader, we talked about focusing on your wins. Where did you have effort, success, and progress? [09:49] If you're just starting PBL in your school, point out a place where there was success like with a community partner to build confidence. [11:08] Mine the positives when there is pushback. Point out the positive and the success. A confident mindset focuses on the positive. [13:09] Build confidence in your staff, so they will go into the training already thinking it's going to be great. [13:51] What's your why as an educator and as a school? Remind them of their why. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 27 Jul 2022 | Danny Bauer - Better Leaders Better Schools | E87 | 00:27:50 | |
Danny Bauer from Better Leaders Better Schools is here to continue our conversation about leaders, confidence, and competence. Danny is the host of the Better Leaders, Better Schools podcast and the author of The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap and Mastermind. We talk about visioning your work by focusing on your vision for yourself first. Danny shares what a Ruckus Maker is and creative ideas for achieving success by coloring outside the lines. We also talk about setting up your staff for success and having an alignment of resources. Episode Highlights: [03:43] In 2019, Danny's publisher asked him to write a book about how he serves leaders. This book tells the story of the leadership community in his mastermind group. [05:08] He talks about why masterminds are a solution for creating powerful leaders and introduces the ABC's of powerful professional development. Integrating authenticity, belonging, and challenge in a meaningful way leads to life and leadership transformation. [07:25] A tip for making conferences better is to block off an extra day for journaling and making an action plan. [07:37] Masterminds happen more often, such as weekly, and you are with other people who understand what you're trying to do. You can have regular deep thinking on education and leadership while strengthening relationships. [08:57] Danny shares an example of one of his mastermind leaders that is winning and creating success. [11:44] Masterminds can be a space where you can bounce ideas off of other leaders. [12:32] The idea of being a Ruckus Maker is a tip to Seth Godin. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 03 Aug 2022 | Project Based Learning Research Part 1 | E88 | 00:20:10 | |
I’ve seen lives turned around by Project Based Learning. I have loads of success stories from learners, teachers, and administrators. There is also research to back up the benefits of Project Based Learning. This leadership episode is going to be a two-part episode focusing on Research on Project Based Learning by Lucas Education Research. The brief is linked to in the resources below. This episode takes a high-level view, and then I break it down in the upcoming episode 90 as we take a deeper look. We also have a “need to know” that focuses on the question of where do I get started with PBL? I share a free resource in the show notes and other options for learning about Project Based Learning. I also share the best way to learn by visiting a school and seeing it in action. Episode Highlights: [02:54] Where do I get started with PBL? Educate yourself with books, podcasts, videos, and visiting a school that is doing PBL. [04:01] On your visit ask good questions and be sure to talk to the learners. [05:55] It's a powerful lever for improving equity. When it's used significant learning occurs. [07:05] The study shows that when underserved students engage in PBL they learn significantly. [09:22] Learners miss out on opportunities and authentic learning experiences when not involved in Project Based Learning. [11:59] Curriculum needs to be flexible enough to pull in additional resources to help your students connect it to the work. Connections are a huge benefit. [13:06] Belonging in the school community. We need to build the culture so students are in a safe environment. [15:37] PBL also creates strong learning opportunities for teachers. Sustained high-quality professional learning. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 10 Aug 2022 | PBL Showcase - How to Implement PBL as a District | E89 | 00:20:27 | |
How do you implement PBL as a district? I’m hijacking another PBL Showcase episode to talk about this important question. School leaders need to build their PBL knowledge through books, resources, and even visiting a school that has implemented PBL. I also talk about the steps that you can use to implement PBL such as design days, PBL core team, being an advocate, and observing. Our “need to know” is a continuation of last week’s episode about deep research on Project Based Learning by Lucas Research. This research backs up another huge impact of PBL. It states that adding rigorous PBL to advanced placement courses improves student achievement on AP exams. There’s a perception that PBL doesn’t help with things like high stakes exams. This research dispels that myth. Episode Highlights: [03:38] The Lucas Research Study talks about Project Based Learning being authentic, having an inquiry-based approach, and exploring real-world problems. [03:52] This research backs up where we have the biggest impact. Adding rigorous PBL to advanced placement courses, improves student achievement on AP exams. PBL also improves science skills and social and emotional learning. [04:52] Students thrive with hands-on inquiry-based learning and have better test scores. [11:03] As a school leader, build your PBL knowledge with books and resources or visit a school that's already implemented PBL. [12:15] Create design days to spell out what your project will look like. What do you want your graduates to know? [13:37] What would your three year plan look like? [13:56] Create a PBL core team to find out if PBL will work in your district or school. [15:01] Be a PBL advocate for your facilitators. Look at your evaluation form and make PBL a positive. [16:45] Observe PBL in action. See what's happening and make sure it aligns with your vision. [17:30] How can you find community partners or get grants for your projects? Make connections and support the project as it moves forward. [17:52] Build PBL awareness. Do parents and community partners know about Project Based Learning? Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 17 Aug 2022 | Project Based Learning Research Part 2 | E90 | 00:19:13 | |
This is the second part of my deep dive into the Lucas Research Study on Project Based Learning. You can find the first part in episode 88. The research findings absolutely dispel the myth that PBL doesn’t improve test scores. Project Based Learning improves AP test scores for high school students and creates noticeable gains in middle school and elementary school students. It also increased engagement for the teachers. Having a culture with sustained professional learning and coaching for teachers and staff creates an environment where PBL is done right and increases outcomes and enjoyment for learners and teachers. The study shows that PBL was beneficial for all learners and staff. Episode Highlights: [02:10] "Need to Know" - How does our PBL school get better throughout the school year? [02:50] Having a staff member or PBL coach that specifically looks at Project Based Learning and supports the staff is essential. [04:51] Administrators also need an administrative coach. You need someone outside of your staff and district to push you. [06:04] Project Based Learning boosts student learning in AP courses. [07:48] Many of the participants were from underserved communities, and the study was created to help promote equity. The program increased test performance when using Project Based Learning. [08:31] The myth that Project Based Learning does not enhance test scores has been flipped on its head. [09:37] Your staff has to have professional learning in order to implement PBL properly. [10:24] PBL also led to gains in math, science, and vocabulary learning for middle schoolers. The teachers were also more engaged. [14:48] PBL is beneficial for all students. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 24 Aug 2022 | Leader of Leaders | E91 | 00:23:33 | |
Dr. Dan Kreiness from Leader of Learning is an instructional leader, podcast host, author, and speaker. He constantly looks for ways to advance education and produce high student learning. His dissertation was “Transformational Leadership to Inspire Growth Mindset in Classroom Teachers.” We dive into transformational leadership and what could hold teachers and students back. We talk about having a balance of technology in the classroom and how to alleviate teacher resistance to creating a student-centered classroom. He also shares some student stories and the best way to start getting teachers comfortable with Project Based Learning. Episode Highlights: [02:35] Dan wanted to find a way for school leaders to help combat teacher resistance to change. He also wrote his dissertation on this and having a growth mindset. [04:59] We're still seeing teachers who are resistant to turning time over to students and trusting and empowering them. [05:51] Dan's “why” is to help educators grow their impact as instructional leaders. [08:12] Dan shares an amazing student story that helps illustrate why he is so passionate about growth and impact. [12:42] He has great guests on his Leader of Learning podcast. Dan brings guests that will teach him a lot. He's also noticed that teacher's are struggling with instructional technology. [14:52] Students will need to use technology for future readiness. You need to find a balance with blended learning. [18:31] To implement Project Based Learning, you have to get teachers and staff comfortable with releasing control over to the students. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 31 Aug 2022 | Bonus Episode - Larry Smith - 6 Word Memoirs | E92 | 00:33:47 | |
