Best Practices In Teaching

I just got done reading chapter 8 from Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde's Best Practice book entitled Seven Structures of Best Practice Teaching. There were many areas where my highlighter got a workout because I was highlighting every other sentence. Below are some of the ideas that I thought were noteworthy:

· Predictable schedules so students can prepare for what is coming up.

· Students working together in small groups, pairs, etc.

· Kids teaching each other.

· Student sharing & discussing.

· Positive classroom community.

· Group problem-solving.

· Whole group discussions to share learning from an activity, hold accountability, process through problems, etc.

· Talk about learning before, during and after.

· Evoke prior knowledge so students have an easier time making meaningful connections.

· Writers are readers and readers are writers. “If they can write it; they can read it!”

· Make students more responsible for their own learning by holding them accountable for their reading and writing.

· Quote: “Effective teachers are recognizing that writing and drawing are rightful bookends to reading, too neglected tools that help students actively process their encounter with ideas to deepen their engagement with the curriculum.” (p. 16)

· Students choose their own reading (books) and writing topics.

· Students collaborate with peers.

· Choice is an ABSOLLUTE MUST.

· Kids are constantly “doing” and “talking about” their work.

· Mini-conferences are important to help give kids the one-on-one attention/conversation/feedback that they need. (Teachers don’t even need to give feedback, they ask questions to guide students’ thinking about their own work.)

· Quote: “Building a productive workshop depends on initial climate-setting and group-building activities.” (p. 20)

· Quote: “Students reflect on their own work, review their own progress, identify their own problems, set their own goals, and make plans and promises to themselves about steps they are going to take.” (p. 20)

· By holding reading/writing workshops, students become active, responsible, self-motivating, and self-evaluating learners.

· Teachers do less talking and slowly hand over the control and responsibility to their students.

· Teachers need to be real and authentic when conferencing with their students.

· Teachers are encouraged to develop broad, interdisciplinary, thematic units based on student concerns.

· Let kids choose what & how they want to learn.

· Teachers should include activities that connect with students’multiple intelligences and cognitive styles.

· Encourage and stress goal setting and self-assessment.

· For assessments, use qualitative research (observation, interviews, questionnaires, artifacts, etc.)

· Student portfolios provide learning evidence.

· Quote: “Overlap assessments with instruction, instead of always relying on evaluations that occur separately, after the works is done (and when it is too late for students to improve their product or learn from the assessment!) (p. 28)

· The most valuable assessment activities are formative.

· Teachers identify a few “Big Ideas” and build units around those concepts. (Backwards Design)

· Teachers realize that not all students need the same lesson.

· Provide kid-centered time for practice and exploration.

· Learning is more effective when teachers present in shorter periods of time on topic of “Big Importance”

· Mini-lessons are helpful for teachers when differentiating their instruction.

· Teachers demonstrate how to...don’t just talk about it!

This article reminded me of many components of Reader’s Workshop by Debbie Miller and Writer’s Workshop from Lucy Calkins.

Intentionally Paying Attention

     I always enjoy reading chapters from Houston & Sokolow’s Spiritual Dimensions of Leadership.  One of our assignments this week was to read Chapter 2 titled Attention.  As I began reading this chapter it became clear how closely attention and intention fit together like a hand in a glove.  The definition of attention, according to Houston & Sokolow; “Attention is a way of focusing energy—your energy: mental, physical and emotional—as well as the mental, physical and emotional energy of others.”  To focus attention all one has to do is think about it, talk about it, and write about it—in other words pay attention to it!  This chapter was a great one!  I often find myself wasting my energy on things that don’t matter and then I easily lose my focus on what is important.  I also often find myself focusing my attention on what others want me to focus on.  I all too often get caught up in the moment and forget to enjoy it.  How ironic that this chapter is titled “Attention”... I’m glad that the authors have brought this topic to my attention!

