tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49878690357903444132024-03-15T01:37:29.796-07:00Making Teaching VisibleObserving and documenting best teaching practice in order to connect one good idea to other educators.
Mr.RyanHigbeahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17167387998401854178noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-79263972812149659832023-12-29T07:09:00.000-08:002023-12-29T07:16:53.884-08:00Moving On!<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Nearly a decade ago, I stepped into the role of Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator in an International Baccalaureate (IB) school. A significant aspect of my responsibilities involved fostering connections among the teachers I collaborated with, aiming to disseminate best teaching practices. While predecessors had opted for newsletters, I envisioned a broader reach, extending beyond the audience of my school's educators.<br /><br />Thus, the blog "<a href="https://making-teaching-visible.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Making Teaching Visible</a>: Observing and documenting best teaching practice in order to connect one good idea to other educators" was born. Infatuated with the book "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Making-Thinking-Visible-Understanding-Independence/dp/047091551X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6CJ3560C37S3&keywords=making+teaching+visible&qid=1703860770&sprefix=making+teaching+visibl%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Making Thinking Visible</a>," many of the initial posts revolved around the thinking routines advocated by authors Ritchhart, Church, and Morrison. The blog's title obviously paid homage to these influential figures and their groundbreaking work.<br /><br />Over the years, this blog facilitated connections with educators globally and served as a platform for analyzing and reflecting on the essence of effective teaching. My goal has always been to share practical ideas that could make teachers' jobs easier and their efforts more effective.<br /><br />However, my journey has evolved, and I am no longer in the role of a PYP Coordinator. In the past four years, I've returned to the classroom, and the need for this blog has waned - along with the time I have to write posts! The transition of domains has rendered many embedded pictures as mere "!", serving as warnings that the images are no longer available. I've explored alternative avenues, such as <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@teacherryanmn" target="_blank">TikTok</a>, to share the ideas I've been learning and implementing - check me out there. Given the lapse in regular updates, I believe it's an apt time to officially bid farewell to this blog.<br /><br />While I acknowledge the wealth of valuable ideas archived in the over 100 posts on this blog, I've decided against archiving the entire thing. No new posts will be added, at least for the foreseeable future. It's time to embark on a new chapter, and I appreciate the enriching journey this blog has afforded me. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this endeavor. It's time to move on!</span>Mr.RyanHigbeahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17167387998401854178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-820134761847679882023-03-10T18:43:00.002-08:002023-03-10T18:43:31.666-08:00Be an Inquirer<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Teacher leaders embrace an inquiry stance to focus on learning while not stopping forward progress.<br /></b><br />As a former Primary Years Programme Teacher and Coordinator, I know that taking an inquiry-approach to classroom instruction is fundamental. However, inquiry shouldn't just happen in front of students. It's about taking an inquiry stance all the time, which means being a curious learner as a teacher leader, with oneself and with one's students.<br /><br />As a leader, if you notice something happening in a mathematics classroom that confuses, angers, frustrates, or saddens you, your first steps should be to ask questions to understand. Avoid blaming, shaming, sharing your anger, belittling, or accusing. Instead, ask simple, open-ended, non-confrontational prompts like "Can you help me understand?" As a teacher leader, your goal is to ask questions not to challenge, but because you're curious.<br /><br />This inquiry stance should also be applied to your own classroom. When something doesn't go quite right, ask yourself, "What can I learn from this experience?" Instead of getting bogged down in shame and embarrassment, focus on what you can do to improve.<br /><br />To model this inquiry stance with students, start by showing them how to be curious and how to ask questions. You can also model how to solve a problem and the questions you ask yourself as you tackle it. When asking students questions, try to understand their thinking instead of trying to fix it.