Can you sum up your life or express your feelings in six words? Surprisingly, a simple six-word statement can be used to share your story, emotions, dreams, or just what you’re thinking about right now. Larry Smith is the founder and editor of SMITH Magazine and the man behind Six-Word Memoirs®. This movement has evolved into books, an app, a game, and a great way to get people to write. Larry is incredibly passionate about education and shares great insights into his Six in Schools program that supports teachers with guides and resources for using this concept with their students. There is even a pilot program where this method eventually leads to a book. Larry breaks everything down in his own words, and his passion for the program is contagious. Episode Highlights: [02:14] Larry started this movement to get the essence of any or all of your life. He wanted to create an entity that's about regular people telling stories. He created Smith Magazine. A story project that worked as describing your life in six words or less. [06:44] What started as a way to tell a story became a method to get people started with telling their story. It blossomed as a writing prompt in the education space. [11:00] This method inspires success! Blank pages are scary for everyone. Six words will get you through the blank page. [16:43] It's one more tool in the tool box for teachers. [19:27] The Simplicity of six words is also great to onboard kids with disabilities. Show examples to get kids started. It's just one little slice of life. [23:51] You can also theme out the six words or use it as an ice breaker. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 07 Sep 2022 | What Does A Leader Need to Know About Project Based Learning? And How to Learn It! | E93 | 00:17:52 | |
This PBL Leadership episode is about increasing your PBL knowledge. The big question that people often ask is how to bring PBL to my school or district. I'm going to talk about doing PBL well in a way that makes it sustainable for your school or district. Building PBL knowledge is the main focus today. People often ask if their PBL unit has to revolve around a real problem. We have strong feelings about this, and I discuss why you need to bring authenticity to the classroom in today’s “need to know”. In our PBL Jumpstart or certification we talk about real problems that need to be solved, because authenticity turns into aspirations. Episode Highlights: [02:20] "Need to Know" Does your PBL unit have to revolve around real world problems? We actually think it does need to be a real world problem that brings authenticity to your classroom. [02:48] When you go through PBL Jumpstart or Certification, we are going to be talking about real problems that need to be solved. [03:14] You don't want to skill and drill learners that are behind in the language arts because the context and authenticity gives them extra handholds to pin their learning to. [06:42] As a leader, you should have some knowledge around Project Based Learning. Listening to this podcast is a great start. [08:59] As you build your PBL knowledge, you also start to ask the right questions. Where do standards fit? How do your Community Partners tie in? [11:04] At some point, you're going to want to visit a PBL school. Bring the stakeholders that matter most for school change. [15:48] Once you build your knowledge, bring others alongside you like your teachers. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 14 Sep 2022 | PBL Showcase - What do Teachers Think About Project Based Learning? | E94 | 00:19:29 | |
This PBL Showcase will feature excerpts from teachers I interviewed during a PBL Jumpstart. I was able to talk to them on their third day to get some of their thoughts. We'll hear things like, I used to think this, but now I believe this, so we'll see mindset shifts. In a PBL Jumpstart, you get to live out PBL while creating a PBL unit. Our "need to know" for today is based on this question: I'm a social studies teacher. How do I connect my subject matter to relevant topics now? The teachers are experts in the field. Just asking the question in a little different way enables teachers to find a way to relate their lessons with the lives of kids today to help the kids feel more engaged and to work with community partners to add employability skills. Episode Highlights: [02:22] Can teaching ancient history solve a real world problem? You are the expert who would know the answer to this question. How could you make the lesson relevant to make the students more engaged? How would you bring in a community partner for employability skills? [03:19] Asking this question in just a little bit of a different way enables social study teachers to connect their lessons to kids' lives today. [04:16] Don't let community partners be a hurdle. You can bring in someone local that has knowledge on the topic. [07:35] Christine Guthrie used to think PPL was engaging, but now she knows it's empowering. She has a structure to engage 21st century skills while empowering lifelong learning. [07:51] Ethan used to think PBL was centered around a project. Now he thinks it's centered around a solution. [08:00] Carl used to think PBL would be stressful and hard for students and himself. Now he thinks it will be a good process to engage students. [08:19] Kristen thought PBL would make it hard to hit their standards, now she thinks she'll hit them in a more meaningful way. [11:52] I also have four more teachers for you to hear from. You'll notice a theme from them about how they now realize how valuable the community partner aspect is. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 21 Sep 2022 | PBL Leadership - How do I bring Project Based Learning to my school/district? High Level Design Days | E95 | 00:21:48 | |
We are talking about two schools today. One had a design plan for bringing in Project Based Learning. The other school didn't have a succession plan. I'm also going to give you the backstory for these design days and how it goes when you have a succession plan and when you don't. We also dive into concerns about a community partner taking over your class with their own agenda in today’s “need to know.” This can be a real concern, but I’ve never heard of that happening. You bring in the community partner, so you choose a partner that you know well enough that problems won’t happen. Episode Highlights: [02:23] If you're bringing in a community partner, you should know them well enough to know whether or not they're going to bring their own agenda. [03:17] Find a person that fits and have the discussion beforehand. [05:24] The first school brought in PBL. They did great training and had a principal that was fired up. They went through PBL Jumpstart and PBL Advanced. They did amazing things and really served their learners. [06:08] They didn't invest in the coaching at the administrative level to create a succession plan. When the principal moved on PBL disappeared. [08:43] What are the systems and processes that are in place that aren't just built around you as a dynamic leader? [12:33] You need time to think about the plans and the processes for your specific customized environment. Have a future plan in place, so when you move on your work doesn't die. [14:15] Put out your North Star and create grassroots momentum by inviting people into your vision. [17:21] Living the Project Based Learning process engages students, learners, principals and superintendents. The mindset goes through every level when living out this process on every level. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 28 Sep 2022 | PBL Leadership Guest - How To Create a Winning School Culture - Coach John Bacon | E96 | 00:36:27 | |
In this guest episode, I'm interviewing coach John bacon. He's the author of Let Them Lead. Coach bacon took the worst team in hockey and turned them around. He was able to empower his players and make them a winning team. It's a great story, and I recommend you listen to the audio version. Hearing the coach tell the story almost makes it seem like a movie, but it's real life. Our "need to know" connects with our conversation with the coach today. It's all about the question of where does culture fit in with Project Based Learning. Every school has a culture. Like my annual canoeing trip, culture is like the river's current. Your culture is always moving whether you intend it to or not. Adding initiatives like Project Based Learning helps impact your culture positively. Episode Highlights: [03:19] A positive culture helps build momentum. Culture is like the current taking your school down the river. [06:16] Nothing gives Coach Bacon more satisfaction than teaching and coaching. He speaks and writes but teaching is in his family. [07:46] Coach Bacon’s team, the River Rats, was ranked dead last. In three years, he turned the team around and ranked number 53 in the nation passing 1203 teams. [10:33] Coach Bacon's book, Let Them Lead is currently being turned into a screenplay. [11:31] Lesson 1. Make it special to play for the team. Making it hard is the easiest way to make it special. [14:13] They were the hardest working team in America and not one player quit. [17:53] Never tell your people what they can't do. Coach Bacon shares the story of Darth Nader. [20:41] Water all the plants. You don't know who's going to grow when or how far or how big. [31:37] Coach Bacon advises any principal on the fence about building culture to get off of that fence! Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 05 Oct 2022 | PBL Leadership - Build a Movement, Not a Mandate - PBL Learning Teams | E97 | 00:19:45 | |
As a leader, it’s essential to build your core learning team when introducing PBL to your school. You want PBL to empower learners and not go away when you leave. Having a core learning team will help with the sustainability of your PBL program. I talk about the three keys for PBL sustainability in your school. You don’t want to do it alone. People follow the first follower instead of the leader. You need local examples for your core team and teachers to follow. I also talk about a need to know that I get asked often: “What does Project Based Learning look like in kindergarten?” Besides being incredibly cute to see the kids dressed up and speaking to the audience, PBL in kindergarten is filled with impact. They learn to communicate with community partners, and the parents get to be the authentic audience which is a treat for everyone. Episode Highlights: [02:03] "Need to Know": What does Project Based Learning look like in kindergarten? Answer: Ridiculously cute and insanely impactful. [02:40] There's magic that happens when Project Based Learning is brought into the kindergarten classroom. [03:57] The kids are fired up. The kids that normally act out will sit and listen to the community partner. [05:09] The kids get to ask questions and the authentic audience is the learner's parents. The kids learn to speak in front of an audience. [08:49] Every Project Based Learning leader should have a PBL learning team for three sustainability keys. [09:01] Key #1 You can't bring Project Based Learning in alone, and you wouldn't want to. [10:38] Key #2 People follow the first follower, not the leader. [13:29] Key #3 You need local examples of Project Based Learning. Now your next group of teachers have something to reference.
