Attempting #2... I wrote some great stuff and it is in cyber space!! I loved the article The Big Wait.. as a parent of a teenager, I really appreciated this articles encouragement to mold our teens into adults, gently and make learning relevant to them.. helping them with career choices and options throughout their HS years. My question is how can I relate my curriculum to adult like work. The second article was Seven Essentialsfor Project-Based Learning.. and I felt the staff at Goodrell is beyond this article in relationship to their projects. The amount of planning, collaborating and work is evident as Goodrell students are challenged to be inquirers in project based learning. Patti Joelson
3D's -terminology of fixed mindset and growth mindset is new to me, but have read and talked about concepts in the past. -Looks like some great resources at http://www.brainology.us/ -Need to continue to work on "prais[ing] the learning process rather than students' ability"
2I's -"praising students for the process they are engaged in--the effort they applied, the strategies they used, the choices they made, the persistence they displayed, and so on--yields more long-term benefits than telling them they are "smart" when they succeed". We need to keep working on this as individuals, as a staff, and a community. -I also found the suggestions for types of grades interesting and worthy of discussion for us as a staff.
1Q -Lots of students see us challenging them as "extra work", under our current model what are some strategies we could use that would help students recognize the value of challenging themselves?
"Making Group Work Productive" by Nancy Frey and Douglas Fisher
3D's -It was great to read about the six indicators of productive group work. It is nice to have at least a few things in the back of your mind beyond what we make up ourselves of what good productive groups look like. -In the article it talked about how conflict management is a very important skill to be teaching our students, which I knew before, but it laid our six steps that students can take in resolving conflicts in groups. I think that teaching students these or other steps would be an important first step of getting groups to work productively. -Everyone that talks to us or I read about with group work always has different suggestions about what is the optimal size of groups. It was nice to see a range and to see them suggest flexiablity based on what is needed at the time or what works best for students.
2I's -"When students are ready to clarify and refine their growing understanding of what they've been learning, they need opportunities to interact purposefully with one another to complete meaningful learning tasks." -That conflict managment is "one of the most important life lessons" we can teach our students. "They're young adults who will need to work within groups all the time in college or on the job." We are teaching content but should also be teaching our student how to work with others.
1Q -How great would it be to see students in productive groups throughout the day being engaged? I think there is a great staff here working hard to help push kids to the next level.
High Expectations For All 3 discoveries-There are 4 steps to communicating high expectations. Expectations are subtle and hard to change. Teacher behavior communicates expectations.
2 interesting- I think Think/Pair/Share is a good strategy to get all levels involved and the focus is on teams and vs individuals. 1 pondering- differentiation vs high expectations?
3 discoveries- Small doses of homework (3 from today's work and 10 from previous work). Class practice before homework. Students like aesthetically appealing homework. 2 interesting- Time based homework (do as many math problems in 20 minutes), Is the homework efficient(Is a big project worth what learning it shows or is there a more efficient way to find out what students learned.) 1 pondering- They forgot what has worked for me this year -e-mailing parents the homework assignment using IC messenger.
3D's - many teens welcome being given "more responsibility", they need schoolwork to be relevant to their lives NOW, adolescence is hanging on in kids longer than it used to...less responsibility is being taken by kids today.
2 I - We need to make sure the kids understand why it is they are learning "this material". It has to make sense to them so they see value in it.
1 Q - I wonder how I am going to survive the next 4 years with my 3 teens/adult wannabe's!!
7 essentials for Project Based Learning 1. A Need to Know 2. A Driving Question 3. Student Voice and Choice 4. 21st Century Skills 5. Inquiry and Innovation 6. Feedback and Revision 7. A Publicly Presented Product
After reading this I see this lining up very closely if not exactly with what we are trying to do with our MYP units of learning. I think we need to be creating more challenging and rigorous curriculum the further down the IB road we travel. We have a good start so far but I know there is much more for us to accomplish.
Five hallmarks of good Homework- 1-clear academic purpose 2-demonstrates student learning 3-promotes ownership 4-sense of competence 5-Is enjoyable and interesting
Individual research promotes ownership – even if they are doing a small part of a larger project –
Clear academic purpose takes away the busy work and thus reduces the apathy towards assignments – most are viewed as dull and boring.