<br /><br />You’ll also want to keep in mind the balance of confusion and understanding in your classroom. As MaryAnn from the <a href="https://www.nctm.org/Store/Products/Number-and-Operations,-Part-2--Making-Meaning-for-Operations-Casebook/" target="_blank">Making Meaning of Operations case book</a> said, "This situation made me wonder about the wisdom of leaving students in the middle of a misunderstanding," (Case 14, p. 52). We need to find a balance between acknowledging when students' lines of thinking are incorrect with not stopping their forward progress. And as case 18 and case 9 from the same book illustrate, we can find fascination and value in discussing different ways to approach a problem and different perspectives. By embracing an inquiry stance, we can create a more collaborative and engaging learning environment for ourselves and our students.</span><br />Mr.RyanHigbeahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17167387998401854178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-8036750901586608612023-02-28T20:02:00.006-08:002023-02-28T20:02:36.724-08:00Repeat to Understand: Improving Math Discussions through Repetition<div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When students share their mathematical thinking in a group, it's important that everyone's voice feels heard. One effective technique to ensure this is to have another student repeat the thinking of the person who shared. This strategy, which we saw in many Developing Mathematical Ideas (DMI) videos (as part of the Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics at Mt Holyoke College), was also recommended by my colleague Louisa for my Student Thinking Assignments in the 2021-22 school year.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />There are several benefits to using this approach. First, it amplifies the voice of the student who originally shared their thinking and communicates to the class that their ideas are valued. Second, when a student's thinking is repeated, more students have a chance to hear and understand it. In a busy and distracting classroom, hearing ideas twice can help students pay closer attention. Third, repeating the thinking provides an opportunity to check for understanding. If the repetition is incorrect, we can quickly identify any misunderstandings or communication issues.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />Echoing student voices by having another student repeat their thinking is a simple and effective technique to use in your elementary math classroom. It promotes inclusion, helps clarify ideas, and encourages active listening among students.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In your next math class, give it a shot and see how it goes. Then leave me a comment and let me know how it worked for you!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><i>Questions to Reflect & Refine</i><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In what ways could echoing student voices benefit my classroom math discussions? How could it support student learning?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">How might I use or adapt this technique to suit the needs of my classroom and my students? How might I regularly incorporate this strategy into my practice?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Can I think of any other strategies to ensure that all my students' voices are heard in math discussions?</span></li></ul><div><i>Ideas that came up based on feedback from others:</i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>When students are hesitant or afraid to vocalize their ideas/processes, being the "repeater" is actually much lower stakes. They can still be a part of the conversation, but they don't have to vulnerably share their own ideas if they aren't ready to, <i>yet</i>. (Larry)</li><li>This technique is described above in the context of a small or large group, but could also be a strategy students would use in pairs as a way to show their partner was actively listening. The way the technique is used is dependent on the purpose. (Melissa)</li><li>What happens if the math thinking originally shared is incorrect? Do you still have that thinking echoed? (Melissa)</li><li>Repetition is a super important technique. Students teaching, after gaining expertise, can really boost the repetitions. Giving students multiple modeling opportunities advantages all. (Amy)</li><li>This community has potential to build community. (Judi)</li><li>An important precursor to using a technique like this is to lay out norms and expectations for the group. It is also important students know the purpose; to amplify voices, promote inclusion and clarify ideas. This "echoing" technique shouldn't be looked on as a listening quiz, but rather a chance to restate and reframe. (Louisa)</li><li>When students get used to listening to other students' math thinking and sharing their own thinking, the ownership for learning, thinking and teaching