     There was a quote from this chapter that I found myself relating to concerning this past year: “If you attend to the wrong things or you are distracted in your attention and really don’t have a sense of focus or sense of purpose, you lose your purpose for being.”  It was like having one of those dark clouds lingering over me where ever I went just waiting to drench me in the insignificant things in life.  At one point I felt so negative, pessimistic and unconstructive that I was easily able to recognize that I wasn’t being the best teacher that I could be.  Maybe it was because I was so overwhelmed with everything going on around me (and even a lot of negativity from others) that I lost my focus.  I had a touch of IADD (intermittent attention deficit disorder) because I was distracted and didn’t have a sense of focus.  I am excited that I get a “do-over” for next year.

     By nature, I would describe myself as pretty positive & energetic.  However, this last year has been difficult--one that I’d like to think that I’ve learned a lot about myself.  I pride myself in immersing myself in positive environments around positive people.  I’m excited to begin a new year with a fresh, upbeat attitude where I can focus my attention on the here and now as well as the future.  I’m excited to be grounded and drive my life where I want it to go.  If I have an intention, I need to pay attention to what I need to do to make my intention happen.  I’m excited to submerge myself in my intentions for the rest of this summer to make sure that I am focused and paying attention for how I want this next year to go (and even the years to come!)

AGAPE...A Look Into The Future

Adaptation plays a significant role in a constructivist classroom.  After much reflection, I have come to better understand how some of the key words (imagination, creativity, constructivist, authentic, discovery, inquiry, problem-based) of adaptation play into the teacher that I am striving to become.  See this post and this post to learn more of how adaptation will show up in the routines and strategies I use in my practice.

Growth & Change

One of my assignments this week is to reflect upon my growth as a teacher in the areas of instruction, discipline, environment, & assessment (IDEA.)  Following are my thoughts on how I have grown and changed as an educator over the past year since beginning my learning through St. Mary's University Master's Program.

Instruction- This past year has been one of the most challenging years that I’ve had as a teacher.  Thankfully, I have had a lot of people cheering me on throughout it all.  I am also grateful that I have been learning so much about myself as a teacher.  I am much more intentional at how and why I am teaching the concepts/ideas that I am teaching.  I have also been more academically and socially aware of what my students need and want.  I have learned ways to make my classroom and my instruction align more to a constructivist classroom. 

Discipline/Content- Throughout this last year I have learned new ways to instruct.  I have learned how to create units of study with essential outcomes and have enjoyed designing lessons using the backwards design philosophy.  I have found that this is fairly easy and highly effective.  I would like to take future units of study and start with the standards and create essential outcomes.

Environment- I have always loved thinking about how I want my classroom environment to look & feel.  I love making things look nice and have enjoyed creating a welcoming environment that is cozy, fun and unique.  I also believe that it is not just my room; it belongs to all of us who spend many hours at a time within the four walls.  One area where I have grown and changed with regards to environment is student ownership and relationships.  For student ownership, I have had my students help in making classroom rules with my guidance and have decorated the walls with their work.  On the subject of relationships, I have learned the importance of building relationships and how communication can directly be related to how well our classroom climate functions.  I have been more open and focused on group work and group interaction through positive community building activities.  I have also learned that it is okay for students to play w/o being bombarded with academics...especially in kindergarten.  I have always encouraged learning through discovery.

Assessment- For assessment, I think this is the area that I have grown most.  I have always thought of assessment as summative.  What my students are able to do at the end of a unit of study is how I assessed how much they have learned (and even how good I taught something!)  What I have come to realize this past year is that assessment is on-going and is just as important, if not more important if assessment is formative.  I have come to see that formative assessment is much more helpful for me as a teacher if I assess at a more informal way throughout a unit of study.  Formative assessment has helped me to differentiate learning in my classroom and design lessons according to what my students need at any given time.  I’ve learned through formative assessment that my students learn so much more and their learning is more authentic and student centered.  I’ve learned that different types of assessment have different uses.

