Collegiate Faculty Participate in Hands-On Workshop

The California-based Buck Institute for Education is visiting Collegiate's campus for the second year in a row to guide teachers through the process of creating projects they can tie to their curriculum for the upcoming school year. Buck is a nonprofit organization that offers professional development for teachers on how to design, assess and manage projects that engage and motivate students.

The organization's onsite visits are part of Collegiate's commitment to giving as many faculty members as possible access to its impressive training. Had Collegiate chosen to send teachers to the institute, only a handful would have benefited. Last year, more than 30 Collegiate teachers took part in the training. This year's 30 participants include 24 Collegiate faculty members and six teachers from Collegiate's partner schools - Anna Julia Cooper School, St. Andrew's School and Church Hill Academy.

Collegiate Academic Dean Susan Droke, who has spearheaded the Burke Institute visits, said the onsite workshop is a meaningful opportunity for all of the participating faculty to explore new avenues for conveying their lessons.

"The PBL101 workshop is designed to mirror the experience of an actual project," Mrs. Droke said about this week's training. "We are so fortunate to be able to provide this type of high-quality professional development on our campus."

Dori Berg, a member of the Buck Institute's national faculty, said the training Collegiate is offering is unique, because not only will teachers spend this week practicing Project Based Learning techniques, they also will have opportunities throughout the school year to be coached and advised by her, when she returns to Collegiate for two day-long sessions.
 
Project Based Learning will help teachers of students at every level - JK-12th Grade - acquaint their students to ways they can use what they're learning in the real world, Ms. Berg said. "It's important for students to be exposed to education that has true purpose."