shifts towards the students, giving them agency. (Jennifer) </li><li>This strategy would be useful in other areas as well, not just in the mathematics classroom (Ashley)</li></ul></div></span></div>Mr.RyanHigbeahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17167387998401854178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-13460929033175784482022-06-28T10:20:00.004-07:002022-06-28T10:20:38.448-07:00The Horse & Rider: A helpful metaphor for emotional regulation<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Being able to regulate your emotions is a learned skill, just like being able to multiply or decode multi-syllabic words. Helping students develop this skill of emotional regulation is just as important as literacy and math instruction. And one helpful part of teaching students this skill is helping them understand what's going on in the brain.<br /><br />Now because I teach elementary-aged students and because I am no brain expert myself, I rely on metaphors to help me understand and communicate that understanding to my students.<br /><br />What follows are three ways of thinking about what's happening in the brain when we're emotionally regulated that I have found extremely helpful. I've labeled them as good, better and best.</span><div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Good: "The Lid"</span></h2><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgooaAOrBtm2FkNAhe7AHKZcNvE5G7Ax2rJTdyqf4w_zaXNWu5MdKcraf3CTXeLh_2jmOrVN-_XCAreZS1CAD4gHmcn1rR7EUOGlO_Xnp7m332wh8rKuv2xzESS2AvpXXfph2XFjFlHQ47klPvsSVjmi7J7DGur_suyK9jstr2CARKjIsW42CeddP9g=w640-h360" width="640" /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Image taken from https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zJqH_Ogxle0/maxresdefault.jpg on 6/28/2022</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When I first learned about emotional regulation during a <a href="#">Conscious Discipline</a> training, I learned about the hand model of the brain. <a href="#">Watch Dr. Becky Bailey from Conscious Discipline explain this hand model</a>.<br /><br />With this model, the thumb represents your<b> limbic system</b>, which is the <i>emotional part </i>of the brain. Your <b>prefrontal cortex</b>, which is represented by your middle and ring fingers, is the <i>thinking part</i> of the brain. When you're in your thinking state, your prefrontal cortex regulates your limbic system and in the hand model of the brain, your middle and ring fingers physically cover up your thumb. To show emotional dysregulation, your fingers come up and we say, "you've flipped your lid." When we're in this state, we are driven by our emotions.<br /></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Better: "The Balance"</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="#"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_fMO60U2uVKM3sT2m0mXle8NBsr6PvWecv_zrKrjvFd3VM5R9X1gKOHetOXYVTQAkbycCABitLCaMcvICBgevM6CyJUKBSBeS1s_uhMiS_owwA-brKLDaxJa9MVk_g5yau2vmXtNWwYTnkgrfxTHRx8TQCNc7G5femhNXRDkazye86y1JKbaLkOLD=w640-h411" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Image taken from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1585031 on 6/28/2022.</i></div></i><br />In fourth grade at my school, we teach students a different metaphor using the social-emotional learning curriculum called <a href="#">Second Step</a>. In the unit called "Emotional Management" we teach the students about the <b>balanced brain</b>. Just like with Conscious Discipline, the students learn about these two states of the brain, but the Second Step curriculum uses the language of "logic center" and "emotion center". <br /><br />A further difference is that rather than talk about one system regulating or taking over the other, we talk about how both the logic and emotion centers of our brain need to be in <b>balance</b>. These parts of our brain need to work together so that we can make good decisions. We shouldn't ignore either part of the brain.<br /><br />I prefer thinking of keeping these parts of our brains balanced, instead of one system taking over or regulating the other one, but Second Step doesn't provide a helpful visual metaphor to easily talk about or communicate this idea to kids. That is why I prefer this last way of thinking about the brain and emotional regulation.<br /></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Best: "The Horse and Rider"</span></h2><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="#"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigEnw-O9EWt6g9cK9WOWd-6aqvimCqJqd9VxIy7967uxPQESZVfb4p40XWacPDjn73k10TIUbUNZ1buazTJGMF5FEzrMTWgAPwtK0w2FL2FvOGwMDJvzOTMoNDcHtXLMleR2za5qqwmFk_jIR15ONGJCSUdna-L32hOPxvL9J5T_nkDCZOa4vplJWb=w640-h426" width="640" /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Image take from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2006-07-28_-_United_States_-_Wyoming_-_Cody_-_Rodeo_-_Cowboy.jpg on 6/28/2022</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My best friend Brenda, a mother and nurse practitioner, shared a way of thinking about the thinking and logic centers of the brain in a way that I have used in my classroom ever since. Just like how the fingers rest on top of the thumb in the hand model of the brain described above, we can think about the logic center as being the rider on top of a horse, which represents the emotion center. Both horse and rider need to work together to be successful.