Have you ever been working on something and been so engrossed that you lost track of time? Typically, this happens when we are thinking deeply about a challenging problem and are completely engaged with finding a solution. Ultimately, this is the basic concept behind project based learning. Students engage with challenging, meaningful work and seek out learning to fill gaps they have in their own knowledge and skills. Our upcoming block schedule provides an excellent opportunity for us to rethink the way we use class time and to offer our students time to develop and engage with more challenging problems. More time in class provides more time for students to think and work deeply without interruption. It also allows teachers more time to conference with individuals and teams as they complete the challenging work, helping to facilitate the learning without feeling rushed.

Many teachers have used the argument that there just wasn't enough time to engage with PBL structured learning on an 8-period schedule. The block schedule not only gives you that time to engage but it requires letting go of "coverage" and demands engaging opportunities with deeper learning to ensure positive classroom environments. Embrace this opportunity to scaffold the necessary skills to successfully engage with project-based learning and provide students with relevant, engaging, authentic learning experiences in your classrooms.