My question is – How can I have a research project w/ the entire school - ? I want to do this but not sure how to accomplish this task and grade it and articulate it 6th thru 8th grade?
High Expectations - 1- students pick up on who believes in them and has high "expectations or not 2-teachers attitudes about students effect the way they think and behave towards that student 3-one the most challenging aspects of teaching is confronting yourself about your own expectations for all students.
I think it is very important to give all children their chance to have high expectations I also think it is important to work doubly hard for those who have low expectations of themselves. I wonder how many of our students have low expectations of themselves and if we make a difference because of the way we treat them - I sure hope and pray we do -
Five Hallmarks of Good Homework All were very interesting. What stood out to me was the need to study for spelling tests. Spelling is used in everyday life daily. As a parent what worked for my child was spending 15-20 minutes 2 to 3 times a week studying for spelling test on Friday. What worked was writing each word 5 times and saying each letter while writing the word. Also using the Spelling word in a sentence helps to not only learn to spell the word but know it’s meaning by using it in a sentence. The last thing we would do was I would say the word and my child spell it. By Friday she was always self assured that she now knew how to spell each word and what it meant.
3 Points I Discovered * There are two specific types of mindsets students can have, a growth mindset or a fixed mindset * There are many ways to get students to reflect on their particular mindset and they can use this to push themselves into a growth mindset * There has been success in grading for growth. A high school in Chicago does not fail students, rather, they give a grade of Not Yet.
2 Points I found interesting * Telling students that they are smart may not always be the best with all students because if they do not understand something they may be afraid to try because of their fear of not looking smart. * This article states ways to challenge students in the classroom. I see these strategies used at Goodrell!
1 question I am pondering * What are some new and creative ways I can emphasize students meeting a challenge rather than just pushing students to be successful?
3 Discoveries I discovered from the homework article that homework should have a time limit/not problem limit and that if you can make your homework look important to the students, they are more likely to do it. From the high expectations article I learned that teachers can ask less demanding questions of students that they have lower expectations from.
2 Points I found interesting
I found the following quote from the high expectations article interesting, "Teachers simply make sure that they exhibit the same positive behaviors to all students—smiling, involving students in good-natured discussions, and engaging in appropriate physical contact. All students will typically respond well to this type of behavior." I feel that when students feel comfortable with their classroom teacher, they will perform at a higher expectation level.
3 Discoveries: Identify 3 things: 1)identify which students I have low expectations for 2)identify similarities among these students 3)identify the way I treat low expectation students
2 Points I found interesting: 1)I need to treat all students the same (this is hard for me being a special ed teacher) 2)I need to confront myself and my behaviors
One question I still have: How do I differentiate vs. having low expectations of students?
Making Group Work Productive by Nancy Frey and Douglas Fisher Three points discovered: 1. Six indicators of productive group work - very interesting 2. Six steps to resolving a disagreement - want to try as soon as possible 3. Must have visual and verbal support of the purpose of the work. Two points interesting: 1. At best, group tasks should require students to creatively apply concepts and skills they have learned. 2. Should NOT simply replicate what teacher has already modeled for them. One Question: 1. How do we teach students that "productive failure" is a learning process?
3 Things to Identify Having teenage students who do not see the value in a grade is not going to go away. As educators we will be confronted with this problem over and over again. A student needing to see the relevance in their curriculum is something that GMS does a better job today than we did 3 years ago by relating our material to our big picture and unit question.
2 Interesting Points I never thought of bringing in a business professional from a newspaper or other form of business to evaluate our students' writing. It would give great insight into "where" our students need to be with writing by the time they leave GMS.
1 Question How do I change trying to "make" my students be responsible into giving them the tools to "be" responsible?
Alice read "The Big Wait."My life experiences agree with the idea of making learning relevant to everyday life. We post adolescents are more engaged and ready to work hard when we see how it impacts our own life. Most teens are the same. They tend to rise up and meet our expectations so it is important to set them high.
*There's a teacher brave enough and innovative enough to come up with a unit on creating an organism. *Six indicators of productive group work can be identified. *Six steps to resolving a disagreement within a group.
2 Points of Interest:
*No academic class is free from needing to teach communication skills. *Students are taught organization skills within the unit as well.
1 Question:
*How many times did he have to teach this unit to feel confident in its organization?
