Lead & Support Successful PBL Instruction
A Program For District, School, and Team Leaders
If you're pursuing project-based learning, it's essential to set teachers up for success. The PBL Instructional Leader program will support you through every stage of envisioning, planning, implementing, and optimizing your PBL efforts.
Every PBL initiative looks different, but successful efforts have a few key things in common:
- Supportive leadership with a clear vision
- Time, training, and resources for teachers
- A proven model for integrating PBL into standards-based instruction
Dr. Amy Baeder helps schools implement PBL units that feature 14 key characteristics:
Clarify Your Vision for PBL
Project-Based Learning holds great promise, but it can mean many different things to different people.
In the PBL Instructional Leader program, you'll get clear on what PBL will mean in your organization, how you'll roll out your plan, and how it will shape student learning.
This clarity of vision will prevent a symptom we call ARLO: Alignment at a Rhetorical Level Only.
Everyone may currently be on board with the idea of PBL, but lack clarity on what it means for practice.
In the PBL Instructional Leader program, you'll create a PBL Implementation Plan that gets everyone on the same page.
Build The Foundation for Teacher Success
PBL is a major shift in pedagogy, mindset, culture, and more.
Effective leaders lay the foundation for teacher success by assessing teacher readiness, building the routines and trust necessary for instructional change, and providing teachers with the right resources at the right time.
Your PBL Implementation Plan will address each of these issues, so teachers get the support they need to succeed.
Train & Support Teachers
Effective leaders understand the changes they're asking teachers to make, and support them through the learning curve.
Because PBL requires teachers to learn new skills and implement new routines in their classrooms, climbing the learning curve takes time.
In your PBL Implementation Plan, you'll identify the timing, training, and ongoing support each teacher will need to succeed.
Bring Parents & Students On Board
PBL engages students, families, and community members like nothing else—but setting expectations and communicating clearly is key.
For example, if students will be working on their projects in groups, explaining how work will be graded will be essential for building parents' confidence.
Your PBL Implementation Plan will help you address the right issues at the right time, so there are no misunderstandings.
Where Did This Program Come From? Leaders Asked For It!
We've created this program because leaders told us they needed it.
Leaders guiding teachers through the PBL Curriculum Developer Certification Program requested a program specifically for them, to help them understand PBL and what teachers needed.
While teachers learn PBL best by writing their own units, leaders have different needs, and in many cases don't have their own classrooms or students—so writing a unit to learn PBL firsthand may not be the best use of time.
The PBL Instructional Leader program will help you navigate the change process at the team, school, and district level.
"We Tried PBL...and It Didn't Work!"
When a PBL effort doesn't go well, it's usually for a predictable reason. If any of these scenarios sound familiar, you're not alone—teachers often try PBL on their own and say things like:
I had students make posters instead of taking a test...and now I have to sit through 25 identical presentations.
PBL doesn't mean students never take tests, and it doesn't mean every student does the same project. It means students create authentic projects solving authentic problems for authentic audiences.
In the PBL Instructional Leader program, you'll learn how to chose an appropriate range of product options, so students are taught the skills they'll need to succeed, and so teachers aren't overwhelmed with grading.
Students got to choose how to demonstrate their understanding...now I have to grade six PowerPoints, three videos, two raps, an interpretive dance, eight brochures, a podcast, and four websites."
Student voice and choice are central to PBL, but that doesn't mean giving an infinite number of options for the products students will produce.
It's crucial to provide students with the skills and resources they'll need to succeed—for example, if students have the option of producing a podcast, they'll need to be taught how to create a podcast—in addition to learning the content.
Not all product formats lend themselves equally well—it's essential to align the product to the unit's standards and learning goals.
What Teachers Say They Need To Succeed with PBL
Over the past four years, more than 600 teachers have gone through the PBL Curriculum Developer Certification Program. Here's what they've told us they need from leaders:
"It is very important to be on the same page as teaching staff and administrators in order to effectively implement PBL in our school. Both groups have to understand the why, what, and how in order to work together in identifying and fulfilling our needs in our effort to PBL-ify our school."
"I feel strongly that it is vital for school leadership to be clear with the teachers on exactly how many resources will be applied to the units, and be up front and honest about budget. This way the teachers will not plan extravagant units that require many resources, if the amount of resources applied to PBL may suddenly change or drop. I am always happy to see firm deadlines so that I can plan and budget my own time and workload accordingly."
