Responses to Others' Questions
I finally have some time to go back through the posts and respond to the interesting questions and thoughts that have been expressed recently. I just finished my CORE Academy assignments (one class down, 6 to go) and have a little extra time on my hands (I can’t believe it). Anyway, I picked some of the things that caught my eye and wanted to comment on or ask about. Using Todd’s format, I’ve quoted then responded.
On a side note, Todd, is there a CORE Academy for all of the grades K-12? I had such an awesome experience I’d like to attend others if they have them.
Here are my comments for what they are worth…
Todd: While I would be excited that students have completed, I am not sure that I could be if my best or brightest or fastest students had their assignments and were now using science class time to read novels or do homework for other classes. I want science class to be for ENGAGEMENT in science. I have suggested nothing to move this situation from where it is; only pointed out that something might need to change-as I think the clinical student may have been doing also. What would you do if this were happening in your class? How will you keep this from happening in your class? Will you?
Deb: I agree, I would want my students engaged throughout their time in my classroom. I’ve watched Mrs. Seamons handle this situation by also having activities for the students to engage in after a primary assignment is complete, similar to Mr. Borton’s extension activities. Usually these “extra” activities require only brief instructions and then the students are off and running, doing the assignments independently. I think it takes experience with recognizing what students can and can’t do by themselves. The difference is that she doesn’t tell them whether or not they will be graded on “extra” assignments, she simply hands them a new assignment when they are finished with the last assignment. She expects students to be engaged and treats them according to that expectation. As long as students behave according to that expectation, all is well. However, she makes the consequences for not being engaged extremely distasteful, like sitting in a corner WATCHING other students perform fun experiments. She finds that she only has to do this once or twice before everyone understands that engagement is the ideal choice.
Okay, this brings up a question, how much material should I prepare for any given module? My gut feeling is to prepare as many activities as will engage the brightest students, understanding that half the class will not get to the “extensions” or “extra” content. How much will the other students feel left behind? Will they feel like part of a “learning community” or a bystander?
James: I also tried to practice what I read about questioning in the articles Todd gave me.
Deb: What articles and where do I get copies?
Todd: What experiences are others having with questioning?
Deb: I know I’m not very good with asking the right kinds of questions yet, but I know they are the key to a successful learning experience. The more I can get students to talk about the topic at hand, the more excited they get. I feel like students are engaged when they are asking questions and seeking answers to those questions. In reflecting on my own educational experience, my most memorable experiences have been when I was curious enough about a topic to ask questions and then go hunting for the answers either through conversations with the professors or independent study. I think the mind is open and ready to receive information when it is questioning.
Todd: I personally really like KWL charts, but I want to be sure in the end that the L that we are going back to fill in as we work through our learning is geared toward answering some of the initial STUDENT questions. I don’t want to see it used as a primer and then not revisited as I think it might send the message, tell me what you know and want to know, now we are going to focus what I have planned for you to learn in this unit.
Deb: I think KWL’s are great, because it gets the students asking questions. I am using this model in two of my classes to write term papers. It really guides my research and makes the experience so much more meaningful. I’m no longer writing to inform my instructors (I think they could care less), I am writing so that I am informed on a topic that interests me. I never would have thought that writing a term paper could actually be engaging. It is still challenging and I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t required, but the experience is less stressful and more rewarding.
Tom: I am having a very hard time getting up and involved in the class lessons. So far I have only helped a student once find Uranium on the periodic table. The teacher of the class expects me to just sit there and watch, and I don’t have enough courage or maybe even desire to push my involvement in the classroom.
Todd: What advice would each of you have here based on your own experience?
Deb: I found in my first clinical experience that if I didn’t have something to do, I went crazy. I have a very difficult time just watching all the fun (this is probably why I don’t watch professional sports and have a difficult time watching my own children perform in athletic events). I asked my cooperating teacher if I could correct papers or enter grades or prepare labs, anything to keep my hands busy while still in the classroom observing. He was so grateful and pleased to have the extra help that he was more willing to let me do other things in the classroom. By the end of the year, he felt comfortable with me giving lessons and directing review sessions. It takes time though to develop that trust. I always respected what he was trying to do, and tried not to be an inhibiting factor in the classroom. I also respected him as the expert in his classroom.I also tried to practice what I read about questioning in the articles Todd gave meWhile I would be excited that students have completed, I am not sure that I could be happy if my best or brightest or fastest students had completed their assignments and were now using science class time to read novels or do homework for other classes. I want science class to be for ENGAGEMENT in science. I have suggested nothing to move this situation from where it is; only pointed out that something might need to change-as I think the clinical student may have been doing also. What would you do if this were happening in your class? How will you keep this from happening in your class? Will you?I am not sure that I could be happy if my best or brightest or fastest students had completed their assignments and were now using science class time to read novels or do homework for other classes. I want science class to be for ENGAGEMENT in science. I have suggested nothing to move this situation from where it is; only pointed out that something might need to change-as I think the clinical student may have been doing also.I am not sure that I could be happy if my best or brightest or fastest students had completed their assignments and were now using science class time to read novels or do homework for other classes. I want science class to be for ENGAGEMENT in science. I have suggested nothing to move this situation from where it is; only pointed out that something might need to change-as I think the clinical student may have been doing also.