"Even Geniuses Work Hard"
3 Discoveries:
*A growth mindsetter believes intelligence can be developed. *A fixed mindsetter believes intelligence is an inborn trait. *Fast learning is not always the deepest or longest lasting.
2 Points of Interest:
*Einstein's admission of being a slow learner is a perfect example of having a growth mindset. *Some teachers in Chicago give the grade of "not yet" instead of failing a student when achievement is low. How motivating to kids.
1 Question:
*Are all schools/programs equipped with the support needed when students honestly try but don't show improvement?
I completely agree with Bill. I think the essential steps tie right into our MYP assessments, but we need to move away from teacher driven/overly guided inquiry to student inquiry that allows them to be more open-minded and internationally minded through rigorous curriculum and experiences.
3 points: Adolescence lasts a lot longer than it used to; students are discouraged from learning if it doesn't apply to them right now; even with the first statement, teens want to be treated as adults.
2 points: If we take the time to treat our teens as adults then teen apathy and discouragement are non-existent. Our notions about teens not being ready to learn something does not apply if you engage the the students with adults in adult-like situations.
1 question: why does our society allow adolescents to last into mid twenties rather than end by 17-18 years of age?
Essentials for Project Based Learning: 3 points: Real inquiry is where students generate their own questions which leads to discoveries during their research, formulate new questions and make their own conclusions; student choice of final project gives them a sense of meaningfulness; projects should include collaboration, communication, critical thinking and use of technology.
2 point: We are on our way towards successful projects with the MYP, but we need to make it more student based. It needs to be emphasized to students that first attempts doesn't create quality work. They need to revise as this is something they will be doing in their "real-life."
1 question: Based on the article, this sounds like high school students that are doing this. How can we change it so its fits in with middle school and who is in charge of teaching students how to do "good" research?
This article addressed the importance of the 4 R's in the learning environment as addressed in this article: relevance, real-world feedback, responsiblity and respect.
It is important to ensure that students do have opportunities to become participants and not just observers in our world.
"Seven Essentails for Project -Based Learning"
I agree with Mr. Flesch about the simialities with what we are trying to create in our learning environment. Each of the steps described fit in with our IB program.
We have the challenge of teaching kids how to think. In many ways we have spent the recent past in sharing knowledge without the accountablity of learning.
Back to making things relevant should make learning more real to our students which will hopefully make them more responsible and respectful.
I saw a nice link between the articles I read.
How can we inspire teenagers to want-- to learn more -- be more -- share more in an environment that is real but not scary real.
3 Points Discovered: *Fixed Mindset vs. Growth mindset. Fixed is the belief that people are born with their intelligence (lack thereof) whereas Growth is a belief that intelligence can be developed over time. *The learning tasks we design and implement can communicate and develop student resilience and long-term achievement. *Some teachers grade on academics as well as growth-minded skills such as resilience, improvement over time, challenge-seeking, effort, etc.
2 Interesting thoughts: *Adding the word "yet" to phrases such as "I don't get it" can help students to see that learning is fluid. I've heard this before and have tried it every now and again. It does seem to help students find more confidence. *Teaching Growth mindset directly. Help students understand/value the process of learning. Focus less on whether they are "smart" or "not smart" but more on if they are applying effort, using strategies, making good choices, etc.
1 Pondering: *I like the idea of teaching/using Growth Mindset. How can I help my students find the value in their own improvement? To continually challenge themselves?
3 points. The six indicators of productive group work, conflict management is an important skill to teach first, and teachers need to provide visual and verbal support for the purpose of the group work.
2 points. I found it interesting that groups of 2-5 work best and that all groups don't have to be the same size. I like that.
1 question. What do you do with students who don't work well in groups?
Discovered: Some of these I did not newly discover, but thought that they were important points that I sometimes overlook. 1. 2 - 5 students is the best size for a group, but not all groups have to be the same. Some students work well in large groups and others in smaller groups. 2. Using test scores and other skills to construct groups. This will help identifying the students’ strengths and weaknesses so the weaknesses are not magnified in a group. 3. Joint attention to task helps monitor groups and to make sure students are on task.
Interesting: 1. Joint attention task: Reading students' body language and listening for language exchanges to make sure groups are being productive. 2. Looking at test scores before organizing groups. I realize one must be clever when constructing groups, but I never thought of just looking at test scores, I've always looked at grades, work completion, and behavior.