<br /><br />The horse needs the rider to help know where to go and the rider needs the horse to get places quicker. When the horse bucks off the rider, it runs wild and won't be very successful until the rider gets back on. When this happens, we're emotionally dysregulated and we can't get regulated <b>until the horse slows dow</b>n. This is a key aspect to this metaphor and it is why I </span><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;"><b>LOVE </b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">it so much</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">. We can not think or communicate logically when we're dysregulated - when our rider is off the horse. So our first order of business when this happens is to breathe, slow our horse down and get the rider back on so that we can get back into balance.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />These three metaphors that I have learned along the way help me think about balanced and regulated brains. What are ways you have learned that you use in your practice?</span></div>Mr.RyanHigbeahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17167387998401854178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-50304791541105874812021-03-25T09:35:00.003-07:002021-03-25T09:51:05.845-07:00Teaching Signposts with Patricia Polacco<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Several years ago, along with friends and colleagues, I learned about "signposts" by reading the book <u>Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading</u> by Kylene Beers and Robert E Probst.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJu4wEAjCCsSuAhX86zUYLDm3-DrzZvZnLztHcnNtIRDO8znGm7w7Rmpi_wkrUNUhaIvLH1wlU9QimpimlWzF_LsFjIT70JMbRg8g8noO9ejohVOCbWG0_Pppw0s4sm9WP0mYXEJuuAReM/s286/N%2526N.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJu4wEAjCCsSuAhX86zUYLDm3-DrzZvZnLztHcnNtIRDO8znGm7w7Rmpi_wkrUNUhaIvLH1wlU9QimpimlWzF_LsFjIT70JMbRg8g8noO9ejohVOCbWG0_Pppw0s4sm9WP0mYXEJuuAReM/s0/N%2526N.jpeg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image retrieved from </i><span style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.heinemann.com/shared/covers/9780325046938.jpg" target="_blank">https://www.heinemann.com/shared/covers/9780325046938.jpg</a></i></span></span></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Close Reading</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Close reading is a process that typically involves re-reading a text to progressively dig deeper. The initial pass allows the reader to understand what the text says, which correlates with the first three Common Core Reading Standards: key ideas and details. The second read compromises an analysis of the author's craft and the text's structure (CCSS standards 4-6). Last, students are invited to revisit the text for a third time to integrate knowledge and ideas (CCSS standards 7-9).</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJzVgINc2Gbkgz-xYZrhZi7DznBzkXHnASJPbmiT5mjhmRma4KadIJcgOQUpLmBFxFLKY0TszIymQGx1cV2IMldmMfUHYUXcYCNs8hTAfghrcyDLQfEibHaUa4mqwBNOh_sl5W3GI5_U5/s435/CR_3_PhasesMini_Poster.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="435" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJzVgINc2Gbkgz-xYZrhZi7DznBzkXHnASJPbmiT5mjhmRma4KadIJcgOQUpLmBFxFLKY0TszIymQGx1cV2IMldmMfUHYUXcYCNs8hTAfghrcyDLQfEibHaUa4mqwBNOh_sl5W3GI5_U5/w400-h309/CR_3_PhasesMini_Poster.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image retrieved from </i><i style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.smekenseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CR_3_PhasesMini_Poster.jpg" target="_blank">https://www.smekenseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CR_3_PhasesMini_Poster.jpg</a></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In their book, Beers and Probst argue that whereas these three reads help students examine texts more closely, the process is often teacher-driven and doesn't provide a gradual release of responsibility so that students eventually apply these reading behaviors independently.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Instead, they suggest readers look for six signposts that "<a href="https://www.heinemann.com/products/e04693.aspx#fulldesc" target="_blank">alert readers to significant moments in a work of literature and encourages them to read closely.