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| 12 Oct 2022 | PBL Showcase - Teacher and Learners Share How to Pick a PBL Unit Idea | Build a Well with Voice and Choice | E98 | 00:35:55 | |
Today, I talk to 2nd Grade Teacher Kelly Misheikis from Unionville Elementary School in Bloomington, Indiana, and two of her former 2nd-grade students. Kelly and her class solved a runoff problem at their school's pond and raised over $10,000 to dig a well in Africa so girls could go to school instead of carrying water. I also have a "need to know" question: "How do I bring PBL ideas to my classroom?" There's nothing wrong with the kids coming up with ideas, but that's an advanced exercise. A facilitator can craft a well-thought-out idea that looks at standards, solves a real-world problem, and has available community partners. Episode Highlights: [02:38] Today's "Need to Know": How do I bring PBL ideas to my classroom? [02:59] The idea can come from anywhere. Kids having to come up with a PBL idea on their own is definitely an advanced tactic. [04:07] The idea has likely been crafted by the facilitator who's looked at the standards, real-world problems, and community partners. [07:48] Kelly Misheikis teaches at Unionville Elementary School in Bloomington, Indiana. She has two students who participated in the PBL with her today. [08:02] The project was called Save Water, Secure the Future. What can students do to conserve water, make it more accessible, and prevent pollutants? [09:50] There's a large pond in front of their school and runoff from the parking lot was going into that pond. [11:06] The school also has a vision called E.A.R.T.H. Earth, art, resources, technology, and health. Each grade studied a continent, and the second grade continent was Africa. [13:12] One of the students shares her story of gathering water with a bucket at the pond. The experience was life changing. [15:54] The kids had a goal to raise $10,000 for the Georgie Badiel Foundation. They even spoke with her. [19:59] The kids thought it was awesome and got donations from several family members. [21:11] They also researched and planted plants around the pond to soak up the runoff, and they also relocated the trail. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 19 Oct 2022 | PBL Leadership - Professional Development Plan | E99 | 00:22:46 | |
Ryan answers the question of how to bring Project Based Learning into your school or district in a sustainable way. PBL should be integrated in a way that creates excitement and long-term success. It starts with personal development for every leader. Episode Highlights: [05:10] "Need to know": Are actual problems more successful than hypothetical problems? Which one is the more effective question? [12:18] Every PBL leader needs three forms of personal development. #1 YOU need to have professional development around Project Based Learning. [14:27] #2 Is to have a PBL team, or core team, or leadership team. A core group of facilitators that can model and advocate for PBL. [17:16] #3 is the whole staff. You need to start with the "why" and the passion. Start with a passionate idea, show what PBL can do, and have a 3-4 year plan, and you will get a group of first followers. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 26 Oct 2022 | PBL Leadership Guest - Deeper Learning and Project Based Learning - Carmen Coleman | E100 | 00:39:36 | |
Carmen Coleman is the OVEC Chief of Transformational Learning and Leading/Deeper Learning Leader. She has a long educational leadership resume including Chief Academic Information Officer, Associate Professor, Superintendent, Principal, Teacher and several other academic leadership positions. We go way back and have a great conversation about deeper learning and Project Based Learning. We also have a "need to know" on continuing your work so that it's still going strong ten years from now? It's all about relationships and your strong network. Episode Highlights: [02:05] "Need to Know": How do I stay grounded as a leader? [02:25] Relationships or your Professional Learning Network is important. You need to connect with like-minded people. [08:36] Carmen became intent on helping kids realize their potential. [12:24] With the project based approach kids were solving real life problems. [18:30] Carmen wanted the vision at their school to become a living vision statement. [21:10] Creating learning experiences that show evidence of success is part of PBL. [27:03] The importance of having a North Star and knowing the end game you want to accomplish. [33:44] If you're on the fence about PBL, find out what's holding you back. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 02 Nov 2022 | PBL Leadership - Three Structures Every Leader Must Protect for PBL to Thrive | E101 | 00:17:16 | |
Leaders often wonder how they can be advocates for Project Based Learning in their classrooms. I talk about the three structures that will create an environment where PBL can flourish if you as a leader protect them. This week's “need to know” is related to our main topic of being an advocate for PBL. How can leaders learn about PBL if they are already out of the classroom? I talk about the importance of having a mindset of creating a learner centered environment for your staff which will empower their PBL efforts. Episode Highlights: [03:11] How do you learn about PBL when you're a leader that isn't in the classroom? [04:02] Get the learner centered growth mindset of Project Based Learning. Empower your staff to teach themselves about Project Based Learning. [06:05] How you can be a PBL advocate and why. [07:40] 1. Ensure that district initiatives don't hinder or undermine the Project Based Learning work. [10:13] 2. Allow the freedom of when and how the curriculum is taught. Rigid based plans can hinder Project Based Learning. [12:09] 3. Make sure that your teacher evaluations don't penalize teachers for using PBL. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 09 Nov 2022 | PBL Showcase Compilation - 4 PBL Showcases in 1 Episode! | E102 | 00:30:37 | |
This is a special PBL Showcase consisting of four standout PBL Showcases over the last year that I want to highlight. I’ll introduce each episode and share a clip. You can find links to the full episodes at the bottom of the page. Our “need to know” revolves around finding PBL ideas. Once you get started you’ll see ideas everywhere, but a great way to start is to collaborate with other educators. It's our goal to simplify PBL in order to get 51% of schools using PBL by the year 2051. We have this podcast, a YouTube channel, and the PBL Simplified book coming out on January 17th. Episode Highlights: [03:38] "Need to know" How do you come up with a PBL idea? [06:49] Our PBL Showcases are full of ideas and implementation that could give you ideas to build context around your learners. [10:13] Episode 65. They found local problems from the school office and used science to find the solutions. Another class partnered with a counselor and life skills teacher and created fidget toys. [17:00] Episode 76 turned kindergartners and first graders into authors and editors. They reached out to the community and a nursing home to create books to sell in order to get iPads for the residents. [21:57] Episode 98 is an example of an idea shifting with the learners. The class used buckets to gather water after reading about girls in Africa having to collect water. They ended up doing two projects. [26:36] Episode 63 has clips from young learners sharing why they like PBL and why you should implement it in your school. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 16 Nov 2022 | PBL Leadership - PBL Awareness with Parents and the Community | E103 | 00:22:32 | |
Today we end our series on supporting PBL in your school by talking about building PBL awareness. If you want a forward looking plan that will keep PBL going for years into the future, you need a PBL mindset. You have to know and be able to share your why. In our “need to know” I talk about how to find local schools to collaborate with. It doesn’t have to be something big and elaborate. Just start talking with other schools and start a group to explore ideas and learn more. Soon you’ll have your collaborative group. Episode Highlights: [04:59] "Need to know" How do I find a local school to collaborate with? [05:23] Put your flag up and let local schools or schools in your state know that you are looking at PBL. [07:03] You can also go with your local name and start a collaboration. Get together, talk, or even start a book study group. [09:04] Building PBL awareness. Leverage your community. [10:35] Share your why with local businesses and leaders, so they know you are empowering the learners and showcase your plan. [13:33] Share your story with the community. Have a community partner breakfast and showcase your school. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 23 Nov 2022 | PBL Guest - How to Build a Culture Beyond Standards - Jon Acton | E104 | 00:38:17 | |
Jon Acton has done it all when it comes to education. He was a teacher, coach, principal, and superintendent. His life took a turn when he and two of his close friends were diagnosed with cancer two years ago. He is now a motivational speaker, climate and culture consultant, and author. His business is called Broken Shells, based on a realization that came to him during chemotherapy. He shares his story and journey. He also talks about climate and culture, the differences, and how to have a positive learning environment. We discuss the importance of knowing your why and the significance of “expect victory” in Jon’s life. Episode Highlights: [01:42] "Need to Know" How do I create a PBL culture in my staff and classrooms? [02:05] Care about your people and establish a positive culture. The current of culture takes you, even if you're not moving. [07:19] Jon's "why" is making a positive influence on the kids. [12:43] Two years ago, Jon was diagnosed with cancer. Two of his friends also had the same diagnosis. [15:28] Jon loves the beach and found thousands of broken shells. During chemo, he realized that we are all broken shells. [20:41] Climate and culture is your foundational piece to success. Focus on climate and culture for a happy staff. [22:05] Climate means immediate things that you can do to enhance your classroom. Culture is more long-standing. [26:04] You can't have a positive classroom culture with a toxic staff culture. [29:44] Decide if you're going to be vulnerable and don't be afraid to smile and go after the things you want. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 30 Nov 2022 | PBL Guest - How to Create Sustainable PBL - Brad Sever | E105 | 00:31:26 | |
Brad Sever is currently an assistant principal at Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana. He’s also an author, presenter, and PBL trainer with extensive experience in PBL and schools and classrooms. Brad has been deeply involved with the world of PBL. His book, Sustainable Project-Based Learning: Five Steps for Designing Authentic Classroom Experiences in Grades 5–12, is all about designing, implementing, and assessing sustainable PBL. Brad shares a wealth of PBL information including asking the right questions and what those questions are. Episode Highlights: [02:04] Brad's "why" is about providing authentic learning experiences for students. [05:19] It's important for leaders to ask the right questions as opposed to having the right answer. [08:49] Brad shares a student story about a Civil War interactive museum exhibit where a student went above and beyond. [12:30] First steps that principals can take for PBL include focusing on the interested teachers and specific questions as a school. [15:21] Schools should be intentional about foundational knowledge, the ability to compare & contrast, and making sure students see real world application. [21:50] The best way to sustain PBL is to conduct teacher action research during teacher collaboration time. [24:12] Brad talks about flirting, dating, engaged, and married as an analogy to applying PBL in your school using the four questions from his book and action research. [26:22] Brad's advice for principals that are on the fence about PBL. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 07 Dec 2022 | PBL Leadership - Goal Setting that Actually Works from Dan Miller and James Clear | E106 | 00:19:24 | |