Questions: 1. When groups are getting off task what are some of the best strategies and techniques to get the groups back on task?
Discovered: 1. I knew what a fixed mindset was, but I did not know all of the details and characteristics. 2. I also knew what a growth mindset was, but did not know all of the details and characteristics. 3. I feel that many of my students have fixed mindsets and do not like to put forth effort because they think they will fail. Interesting: 1. Students with fixed mindsets do not handle setbacks well and become very discouraged and defensive. 2. The school in Chicago that does not fail students, but uses the term “Not Yet.” Question: 1. Some students write down goals as a good idea, but never follow through or realize the process it takes to achieve a goal. What are some successful strategies help students follow up on their progress toward their goals?
3 -Homework should be "doable," as in demonstrating the application of skills that have already been mastered. -Homework should look inviting-students will select the assignments that do not appear intimidating -Get the "biggest bang for the buck" from assignments - quality over time spent.
2 -Personalized homework shifts ownership back to the student. -Homework is not for rote practice.
1 -If we are to teach bell-to-bell, and homework is not supposed to be for rote practice, how do we accommodate the needs of those who need larger amounts of practice?
3 -"Productive failure" is desireable in group learning situations, if students are given the opportunity to use the experience to try something else in order to construct knowledge. -Productive group work teaches important life skills - socially appropriate interactions with others, even in disagreement -Vary the size of groups according to the needs of the students in the groups.
2 -Teaching the proper social skills allows students to become collaborative learners. -Monitoring group progress is important and presents opportunities for small group instruction.
Five Hallmarks of Good Homework: I discovered: Homework should show purpose, be efficient, have ownership, show competence, deepen students' learning, and build essential skills. I found interesting: Homework should be differentiated and be aesthetically pleasing. I wonder why homework needs to be aesthetically pleasing.
Doing instrumental music practice meets most of the points that are made in the article “Five Hallmarks of Good Homework”. Practice meets a purpose by having students learn new material and practice what they already know. The task can be made enjoyable by introducing skills that are a challenge but attainable in a short period of time.
Interesting points in the article: Place sticky notes in books where questions arise. Averaging the amount of time spent each night on a task.
Something to ponder 50 minutes is 50 minutes. Do students just do their favorite subject and let the others not be completed?
3 - points you discovered from your article • The fundamental 5 characteristics of learning attempts to make the student successful and give academia purpose. • Projects that require a lot of “busy work” or non-academic work may be “fun’ ways of learning, but are probably inefficient ways to demonstrate student learning. • If students can take ownership in what they are learning, they become interested and thus learning becomes more relevant to the learner. 2 - points you found interesting • That forcing students to read 20 minutes per night has taken the fun out of reading; made it more of a “chore” for students. • Students will make a decision on whether or not to do homework just on their first impression of what it looks like. 1 - question you are pondering • Why do teachers still teach the same way we learned with rote learning? How do you make that switch?
3 - points you discovered from your article • teachers' behaviors toward students are much more important than their expectations; students observe how their teachers behave towards them which causes them to make inferences about them • teachers need to try to treat each student the same; smiling, involving students in good-natured discussions, and engaging in appropriate physical contact • teacher’s behaviors communicates expectations 2 - points you found interesting • teachers can change their attitudes without changing their behaviors • behaviors need to be changed to make a difference 1 - question you are pondering • What about unmotivated students, will this work with them? Will higher expectations work with them? Will it take time?
Attempting #2... I wrote some great stuff and it is in cyber space!! I loved the article The Big Wait.. as a parent of a teenager, I really appreciated this articles encouragement to mold our teens into adults, gently and make learning relevant to them.. helping them with career choices and options throughout their HS years. My question is how can I relate my curriculum to adult like work. The second article was Seven Essentialsfor Project-Based Learning.. and I felt the staff at Goodrell is beyond this article in relationship to their projects. The amount of planning, collaborating and work is evident as Goodrell students are challenged to be inquirers in project based learning. Patti Joelson
ReplyDelete"Even Geniuses Work Hard" by Carol S. Dweck
ReplyDelete3D's
-terminology of fixed mindset and growth mindset is new to me, but have read and talked about concepts in the past.