AGAPE

AGAPE is an acronym for association, generative, adaptive, presence and engagement.   This was actually the first time that I had ever heard of this acronym and it’s taking a lot of self-reflection to see what this Lasallian concept means to me and my teaching practices.  The AGAPE Reflection is provided to me as an assessment processes to help me strengthen my inner life purpose of knowing: 1.) why I teach, 2.) who I am, 3.) who I want to become as teacher, and 4.) why teaching is the most important, humbling, and honorable profession in the world.  Each semester we are asked to identify 1-2 letters of the acronym to reflect on as it pertains to our teaching.  Here are my thoughts:

March 2013

Association- I think that I bring this into my practice on a few levels.  I consider myself a cheerleader with encouraging collaboration and healthy communication in relationships.  Learning from one another is extremely important and beneficial for everyone involved- students and teachers. 
1.  One way that I bring this into my practice is on a professional level with my colleagues.  I try to share and collaborate and work as a team as much as possible.  There are a couple of factors that interfere with the process however.  One way that it interferes is the location of all of the K rooms.  We are scattered throughout the building and we don’t consistently see each other so we can easily communicate & share.  The second interference is that I am the only K teacher who teaches ½ day so I am very secluded in many ways.  Fortunately, next year we will be in a new school and all of the K classrooms are all in one area so this will help with communication and collaboration.      
2.  Another way that I bring this into my practice is with my students.  I want to teach my students that they are responsible for their learning.  I encourage them to share their knowledge and teach their peers when needed.  I promote cooperative learning and collaboration amongst my students by partnering them up so they can learn from one another.    

          Some of the association features that are present in the routines and strategies I use in my practice as a teacher are collaboration, cooperation, sharing and interdependence.  One thing that I could do a better job at is using kid-friendly language to encourage the students coach each other’s learning, particularly during Literacy Work Station Time.  Sure, they have partners and can learn from one another, but I’m not sure that all of the kids know why they have the specific partner that I paired them up with.  I need to do some more explaining of my routines and practices to my students so they have a better understanding of “why” they are with the person they are with.

Generativity- I think generativity is actually one of my strongest attributes.  I take the first month of every school year just to get to know my students not only personally, but also academically.  The environment that I create is extremely caring and loving.  Our classroom is welcoming and warm.  This allows the children to feel comfortable enough to open up and become risk-takers.  I teach them respectful behavior by being respectful myself-especially when choosing my words and tone of voice.  I truly appreciate and celebrate each and every one of my students because they are all unique in their own way and have a lot to add to our classroom community.   I have never been trained in Responsive Classroom, but as I have learned more about it, I think that my teaching patterns fit it very well.  I place a high value on teamwork & community building, where everyone is a part of our room. 

          Some of the generativity features that are present in the routines and strategies I use in my practice as a teacher are celebrating each student, inviting atmosphere, appreciative of others and mutual caring.  I talk with the children more than I talk to the children.  If problems arise, we talk through them and I try to do more listening than talking.  I try to teach the children respectful behavior by modeling respectful behavior and use the motto: “treat others the way you want to be treated.”    

June 2013

Adaptation- I think this area is my weakest area of them all.  The kindergarten level is so fact-based.  It is very basic learning.  However, I think that innovation, imagination, creativity, critical thinking and all of the other definitions that accompany adaptation are all still very important.  I believe that learning is best retained when it is authentic and through discovery.  I have a difficult time opening up student learning so it is student led.  I know the standards and end of year expectations and I tend to teach for the goal, not allowing the children enough opportunity to make personal life connections.   

          On the other end of the spectrum, as a learner, I have since realized that I am in the midst of “adaptation” as I travel through this program to attain my Masters Degree.  Since starting this journey last fall I have grown so much and learned what it means to adapt my way of teaching and learning.  My thoughts and actions have transformed and changed along the way.  I have experienced growth and expanded my thinking and learning through creating a unit by following the Backwards Design philosophy, by learning about the various forms of assessment, by reading about and implementing new instructional strategies and by reading and researching for my Action Research.  Through all of this I have adapted my teaching into more of a constructivist teacher.

