A colleague on Twitter shared this comment recently:

My son is learning about some of the coolest events in U.S. History and it’s all via worksheets.

That is a pretty sad, but telling statement. A subject where kids continually decry, “Why should we care about what happened in the past?” Instead of letting them discover why they should care, they might end up getting worksheeted to death.

Another colleague on Twitter replied with this:

Wow. Simply, wow. This would be my syllabus every single year. Think of how much great history could come from the mouths of students who discovered what they missed and why it was important to them. Nobody is telling them what they have to know. They are discovering it on their own. Then they’re sharing it with the world.

Essential questions. Driving Questions. Inquiry. History can be the greatest story ever told.

Then again, you might get some really industrious student who wants to put his/her own (modern media) spin on history, like this:

Hmm. Entry Event, anyone?

If you have any interest in engaging in a conversation with an individual who will challenge you to think harder and teach smarter, then you need to meet my friend Bud Hunt. Start with this bit of wisdom.

Learning isn’t something you do to somebody. It’s about creating opportunities. The learner has to, at some point, engage the experience.

– Bud Hunt, @budtheteacher

Nicholas Provenzano (@thenerdayteacher) wrote a great blog post recently on why he thinks PBL is so effective with students. He focuses on five areas:

• Ownership
• Creativity
• Collaboration
• Critical Thinking
• Fun

One of the lines I took away from the post includes:

“When the audience is larger, they want to impress everyone.” Amen.

Read the rest of the post here. Then, go follow him on Twitter. He’s worth your time.

This thought provoking video just might give you some ideas in direction you’ve been looking for.

Many of the conversations I have been in on and overheard at PBL training center around others on the campuses buying into the idea. In other words, what happens if I put in all this work and nobody buys into it along with me? Can I be a leader? How can I make this the movement for change what it needs to be?

Watch the first 3 minutes and 10 seconds of this video. It just might brighten your day and change how you feel about leadership.