Lessons from Books (Bob Len’z Transforming Schools)

Transforming Schools: Using Project-Based Learning, Performance Assessment, and Common Core Standards by Bob Lenz is an informative and thought-provoking book that provides a comprehensive guide for educators and school leaders who are interested in transforming traditional schools into centers of innovation and project-based learning.

In the book, the author presents a clear and practical roadmap for implementing project-based learning and performance assessment, which he believes are essential components of a high-quality education. He also emphasizes the importance of aligning these approaches with curriculum standards, which are designed to prepare students for college and career readiness. Especially in a changing landscape of industries and technological change, connecting coursework to career readiness is instrumental to setting up students for success.

Lenz also takes readers through the process of designing and implementing project-based learning units, including examples of student work and teacher reflections. He also provides a comprehensive guide for developing effective performance assessments, including rubrics, scoring guides, and student self-reflection tools.

Overall, “Transforming Schools” is a valuable resource for educators and school leaders who are interested in transforming their schools into centers of innovation and student-centered learning. We offer three main takeaways from the book to stimulate your thinking about improving your schools:

1. Designing a Graduate Profile: A graduate profile is a clear and comprehensive description of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that students should have when they graduate from your program school. This can serve as a guiding document for all aspects of school design and planning, and can help to ensure that students are prepared for success in secondary, post-secondary, career, and life. Schools can adopt a graduate profile by engaging in a collaborative process that involves all stakeholders, including students, teachers, parents, and community members. Some concrete steps include convening a committee to review research and best practices, gathering input from stakeholders through surveys or focus groups, and drafting a final document that outlines the key components of the graduate profile. From there, it can be shared with the whole school community to provide a lens for the competencies your students aspire to and develop up to and beyond graduation.
2. Implementing Project-Based Learning: Project-based learning is an instructional approach that involves students in authentic, real-world projects that require critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration. Schools can adopt project-based learning by designing interdisciplinary units that are aligned with curriculum expectations, and that allow students to investigate complex problems or issues. Actions leaders can take include identifying driving questions or essential questions that guide the inquiry process, developing rubrics or other performance assessments to measure learning outcomes, and providing opportunities for students to present their work to authentic audiences, such as community members or industry experts. Moreover, having teachers share experience based on leading and facilitating inquiry cycles can create fruitful collaboration between faculty.
3. Integrating Performance Assessment: Performance assessment is a type of evaluation that measures a person’s ability to perform a particular task or set of tasks. Unlike traditional tests or exams that measure a student’s knowledge or understanding of a subject, performance assessments evaluate a student’s ability to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world situations. Schools can adopt performance assessment by designing assessments that are aligned with course expectations and that measure the knowledge, skills, and dispositions outlined in the graduate profile. Prompting faculty to think about their assessment plans from the perspective of what types of assessments they utilize is useful. Looking for moments where performance assessments can be utilized often bring deep learning, interdisciplinary opportunities and also engage students in fun and exciting formative learning moments.

If you’ve just read this blog post, it’s likely that you’re interested in developing policies in your private or independent school. The Independent and Private School Forum (IPSF) offers tailored support to educators just like you who are looking to make a positive impact in their schools. By joining our Forum, you’ll gain access to a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about education and making a difference in the lives of students. Our team of experts can provide you with the necessary guidance and resources to help you develop effective policies that will improve the learning experience for your students. We welcome you to join us and be part of this dynamic community. Let’s work together to make a difference! Book a consultation or receive more information by emailing info@ipsf.ca