-Looks like some great resources at http://www.brainology.us/
-Need to continue to work on "prais[ing] the learning process rather than students' ability"
2I's
-"praising students for the process they are engaged in--the effort they applied, the strategies they used, the choices they made, the persistence they displayed, and so on--yields more long-term benefits than telling them they are "smart" when they succeed". We need to keep working on this as individuals, as a staff, and a community.
-I also found the suggestions for types of grades interesting and worthy of discussion for us as a staff.
1Q
-Lots of students see us challenging them as "extra work", under our current model what are some strategies we could use that would help students recognize the value of challenging themselves?
"Making Group Work Productive" by Nancy Frey and Douglas Fisher
ReplyDelete3D's
-It was great to read about the six indicators of productive group work. It is nice to have at least a few things in the back of your mind beyond what we make up ourselves of what good productive groups look like.
-In the article it talked about how conflict management is a very important skill to be teaching our students, which I knew before, but it laid our six steps that students can take in resolving conflicts in groups. I think that teaching students these or other steps would be an important first step of getting groups to work productively.
-Everyone that talks to us or I read about with group work always has different suggestions about what is the optimal size of groups. It was nice to see a range and to see them suggest flexiablity based on what is needed at the time or what works best for students.
2I's
-"When students are ready to clarify and refine their growing understanding of what they've been learning, they need opportunities to interact purposefully with one another to complete meaningful learning tasks."
-That conflict managment is "one of the most important life lessons" we can teach our students. "They're young adults who will need to work within groups all the time in college or on the job." We are teaching content but should also be teaching our student how to work with others.
1Q
-How great would it be to see students in productive groups throughout the day being engaged? I think there is a great staff here working hard to help push kids to the next level.
High Expectations For All
ReplyDelete3 discoveries-There are 4 steps to communicating high expectations. Expectations are subtle and hard to change. Teacher behavior communicates expectations.
2 interesting- I think Think/Pair/Share is a good strategy to get all levels involved and the focus is on teams and vs individuals.
1 pondering- differentiation vs high expectations?
Five Hallmarks of Good Homework
ReplyDelete3 discoveries- Small doses of homework (3 from today's work and 10 from previous work). Class practice before homework. Students like aesthetically appealing homework.
2 interesting- Time based homework (do as many math problems in 20 minutes), Is the homework efficient(Is a big project worth what learning it shows or is there a more efficient way to find out what students learned.)
1 pondering- They forgot what has worked for me this year -e-mailing parents the homework assignment using IC messenger.
The Big Wait
ReplyDelete3D's - many teens welcome being given "more responsibility", they need schoolwork to be relevant to their lives NOW, adolescence is hanging on in kids longer than it used to...less responsibility is being taken by kids today.
2 I - We need to make sure the kids understand why it is they are learning "this material". It has to make sense to them so they see value in it.
1 Q - I wonder how I am going to survive the next 4 years with my 3 teens/adult wannabe's!!
7 essentials for Project Based Learning
ReplyDelete1. A Need to Know
2. A Driving Question
3. Student Voice and Choice
4. 21st Century Skills
5. Inquiry and Innovation
6. Feedback and Revision
7. A Publicly Presented Product
After reading this I see this lining up very closely if not exactly with what we are trying to do with our MYP units of learning. I think we need to be creating more challenging and rigorous curriculum the further down the IB road we travel. We have a good start so far but I know there is much more for us to accomplish.
John Walling:
ReplyDeleteFive hallmarks of good Homework-
1-clear academic purpose
2-demonstrates student learning
3-promotes ownership
4-sense of competence
5-Is enjoyable and interesting
Individual research promotes ownership – even if they are doing a small part of a larger project –
Clear academic purpose takes away the busy work and thus reduces the apathy towards assignments – most are viewed as dull and boring.
My question is – How can I have a research project w/ the entire school - ?
I want to do this but not sure how to accomplish this task and grade it and articulate it 6th thru 8th grade?
High Expectations -
1- students pick up on who believes in them and has high "expectations or not
2-teachers attitudes about students effect the way they think and behave towards that student
3-one the most challenging aspects of teaching is confronting yourself about your own expectations for all students.
I think it is very important to give all children their chance to have high expectations
I also think it is important to work doubly hard for those who have low expectations of themselves.