January is around the corner, and it's time to set goals and plan for the new year. Even with the busyness of December, a leader needs to carve out time for deep work. This episode is about setting goals for the new year and being able to communicate those goals. I share quotes and goal setting wisdom from Dan Miller and his goal setting worksheet. Once you have all of your goals, I share the process by James Clear to ruthlessly eliminate unnecessary goals. Episode Highlights: [05:46] People with clear plans and goals don't get depressed. Moving towards the goals we set is how we define success. [07:19] When we set goals, we need to be fired up about those goals. Set three year goals and work backwards. [11:13] Go big with your goals and then ruthlessly eliminate the unnecessary ones. Having too many goals will prevent us from achieving the important ones. [11:39] James Clear says the goal tells you where to go and the habit gets you there. [14:02] Priority mechanisms include the Eisenhower box and the Ivy Lee method. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 14 Dec 2022 | PBL Showcase - How to Start a PBL School - Banff Academy | E107 | 00:46:02 | |
I'm fired up about 51% by 2051 and getting 51% of schools using Project Based Learning by 2051. My last episode was about setting goals. Goals get you fired up, so take some time and write out your goals. Get fired up about PBL like today's guest Banff Academy from Scotland. I also have a “need to know” from a live workshop in Kentucky. It’s all about will PBL work at your school. In episode 88, I talked about Lucas Research on learners from less advantaged backgrounds and the positive results PBL had on their test scores. PBL is for all learners. Episode Highlights: [02:45] Need to Know: I've seen PBL work in what looks like a private school, but what about my school? [04:12] The Lucas Foundation did some really good research about how well PBL works in many different types of schools, especially when the learners are more disadvantaged. [09:20] Nick Mochan is a Deputy Head Teacher at Banff Academy. Hannah Clark is the Principal Teacher of Project Based Learning at Banff Academy. [10:06] They now have a team of three Project Based Learning teachers and a coordinator. [12:09] Nick and Hannah share their PBL whys. [17:14] They knew it would take brave leadership to implement something new like PBL. [18:24] Nick and Hannah are pioneering PBL in Scotland. They want to make learning more suitable to meet future learner demands. [26:23] Learners are changing the world by finding solutions for problems. Community partnerships are about relationships preparing the students for success. [32:34] Hannah shares a Pathway course where students work with local partners to find out how to create their dream jobs. [41:17] The teacher is in the middle facilitating the projects rather than leading. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 21 Dec 2022 | PBL Working Session - How to Start a PBL School - Banff Academy, Scotland | E108 | 00:24:42 | |
This is a special working episode. If you listened to episode 107 where I talked with Banff Academy, they asked me to answer a couple of "need to knows" that they have. This episode is the working session where we talked through their "need to know" questions. I’d also love your feedback on this episode. Would you like more of these working sessions? Go to WhatIsPBL.com and click on Ask Ryan and let me know! Today we talk about how to deliver PBL on a large scale with multiple teachers and more. Episode Highlights: [04:28] How to maintain consistency when one project is being delivered to multiple classes with a variety of teachers? Scaling PBL. [05:29] A community partner can present to everyone. Have a consistent message. Then teachers can dive in individually. [09:09] Community partners do like to get back to the community. [09:39] Prioritize what needs to be consistent and what doesn't. [10:47] How would you incorporate PBL into qualification level classes? [12:26] Ask the teachers what they want the learners to know by the time they leave school. Educators get fired up about the solution process. We can achieve these goals and meet standards. [18:14] Hannah and Nick want the learners to be asking for PBL by the time they become seniors. [19:02] Problem Based Learning can be 4 to 6 days or a smaller chunk than PBL. Resources & Links Related to this Episode | |||
| 28 Dec 2022 | PBL Leadership Guest - 100% of Students - Adam Drummond | E109 | 00:37:01 | |
Dr. Adam Drummond is here to talk about leadership, education, and some great principles from his book, The Instructional Change Agent. Dr. Drummond has a vast array of educational experience. He served as an elementary teacher and then moved up in the ranks becoming a principal and beyond. He’s served as a consultant, manager, director, and keynoter for the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). He shares his vast knowledge and experience in this interview. We have a “need to know” about how we make sure that we’re implementing PBL with fidelity. I talk about the importance of authenticity and real-world growth. Support your staff to build competence and then they can train others. Episode Highlights: [02:01] How do we make sure we're implementing PBL with fidelity? [02:35] The first people who implement PBL at your school will begin to define PBL at your school. Show a growth mindset, because your facilitators will expect feedback in terms of growth. [09:38] Having a positive educational experience forms a positive educational attitude. Impact matters. [10:41] Dr. Drummond knew he wanted to be in education since he was in the first grade. [13:07] It's important to understand each individual child's true needs. [17:24] Creating number one resources to match your goal. [20:25] We need our workforce to grow with the four E's: employment, enlistment, enrollment, and entrepreneurship. [23:28] Dr. Drummond shares how their community advisory team benefits their school and instruction. [26:56] Where do you want to be five years from now? Five questions to get there. [34:50] Looking at what is translating into student achievement and growth. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 04 Jan 2023 | PBL Leadership - Are You a Managing Leader or a Visionary Leader? l E111 | 00:27:55 | |
You don’t want to be a Managing leader. You want to be a Visionary leader. You want reach a higher level that has never been reached. You want to inspire. You want to grow. “Managers are often able to maintain a team at its current level, leaders are able to lift it to a higher level than it has ever reached before.” -John Maxwell In the main episode, Ryan will show you how to cast a clear and practical vision that excites and rallies your team. For Our Need to Know Ryan answers “How do I know if I’m a Managing Leader or a Visionary Leader?” In the new segment Leadership Leap, Ryan summarizes Leadershift by John Maxwell Project Based Learning is an instruction model that allows you to inspire and support your team. Traditional teaching can silo your staff and cause them to become reliant on you to make decisions. PBL will help you staff be empowered to fulfill your vision. Let’s help you launch that vision!
ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER | |||
| 31 Dec 2022 | *Bonus Episode* PBL Leadership - Reflection: You Need to Reflect! Don't Skip this Step! | E110 | 00:15:45 | |
It's our last episode of the year. We get to talk about reflection. Reflection is a huge part of Project Based Learning. John Maxwell said, "Experience isn't the best teacher, evaluated experience is the best teacher." It's possible to do the wrong thing over and over and never learn from it. When you take the time to reflect, you can learn from the experience. I also want to thank everyone for listening and please share this podcast. Become the person who is known for sharing great resources. I also talk about having gratitude and thanking those people you appreciate. Focus on the gain, not the gap, and have a wonderful year! Episode Highlights: [01:47] Being on the hamster wheel without reflection can burn you out and stifle improvement. [03:01] Look back on this last year or semester and write down highlights. Have a gratitude journal. [04:57] Who are the people in your life that you are grateful for? Send them a note and tell them you appreciate them. [07:39] We want to focus on the gain, not the gap. [09:54] What will you be grateful for at the end of the year? Write down in first person the goals and people that you are grateful for at the end of the future year. [12:48] Reach out to potential mentors and experts who have something to share. If they don't have time, reach out to someone else. [14:40] Relaunch your vision. All Beginnings are hopeful. Resources & Links Related to this Episode
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| 11 Jan 2023 | PBL Showcase - Math and PBL l E112 | 00:33:40 | |
Are you looking for other Visionary Leaders to connect with? Does math and Project Based Learning seem like a hurdle or a highlight? Visionary Leaders who employ PBL can create authentic learning experiences and inspiring classrooms for students of all ages. Project Based Learning also enables school leaders to fulfill their vision for academic growth and a thriving school community. In this PBL Simplified episode, Ryan will answer the need to know “How do we connect my standards to the real world?” Our Leadership Leap is about the book Mastermind by Daniel Bauer. Danny is a mastermind expert and he and his Ruckus Makers are changing education for the positive. I highly recommend his book, check it out in the links below. Today’s main episode is a PBL Showcase in Math. Kristina Werner takes a boring subject like data and makes it engaging for her learners. Kristina’s ‘Why’ is about equity in mathematics and trying to have more students to see themselves as math learners. Now that she works at a Project Based Learning school in Florida, her why has expanded to engaging more students in the math classroom and showing them that there are connections outside of the problems in the book. In this episode she talks about creativity in math. PRE-ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER | |||
| 18 Jan 2023 | PBL Leadership - Actually Achieving Your Goals | E113 | 00:30:38 | |
Have you set your goals but now you feel stuck? As a Visionary Leader, your goals are important. But after you set your goals, you need to actually achieve them. This is an important and often overlooked step. We’ve already talked about setting your goals and now Ryan will share three things you must do if you want to actually achieve your goals. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast Ryan answers the Need to Know of Do I have to pay for Community Partners? In the Leadership Leap segment Ryan summarizes Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holiday. Check it out in the resources sheet in the show notes below. For the main episode, Ryan will be talking about actually achieving your goals. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER | |||
| 25 Jan 2023 | PBL Leadership Guest - Ryan Steuer | E114 | 00:27:54 | |
In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan answers the Need to Know “How does a school get started with PBL?” For the Leadership Leap Ryan summarizes Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink. In the main Leadership Guest episode Ryan Steuer will be the guest with his daughter Sadie Steuer as the host. Sadie is also the host of the CoCoLand Podcast. Among other questions, Ryan shares his ‘why’, how it feels to publish his second book, PBL Simplified, Ryan talks about 51 by 2051 51% of schools using Project Based Learning by 2051, and reveals some things most people do not know about him. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer THE COCOLAND PODCAST https://thecocolandpodcast.buzzsprout.com WORKING GENIUS TEST | |||
| 01 Feb 2023 | PBL Leadership - Define the Dissonance | E115 | 00:23:39 | |
In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast Ryan will answer the Need to Know “How do I find authentic PBL Unit ideas?” For the Leadership Leap Ryan summarizes Be Unstoppable by Alden M. Mills. In the main episode, Ryan talks about defining the dissonance, that feeling of something wrong with education. As a Visionary Leader, you need to be able to define the dissonance. Ryan asks you three questions to help you find, fix, and then solve the dissonance. Ryan will also give you several ideas for solving the dissonance in your own school. Everyone's dissonance might be different. The science teacher will likely have a different dissonance than the English teacher. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP | |||
