MSAD #54 District Workshop on PBE

Reflection
On March 14, 2016 Skowhegan Area High School hosted a district-wide workshop on the matter
of Proficiency Based Education being incorporated into the districts various schools. During the
course of the day, we were given opportunities to interact in groups mixed with various gradelevel teachers and other school officials. I have been given much instruction and time to explore
Proficiency Based Education as a model, however the entire experience allowed for me to tackle
the issue differently. The course and openness of these discussions allowed me to get a better
sense of the climate around PBE in terms of other schools.
The Workshop began with an overview of PBE, but moreover focused on the Why of PBE.
This section focused on the results of data gathered around PBE, which showed that both reading
and writing scores improved in students involved in the PBE model. Moreover, we discussed
how PBE allows for more student-centered education, which takes advantage of the community
for place-based learning experiences. In discussions around this topic, I was able to use my
personal experiences as a student from a Project-based Learning school to illustrate these
concepts for the fellow educators in my group. At the same time, the educators were able to ask
prodding questions, which I had not considered, ranging from how PBE would effect students in
Special Education or what content should be assessed under PBE.
Throughout the conversations I had with the various educators, I discovered a different
perspective to look at PBE than I had prior. Two sentiments, which stuck with me were: Content
is still content, assessment is just different and Proficiency Based Education is just good
methods of teaching. Both of the previous sentiments reflects that PBE seems like a foreign
concept, but one truth I learned is that PBE is simply good methods of teaching. PBE at its core
really is freeing up teaching so all student needs are meet through their self-constructed goals.
Moreover, the content is not changing with PBE but the framing methods and assessments are
tackling different skills or goals than before.
As a product of a High School, which used some of these techniques, I found that the workshop
overall introduced me to different perspectives on PBE and where other educators are at in terms
of understanding PBE. There were pieces, which I want to explore more such as the Habits of
Work/Mind, which are currently being eased into classrooms at Skowhegan or exploring more of
PBEs reflection on the Special Education programs already in use within schools.