Authentic Audience

Is it still PBL without an authentic audience?

Yes, because planning is a part of the job and knowing what you are going to be doing in the future is what teachers do. That being said, being flexible and knowing that things might have to change because of the way the audience reacts is also a part of the job. That has nothing to do with this being PBL because that can happen in any type of classroom with any kind of lesson. Having an authentic audience definitely makes things easier because you know in what ways you are changing things around to suit new needs.

A reason this is difficult without an authentic audience is because one is not aware of the level of the students, how many students have different learning disabilities or needs, but lessons should be built to be adapted to any situation anyway.

PBL

I think that PBL has a place in every school no matter what types of resources they have available or what type of school it is. Students having the ability to take control of their learning and really become invested in it means they will learn how to learn without needing someone to show them every single step and hold their hands. I personally love being able to do long term projects which allow students time to reflect on a days' work with the opportunity to come back and add to their work or to try again. I love the idea of using learning to help other people and so I will be working on a project where students learn library skills through mini lessons during an entire semester (1 day per week) as they use those skills to do some type of good in their community. I would like the projuect to be very open because I have found that when you tell students they can be creative, they are hesitant at first, but once they see that their creativity is not only rewarding, but fun, they tend to explode that creativity with each passing day. 

If I were in an elementary school and teaching the entire year, I would have this project take up the middle of the school year with some time for introductions and some basic lessons in the beginning of the year and wrapping up the school year at the end with a major project for most of the year. Having certain aspects of the project due throughout the year means that students won't be scrambling at the end, and will be focused throughout. 

I hope that I am given the opportunity to teach this lesson as I am currently on a flexible schedule and do not see students on a weekly basis, but am hoping to create this class within my school and PBL is an important part of that goal.