On a side note, Todd, is there a CORE Academy for all of the grades K-12? I had such an awesome experience I’d like to attend others if they have them.
Here are my comments for what they are worth…
Todd: While I would be excited that students have completed, I am not sure that I could be if my best or brightest or fastest students had their assignments and were now using science class time to read novels or do homework for other classes. I want science class to be for ENGAGEMENT in science. I have suggested nothing to move this situation from where it is; only pointed out that something might need to change-as I think the clinical student may have been doing also. What would you do if this were happening in your class? How will you keep this from happening in your class? Will you?
Deb: I agree, I would want my students engaged throughout their time in my classroom. I’ve watched Mrs. Seamons handle this situation by also having activities for the students to engage in after a primary assignment is complete, similar to Mr. Borton’s extension activities. Usually these “extra” activities require only brief instructions and then the students are off and running, doing the assignments independently. I think it takes experience with recognizing what students can and can’t do by themselves. The difference is that she doesn’t tell them whether or not they will be graded on “extra” assignments, she simply hands them a new assignment when they are finished with the last assignment. She expects students to be engaged and treats them according to that expectation. As long as students behave according to that expectation, all is well. However, she makes the consequences for not being engaged extremely distasteful, like sitting in a corner WATCHING other students perform fun experiments. She finds that she only has to do this once or twice before everyone understands that engagement is the ideal choice.
Okay, this brings up a question, how much material should I prepare for any given module? My gut feeling is to prepare as many activities as will engage the brightest students, understanding that half the class will not get to the “extensions” or “extra” content. How much will the other students feel left behind? Will they feel like part of a “learning community” or a bystander?
James: I also tried to practice what I read about questioning in the articles Todd gave me.
Deb: What articles and where do I get copies?
Todd: What experiences are others having with questioning?
Deb: I know I’m not very good with asking the right kinds of questions yet, but I know they are the key to a successful learning experience. The more I can get students to talk about the topic at hand, the more excited they get. I feel like students are engaged when they are asking questions and seeking answers to those questions. In reflecting on my own educational experience, my most memorable experiences have been when I was curious enough about a topic to ask questions and then go hunting for the answers either through conversations with the professors or independent study. I think the mind is open and ready to receive information when it is questioning.
Todd: I personally really like KWL charts, but I want to be sure in the end that the L that we are going back to fill in as we work through our learning is geared toward answering some of the initial STUDENT questions. I don’t want to see it used as a primer and then not revisited as I think it might send the message, tell me what you know and want to know, now we are going to focus what I have planned for you to learn in this unit.
Deb: I think KWL’s are great, because it gets the students asking questions. I am using this model in two of my classes to write term papers. It really guides my research and makes the experience so much more meaningful. I’m no longer writing to inform my instructors (I think they could care less), I am writing so that I am informed on a topic that interests me. I never would have thought that writing a term paper could actually be engaging. It is still challenging and I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t required, but the experience is less stressful and more rewarding.
Tom: I am having a very hard time getting up and involved in the class lessons. So far I have only helped a student once find Uranium on the periodic table. The teacher of the class expects me to just sit there and watch, and I don’t have enough courage or maybe even desire to push my involvement in the classroom.
Todd: What advice would each of you have here based on your own experience?
Deb: I found in my first clinical experience that if I didn’t have something to do, I went crazy. I have a very difficult time just watching all the fun (this is probably why I don’t watch professional sports and have a difficult time watching my own children perform in athletic events). I asked my cooperating teacher if I could correct papers or enter grades or prepare labs, anything to keep my hands busy while still in the classroom observing. He was so grateful and pleased to have the extra help that he was more willing to let me do other things in the classroom. By the end of the year, he felt comfortable with me giving lessons and directing review sessions. It takes time though to develop that trust. I always respected what he was trying to do, and tried not to be an inhibiting factor in the classroom. I also respected him as the expert in his classroom.I also tried to practice what I read about questioning in the articles Todd gave meWhile I would be excited that students have completed, I am not sure that I could be happy if my best or brightest or fastest students had completed their assignments and were now using science class time to read novels or do homework for other classes. I want science class to be for ENGAGEMENT in science. I have suggested nothing to move this situation from where it is; only pointed out that something might need to change-as I think the clinical student may have been doing also. What would you do if this were happening in your class? How will you keep this from happening in your class? Will you?I am not sure that I could be happy if my best or brightest or fastest students had completed their assignments and were now using science class time to read novels or do homework for other classes. I want science class to be for ENGAGEMENT in science. I have suggested nothing to move this situation from where it is; only pointed out that something might need to change-as I think the clinical student may have been doing also.I am not sure that I could be happy if my best or brightest or fastest students had completed their assignments and were now using science class time to read novels or do homework for other classes. I want science class to be for ENGAGEMENT in science. I have suggested nothing to move this situation from where it is; only pointed out that something might need to change-as I think the clinical student may have been doing also.
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