November 2013

Presence- This is an area where I feel 50/50.  I am a very empathetic, spirit-filled, love-centered person.  I try my hardest to create a safe and inviting environment for interpersonal risk-taking.  I am a responsive listener and I scaffold in problem-solving situations.  However, I feel like I could do a better job with critical self-reflection.  Sometimes I am controlling (I like things done in a certain way...) in the classroom and can sometimes be object focused and not person centered.  That is when I need to step back and remind myself that my students are only 5 or 6 years old and what they produce will not always be perfect.  
To me, presence means being 100% attentive and in-tune to what is going on.  I want to seize all of the moments for opportunity, yet enjoy the little things/accomplishments in my classroom. I think presence means truly being in and enjoying "in the moment"...a sense of togetherness.  The Lasallian concept of presence in my practice looks like engagement and full acceptance of all students.  These features are present in my classroom routines and teaching strategies.  For example: I place a high emphasis on classroom community and celebrating everyone's differences and recognizing similarities.  I focus a lot of time and energy on our classroom climate where everyone is accepted, loved and valued.  We are a family and we must learn to work together for common goals while encouraging each other to do their best.    

Stay Tuned for my future thoughts on:
Engagement

Backwards Design Unit

May 22^nd, 2013

Because school is getting out so early for us and the topic that I choose for my Backwards Design (BD) unit I knew that I had to have all of my ducks in a row right away.  For my BD unit I decided to focus on Living & Non-Living Things because it was the only major independent unit of study that I had yet to teach this year.  Another reason I choose this unit is because it seems like every year when I teach living & non-living it is very unintentional and rushed.  This year I had plenty of time to plan and implement it.  I planned for this unit to take 3 weeks to complete.  I began teaching the week of April 22 and wrapped it up on May 10^th (just in time for Mother’s Day).  How’s that for intentional?  So, here are the answers to how my unit went:

A)  How did planning with the standards at the forefront of the unit impact your teaching?                                                                                                                                     I I think that by planning with the standards at the forefront of the unit greatly impacted my teaching.  I didn’t use just fun stuff in my instruction to make things look cute; I used necessary tools and had specific learner outcomes in mind so I could instruct with intention. I had a very focused direction that I went when teaching Living & Non-Living Things.  I had a “Big Idea” that was driving my lesson planning.

B)  How did you utilize the enduring understandings and essential questions while you were teaching the unit? What was their impact?  

The Essential Questions guided my discussions with my students.  They also helped to guide our attention so we could stay on task.  The questions that I asked were deeper thinking and promoted authentic thoughts and ideas.  The Enduring Understandings helped to keep my lessons organized and more intentional.  I appreciated that I had a clear understanding of what I was teaching and why I was teaching it.

C)  What was the impact of creating the assessments prior to teaching the lesson? How did it alter your perspective and your teaching? How did it affect the overall learning of the students?

I loved knowing that the assessments that I used would be directly related with the learner outcomes and the kids knew what they were expected to know after this unit.  I liked that the assessments that I put into place were hands-on and that I was able to use multiples ways to assess my students’ knowledge (i.e. technology, work samples, observations and activities.  After completing the UbD Stage 2 assignment it was nice to see that most of my assessment would be formative and that I could easily adapt the lesson if my student didn’t completely understand the “Big Ideas”.

D)  Compare your teaching of this content using BD planning to times when you have taught it without planning “with the end in mind.” What did you notice? How was it different for you and/or your students?

Teaching using the BD philosophy really put things into perspective for me.  I tend to teach concepts based on what will hold the students’ attention and what will get noticed or what looks cute.  I realized that if I have a “Big Idea” at the forefront I can still do those things that are fun, but I need to make sure that the students are learning the content based on the “Big Idea”.  I would love to teach using the BD philosophy because I want my students to walk away with a deeper understanding that they can connect with.  Overall, using the BD philosophy felt very intentional and deliberate.