</a>"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To introduce these signposts to my fourth graders in the middle of our author study on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Polacco/e/B000APPW12/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1" target="_blank">Patricia Polacco</a>, we read <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pink-Say-Patricia-Polacco/dp/0399226710/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pink+and+say&qid=1616689549&s=books&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Pink and Say</a></u>, a book where all six signposts were present.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkG_9mD0CCQwg93wGt7lOIWKnY9yMgfj6FAGWEt6usW13mVNAZkiR35sxHm4KTxXZbyyEYTgshWg62izxMxADdlcVItFh9NlJPI0lT8SUhkOCakGCUPOlzapLLVceyeWhJNozFJxjZGEE/s499/Pink+and+Say.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="389" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkG_9mD0CCQwg93wGt7lOIWKnY9yMgfj6FAGWEt6usW13mVNAZkiR35sxHm4KTxXZbyyEYTgshWg62izxMxADdlcVItFh9NlJPI0lT8SUhkOCakGCUPOlzapLLVceyeWhJNozFJxjZGEE/s320/Pink+and+Say.jpg" /></span></a></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image retrieved from </i><span style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pink-Say-Patricia-Polacco/dp/0399226710" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Pink-Say-Patricia-Polacco/dp/0399226710</a></i></span></span></div></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Introduce the Signposts</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;">First, I divided the class into six groups and assigned them each a signpost. They were responsible for defining their signpost to the class, along with sharing the question readers are to ask themselves once they've identified a particular signposts.</span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Contrasts and Contradictions</b>: Sharp contrasts between what we expect and what we observe characters doing or feeling.</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Why is the character doing that?</i></span></li></ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Aha Moments</b>: Characters’ realizations that shift their actions, understanding or thinking.</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>How might this change things?</i></span></li></ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tough Questions</b>: The characters ask questions that reveal their inner struggles.</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>What does this question make me wonder about?</i></span></li></ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Words of the Wiser</b>: Advice or insights wiser characters, usually older, offer about life to the main character.</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>What’s the life lesson, and how might it affect the character?</i></span></li></ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Again and Again</b>: Events, images, or particular words that repeat over and over again.</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Why does this show up again and again?</i></span></li></ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Memory Moment</b>: Recollections by a character that interrupt the forward progress of the story.</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Why might this memory be important?</i></span></li></ul></ul><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Identify the Signposts</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Next, I hung up six pages from the book around the room. These were selections from <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pink-Say-Patricia-Polacco/dp/0399226710/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pink+and+say&qid=1616689549&s=books&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Pink and Say</a></u> that represented each of the six signposts. I asked the groups to find the page where their signpost was and be ready to justify their selection to the group.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Once every team was stationed at a page, we went around the room to see if the students had correctly identified the signposts.</span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Invitation to Independence</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To finish the mini-lesson, I gave students a <a href="https://www.heinemann.com/shared/companionResources/E04693/NoticeNote_App5_Bookmarks.pdf" target="_blank">signposts bookmark</a> (printed on cardstock) and encouraged them to look for these signposts in the texts they read and those that are read to them.