Sunday, July 15, 2007
Jen, I assume you were asking if I liked our book we are reading, and responded accordingly. If you were asking if I liked Blink , I found it interesting as well. Since Blink is based on the idea that we make quick decisions, and concept-based teaching takes time, it seems as though the two books have nothing in common. However, those quick decisions are based on understanding, and not on how much information we can process. There is more shared insight between the two books than you might imagine.
Yes, Jen, it was a great book. For everyone else out there, it is easy to read, definitely pertains to IB, and you will find "IB words and ideas" jumping out at you all through the book. If nothing, else, try to take a look at some of the examples and charts. They are useful even to someone like me, who only teaches middle school off and on. There were no music examples (alas), but there are still good ideas. And, after all, we are teaching skills and knowledge that "transfers"!
Monday, July 9, 2007
Chapter 5
Every so often, our commanders-in-chief ask me to speak to parents about the MYP program. I have a fancy-schmancy power point that I show and talk about how great the IB- MYP program is, but it is hard to define for the parents. Truthfully, it was hard to define the difference between IB and non-IB for me until I had about six months experience with attempting to implement IB teaching methods in my classroom. The “thing” that doesn’t make sense to most people is the areas of interaction. Now, I think I have found a great, tangible, explanation for parents, new teachers, and even students.
On page 98, Erickson states, “concept-based classroom structure learning so that students are invited to process factual material through their personal, conceptual mind. This invitation comes in the form of a conceptual lens: ‘I’d like to invite you to think aobut our earth system in terms of SUSTAINABILITY.’ The lens of SUSTAINABILITY invites the students to think beyond the facts of our earth system and construct personal meaning.”
That, in a nutshell, encompasses the meaning of the areas of interaction. I have had more than one trainer refer to the areas of interaction as the lens through which we ask the students to see the curriculum.
I liked that Erickson gave examples of ways to increase “brain power” in this chapter. With APPROACHES TO LEARNING as one area of interaction, I think it is key that we purposefully do thinks to engage “brain power.” I liked the activity described on page 101. This could be a homeroom activity fairly early in the year. I could see the grade level teachers devising a list of activities and the homeroom teachers introducing the activity and facilitating the follow up discussion. I also think the secondary activities described on pages 101 – 103 could be homeroom/advisory activities.
I like how this chapter referenced the term “best practices” as well. If you are not familiar with “best practices,” you should probably look up what your discipline says about them. Hint: you can go to google and search for your subject [ie – best practices in teaching language arts] to get several web sites. I think if you do this, you will see that the AIMS and objectives of the MYP match up well with these “best practices.”
Every so often, our commanders-in-chief ask me to speak to parents about the MYP program. I have a fancy-schmancy power point that I show and talk about how great the IB- MYP program is, but it is hard to define for the parents. Truthfully, it was hard to define the difference between IB and non-IB for me until I had about six months experience with attempting to implement IB teaching methods in my classroom. The “thing” that doesn’t make sense to most people is the areas of interaction. Now, I think I have found a great, tangible, explanation for parents, new teachers, and even students.
On page 98, Erickson states, “concept-based classroom structure learning so that students are invited to process factual material through their personal, conceptual mind. This invitation comes in the form of a conceptual lens: ‘I’d like to invite you to think aobut our earth system in terms of SUSTAINABILITY.’ The lens of SUSTAINABILITY invites the students to think beyond the facts of our earth system and construct personal meaning.”
That, in a nutshell, encompasses the meaning of the areas of interaction. I have had more than one trainer refer to the areas of interaction as the lens through which we ask the students to see the curriculum.
I liked that Erickson gave examples of ways to increase “brain power” in this chapter. With APPROACHES TO LEARNING as one area of interaction, I think it is key that we purposefully do thinks to engage “brain power.” I liked the activity described on page 101. This could be a homeroom activity fairly early in the year. I could see the grade level teachers devising a list of activities and the homeroom teachers introducing the activity and facilitating the follow up discussion. I also think the secondary activities described on pages 101 – 103 could be homeroom/advisory activities.
I like how this chapter referenced the term “best practices” as well. If you are not familiar with “best practices,” you should probably look up what your discipline says about them. Hint: you can go to google and search for your subject [ie – best practices in teaching language arts] to get several web sites. I think if you do this, you will see that the AIMS and objectives of the MYP match up well with these “best practices.”