"Being on the same page, not only with administration but with fellow educators is key. I think that a combination of adequate resources and teamwork, even if we are not working on the same project/lesson, is something that can and will benefit all teachers and students. Combined with every person understanding the why for not only staff but students is another very important aspect of this process."
"The administration will help us to create and succeed . But I believe the administration should do this course to fully understand and guide us through the process."
"I feel supported knowing that my Administrator will be knowledgeable in this form of lesson planning. That is a great help for me."
Program Outline
Understanding Project-Based Learning
Preparing for Project-Based Learning
Training Teachers in Project-Based Learning
Implementing Project-Based Learning
Who Should Register?
This program is designed specifically for leaders supporting teachers in implementing PBL, including:
- Superintendents & Directors
- Program Managers & Content-Area Specialists
- Principals & Assistant Principals
- Instructional Coaches & Facilitators
- Team Leaders & Department Heads
- Media Specialists, Counselors, and other key staff
Classroom teachers who will be writing their own units to implement with their students should instead register for the PBL Curriculum Developer Certification Program
Pricing & Payment Options
The PBL Instructional Leader program is $1499. We accept school purchase orders, as well as credit/debit cards.
If you're paying out-of-pocket, we have an interest-free payment plan, allowing you to spread the cost into 10 monthly payments.
FAQ—Frequently Asked Questions
This program is designed specifically for leaders supporting teachers in implementing PBL, including:
- Superintendents & Directors
- Program Managers & Content-Area Specialists
- Principals & Assistant Principals
- Instructional Coaches & Facilitators
- Team Leaders & Department Heads
- Media Specialists, Counselors, and other key staff
- Administrators who directly supervise & evaluate teachers
- Coaches directly supporting PBL teachers
- Leaders directly responsible for successful PBL implementation
Getting everyone on the same page will help you avoid:
- Working from incompatible models
- Giving conflicting advice
- Ineffective allocation of resources
- Starting initiatives that will undermine or interfere with one another
If you plan to write your own PBL unit, please register for the PBL Curriculum Developer Certification Program.
The PBL Instructional Leader is designed as a PBL experience for participants.
You'll produce an authentic product—your PBL Implementation Plan—for an authentic audience—the educators in your organization.
No, the PBL Instructional Leader program is not intended for use in a train-the-trainer approach.
Instead, the PBL Instructional Leader program is designed to help organizations succeed with their PBL initiatives.
The PBL Instructional Leader program is a self-paced program with lifetime access—there is no expiration date or deadline.
You can complete the program at your convenience, and go through it as many times as you'd like.
This program is self-paced and can be completed in approximately 20-25 hours. We suggest completing one module per week over a period of four weeks.
Yes, we are happy to document your participation in the program and provide any necessary information to the issuing organization.
Note: Because CEUs are issued at the local level, we are not able to provide CEUs directly. We recommend working with your district or area service agency to find the best way to obtain CEUs for your work in this program.
The PBL Instructional Leader program is for leaders helping teachers implement project-based learning.
The PBL Curriculum Developer Certification Program, on the other hand, is for teachers who want to write their own PBL units to teach in their classrooms.
Leaders are welcome to register for both programs; however, we do not recommend registering for the Curriculum Developer Certification unless you are planning to actually write a unit.
Because it is designed as a project-based learning experience, going through the program without writing a unit will not give a true sense of what teachers will experience in the program.
That's why we created the PBL Instructional Leader program—so you can effectively lead teachers in this work, even if you aren't writing your own unit.
Because your registration includes lifetime access, you are welcome to resume work on the program at any time in the future. Please contact us if your email address changes or if you need help accessing your account.
We offer an unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you change your mind in the first 30 days, please contact us for a full refund. However, we do not offer refunds or cancel payment plans after 30 days.
Just as you cannot "return" college classes or conferences due to a change in focus, the PBL Instructional Leader program is yours to keep once you've registered.
ABOUT DR. AMY BAEDER
Dr Amy Baeder is an independent education consultant supporting instructional excellence through project-based learning. Dr. Baeder is the Director of the Project-Based Learning Network, which supports teachers across the United States and 43 countries.
100%
Money Back Guarantee
Money-Back Guarantee
The Project-Based Learning Instructional Leader Program is backed by a 30-day, 100% money-back guarantee. We are confident that the knowledge and skills you gain from this program will exceed your expectations and make a lasting difference in student learning. If for any reason you are not satisfied with the program, contact us for a full refund.