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Since that initial lesson, we continue to look for signposts in the books I read aloud to them (first <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Front-Desk-Kelly-Yang/dp/1338157795" target="_blank">Front Desk</a> by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Yang/e/B07VCCC2VY/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1" target="_blank">Kelly Yang</a> and now <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gregor-Overlander-Underland-Chronicles-1-ebook/dp/B0041T52UY/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=gregor+the+overlander&qid=1616689617&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Gregor the Overlander</a> by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Collins/e/B001H6V7I0/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1" target="_blank">Suzanne Collins</a>), along with books we read in book clubs. The conversations we have, spurred by the signpost questions, are some of the deepest, most student-driven conversations that I have had in my 16-year educational career.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-79712265025330142222020-11-21T15:46:00.003-08:002020-11-21T15:46:29.219-08:00Using Chalk Talk to Set Distance Learning Norms<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">From Hybrid to Distance</span></h2><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>After roughly 10 weeks of teaching fourth graders in the hybrid model (half the class in-person, two days a week), our county has superseded the COVID infection rates that make it safe to continue in-person teaching and learning. So, we're shifting to distance learning, which will mean new routines, new procedures and new norms.</div></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Essential Agreement</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Just like at the beginning of the year when we collaboratively created our classroom norms, we needed to collectively develop agreements about how we would behave in our new online setting.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGNLHDpyOX47C5QbOi9owS56ScPCbJmK9-F8ms4vwtQ_BBpJU3aoQSAfYAfVzCcbtY3vQvkwKkl52-wbWCFHHhJQnoKl9T6ruQ6ghNSTKeG2ODSbSwVnOqUzv2wN5-hIsYhVyNaNJkSRp/s2638/fullsizeoutput_1e7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="2638" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGNLHDpyOX47C5QbOi9owS56ScPCbJmK9-F8ms4vwtQ_BBpJU3aoQSAfYAfVzCcbtY3vQvkwKkl52-wbWCFHHhJQnoKl9T6ruQ6ghNSTKeG2ODSbSwVnOqUzv2wN5-hIsYhVyNaNJkSRp/w640-h226/fullsizeoutput_1e7.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>At the beginning of the year, we agreed to be empathetic, responsible, helpful and trustworthy.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Chalk Talk</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">During our last days of in-person learning, we used the thinking routine "Chalk Talk" from </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Making-Thinking-Visible-Understanding-Independence/dp/047091551X" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">Making Thinking Visible</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> (Ritchhart, Church and Morrison) to get our thinking out on paper about how we will continue to honor our essential agreement in our new distance learning setting. This routine worked particularly well as the two cohorts of students contributed their ideas on two different days. I enjoy this routine because it is a silent conversation; it gives time and space for students to think, contribute their own ideas and respond / react to others.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To facilitate Chalk Talk, follow the directions from the book <u>Making Thinking Visible:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Looking at the topic or question written on the chart paper:</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>What ideas come to mind when you consider this idea, question or problem?</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>What connections can you make to others' responses?</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>What questions arise as you think about the ideas and consider the responses and comments of others?</i></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrFcvSaoW0a9iZT_knFaYPzHPZCUbM-oSdvDPJesDwL0OsghWgYLVKouw2cOBuHRCc1Vf7klBIkdMrhzyv5QlVoqlqLE4qJd-bsj1yGVBczrV2XhyphenhyphentNfuFRnlcvVS_GB331O5ap3E25z1/s1800/IMG_0525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1350" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrFcvSaoW0a9iZT_knFaYPzHPZCUbM-oSdvDPJesDwL0OsghWgYLVKouw2cOBuHRCc1Vf7klBIkdMrhzyv5QlVoqlqLE4qJd-bsj1yGVBczrV2XhyphenhyphentNfuFRnlcvVS_GB331O5ap3E25z1/w480-h640/IMG_0525.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The following four charts represent my class's collective thinking about how they will be on Zooms so that we can continue to learn, think and grow.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFh28RPkzqdr1W0y1923Z7H14qJcqsa6TaaoqPMg-PfYXzLJgtRU8SvZZCt6GT4mA30eFVH5H4m22aIVVHmLSvubwRN2cNPgzBcEkdR322OQLOpbXDp-e-Ne2tbCYxOyJNLZcNsvR84iv9/s2048/fullsizeoutput_1de.