I just finished reading Blink by Malcom Gladwell. I found a quote in this book to go along with the book we are reading. "The key to good decision making is not knowledge. It is understanding." This certainly applies to music. I frequently see students who come to CDS from other schools who have musical knowledge, but not understanding.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Chapter 6: Leadership Roles
This chapter deals with educational leadership. First, there is the suggestion that a school district hire a strong curriculum/instruction person as an assistant superintendent.
“Richard Elmore, in School Reform From the Inside Out: Policy, Practice and Performance (2004), reminds us that real reforms in teaching and learning take place in the classroom, and that if district wide reform is the goal, there must be a commitment from district and school leadership to ensuring quality instruction in every classroom.
There is a discussion of how district leaders must understand and support the concept-based curriculum goals, such as teaching for deep understanding and the transfer of knowledge, developing a student’s conceptual brain schema, and to motivate learners by engaging the personal intellect and by showing personal relevance in the content. They must also train all teachers on the “what, why, and how of concept-based curriculm and instruction prior to the implementation of core units”.
“Is your principal a manager or an instructional leader?”
p. 122 – 123 the role of the principal
“1. Set a community-of-learners climate.
2. Listen to what teachers have to say about their needs in implementing the curriculum (time, support materials, etc.)
3. Allocate and direct funds to support implementation needs.
4. Verbally, and by action, express support for the curriculum.
5. Brainstorm and discuss with teachers what the concept=based classroom will look like.
6. Identify staff members and/or central office coordinators who can assist you and your teachers with a smooth implementation…and with ongoing training. Plan one, three, and five year benchmarks for teacher progress in concept-based curriculum and instruction. Require teachers to address these benchmarks in their professional development plans.
7. Plan ways for teachers to support each other in understanding and implementing the curriculum mode.
8. Allow time for grade-level/department/team meetings in the building to reflect on implementation successes and “opportunities.”
9. Support implementation by asking teachers questions about their lesson or unit in pre-or post conferences.
10. Provide weekly bulletins to support teachers for their achievements and also specify a focus for classroom visits the following week.
11. Inform the community.”
Following chapter 6, there are resources.
Resource A is a glossary of terms.
Resource B is a curriculum document interface.
Resource C is teacher observations – sample forms
Resource D is concept-based graphic organizers
Resource E1 is a sample unit and lesson planner
Resource E2 is a completed unit and lesson planner
Resource F is the knowledge domain and cognitive processes
Resource G is sample school districts using a concept-based model for curriculum and instruction
This chapter deals with educational leadership. First, there is the suggestion that a school district hire a strong curriculum/instruction person as an assistant superintendent.
“Richard Elmore, in School Reform From the Inside Out: Policy, Practice and Performance (2004), reminds us that real reforms in teaching and learning take place in the classroom, and that if district wide reform is the goal, there must be a commitment from district and school leadership to ensuring quality instruction in every classroom.
There is a discussion of how district leaders must understand and support the concept-based curriculum goals, such as teaching for deep understanding and the transfer of knowledge, developing a student’s conceptual brain schema, and to motivate learners by engaging the personal intellect and by showing personal relevance in the content. They must also train all teachers on the “what, why, and how of concept-based curriculm and instruction prior to the implementation of core units”.
“Is your principal a manager or an instructional leader?”
p. 122 – 123 the role of the principal
“1. Set a community-of-learners climate.
2. Listen to what teachers have to say about their needs in implementing the curriculum (time, support materials, etc.)
3. Allocate and direct funds to support implementation needs.
4. Verbally, and by action, express support for the curriculum.
5. Brainstorm and discuss with teachers what the concept=based classroom will look like.
6. Identify staff members and/or central office coordinators who can assist you and your teachers with a smooth implementation…and with ongoing training. Plan one, three, and five year benchmarks for teacher progress in concept-based curriculum and instruction. Require teachers to address these benchmarks in their professional development plans.
7. Plan ways for teachers to support each other in understanding and implementing the curriculum mode.
8. Allow time for grade-level/department/team meetings in the building to reflect on implementation successes and “opportunities.”
9. Support implementation by asking teachers questions about their lesson or unit in pre-or post conferences.
10. Provide weekly bulletins to support teachers for their achievements and also specify a focus for classroom visits the following week.
11. Inform the community.”
Following chapter 6, there are resources.
Resource A is a glossary of terms.
Resource B is a curriculum document interface.