I wonder how many of our students have low expectations of themselves and if we make a difference because of the way we treat them - I sure hope and pray we do -
Sandy Hull:
ReplyDeleteFive Hallmarks of Good Homework
All were very interesting. What stood out to me was the need to study for spelling tests. Spelling is used in everyday life daily. As a parent what worked for my child was spending 15-20 minutes 2 to 3 times a week studying for spelling test on Friday. What worked was writing each word 5 times and saying each letter while writing the word. Also using the Spelling word in a sentence helps to not only learn to spell the word but know it’s meaning by using it in a sentence. The last thing we would do was I would say the word and my child spell it. By Friday she was always self assured that she now knew how to spell each word and what it meant.
Article: Evil Geniuses Work Hard
ReplyDelete3 Points I Discovered
* There are two specific types of mindsets students can have, a growth mindset or a fixed mindset
* There are many ways to get students to reflect on their particular mindset and they can use this to push themselves into a growth mindset
* There has been success in grading for growth. A high school in Chicago does not fail students, rather, they give a grade of Not Yet.
2 Points I found interesting
* Telling students that they are smart may not always be the best with all students because if they do not understand something they may be afraid to try because of their fear of not looking smart.
* This article states ways to challenge students in the classroom. I see these strategies used at Goodrell!
1 question I am pondering
* What are some new and creative ways I can emphasize students meeting a challenge rather than just pushing students to be successful?
Mrs. Lantz
3 Discoveries
ReplyDeleteI discovered from the homework article that homework should have a time limit/not problem limit and that if you can make your homework look important to the students, they are more likely to do it. From the high expectations article I learned that teachers can ask less demanding questions of students that they have lower expectations from.
2 Points I found interesting
I found the following quote from the high expectations article interesting, "Teachers simply make sure that they exhibit the same positive behaviors to all students—smiling, involving students in good-natured discussions, and engaging in appropriate physical contact. All students will typically respond well to this type of behavior." I feel that when students feel comfortable with their classroom teacher, they will perform at a higher expectation level.
1 Question I still have
Is it okay to rarely assign homework?
High Expectations For All
ReplyDelete3 Discoveries: Identify 3 things:
1)identify which students I have low expectations for
2)identify similarities among these students
3)identify the way I treat low expectation students
2 Points I found interesting:
1)I need to treat all students the same (this is hard for me being a special ed teacher)
2)I need to confront myself and my behaviors
One question I still have:
How do I differentiate vs. having low expectations of students?
Where are the articles? I thought they were posted on the blog.
ReplyDeleteMaking Group Work Productive by Nancy Frey and Douglas Fisher
ReplyDeleteThree points discovered:
1. Six indicators of productive group work - very interesting
2. Six steps to resolving a disagreement - want to try as soon as possible
3. Must have visual and verbal support of the purpose of the work.
Two points interesting:
1. At best, group tasks should require students to creatively apply concepts and skills they have learned.
2. Should NOT simply replicate what teacher has already modeled for them.
One Question:
1. How do we teach students that "productive failure" is a learning process?
"The Big Wait"
ReplyDelete3 Things to Identify
Having teenage students who do not see the value in a grade is not going to go away. As educators we will be confronted with this problem over and over again. A student needing to see the relevance in their curriculum is something that GMS does a better job today than we did 3 years ago by relating our material to our big picture and unit question.
2 Interesting Points
I never thought of bringing in a business professional from a newspaper or other form of business to evaluate our students' writing. It would give great insight into "where" our students need to be with writing by the time they leave GMS.
1 Question
How do I change trying to "make" my students be responsible into giving them the tools to "be" responsible?
Alice read "The Big Wait."My life experiences agree with the idea of making learning relevant to everyday life. We post adolescents are more engaged and ready to work hard when we see how it impacts our own life. Most teens are the same. They tend to rise up and meet our expectations so it is important to set them high.
ReplyDelete"Making Group Work Productive"
ReplyDelete3 Discoveries:
*There's a teacher brave enough and innovative enough to come up with a unit on creating an organism.
*Six indicators of productive group work can be identified.
*Six steps to resolving a disagreement within a group.
2 Points of Interest:
*No academic class is free from needing to teach communication skills.
*Students are taught organization skills within the unit as well.