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1630" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFh28RPkzqdr1W0y1923Z7H14qJcqsa6TaaoqPMg-PfYXzLJgtRU8SvZZCt6GT4mA30eFVH5H4m22aIVVHmLSvubwRN2cNPgzBcEkdR322OQLOpbXDp-e-Ne2tbCYxOyJNLZcNsvR84iv9/w510-h640/fullsizeoutput_1de.jpeg" width="510" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Respond in a happy, clear voice<br />Mute yourself when others are talking<br />Think about other people's feelings<br />Golden rule<br />Use the blue hand<br />Have a nice and loud voice when you talk<br />Don't blurt<br />Listen to other people<br />Wait to talk. It could hurt someone's feelings if you don't.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4oSiYMUwZtH4oDUpx0u1TwCfmiMrlBapd0cnMdUyA74aE67-wbI-tImBNO6f3iWsbFQ4S-E6LG1g-BVKqIUepALmPawVW9pd3c5wtXkrolU1cT5wzLZUDxgF6jMg8NzLj995Fw7u66m6/s2048/fullsizeoutput_1dc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1569" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4oSiYMUwZtH4oDUpx0u1TwCfmiMrlBapd0cnMdUyA74aE67-wbI-tImBNO6f3iWsbFQ4S-E6LG1g-BVKqIUepALmPawVW9pd3c5wtXkrolU1cT5wzLZUDxgF6jMg8NzLj995Fw7u66m6/w490-h640/fullsizeoutput_1dc.jpeg" width="490" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Make sure you don't do funny business on Zoom<br />Do not unmute when its not your turn<br />Listen when someone is talking<br />Stay muted unless called on<br />No backgrounds<br />Do your best<br />Try your hardest<br />Keep your head in front of the camera<br />Be in a quiet place<br />Be on time<br />Do what the teacher says<br />Use the buttons instead of talking<br />Come prepared</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaN0zW9n18CDxcvaBx_i0YaA6dj6m4m7nYB1uHdIVcL3aBmw2zGB9qGe98c-P9WjG9F4Dgwas4x0oYGlCD7qItPwLneNxQx1h5SXkYgUYdB_wSWIoP7KMSlFsS1MxpewSo7M0zIidtfSWz/s1790/fullsizeoutput_1e4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1790" data-original-width="1371" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaN0zW9n18CDxcvaBx_i0YaA6dj6m4m7nYB1uHdIVcL3aBmw2zGB9qGe98c-P9WjG9F4Dgwas4x0oYGlCD7qItPwLneNxQx1h5SXkYgUYdB_wSWIoP7KMSlFsS1MxpewSo7M0zIidtfSWz/w490-h640/fullsizeoutput_1e4.jpeg" width="490" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Listen<br />Sit still<br />Raise your blue hand button<br />Do your best to not screw off<br />Don't do funny business<br />Remind people to grab something if they forgot it<br />Help kids that are stuck<br />Don't interrupt and talk nice<br />Help others<br />Only unmute if you're allowed to<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKZPpivASxqEnxbjseEPo_TWPVGai3MSBXTYzUpJszJwyEM_mHQLJAbFyW5ORi2MhbL4NgJL3OpDtD93mAvPMy2C9I4lR8Vepxu7EiMYXEFV5EjY3eQ0UUYSI5MwIItAYVbDJB6z6r4Jd/s2048/fullsizeoutput_1e1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1541" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKZPpivASxqEnxbjseEPo_TWPVGai3MSBXTYzUpJszJwyEM_mHQLJAbFyW5ORi2MhbL4NgJL3OpDtD93mAvPMy2C9I4lR8Vepxu7EiMYXEFV5EjY3eQ0UUYSI5MwIItAYVbDJB6z6r4Jd/w482-h640/fullsizeoutput_1e1.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="482" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Do all assignments<br />Be on time<br />If the teacher asks you to do something, you do it<br />Don't play with the buttons<br />Do not unmute yourself if someone else is speaking<br />Don't do funny business<br />Be ready before the call<br />Always be nice and just unmute yourself if someone says you can talk<br />Be prepared<br />Don't lie<br />Be prepared</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Making students' thinking visible helps me as a teacher because it allows me to respond appropriately. and in a timely manner. Using the thinking routine "Chalk Talk" to set distance learning norms gives students voice in this process and helps me best understand their thinking as we shift from hybrid to distance learning.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-33765996744701896182020-11-15T07:25:00.003-08:002020-11-15T07:28:48.888-08:00Windows & Mirrors in Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Windows and Mirrors</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In an August post (<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Organizing a Representative Classroom Library During a Global Pandemic</a>), I wrote about the importance of making sure that the books available for students to read are both windows and mirrors; books in which students can see themselves (mirrors) and also books that help them see the world's different perspectives (windows). This metaphor was originally used by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop to explain to educators, librarians, parents, and children themselves how we must read books that are self-affirming and books that offer us views that differ from our own.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1280" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZrbpaaCB4uWH50aPLcpRXpUsk__cUO1fqTSTkPJKayYp79ERm9SD0MZdgTNaDzH-qS4_CoidbLjRP-EWM9GMom1ZNTPzbo-EAa9n4w5MbrcHPAXJ-TiG4SRx8sBfPT2-v5KQ3WR4_l7T/w400-h365/Windows_and_Mirrors.