Resource C is teacher observations – sample forms
Resource D is concept-based graphic organizers
Resource E1 is a sample unit and lesson planner
Resource E2 is a completed unit and lesson planner
Resource F is the knowledge domain and cognitive processes
Resource G is sample school districts using a concept-based model for curriculum and instruction
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
“Teachers in concept-based classrooms report that children are more highly engaged in leaning – emotionally as well as intellectually.” The big difference between non concept-based and concept-based learning is that the students process the facts through their conceptual mind.
There is a section in the book about introducing brain power to students. She suggests that middle grades could keep track of whether or not assignments require complex thinking or simple thinking, and then reflect on the difference. At the secondary level, students should begin to understand the relationships among elements in the structure of knowledge described in chapter 2. They should begin to understand that a concept transfers, generalizations transfer, and a topic is locked into a time, place, or situation.
There are sample lessons for elementary and secondary students.
She points out that the students should see a pattern of factual evidence to support their generalizations. They learn the difference between opinions and ideas supported by facts. The children will also enjoy a higher level vocabulary associated with concepts.
Page 108 begins a segment on adapting instructional materials. There is a discussion of textbooks and graphic organizers as resources, due to the fact-based lessons. There are specific lessons which have been expanded to be concept-based.
Some teachers feel there are too many innovations out there to try, and feel they need to include them in all lessons. However, there are some best practices out there that are more suited to concept-based lessons.
One is concept-based constructivism. While this gives a student varying degrees of autonomy in selecting topics to study, there are other principles to consider. Teachers seek and value students’ points of view, and the classroom activities are designed to challenge the students’ suppositions. Teachers build lessons around big ideas, and pose relevant problems.
Another best practice is direct instruction. This method is best used for reading and writing skill development, required memorization, and step-by-step procedures.
She points out that differentiation means meeting a variety of needs, and children will never be standardized.
The other methods mentioned include cooperative learning, multiple intelligences, and inquiry-based learning. Dialogue is a powerful tool in all.
“The conceptual mind is where one makes sense of information, finds the patterns and connections to create personal relevance, and puts knowledge together in new and creative ways. The conceptual mind is the uniquely personal intellect.”
Reflection (questions taken from the book – p. 114)
Why would a concept-based model for instruction conceivably provide more motivation for a teacher?
How does a concept-based lesson differ from a topic-base lesson? Do they both teach facts?
“Teachers in concept-based classrooms report that children are more highly engaged in leaning – emotionally as well as intellectually.” The big difference between non concept-based and concept-based learning is that the students process the facts through their conceptual mind.
There is a section in the book about introducing brain power to students. She suggests that middle grades could keep track of whether or not assignments require complex thinking or simple thinking, and then reflect on the difference. At the secondary level, students should begin to understand the relationships among elements in the structure of knowledge described in chapter 2. They should begin to understand that a concept transfers, generalizations transfer, and a topic is locked into a time, place, or situation.
There are sample lessons for elementary and secondary students.
She points out that the students should see a pattern of factual evidence to support their generalizations. They learn the difference between opinions and ideas supported by facts. The children will also enjoy a higher level vocabulary associated with concepts.
Page 108 begins a segment on adapting instructional materials. There is a discussion of textbooks and graphic organizers as resources, due to the fact-based lessons. There are specific lessons which have been expanded to be concept-based.
Some teachers feel there are too many innovations out there to try, and feel they need to include them in all lessons. However, there are some best practices out there that are more suited to concept-based lessons.
One is concept-based constructivism. While this gives a student varying degrees of autonomy in selecting topics to study, there are other principles to consider. Teachers seek and value students’ points of view, and the classroom activities are designed to challenge the students’ suppositions. Teachers build lessons around big ideas, and pose relevant problems.
Another best practice is direct instruction. This method is best used for reading and writing skill development, required memorization, and step-by-step procedures.
She points out that differentiation means meeting a variety of needs, and children will never be standardized.
The other methods mentioned include cooperative learning, multiple intelligences, and inquiry-based learning. Dialogue is a powerful tool in all.
“The conceptual mind is where one makes sense of information, finds the patterns and connections to create personal relevance, and puts knowledge together in new and creative ways. The conceptual mind is the uniquely personal intellect.”
Reflection (questions taken from the book – p. 114)
Why would a concept-based model for instruction conceivably provide more motivation for a teacher?
How does a concept-based lesson differ from a topic-base lesson? Do they both teach facts?
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