1 Question:
*How many times did he have to teach this unit to feel confident in its organization?
"Even Geniuses Work Hard"
3 Discoveries:
*A growth mindsetter believes intelligence can be developed.
*A fixed mindsetter believes intelligence is an inborn trait.
*Fast learning is not always the deepest or longest lasting.
2 Points of Interest:
*Einstein's admission of being a slow learner is a perfect example of having a growth mindset.
*Some teachers in Chicago give the grade of "not yet" instead of failing a student when achievement is low. How motivating to kids.
1 Question:
*Are all schools/programs equipped with the support needed when students honestly try but don't show improvement?
The 7 Essentials for Project-Based Learning
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Bill. I think the essential steps tie right into our MYP assessments, but we need to move away from teacher driven/overly guided inquiry to student inquiry that allows them to be more open-minded and internationally minded through rigorous curriculum and experiences.
The Big Wait
ReplyDelete3 points: Adolescence lasts a lot longer than it used to; students are discouraged from learning if it doesn't apply to them right now; even with the first statement, teens want to be treated as adults.
2 points: If we take the time to treat our teens as adults then teen apathy and discouragement are non-existent. Our notions about teens not being ready to learn something does not apply if you engage the the students with adults in adult-like situations.
1 question: why does our society allow adolescents to last into mid twenties rather than end by 17-18 years of age?
Essentials for Project Based Learning:
3 points: Real inquiry is where students generate their own questions which leads to discoveries during their research, formulate new questions and make their own conclusions; student choice of final project gives them a sense of meaningfulness; projects should include collaboration, communication, critical thinking and use of technology.
2 point: We are on our way towards successful projects with the MYP, but we need to make it more student based. It needs to be emphasized to students that first attempts doesn't create quality work. They need to revise as this is something they will be doing in their "real-life."
1 question: Based on the article, this sounds like high school students that are doing this. How can we change it so its fits in with middle school and who is in charge of teaching students how to do "good" research?
"The Big Wait"
ReplyDeleteThis article addressed the importance of the 4 R's in the learning environment as addressed in this article: relevance, real-world feedback, responsiblity and respect.
It is important to ensure that students do have opportunities to become participants and not just observers in our world.
"Seven Essentails for Project -Based Learning"
I agree with Mr. Flesch about the simialities with what we are trying to create in our learning environment. Each of the steps described fit in with our IB program.
We have the challenge of teaching kids how to think. In many ways we have spent the recent past in sharing knowledge without the accountablity of learning.
Back to making things relevant should make learning more real to our students which will hopefully make them more responsible and respectful.
I saw a nice link between the articles I read.
How can we inspire teenagers to want-- to learn more -- be more -- share more in an environment that is real but not scary real.
Even Geniuses Work Hard
ReplyDelete3 Points Discovered:
*Fixed Mindset vs. Growth mindset. Fixed is the belief that people are born with their intelligence (lack thereof) whereas Growth is a belief that intelligence can be developed over time.
*The learning tasks we design and implement can communicate and develop student resilience and long-term achievement.
*Some teachers grade on academics as well as growth-minded skills such as resilience, improvement over time, challenge-seeking, effort, etc.
2 Interesting thoughts:
*Adding the word "yet" to phrases such as "I don't get it" can help students to see that learning is fluid. I've heard this before and have tried it every now and again. It does seem to help students find more confidence.
*Teaching Growth mindset directly. Help students understand/value the process of learning. Focus less on whether they are "smart" or "not smart" but more on if they are applying effort, using strategies, making good choices, etc.
1 Pondering:
*I like the idea of teaching/using Growth Mindset. How can I help my students find the value in their own improvement? To continually challenge themselves?
3 points. The six indicators of productive group work, conflict management is an important skill to teach first, and teachers need to provide visual and verbal support for the purpose of the group work.
ReplyDelete2 points. I found it interesting that groups of 2-5 work best and that all groups don't have to be the same size. I like that.
1 question. What do you do with students who don't work well in groups?
Discovered:
ReplyDeleteSome of these I did not newly discover, but thought that they were important points that I sometimes overlook.
1. 2 - 5 students is the best size for a group, but not all groups have to be the same. Some students work well in large groups and others in smaller groups.
2. Using test scores and other skills to construct groups. This will help identifying the students’ strengths and weaknesses so the weaknesses are not magnified in a group.
