Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Lesson Activity Idea--mini lecture
Provide overviews of the book and key concepts of the book. There will be some summary provided of each chapter other than 2 or 3. We will continue to work on this collaboratively--possibly with a google presentation. We would also like to use the visual on p. 6 to guide the class through the basic concept of the book.
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Chapter 5 summary:
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was about students’ ability to generalize their skills and knowledge. It opens with defining problems of transfer as “the failure to generalize learning from one situation or problem to another” (pg 43). One way to help students generalize their skills and knowledge is to begin each new activity by reminding students to take stock of what they already know.
Helpful teacher phases from this section are:
“How else…” (pg 45) sustains the possibility of choice while suggesting flexibility and other possible alternatives.
“That’s like…” (pg 46) draws attention to connections which assists understanding and reasoning.
“What if…?” (pg 47) expands the contexts in which strategies might be used. Hypotheticals can be used to explore worlds, behaviors, and/or choices without real consequences and develop children’s abstract thinking.
Two closing quotes:
“Transfer involves overcoming apparent dissimilarities between activities” (pg 46). For teachers, it’s about helping students make connections.
“The more we help children build a sense of themselves as inquirers and problem-solvers, and the less they see boundaries between domains of inquiry, the more they are likely to transfer their learning into the world beyond school” (pg 52). Referring back to chapter 3, building and trying on identities and how that influences children’s sense of agency.
Chapter one is an introduction to the research and ideas of the book.
ReplyDeleteThis book was written based on results from a study of successful literacy teachers and how they operate in the classroom. Teachers selected based on recommendations and because people wanted them to teach their children. The focus was on language used in the classroom and the implications that has on student learning.
The researchers were interested in “how teachers’ use of language might explain their students’ success in becoming literate, as documented on literacy tests” (2).
What you say in a classroom says something about “what we are doing in school, who we are and how we related to one another (6). The teacher develops the community and how students see themselves. Through questioning and directing conversations, teachers can encourage students to become problem solvers.
First of all, thank you Caitlin for recommending this book. It really offers some wonderful suggestions, some which are so simple, but can have such a great impact on students. I also think that many of the ideas offered are applicable to any age group, with maybe some exceptions to those specifically dealing with behavior issues. I teach adult ESL and post-secondary level Spanish, and I can envision how modifying some of my approaches and word choices could be very beneficial, especially in regards to confidence building and self awareness, which is such an important part of second language learning.
ReplyDeleteI have commented on Chapter three, even though we may be using it as one that the class reads.
Chapter Three, Identity, discusses how a teacher’s comments, questions, and wordage can be used to help children develop their own personal and social identities. I’ve commented on two of the ideas presented that I found very significant
One example addresses students making choices about their behavior. It is suggested that instead of scolding children for bad behavior, a comment such as “that’s not like you” encourages them to think about a different way they could be; it doesn’t automatically assume that the bad behavior is characteristic of them. Therefore, they have the opportunity to change their behavior more for the sake of themselves. I see this how this can be an important turning point for a child. Nothing is gained from having children view themselves as problematic, and if the perspective is changed to allow them to show their good behavior, it allows them the chance to leave the “bad behavior” behind and be proud of doing it.
Another example, which I see as very important, is the manner in which a teacher can comment on the accomplishments of a student. Instead of asking students to make someone else proud of what they do, they should take on that pride themselves. The simple comment of “I bet you are proud of yourself” gives a student more ownership of the accomplishment, in addition to self-confidence and a better self-awareness. If this pride is instilled in students, they are more likely to strive to do better for their individual satisfaction. It gives them what the text refers to as a “sense of agency “, knowing how to act strategically in order to achieve their goals.
Chapter Seven: An Evolutionary, Democratic Learning Community
ReplyDeleteThis chapter focuses on the importance of creating meaningful and supportive learning communities within the classroom that foster a productive learning environment, and how language is used to accomplish this.
“A basic property of such communities is that they have some shared understanding of the situation and activity in which they are jointly engaged. This does not mean that they all agree, but they agree to try to understand each other to become mutually involved. They essentially agree to be parts of the same social mind for a period of time. We want communities that provide democratic and evolutionary intellectual environments”. (pp. 65-66)
The following example helps encourage children to get to know each other and understand their classmates’ strengths and interests. This is done by posing the question “Who else would like that book?” It allows children to reflect on others instead of only on their own perspective, and using their imagination to do so.
Another example is to interrupt the students during a reading exercise to ask the students what they are thinking, “What are you thinking? Stop and talk to you r neighbor about it.” By doing this, the teacher is helping them to develop their metacognitive awareness. Sharing this with their classmates also gives them the opportunity to observe how others are processing information. In this way, children learn to appreciate how their peers think and make decisions. This strengthens their ability to work together, which is the objective for being able to be successful as adults participating in a democratic society.
Some other helpful language used….
“Are there other ways to think about that?” (p. 69)
“You guys say such important things; it amazes me you would talk while others are talking.” (p. 68) This helps to guide the students when they are being disruptive while another student is speaking.
“You managed to figure that out with each other’s help. How did you do that?” (p. 71) Helps the students to understand that when they cannot accomplish something on their own, they can work together to do so.
Chapter 2 summary
ReplyDelete“Language is the essential condition of knowing, the process by which experience becomes knowledge” Halliday 1993, p. 94.
Language is one of the things that a child interacts with to learn about the word; using language people name objects, ask questions, and therefore understand the world around them. Language is one of the essential tools in learning. The way teachers use language during class and interact with students, has a great impact on the process of learning. Naming and noticing actions, process, and success are two key words that the teachers may use in her profession that can have great impact on the learning results .In this chapter, the author presented some of the language use in naming and noticing that can be beneficial to students and promotes learning like:
“Did anyone notice………..”
When teachers start their questions with this phrase, students are encouraged to investigate deeper, think beyond the norms, and open conversations among students about their remarks and notices.
Noticing and naming the successful part of a mistake:
When teachers correct someone mistake, the often say what is wrong. The author debates, when teachers point out what have the student done right instead what has been done wrong, the student feels successful and simultaneously maintain the student’s competence.
Noticing the successful process of learning:
Helping the students to notice any success and allowing them to compare it to what they used to do, shows to the students that they are successful throughout the process of learning. This comparison, allows the students to set future learning goals and plan accordingly.
“What kind of text is that?”
Asking open questions, gives the opportunity to the students to think broadly, compare and contrast, engage in classroom discussion. For instance, this question implies that there are different kinds of text and students need to investigate to figure out the answer.
In summary, naming and noticing has important role for critical thinking and literacy. Children and students need to notice the process of naming. Finally, noticing and naming should go hand in hand in assure the success of the learning process.