Let’s chat—send me a text!

You Don’t Need Three Weeks for PBL

“I’d love to do more projects…but I just don’t have time.”

If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

Because somewhere along the way, we started assuming that good project-based learning has to mean a massive, multi-week project complete with research, presentations, fancy final products, and approximately 47 things for the teacher to manage.

It doesn’t.

In this episode of The Modern Math Teacher, we’re talking about how to right-size PBL for the mathematics, your curriculum, and the instructional time you actually have.

We’ll explore the continuum from rich tasks and performance tasks to mini-projects and full PBL experiences—and why bigger doesn’t automatically mean better.

I’m also sharing four practical ways to shrink a project without shrinking the mathematics.

In this episode:

• Why good PBL doesn’t have to take three weeks
• How to right-size a project around the mathematical goal
• The difference between rich tasks, performance tasks, mini-projects, and larger PBL experiences
• Why smaller projects aren’t watered-down PBL
• How “project bloat” steals instructional time from the mathematics
• Four ways to make a project more manageable
• Why you can weave a project into instruction instead of saving it for “project week”
• What you should NEVER cut when shortening a project
• Why starting with one manageable project is enough
• The goal isn’t to find more time for PBL.
  It’s to design PBL that fits the time you actually have.
  
  

Ready to Get Started with PBL?

If you’ve found the place in your curriculum where a project makes sense but you’re still wondering how to turn that idea into an actual learning experience, PBL Kickstart is for you. Enroll in PBL Kickstart and Start Planning Now

PBL Kickstart is my $17 on-demand workshop that walks you through planning your first project-based learning unit in three simple steps—without assuming you have unlimited planning time or three empty weeks in your pacing guide.

Because you don’t need to transform your entire classroom.

You need one good place to start.

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!