Sharing Eric Bowling’s Capstone/Leadership Design Challenge:
ALL Fellows-

After reviewing the commonalities and gathering feedback from all the districts that piloted the Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) Program, Harlan County Schools’ ARI-affiliated District leadership collaborated and further acknowledged the importance of promoting project-based learning. We also viewed our (newly-offered) NTI days as a way to mandate the implementation of (common) project-based lessons across the entire District, all while giving every teacher a basic understanding of PBL, its purpose, and PBL effectiveness.

We strive to alleviate any misconceptions and fears of project-based learning, and likewise further enhance its perceived value and usage by teachers in the Harlan County School System.

We at the District level have developed an initial time-table for planning (see below). We are asking our 9 principals to make arrangements to allow teachers to come to the District Central Office for the purpose of developing these common project-based lesson plans. When teachers attend these trainings, they will be asked to bring (if they can) the resources and materials necessary to plan 10 days of common District-wide project based lessons for the grade they teach.

Our one goal for these meetings will be to leave with 10 days of project-based, multi-disciplinary lessons which are directly linked to the standards taught at each grade. Hopefully, we can create several multi-day projects as opposed to one-day events.

October 5th – Kindergarten (all sessions begin at 8:30 AM)
October 6th – 1st grade
October 7th – 2nd grade
October 8th – 3rd grade
October 9th – 4th grade
October 12th – 5th grade
October 13th – 6th grade
October 14th – 7th grade
October 15th – 8th grade
October 21st (initial meeting) and 29th (finalize and approve) – all HCHS by Department. At the HS level we will strive to have each course working on a common project regardless of honors or DC designation. Example- all US History classes will have the same project-based lesson plans for each NTI day.

The cost of substitutes will be reimbursed by the District. Further dates will be slated as necessary.

Other details will be conveyed to the ALL as we transcend through the planning and implementation stages.

Thanks,

Eric Bowling- Harlan County Schools