Today I read about a fantastic idea for tracking students during the writing process. One of the exemplar posts from my Writing Part 1 course talked about this, and I think it's a fantastic idea. Here is an exerpt:
"I have a “pencil chart” that is shaped like a pencil and has different coloured boxes that
represent the different stages in the writing process (brainstorming, planner, free write,
revision, peer conference, revision, teacher conference, revision, publishing, complete)
and the kids each have a magnet with their name on it. They move their name onto the
box that represents the stage in the writing process they are at. Being on rotary, I find
this especially helpful so that I know where everyone in each class is at (each class has
it’s own pencil), who needs to meet with me, who is ready for the next step, and who is
falling behind."
I would love to create a pencil tracker and student magnets that would go with the pencil. Using a tracker like this would allow for more flexibility for students. Not everyone would have to be at the same point - students could move ahead, move back, etc. based on their needs. This visual representation would help the teacher to group students (if necessary) for mini-lessons, or simply to keep track of what everyone needs to do. It would also help students to determine their own next steps. For example, if students peer conference after completing their first revision, then they would be able to check the pencil chart and do this independently.
Thinking ahead, I checked Scholar's Choice's website to see if they had any large decorative pencils that could be adapted to show these steps. I couldn't find anything, but I did find a few decoratives that could be used to spruce up the classroom AND track students!
Busy Bees Bulletin Board Set
Big Tree Bulletin Board Set
Shooting Stars Bulletin Board Set
Thursday 23 February 2012
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Questioning Strategies: Open vs. closed questions
During a Network meeting today, we discussed how questioning strategies fit into inquiry-based learning.
Here are some thoughts from today's learning:
The Frayer Model
The Frayer Model is a really neat organizer that allows students to build on their understanding of a concept. Students individually, in groups, or as a class, could use this to capture the definition, elements, and examples of a concept they are learning about. They can also review, change, and expand their ideas of the concept as their understanding deepens over the course of a lesson, unit, etc.
Effective questions are important in inquiry-based learning because they enhance the thinking of the students in a classroom.
Food for thought:
When learning through student inquiry, are the open-ended questions always asked by the teacher? Or is the goal to have students begin to develop, ask, and answer these questions independently?
Here are some thoughts from today's learning:
The Frayer Model
Effective questions are important in inquiry-based learning because they enhance the thinking of the students in a classroom.
|
Definition
Effective questions are open-ended questions that
have a range of responses and inspire student engagement.
|
Essential
Characteristics
Open-ended
Allow for a range of
responses
Wait time for students
Foundation set up in the
classroom to give students an opportunity to think and talk about the question
(e.g., think/pair/share)
Engages students
Critical thinking
|
|
Yes Example
How many ways can we make 10?
|
No Example
What is 4 + 6?
|
Food for thought:
When learning through student inquiry, are the open-ended questions always asked by the teacher? Or is the goal to have students begin to develop, ask, and answer these questions independently?
Differentiating differentiated instruction
The assignment that I worked on tonight for my Writing Part 1 course featured a webcast called Differentiated Writing Instruction. This webcase may be short (just over 3 minutes!) but it has some amazing ideas. I have made some inferences to figure out exactly how the unit of study featured in this video worked, but here are my thoughts after watching this clip.
I love how the teacher in this classroom has designed a unit of study that begins with a reading focus. The students learned about biographies, analysed them to find the elements of a well-written biography, and learned about Terry Fox. They then moved into the written portion of the unit. When students began writing their biographies about Terry Fox, the teacher differentiated in a few different ways.
Differentiation in the video:
- students could add details to their biography from memory
- the teacher had created a quick fact sheet that students could refer to
- students used magazines in the classroom to add further detail to their biography
- students could broaden the vocabulary in their biography by using books in their classroom as resources
- the teacher circulated around the classroom as the students worked and pulled groups that needed the same feedback to work together at their guided reading table
The most interesting part of this webcast was how the teacher began by giving students the same topic and differentiated the resources that students could use to enhance their writing. She also differentiated the support they were receiving.
At the end of the video, they mentioned that the culminating task for the unit was going to involve choosing a person to research and write a biography about. This means that they have moved from differentiating the instruction and the scaffolding to differentiating the product. By allowing students to choose a person to write about based on interest, she will be improving the student engagement. Ideally, after moving through the balanced literacy model with students in regards to biographic texts, students will apply what they have learned when writing the Terry Fox biography to their final culminating task.
I love how the teacher in this classroom has designed a unit of study that begins with a reading focus. The students learned about biographies, analysed them to find the elements of a well-written biography, and learned about Terry Fox. They then moved into the written portion of the unit. When students began writing their biographies about Terry Fox, the teacher differentiated in a few different ways.
Differentiation in the video:
- students could add details to their biography from memory
- the teacher had created a quick fact sheet that students could refer to
- students used magazines in the classroom to add further detail to their biography
- students could broaden the vocabulary in their biography by using books in their classroom as resources
- the teacher circulated around the classroom as the students worked and pulled groups that needed the same feedback to work together at their guided reading table
The most interesting part of this webcast was how the teacher began by giving students the same topic and differentiated the resources that students could use to enhance their writing. She also differentiated the support they were receiving.
At the end of the video, they mentioned that the culminating task for the unit was going to involve choosing a person to research and write a biography about. This means that they have moved from differentiating the instruction and the scaffolding to differentiating the product. By allowing students to choose a person to write about based on interest, she will be improving the student engagement. Ideally, after moving through the balanced literacy model with students in regards to biographic texts, students will apply what they have learned when writing the Terry Fox biography to their final culminating task.
Friday 3 February 2012
Inquiry Based Learning
Inquiry based learning supports the strategic use of:
- inquiry skills
- curriculum (it's not always student-centered)
- learning skills and work habits
- critical thinking
- technology
- differentiated instruction
- assessment for, as and of learning
For inquiry-based learning to work, we need to create an inclusive classroom where learners feel safe to share ideas and thoughts. Students also need to have time to decide what they think about something (e.g., a public service announcement, a text) and then share their ideas through accountable talk with partners or small groups. Inquiry-based learning often delves into critical thinking by asking students MORE than just yes/no questions. It allows us to move student thinking, and student discussion, forward.
Thoughts for reflection:
WHY do we want our students to learn this information? Do they know why it is important?
WHAT questions will we ask our students to move the thinking/learning forward?
HOW will we structure our unit plans to include time for flexibility?
WHEN do we share the learning goals with our students?
- inquiry skills
- curriculum (it's not always student-centered)
- learning skills and work habits
- critical thinking
- technology
- differentiated instruction
- assessment for, as and of learning
For inquiry-based learning to work, we need to create an inclusive classroom where learners feel safe to share ideas and thoughts. Students also need to have time to decide what they think about something (e.g., a public service announcement, a text) and then share their ideas through accountable talk with partners or small groups. Inquiry-based learning often delves into critical thinking by asking students MORE than just yes/no questions. It allows us to move student thinking, and student discussion, forward.
Thoughts for reflection:
WHY do we want our students to learn this information? Do they know why it is important?
WHAT questions will we ask our students to move the thinking/learning forward?
HOW will we structure our unit plans to include time for flexibility?
WHEN do we share the learning goals with our students?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)