3. Joint attention to task helps monitor groups and to make sure students are on task.
Interesting:
1. Joint attention task: Reading students' body language and listening for language exchanges to make sure groups are being productive.
2. Looking at test scores before organizing groups. I realize one must be clever when constructing groups, but I never thought of just looking at test scores, I've always looked at grades, work completion, and behavior.
Questions:
1. When groups are getting off task what are some of the best strategies and techniques to get the groups back on task?
Even Geniuses Work Hard
ReplyDeleteDiscovered:
1. I knew what a fixed mindset was, but I did not know all of the details and characteristics.
2. I also knew what a growth mindset was, but did not know all of the details and characteristics.
3. I feel that many of my students have fixed mindsets and do not like to put forth effort because they think they will fail.
Interesting:
1. Students with fixed mindsets do not handle setbacks well and become very discouraged and defensive.
2. The school in Chicago that does not fail students, but uses the term “Not Yet.”
Question:
1. Some students write down goals as a good idea, but never follow through or realize the process it takes to achieve a goal. What are some successful strategies help students follow up on their progress toward their goals?
"Five Hallmarks of Good Homework"
ReplyDelete3
-Homework should be "doable," as in demonstrating the application of skills that have already been mastered.
-Homework should look inviting-students will select the assignments that do not appear intimidating
-Get the "biggest bang for the buck" from assignments - quality over time spent.
2
-Personalized homework shifts ownership back to the student.
-Homework is not for rote practice.
1
-If we are to teach bell-to-bell, and homework is not supposed to be for rote practice, how do we accommodate the needs of those who need larger amounts of practice?
"Making Group Work Productive"
ReplyDelete3
-"Productive failure" is desireable in group learning situations, if students are given the opportunity to use the experience to try something else in order to construct knowledge.
-Productive group work teaches important life skills - socially appropriate interactions with others, even in disagreement
-Vary the size of groups according to the needs of the students in the groups.
2
-Teaching the proper social skills allows students to become collaborative learners.
-Monitoring group progress is important and presents opportunities for small group instruction.
1
-What if heterogeneous groups are not possible?
Five Hallmarks of Good Homework:
ReplyDeleteI discovered:
Homework should show purpose, be efficient, have ownership, show competence, deepen students' learning, and build essential skills.
I found interesting:
Homework should be differentiated and be aesthetically pleasing.
I wonder why homework needs to be aesthetically pleasing.
Marsha said...
ReplyDelete“Five Hallmarks of Good Homework”
Doing instrumental music practice meets most of the points that are made in the article “Five Hallmarks of Good Homework”. Practice meets a purpose by having students learn new material and practice what they already know. The task can be made enjoyable by introducing skills that are a challenge but attainable in a short period of time.
Interesting points in the article:
Place sticky notes in books where questions arise.
Averaging the amount of time spent each night on a task.
Something to ponder
50 minutes is 50 minutes. Do students just do their favorite subject and let the others not be completed?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete5 Hallmarks of Good Homework
ReplyDelete3 - points you discovered from your article
• The fundamental 5 characteristics of learning attempts to make the student successful and give academia purpose.
• Projects that require a lot of “busy work” or non-academic work may be “fun’ ways of learning, but are probably inefficient ways to demonstrate student learning.
• If students can take ownership in what they are learning, they become interested and thus learning becomes more relevant to the learner.
2 - points you found interesting
• That forcing students to read 20 minutes per night has taken the fun out of reading; made it more of a “chore” for students.
• Students will make a decision on whether or not to do homework just on their first impression of what it looks like.
1 - question you are pondering
• Why do teachers still teach the same way we learned with rote learning? How do you make that switch?
High Expectations for All
ReplyDelete3 - points you discovered from your article
• teachers' behaviors toward students are much more important than their expectations; students observe how their teachers behave towards them which causes them to make inferences about them
• teachers need to try to treat each student the same; smiling, involving students in good-natured discussions, and engaging in appropriate physical contact
• teacher’s behaviors communicates expectations
2 - points you found interesting
• teachers can change their attitudes without changing their behaviors
• behaviors need to be changed to make a difference
1 - question you are pondering
• What about unmotivated students, will this work with them? Will higher expectations work with them? Will it take time?