Basic Strategies
There are a lot of ways teachers catch up a student. Remember PBL is about developing students independence. You can use your current methods just check to see if it is more of an ownership by the student than you. Here are some simple strategies that support independence:
- "Catch up" Space: This is a place in the room that contains all materials previously covered. At the elementary level, this is a bulletin board, the class library area or a place in a center. For upper grades, this can be folders by the turn in tray. Typically, you will keep up to a week of material in this space. This strategy works for most absent situations. I have found for students who miss more than a few days and don't have access to technology, this space can be overwhelming. I combine this strategy with office hours to accommodate these students.
- Digital Resource: This is a common strategy for teachers. I have a student assigned in each class who posts what occurred in the class every day. I give them access to the handouts through Google docs and they post it on the site. If you teach, PK-2, you can have groups of students do an audio recording to post on the website. Some digital tools you can use are Google Classroom, Remind or Edmodo.
- Office Hours: Sometimes we only think of office hours at the collegiate level but you can hold office hours. You can designate a time within class or outside of class where students can come to catch up on what they missed. This can be run by you or students. At the elementary level, assistants can run the office hours. I have a lot of students who speak English as a second language. I make sure I use bilingual students for office hours to help support students who are learning English.
Project Launch
I always say an entry event is capturing the students' heart so that their head will follow. This may occur within one day or over multiple days. When students miss this event, they can miss their connection. To help build this connection, have students watch a recording of the entry event. Give time for students to share their thoughts daily so it can resonate with students who were not present.
Build Knowledge and Skills to Answer Driving Question
This is when a lot of the learning of the content occurs. Many of the basic strategies mentioned above helps students catch up. Here are a few other strategies:
- Weekly Deadlines: Set deadlines each week so students know before they are absent what will be occurring. These deadlines can be set by you or you can create them with students. Many PBL teachers create a large calendar on a wall in the room to show the deadlines. You can use tools like Remind to let parents know what needs to be completed.
- SMEs (Subject Matter Expert): This is a term used in the business world for people who are knowledgeable about a particular subject. Students always have different skills in a project that can be utilized. They can teach any student who needs help. You or they can create tutorials for students to access. In my class, these students where a special badge. At the elementary level, you can call them buddies rather than SMEs.
- Team: It is a misunderstanding that students are in teams the entire time for a project. However, if your students are in a set team at the beginning of a project, the members of the team can be used as a way to inform students.
Develop and Critique Products and Answers to the Driving Question
Students work on the product for a project starting the first or second day. However, there is time when the work on the product includes critiquing and revising. It is the critique days that can be challenging to make up. Some of the most common protocols for critiquing work are charrette, gallery walk or praise-question-suggestion. Each of these protocols have a particular way to give feedback. Sometimes it is on paper and other times it is audio. You can have students work always remain in the class so someone can give feedback even if the student is absent. You can have team mates inform students of what feedback was received especially if the feedback was given audibly.
Present Products and Answers to the Driving Question
There are a lot of products in PBL that answer the driving question. It is often a combination of a physical document with some type of explanation. If students are absent on the deadline, you can still require it when they return. Inform students the entire project that the product must be done. Sometimes when one of the products is a presentation, students will intentionally miss so they do not have to present. It is important to make sure students practice multiple times before the formal day so students are comfortable. Don't excuse them from presenting if they miss the day. Require the student to present even if they do it by themselves in the hallway with just you.
