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Episode Summary
What if the scripted curriculum we hand new teachers is the very thing burning them out? In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca Silver talks with Bob Lenz, CEO of PBLWorks, about how project-based learning (PBL) helps early career teachers thrive instead of just surviving, and why school systems built for consistency keep pulling innovative teachers back into compliance.
Bob shares findings from a randomized controlled trial of the Knowledge in Action AP curriculum, where PBL students outscored peers on AP exams by 8% in year one and 10% in year two, across all demographics. He explains why teachers trained in student-centered schools often revert to traditional instruction within three years of moving to a traditional school, and why giving new teachers high-quality PBL curriculum acts as a “floor,” not a script. Becca connects the conversation to her resistance work, naming the compliance culture that shapes how we treat both students and adults.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why the portrait of a graduate works as a “Trojan horse” for deeper learning and PBL adoption
- The biggest gap between teacher prep programs and day one in the classroom
- How PBL partner districts improved chronic absenteeism (one middle school went from 66% to 96% attendance)
- The four areas leaders need to address for systemwide PBL: vision, conditions, professional learning, and measurement
- Why “two projects a year” is a realistic starting point for reluctant departments
- How making expert thinking visible builds new teacher agency and confidence
- Why PBL is an equity issue, and why it may be less “innovation” than overdue updating
Who this episode is for: instructional coaches, principals, district leaders, and teacher leaders supporting new teachers, implementing project-based learning, or working to reduce teacher burnout and turnover.
Frequently asked questions
Does project-based learning improve test scores? According to Bob, a randomized controlled study validated by USC found PBL students scored 8 to 10% higher on AP exams than students in traditional classes, with strong gains in critical thinking and communication.
How can schools support new teachers with PBL? Pair high-quality, student-centered curriculum with embedded professional learning and coaching, so new teachers start from a strong floor instead of designing units from scratch on Sunday night.
Why do innovative teaching practices fade? When school policies, pacing, and observation practices conflict with student-centered goals, teachers drift back to compliance-based instruction. Leaders have to surface those conflicts and build a coherent system.
Timestamps
- 00:00 Welcome and introduction to Bob Lenz
- 00:58 What PBLWorks does and why agency matters
- 01:50 Portrait of a graduate as a path to PBL
- 05:10 Helping new teachers thrive, not survive
- 06:40 The AP study results
- 10:10 Curriculum as a floor and giving Sundays back to teachers
- 12:55 The gap between teacher prep and day one
- 15:00 Compliance curriculum, burnout, and attendance gains
- 16:20 Compliance culture and resistance
- 17:00 Schools built for consistency, not innovation
- 19:30 Moving the whole system: what leaders need in place
- 24:00 Agency, professional judgment, and making thinking visible
- 27:30 Innovation or overdue update?
- 29:20 PBL as an equity floor
- 30:20 Bob’s new book and resources
Resources mentioned
- PBLWorks: pblworks.org
- PBL for All: A Leader’s Guide by Bob Lenz and Lisa Morales
- PBL World coaching academy (June, Napa Valley)
Keep going
- Get The Resistance Solution: https://amzn.to/4pRCaa5
- Lead your team through it with Book Study Facilitator Training: https://www.thewholeeducator.com/book-study-facilitator-training
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