| 08 Feb 2023 | PBL Showcase - Full Grade Level PBL Plus an Elective Class | E116 | 00:40:56 | |
Visionary Leaders who employ PBL can create authentic learning experiences and inspiring classrooms for students of all ages. Project Based Learning also enables school leaders to fulfill their vision for academic growth and a thriving school community. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast Ryan will answer the Need to Know “How do we create PBL Office Hours?”and also give you a different solution. For the Leadership Leap Ryan summarizes The Power of Sleep. Sleep is important as a Visionary Leader. Check it out in the links below. In the main PBL Showcase episode we have the team at Dixie Magnet Elementary. They talk about their successful PBL Unit of rebuilding the playground to fit all accessibility levels, implementing standards into this unit, how they brought in community partners, and a student success story. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP | |||
| 15 Feb 2023 | PBL Leadership - Define the Ideal | E117 | 00:24:39 | |
Last PBL Leadership Episode Ryan talked about defining the dissonance, that feeling that something is wrong with education. Now he talks about defining the ideal, what you want your Learners to know when they leave your school. Ryan tells you how to make your Ideal Graduate. The Ideal Graduate is more than just a fancy logo that goes on your website, it’s a process. The process is very important for your teachers and school. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast Ryan answers the Need to Know “How do we find Community Partners?” and gives you some great tips and ideas for inviting Community Partners into your school to provide authenticity to the work. In the Leadership Leap Ryan summarizes the book It Takes What It Takes by Trevor Moawad. For the Main Episode Ryan talks about defining the Ideal, what things look like when everything is going great. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up IT TAKES WHAT IT TAKES BY TREVOR MOAWAD | |||
| 01 Mar 2023 | PBL Leadership - Define the Path | E119 | 00:27:07 | |
We’ve already talked about defining the dissonance, that feeling that something is wrong with education. During the last PBL Leadership Episode Ryan talked about defining the ideal, what you want your Learners to know when they leave your school. Now Ryan talks about defining the path. Ryan shares four future facing steps you must take in order to define the path for your people to take. Ryan will also tell you how to build an Irreversible Culture so that when you leave to go onto your next adventure, the culture is already solidified.
ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up 48 DAYS COMMUNITY THE CHECKLIST MANIFESTO BY ATUL GAWANDE | |||
| 22 Feb 2023 | PBL Leadership Guest - Brenden From MasterTalk | E118 | 00:48:21 | |
Public speaking is important for every Visionary Leader. You need to be able communicate your ideas clearly and effectively to your team. Whether it’s at a faculty meeting or one-on-one, great public speaking requires practice. It doesn’t happen overnight. In this PBL Leadership Guest episode we have Brenden from MasterTalk. Brenden is an expert public speaking coach. He shares his knowledge of public speaking with Ryan and how it relates to you as a Visionary Leader. Brenden will also share several ideas to help you run a faculty with engagement from your staff. Brenden has a Youtube channel where he shares his public speaking expertise. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan answers the Need to Know “What type of learner is PBL best suited for?” In the Leadership Leap, Ryan summarizes the book EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey. This book is all about leadership ideas that actually work. These ideas come from decades of work by Dave Ramsey and his team. Ryan shares several ideas and quotes from the book. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer ENTRELEADERSHIP BY DAVE RAMSEY BRENDEN’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL https://www.youtube.com/@MasterTalks Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we earn a small commission if you use our link to purchase the item. | |||
| 08 Mar 2023 | PBL Showcase - How Do You Build Engagement In High School English? | E120 | 00:39:36 | |
Are you looking for other Visionary Leaders to connect with? Does English and Project Based Learning seem like a hurdle or a highlight? Visionary Leaders who employ PBL can create authentic learning experiences and inspiring classrooms for students of all ages. Project Based Learning also enables school leaders to fulfill their vision for academic growth and a thriving school community.
ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ATHLETIC GREENS ATOMIC HABITS BY JAMES CLEAR | |||
| 15 Mar 2023 | PBL Leadership - Train to Expert - Where to Start | 121 | 00:27:23 | |
How do you define the path for your school? Without a path, no one knows where to go, but you will end up somewhere. The next step you need to take is what Ryan calls "Train to Expert", which is training your teachers to be experts in their chosen field. Ryan gives three key components to professional development. These components fulfill both culture building and the skillsets of your staff. This episode focuses on the first step of the Train to Expert path. There will be two more steps in the series of Defining the Path for your school. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan answers the Need to Know “I’m a PE teacher. I’m in the gym. I’ve got health. How do I get started with Project-Based Learning and how do elective courses work with Project-Based Learning?” Ryan points to Jordan Manley as the PE expert. You can connect with Jordan in the links below. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up 48 DAYS COMMUNITY MINDSET BY CAROL DWECK JORDAN MANLEY Twitter: @STEAMWellnes Blog Post by Jordan: https://slowchathealth.com/2022/05/30/pbl_pe/ | |||
| 29 Mar 2023 | PBL Working Session - How Do You Create Authentic Project Based Learning Units? | E123 | 00:30:20 | |
Do you wonder what conversations other Project-Based Learning schools have? If you answered yes then you’re in for a treat because we have a special PBL Working Session with Haley Culp from Neosho, Missouri. In this working session, you get to listen as Ryan works through some of the questions Haley has from her district. Haley has been a PBL teacher in the classroom and is now an Assistant Principal at a PBL-supportive district in Neosho, Missouri. Haley is also a PBL Certified Facilitator. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan answers the Need to Know “When are my Learners ready for a public presentation?” In the Leadership Leap, Ryan summarizes The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. This book is about little actions every day that eventually add up. Ryan highly recommends this book! Get your copy in the links below. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up THE SLIGHT EDGE BY JEFF OLSON
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| 22 Mar 2023 | PBL Guest - Motivated Leadership - Danny Brassell | E122 | 00:50:53 | |
For this PBL Leadership Guest Episode we have Danny Brassell with us today. Danny is a speaker and author of 15 books including Leadership Starts With Motivation and Bringing Joy Back to the Classroom. Danny talks about different leadership ideas you can apply to your work today. You will definitely find several nuggets of advice in this episode. We will be talking about faculty meeting ideas. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan answers the Need to Know “I get that grouping is important, but it is also hard and awful! Help!” In the Leadership Leap, Ryan summarizes the book Elite Minds by Dr. Stan Beecham. Elite Minds book's thesis is “The debate continues whether it’s in business or competitive sports, how much of one's performance is based on physical ability and how much of one's performance is based on mental acuity.” Get your copy in the link below. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ELITE MINDS BY DR. STAN BEECHAM CONNECT WITH DR. DANNY BRASSELL https://freegiftfromdanny.com/ BOOKS BY DR. DANNY BRASSELL | |||
| 05 Apr 2023 | PBL Leadership - The Slight Edge | E124 | 00:16:38 | |
Do you ever wonder how high achievers reach such a high level? Contrary to popular thought, they did not just suddenly rise to the top. It was all of the little things they did every day, compounding over years, that brought them up to where they are today. The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson captures this idea perfectly. What is the Slight Edge? In his book, Jeff Olson says “They are not big sweeping things that take huge effort. They are not heroic or dramatic. Mostly, they are just little things you do every day and nobody else will notice.” In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan answers the Need to Know “How do I get my teachers to do a book study?” It's a trick question, you don’t! Your staff does not have time to do a book study. But can you get excerpts of really great books and bring them to your staff? Absolutely! For our main episode, Ryan takes a deep dive into The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. This book is all about making slight improvements that compound over time adding up to major achievements. How does this help us in education and Project Based Learning? Ryan shares three ideas from The Slight Edge you can implement today. Get your copy in the links below. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up THE SLIGHT EDGE BY JEFF OLSON | |||
| 12 Apr 2023 | PBL Showcase - How Do You Find And Use Community Partners? | E125 | 00:32:06 | |
Are you looking for high quality Project Based Learning examples to share with your staff? If yes, then you have found the right episode! Haley Culp from Neosho, Missouri shares her PBL unit and offers some advice on what went well, and what she learned. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan answers the Need to Know “How do I get Project Based Learning to spread organically?” In the Leadership Leap, Ryan talks about Eat, Move, and Sleep by Tom Rath. This book is backed up by research and filled with advice about how you should Eat, Move, and Sleep. Get your copy in the links below. In the main episode, we have Haley Culp from Neosho Missouri. Haley was a teacher in the classroom and has recently switched roles to assistant principal. Today, Haley shares her favorite PBL Unit from her classroom. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up PBL MOVEMENT CONFERENCE https://www.magnifylearningin.org/pbl-movement EAT MOVE SLEEP BY TOM RATH | |||
| 19 Apr 2023 | PBL Leadership - Unstoppable | E126 | 00:19:38 | |
In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan answers the Need to Know “What is the research behind Project Based Learning? The research is out there! You can go back to past PBL Simplified episodes E88 and E90 to hear Ryan talk about this research or Ryan can send you the research. Just go to WhatisPBL.com and click on Ask Ryan. In our main episode, Ryan does a deep dive into the book Be Unstoppable by Alden M. Mills. Be Unstoppable is a parable style book that gives us a format for personal leadership. Tune in to the heart of this episode to get another high level leadership book for your bookshelf. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up PBL MOVEMENT CONFERENCE https://www.magnifylearningin.org/pbl-movement BE UNSTOPPABLE BY ALDEN M. MILLS | |||
| 26 Apr 2023 | PBL Guest - Lead with the 3 Cs - Competent, Character, Chemistry - Jeff McManus | E127 | 00:36:41 | |
In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Jeff McManus from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). Jeff is the Landscape Leader there, as well as a nationally recognized speaker and leader. Today, Jeff shares some of his leadership ideas such as The Three C’s: Competent, Character, and Chemistry. He also talks about growing leadership from within and succession planning. Jeff shares some of his success stories from his long landscape career.
SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up PBL MOVEMENT CONFERENCE https://www.magnifylearningin.org/pbl-movement CULTIVATE BY JEFF MCMANUS | |||
| 10 May 2023 | PBL Showcase - How Do You Handle Good Succession Planning? | E129 | 00:55:13 | |
How do you handle good succession planning? In this episode, Jennifer Cox and Josh Rhodes talk all about school leadership, including their successful succession plan, school building, management, and much more. They share some true nuggets of advice over their years of working together. Tune in to get all of the wisdom from these two rockstar PBL Leaders.
ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up PBL MOVEMENT CONFERENCE https://www.magnifylearningin.org/pbl-movement FOLLOW JENNIFER AND JOSH ON TWITTER @JenniferHCox @JoshRhodes79 | |||
| 24 May 2023 | PBL Showcase - National Award - PBL Elementary Classroom - Brittany Tinkler | E131 | 00:35:22 | |
You are in for a real treat in this PBL Showcase episode because we have Brittany Tinkler from Perry Township School with us today. Brittany is a rockstar PBL Teacher and recent recipient of the prestigious Milican Award.
In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Brittany Tinkler from Rosa Parks Elementary in Perry Township, Indiana. Brittany has recently been recognized by the prestigious Milican Award, which is awarded to early to mid career educators around the country, for their already impressive achievements and more significantly, for the promise of what they will accomplish in the future. Brittany is also a PBL Certified Facilitator for Magnify Learning at workshops during the summer. Her passion for the work is very evident and contagious. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up
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| 03 May 2023 | PBL Leadership - Ooch Into PBL | E128 | 00:32:06 | |
This main episode is the first in a four part series. This first part is about why you should ooch into Project Based Learning. This idea of ooching comes from the Heath Brothers and is when you make a small step to see if it is a good idea to make a bigger one as well as to encourage others to join you. This applies to you if you have some teachers who are unsure if they want to fully jump into Project Based Learning. Ryan talks about how to get your full staff to move closer to Project Based Learning. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have a Need to Know: Should I have a bank of Community Partners for my teachers to select? Or should I let them go find their own? Ryan shares his thoughts on this and offers some advice for helping your teachers select their own Community Partners. For our Leadership Leap, Ryan summarizes Predictable Success by Les McKeown. While solidly a business book, there are still many ideas we can apply here in education. In this book, Les talks about the stages businesses (or schools) go through from starting up to years later. Ryan spins this to apply to us in education. Get your copy in the links below. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up PREDICTABLE SUCCESS BY LES MCKEOWN | |||
| 17 May 2023 | PBL Leadership - Building a PBL Culture | E130 | 00:28:31 | |
This is the second part of our four-part series on moving Project Based Learning into your school. Today, Ryan talks about building a Project Based Learning culture in your school to sustain PBL. He has six different topics about culture building around your vision and driving your staff towards your vision. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have a Need to Know question: Should we start a school within a school? It’s a good question and Ryan shares his thoughts and ideas. For our Leadership Leap, Ryan talks about the book Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey. This book is about focusing clearly and deeply which is an important leadership ingredient. Get your copy in the links below. For our main episode, Ryan continues the four part series on ooching Project Based Learning into your school. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up
https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today HYPERFOCUS BY CHRIS BAILEY
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| 31 May 2023 | PBL Guest - Powerful Leadership Words - Terre Short | E132 | 00:30:27 | |
What if you could channel your thoughts to help you build momentum for your vision? Could the thing that is holding you back, be you? Terre Short shows us how to harness the power of your thoughts and words to become the leader your building needs you to be. Since this is the fifth Wednesday of the month, we have a bonus Project Based Learning Leadership Guest episode. Terre Short is a leadership coach and author of the book: The Words We Choose, Your Guide to How and Why Words Matter. Terre’s "why " is about helping people communicate better. Terre talks about the idea of what she calls your ‘Internal Podcast’. You are in charge of your thoughts and you can harness this power to become a better leader in your school. Terre shares her experience of listening to the voice that said “ Of course you can”, instead of the voices that told her she couldn’t. Terre has a three part process to help you transition to a meeting, switch gears in the middle of the day, etc. The process is short and easy to remember: 1. Deep breath in, say “I am present.” Exhale. 2. Deep breath in, say “ I have the intent to listen.” Exhale. 3. Deep breath in, say “ I will absorb and deposit this information.” ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today TERRE’S BOOK THE WORDS WE CHOOSE TERRE’S WEBSITE https://www.thrivingleadercollaborative.com/
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| 07 Jun 2023 | PBL Leadership - Real World Problem Solving | E133 | 00:34:04 | |
This is the third episode in our four part series on moving Project Based Learning into your school. Today, Ryan talks about Real World Problem solving and how that engages learners who are not normally engaged. You can bring in real world problem solving even if you’re not a fully Project Based Learning school or classroom. Often, a Real World Problem is what it takes for your learners to be fully engaged. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have for our Need to Know: How do I decrease my stress level as a high-flying leader? In the Leadership Leap, Ryan summarizes the book Soundtracks by Jon Acuff, one of Ryan’s all-time favorite authors. The thesis of this book is about taking overthinking from a super problem to a superpower. Ryan dives into how this book can help you in education and why you need to have some positive soundtracks running through your head providing encouragement throughout your day. The main episode continues the four part series on ooching Project Based Learning into your school. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today SOUNDTRACKS BY JON ACUFF Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 14 Jun 2023 | PBL Showcase - Secondary Science Culture- Michelle Mesa | E134 | 00:32:02 | |
Today on the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Michelle Mesa from Babcock Ranch Neighborhood Schools here to walk us through several of her Project Based Learning units. Michelle currently teaches high school biology and has taught middle school too. Michelle shares how one of her PBL Units really touched a Learner that wasn’t very active in school before and inspired her to participate. Michelle has been doing Project Based Learning for five years now and offers some insights and advice. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today PBL MOVEMENT CONFERENCE https://www.magnifylearningin.org/pbl-movement Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 21 Jun 2023 | PBL Leadership - Voice and Choice | E135 | 00:31:36 | |
This is the final episode in our four part leadership series on How Do You Get People to Ooch Into PBL? If you’re a leader who wants to move into Project Based Learning but you are not sure where to start, then this is the series for you. Today, Ryan is talking about giving your learners Voice and Choice. You can implement Voice and Choice to help your school ooch towards Project Based Learning. When you give your Learners some Voice and Choice, they are instantly more engaged and focused. In this episode of the PBL Simplified podcast, our Need to Know is: How do I stop working so much on the weekend? It’s an important question and Ryan answers with what He uses when coaching other leaders on this. For our Leadership Leap, Ryan talks about the book Parenting Champions by Lanny Bassham. This book is about what parents need to know about the mental game with their kids. Get your copy in the links below. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today PBL SIMPLIFIED VIDEOS ON VOICE AND CHOICE Uncovering the Benefits of Student Voice in Project Based Learning! | PBL Simplified PBL Culture and Student Voice and Choice | PBL Simplified PARENTING CHAMPIONS BY LANNY BASSHAM Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 12 Jul 2023 | PBL Showcase - Deep Community Partnerships - Andrew Larson | E138 | 00:38:37 | |
In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Andrew Larson from CSA New Tech in Columbus, Indiana here to give us the rundown on his Project Based Learning unit. Andrew is a veteran PBLer and PBL Certified Facilitator for Magnify Learning during the summer. Andrew's unit is called Tree Shepherds, yep you heard that right. Tune in to this episode to find out more. Ryan and Andrew talk about how CSA New Tech has a reputation in their city for doing really cool things and how that reputation came to be. Andrew shares his thoughts on what it looks like when 51% of schools are doing Project Based Learning by 2051. In this episode you’ll also hear a lot about culture building and community partners. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 19 Jul 2023 | PBL Showcase - Authenticity in Elementary - Cassandra Metcalf | E139 | 00:26:24 | |