Constructivism

May 7^th, 2013

My Constructivist Learning Theory Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading the Look Before You Leap article. I thought that the inventory was very interesting because I could clearly see the area that I need to work on to truly crate a constructivist classroom (assessment-they really don’t have any say in how they are assessed!) However, I think at the Kindergarten level, having a constructivist view comes naturally for me because I believe that is how children learn best....by doing, moving, investigating and experiencing. My score was a 137 and I even went back to see if I fully understood the answers and it was still pretty accurate! The children (and even myself) in the “Camping Room” learn through play, discovery, cooperation and almost all hands-on activities. I do, however, show my campers how to play a game/activity or how to use a specific manipulative to help with their learning and then put the new activity in one of our Work Stations a.k.a. stations. My campers then get to have a choice of what activity/game they will use/play to help guide their learning for that specific concept. For example: if we are learning a new high frequency word I will include multiple ways for the students to learn and explore. I might add play-doh, colored sand or wiki stix with a set of flashcards; sight word bottles, magnetic letters, sight word books & highlighters, add the word to our “spelling test” on the iPad, various letter/word building manipulatives, sight word puzzles, sentence scrambles, sight word search & find write the room, listening to books on iPod/CD focusing on the specific sight word, and even worksheets with the sight word in it for those who learn through this type of practice. For each work station my campers have 10-15 different choices on how they want to learn the concept. I do not require them to do all of the activities at each station; instead I let them choose the activities/games in which they are interested in. I also let the students determine whether they want to work in small groups or if they would like to work individually. After our Work Station time is done, we gather on the carpet and share what we have worked on/learned during our time. I know when to change the stations out by the observations that I make on student behavior. When the students start getting “Squirrely” at the stations that tells me that they are getting “bored” with the activities at that station. I simply teach them something new that fits the level/concepts in which they are learning. I try to scaffold their learning as much as possible to fit the needs of all of my students. If it is a new activity that they are not engaged in, it means that I have not done a good enough job at modeling how the activity/game is played and I can quickly intervene.

My favorite quote from this article is: “you can teach students anything; but it doesn’t mean they have learned a thing”. They have to make it meaningful to their own lives!

Minor Changes

The area that I would like to improve on would be more choice for the students.  I think that they do get many opportunities to choose how they would like to learn, however, they don’t get a lot of choice of what they want to learn.  I guess that there has never been a lot of time for me to allow them the choice of what they want to learn.  I look at the standards and our end of the year objectives and I base their learning/my instruction off those goals and try to make sure that all students are getting the instruction that they need by the end of the year.  In order to get things done throughout the day I put them into table groups, I pair them with their workstation partners & I am the one who decides what workstation they go to.  Maybe a little more freedom will empower them to still make good educational choices for themselves. I guess we’ll see... stay tuned! 

Another area that I would like to do a better job for instruction is feedback and conversations after the learning has taken place.  I want to see if an individual truly has a secure understanding of a concept through authentic conversations, not just summative assessment.  I also want to seek out and value my students’ point of view. 

 

May 14^th, 2013

The Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT) ties nicely into other areas that I have been learning about.  The CLT is the umbrella that encompasses Instructional Strategies, Backwards Design, Assessment and my Action Research topic of Differentiated Instruction.  While reviewing a power point based on In Search of Understanding: The Case for Constructivist Classrooms by Brooks and Brooks, I was able to easily make many connections between assessment, backwards design, instructional strategies, and differentiated instruction.  As I was reading, I made a visual map showing the elements of constructivism and all of its relationships.  Even after just a few notes my visual map had arrows pointing all over the place.  Here are some of the connections that I made, see my visual map below.

May 22^nd, 2013

After creating my “Visual Constructivist Map” last week, I have a new understanding how all of what I’ve been learning about in class is intertwined.  There are so many new connections being made.  Some of the connections I know are best practices, but I’m also making new connections as to why they are best practices and how everything I do needs to be intentional because it is all in some way connected.   This week is the last week of school and unfortunately it has not allowed much time for teaching.  Fortunately, to make our Kindergarten year memorable, every day has been filled with either a field trip, outside kindergarten stations, summer birthday celebrations or school-wide celebrations.   So, a baby step that I am excited to try next school year to become more of a constructivist teacher is to focus more on assessment.  I would like the students to have more of a say in their assessments.  I think that by having their input, they will personalize their educational choices and make more meaningful connections.   I think that this will have a positive outcome because it will allow for more differentiation and real-learning opportunities.