Can you really do Project Based Learning in First Grade? How do you keep things authentic while still hitting your standards? In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Cassandra Metcalf. Cassandra is a first grade Project Based Learning teacher and shares her PBL Unit. She talks about how she was able to tie in standards while still doing great Project Based Learning that benefited the local food pantry. As a teacher in a small community, Cassandra was able to get many local farmer connections for her class. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today
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| 26 Jul 2023 | PBL Guest - Lead Leaders Well - Vamsi - Leadership Coach | E140 | 00:31:03 | |
In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Vamsi from Make More Leaders. Vamsi is a leadership coach and offers many insights and leadership tips you can apply in your school. His why is about helping leaders realize the greatness inside of them. Vamsi brings in a lot of metaphors to help illustrate what great leaders do. He also talks about how to avoid burning out in your career by balancing your health, family, and spirituality. He and Ryan also talk about Masterminds and the power of synergy that comes from that. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today
Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 16 Aug 2023 | PBL Showcase - Hitting Standards With PBL | E143 | 00:43:04 | |
Does Project Based Learning and standards seem like a hurdle? Can you really hit all of your benchmarks while maintaining an authentic unit? In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Joe Steele from CSA New Tech in Columbus, Indiana. Joe is a high school English teacher there and PBL Certified Facilitator for Magnify Learning during the summer. Joe’s why is “sparking kids to realize the magic inside of them through English.” Joe talks about their teacher mentorship program that encourages new teachers to use Project Based Learning. Joe also shares how he addresses standards while still doing Project Based Learning. Joe dives into his PBL Unit that is currently in process! It is a unique angle we don’t often get to hear so make sure you tune in to this episode. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 23 Aug 2023 | *Bonus* PBL Showcase -Elementary PBL from Start to Finish - Cassie Alpine | E144 | 00:27:14 | |
How do you tie standards to your Project Based Learning Unit? Does third grade and PBL seem like a hurdle or a highlight? In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Cassie Alpine, a third grade teacher from Perry Township Schools in Indianapolis, Indiana. Cassie shares her why for education and how she is working to leverage her impact by becoming an administrator. She shares her Project Based Learning unit of helping the local animal shelter recover from a barn fire. She walks us through her unit from start to finish and offers her thoughts and advice. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 09 Aug 2023 | PBL Showcase - Authentic PBL In Elementary - Dixie Elementary | E142 | 00:30:43 | |
How can you include other teachers in your Project Based Learning Unit? Today, we have Dixie Elementary teachers here to share their PBL Unit that involved the whole second grade team of teachers. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have the second grade team from Dixie Magnet Elementary School in Fayette County, Kentucky. The team goes through their Project Based Learning Unit and how they involved community partners, connected standards, crushed authenticity, and leveraged engagement. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 05 Jul 2023 | PBL Guest - Fight the Loneliness of Leadership - Andre Thomas | E137 | 00:41:43 | |
How do you handle the ‘Loneliness of Leadership’? How do you still thrive as a leader, even when you don’t have much support or trust from your team? In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Andre Thomas from True Vine Consulting. Andre coaches and consults principals and education leaders from around the country. Andre talks about how important coaching is and why it is imperative for you to invest in your leaders. Sports and Business tap into this idea all the time. Your leaders need coaching and Andre shows you how. ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today CONNECT WITH ANDRE https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-thomas-9303041a7 ANDRE’S WEBSITE https://www.truevineconsultants.com/ Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 30 Aug 2023 | PBL Guest - Continual Change Process - Michael McDowell | E145 | 00:45:18 | |
How do you lead your school, but remain a humble leader? How do you create a continual improvement process for your building? If you do not purposefully improve, then you will not improve and your teachers will not improve. In this PBL Leadership episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Michael McDowell from Hinge Education. Michael has written six books on Project Based Learning and Leadership. He and Ryan talk about setting boundaries for your work, being a humble leader, starting a continual change and improvement process, and many more leadership topics you can apply today. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today CONNECT WITH MICHAEL https://www.hingeeducation.org/ https://thecorecollaborative.com/ BOOKS BY MICHAEL The Project Habit https://amzn.to/3KY4vrm Rigorous PBL By Design https://amzn.to/3Pj9c0S Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 28 Jun 2023 | PBL Guest - What to Say When a Staff Member has Cancer - Kim Hamer | E136 | 00:40:12 | |
How do you address your staff when they or someone they love has an unexpected diagnosis? How do you handle crisis situations with your staff? You are the leader, so your staff looks to you for guidance on what to do and say. Kim Hamer is our PBL Leadership Guest in this episode, and she is an expert working with school leaders to help them lead through trauma and crisis well. There are things you should not say and things you should say. In this episode, Kim will give you very clear statements to say and not say. It is your leadership playbook for leading well in crisis. 100 ACTS OF LOVE https://www.100actsoflove.com/ 5 PHRASES YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY TO SOMEONE WITH CANCER https://www.100actsoflove.com/whatnottosay Email Kim Hamer info@100actsoflove.com ORDER THE NEW BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up https://magnifypbl.mykajabi.com/pmoc Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 06 Sep 2023 | PBL Guest - Why Great Leaders Have a Coach - Beth Napleton | E146 | 00:37:44 | |
Do you need a coach? Yes you do. You know that you do. But how do you get a coach that will actually help and move you forward? If you invest in a coach for the leader, then everyone else down the line is affected in a positive way. In this PBL Leadership episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Beth Napleton. Beth is a coach with over two decades of experience and today she shows you how to hire your coach. She also talks about various leadership topics such as sleep and how it affects not only you as a leader but also your staff. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today BETH’S WEBSITE https://www.bethnapleton.com/ | |||
| 13 Sep 2023 | PBL Showcase - What Happens When You Are The Only One Doing PBL in Your Building | E147 | 00:33:17 | |
What happens when you are a PBLer and you end up in a traditional teaching environment? What happens when you are the only Project Based Learning teacher in your building? In this PBL Showcase episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Britni Pascoe from Indianapolis, Indiana. Britni started at a Project Based Learning school and then moved out of state to a traditional teaching school for two years. Now she has come back to Indianapolis in the same district. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 20 Sep 2023 | *Bonus* PBL Showcase - PBL in High School Biology | E148 | 00:42:29 | |
How do you relate high school biology to the real world? Can you still successfully teach your course while maintaining an authentic Project Based Learning Unit? In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Bridget Steele, a high school science teacher from CSA Newtech in Columbus, Indiana. Bridget shares her why for education and how she connects standards and career ideas to her units. She walks through several Project Based Learning units and how she takes high level biology and makes an authentic and engaging PBL Unit for her learners. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY | |||
| 11 Oct 2023 | PBL Showcase - PBL in High School English | E151 | 00:34:03 | |
How does Project Based Learning fit into high school English? Does it seem like a hurdle or a highlight? How do you make a project engaging enough for all of your learners? In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Veronica Buckler from CSA New Tech in Columbus, Indiana. She is a high school English teacher there. Veronica’s why for education is she “wants her students to love learning as much as she does and know that it goes beyond the grade” She walks us through her Project Based Learning unit and the deep questions she asked her learners. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY | |||
| 02 Aug 2023 | PBL Showcase - PBL in English | E141 | 00:32:46 | |
How do you do Project Based Learning in High School English? Can you still be creative and get an authentic unit while addressing standards? In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Kendra McPheeters, a High School English teacher from Lowell, Indiana. Kendra shares her why for education and walks us through her Project Based Learning Unit. She has done this PBL Unit several times with different groups of Learners before. Kendra shares some student stories of how Project Based Learning helped her students overcome negative experiences.
ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY | |||
| 25 Oct 2023 | PBL Leadership - Karis Horton - Social Media Expert | E153 | 00:30:44 | |
How do you handle social media for your school? What if you get it wrong? You need to let the world know about the great things your school is doing and today we show you how. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Karis Horton, a social media expert and Project Based Learning graduate. Karis shares her why for the work she does and how Project Based Learning changed her life. She talks about how you can use social media to leverage your impact. Karis gives us several ideas for getting social media started for your school and how to train a team member to handle your social media. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today CONNECT WITH KARIS https://www.instagram.com/karishortin/?hl=en Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 07 Aug 2023 | PBL School Visits - Surprise Offering! | Bonus Episode | 00:14:48 | |
You need to find a place of inspiration to either change your or solidify your mindset, and with school visits, you get to see high quality PBL in action. Your staff needs to experience another school to find inspiration. This September, Magnify Learning will be hosting a Design Days Immersion at CSA NewTech. During these two days, you get to speak with teachers, principals, and students at a Nationally Recognized PBL School. CSA NewTech is a rockstar PBL School and is an excellent place to inspire your team. There are only 30 tickets total so secure your team's spot today with the link below: https://events.eventzilla.net/e/2day-immersion-design-days-2138619876 REGISTER FOR THE DESIGN DAYS IMMERSION SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY | |||
| 27 Sep 2023 | Inspire Students and Staff - Motivational Speaker - Brad Hurtig | E149 | 00:35:44 | |
Brad Hurtig has a story for you and for your students that you need to hear. Get a sneak peak of his inspiration story in this episode. His message of 'Find a Way' will inspire the students and staff of your building. The culture you are building in the classroom is just as important as the desks...maybe more important. Brad is the guy you want to have in front of your students if you are trying to set the tone for a growth mindset. If Brad can overcome his setbacks with determination and humor, so can your students. This episode will be an easy share! Go to https://www.bradhurtig.com/ to get more details on Brad's story and to have him come speak to your school. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 04 Oct 2023 | PBL Showcase - How to Create an Incredible Culture for Your School (Cynthia Bruno - Principal)- | E150 | 00:30:18 | |
Your PBL Culture is vital for Project Based Learning to flourish in your school. Cynthia Bruno has established an incredible culture that has united her staff and transformed the school. Cynthia is principal at Dixie Magnet Elementary in Kentucky. Her why is “We want our work to empower our students to be a positive force in our changing world.” The work Cynthia and her staff do is inspiring. In this episode, you’ll learn how Cynthia implemented PBL in her school, how she got her staff on board, why her teachers are so engaged, and much more. The first unit didn’t go perfectly, but her staff reflected on the project and by the second unit, they blew it out of the park. If you are starting Project Based Learning in your school, this is the episode for you. PODCAST EPISODES FROM DIXIE TEACHERS https://www.buzzsprout.com/168766/12802251 https://www.buzzsprout.com/168766/12170116 ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today CONNECT WITH DIXIE MAGNET ELEMENTARY Facebook: @DixieMagnetElementary Twitter: @DixieMagnet Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). | |||
| 18 Oct 2023 | PBL Leadership Guest - Cowboy Philosopher - National Thank-you letter Day | E152 | 00:38:18 | |
How do you get students to be engaged and bought-in to the work? How do you make learning fun? If kids aren’t engaged, they likely are not learning and living to their full potential. This is why we brought in Carew Papritz, the “Cowboy Philosopher”. Carew is the author of The Legacy Letters and creator of National Thank You Letter Day. One of his passions is getting kids excited to read and write. He and his team also hold the Guiness World Record for the Largest Thank You letter. Tune in to learn more about him. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up PBL MOVEMENT CONFERENCE https://www.magnifylearningin.org/pbl-movement ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today READ CAREW’S BOOK CONNECT WITH CAREW PAPRITZ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thelegacyletters Website:https://nationalthankyouletterday.com/ Email: howdycarew@gmail.com | |||
| 08 Nov 2023 | PBL Learner to PBL Facilitator - Hope Alexander | E155 | 00:27:04 | |
What if your students were so inspired by Project-Based Learning that one day they wanted to teach it themselves? What if your culture was so magnetic they just had to come back and teach? Today on the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Hope Alexander from CSA NewTech in Columbus, Indiana. Hope’s ‘why’ for education is “To prepare students for what the world is going to throw at them.” She graduated from CSA Newtech (a PBL Model School) and now teaches there. ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 01 Nov 2023 | Gen Z Needs Employability Skills | E154 | 00:12:04 | |
A lot of Gen Zer’s are struggling in the workforce, and PBL can fix it. Not only does PBL prepare learners for the real world, but by having these employability skills their resumes go right to the top. They can crush the interview because they have these skills. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan discusses an article about Gen Z in the workforce and what companies value in an employee. PBL prepares students for life in the real world by fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and collaboration. ARTICLE MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/join-today ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 29 Nov 2023 | No More Teacher Turnover - How to Keep Your Staff Coming Back Year after Year | E158 | 00:40:02 | |
How do you get your staff to stay and buy into your vision? What if you had a year with no new hires because everybody was engaged? In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, we have Kelly Renier from Eagle Tech Academy. Kelly’s why for education is she wants to “share her love of learning and want kids to stay curious.” She is the Director of ETA and in this episode, will talk about her school culture. MODEL SCHOOLS PAGE https://www.magnifylearningin.org/project-based-learning-model-schools SIGN UP FOR THE MAGNIFY LEARNING NEWSLETTER https://www.magnifylearningin.org/newsletter-sign-up ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://magnifypbl.mykajabi.com/pmoc Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 15 Nov 2023 | Make and Keep Deep Partnerships | E156 | 00:13:56 | |
Making deep and effective partnerships is essential for starting the PBL Movement in your school, but how? In this episode, Ryan shares how to protect your current deep partnerships and gives you some ideas for showing your appreciation to these partners. SIGN UP FOR THE MAGNIFY LEARNING NEWSLETTER https://www.magnifylearningin.org/newsletter-sign-up ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up PROJECT BASED LEARNING BLOGS https://www.magnifylearningin.org/project-based-learning-blogs ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY | |||
| 22 Nov 2023 | How to Keep up Your Energy in the Classroom - Grace Stevens | E157 | 00:44:48 | |
“Your energy teaches more than your lesson plan.” That is one of Grace Stevens’s mantras. Your mindset matters and in this episode, she gives you some tips and advice on the topic. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan answers a need to know about educational policy and talks with Grace Stevens. Grace is the author of the book Happy Habits and was a teacher in the classroom for 20 years. BOOKS BY GRACE STEVENS SIGN UP FOR THE MAGNIFY LEARNING NEWSLETTER https://www.magnifylearningin.org/newsletter-sign-up ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/book-a-pbl-workshop ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://magnifypbl.mykajabi.com/pmoc Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 06 Dec 2023 | End of Year Reflection | E159 | 00:18:20 | |
Reflection is a great way to give students voice and choice. Without it, you cannot get better. This is why reflection is so important for good PBL. In this episode, you’ll discover actionable tips to guide learners and staff through effective reflection practices. In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan talks about reflection. He gives you some tips and advice for walking your staff or learners through this crucial step. SIGN UP FOR THE MAGNIFY LEARNING NEWSLETTER https://www.magnifylearningin.org/newsletter-sign-up SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://magnifypbl.mykajabi.com/pmoc Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 13 Dec 2023 | Reacting Versus Responding - Tracy Pleschourt | E160 | 00:43:28 | |
What is the difference between responding and reacting? Reacting can lead to hasty decisions, while taking time to respond leads to more thoughtful choices. Discover the impact of quick reactions versus thoughtful responses on decision-making in this episode! In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, Ryan talks with Tracy Pleschourt about leveling up your mental game and how to respond in different situations. Tracy dedicates her work to ambitious, life-long learners yearning for solutions and seeking a better way to create the results they desire and deserve. She instills confidence and a call to action that leads to maximum achievement and happiness. CONNECT WITH TRACY SIGN UP FOR THE MAGNIFY LEARNING NEWSLETTER https://www.magnifylearningin.org/newsletter-sign-up SCHEDULE A PBL TRAINING WITH MAGNIFY LEARNING https://resources.magnifylearningin.org/onsite-workshops CHECK OUT RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST ASK RYAN A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST https://www.magnifylearningin.org/ask-ryan-your-pbl-questions FOLLOW RYAN ON TWITTER https://mobile.twitter.com/ryansteuer BOOK A MAGNIFY LEARNING DESIGN DAYS WORKSHOP https://www.magnifylearningin.org/design-days-sign-up ORDER THE BOOK PBL SIMPLIFIED ONLINE PBL COMMUNITY https://magnifypbl.mykajabi.com/pmoc Some of the links above are affiliate links which means we get a small commission on anything you purchase using that link (at no more cost to you). As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases. | |||