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A display in my classroom library. Credit for the images goes to <a href="https://incidentalcomics.storenvy.com/products/24197154-books-are-poster" target="_blank">Grant Snider</a>. <br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZrbpaaCB4uWH50aPLcpRXpUsk__cUO1fqTSTkPJKayYp79ERm9SD0MZdgTNaDzH-qS4_CoidbLjRP-EWM9GMom1ZNTPzbo-EAa9n4w5MbrcHPAXJ-TiG4SRx8sBfPT2-v5KQ3WR4_l7T/s1280/Windows_and_Mirrors.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To make these books available to children certainly is a good first step. But giving students the opportunity to <b><u>reflect</u></b> on the ways in which the books they read are both windows and mirrors is a critical part of the reading process.<br /></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Global Read Aloud</span></h2></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">During the <a href="https://theglobalreadaloud.com/" target="_blank">2020 Global Read Aloud</a> (sadly, its last year), I read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Planet-Omar-Accidental-Trouble-Magnet/dp/059310921X/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_0/140-5769907-8900068?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=059310921X&pd_rd_r=11d4bcf7-a951-410f-bf6e-75bf920e35c4&pd_rd_w=8qumX&pd_rd_wg=xms4K&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=W9T5GW6MZNZFPHB7801B&psc=1&refRID=W9T5GW6MZNZFPHB7801B" target="_blank">Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet</a> (written by Zanib Mian, illustrated by Nasaya Mafaridik) to my fourth grade students. During the Global Read Aloud, our school's learning model was <i>hybrid</i>, meaning half of my students were always at home when I was reading aloud to my in-school students. A shout-out to the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/120T1yo6JD6fpILhlVQ7-wxaTAUxBf6hn8ArCaXurWVE/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">24 other educators</a> from across the <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=10UHk9cSk0HT-pxuQ1rYPYlfsyHHCLmUv&usp=sharing" target="_blank">globe</a> who helped record chapters of the book so my at-home students could still keep up with the story!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7z-fFtZ4fHm10SnkkpZJurBZPmKxm8vQ2QwOm88mB4P7LiRG_4bnMNkBrJvPCSj3h2XUCtXjj2pDwMOTSX_2Av4Rci-wbkA-Magw6X1Jdb2gQLkvIObi-xN-88iqDn3Q8TMctjv6Q_DxE//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="327" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7z-fFtZ4fHm10SnkkpZJurBZPmKxm8vQ2QwOm88mB4P7LiRG_4bnMNkBrJvPCSj3h2XUCtXjj2pDwMOTSX_2Av4Rci-wbkA-Magw6X1Jdb2gQLkvIObi-xN-88iqDn3Q8TMctjv6Q_DxE/w262-h400/image.png" width="262" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Theme</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After we finished the book, we reflected on the book's themes. By identifying these timeless, abstract, universal and transferrable ideas (aka concepts), students were able to more deeply connect to the text. To help students identify the themes, I ask them, "<b><span style="font-size: medium;">What do you think Zanib Mian wants us to understand? What is she trying to teach us?</span></b>" Students respond by using the sentence stem, "The author wants me to understand that ..." During this brainstorming process it is imperative that students give evidence <i>from the text</i> that backs up their theme idea.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Themes students brainstormed are pictured below.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8capXrbIZFdzLf1LuLpYFNymIie2Eu86R2nMZqZnUKSuttvEd7WIZQwA4LQ-NxOAk_FuOhq8OMvLMS4h8zuzfK769HEx04zsB-M1z09NnMv5UlpHiWPUdeAQLEWP2oq7aZG9b1z6ee8IV/s2048/KroSuzz5TBest7HXziqGSg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8capXrbIZFdzLf1LuLpYFNymIie2Eu86R2nMZqZnUKSuttvEd7WIZQwA4LQ-NxOAk_FuOhq8OMvLMS4h8zuzfK769HEx04zsB-M1z09NnMv5UlpHiWPUdeAQLEWP2oq7aZG9b1z6ee8IV/w480-h640/KroSuzz5TBest7HXziqGSg.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Students' Thinking</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Next, I asked my fourth graders to thoughtfully answer these two questions:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">In what ways was Planet Omar a <b><u>window</u></b> for you?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">In what ways was Planet Omar a <b><u>mirror</u></b> for you?</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For those in-class, we quickly made our thinking visible on a t-chart. For those learning at-home, I gave students the option to share their thinking in whatever way they wanted. I intentionally left it open-ended, so students could creatively respond. The following are some examples of responses I received.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUq33_YhRAZr9jyDzIcJciSM1ip-Y52Mh7wo7mJSm57Z-geWxdQIzXlP7RrhCyEmjYtI9qLJe-Ynfx0Iq4RNgW-YblztuwV2Wg_rpS0VsZa8PZoFlQ7z_pRNSWyflhcjFGMgd2rZpr95Ks/s1800/fullsizeoutput_1ca.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUq33_YhRAZr9jyDzIcJciSM1ip-Y52Mh7wo7mJSm57Z-geWxdQIzXlP7RrhCyEmjYtI9qLJe-Ynfx0Iq4RNgW-YblztuwV2Wg_rpS0VsZa8PZoFlQ7z_pRNSWyflhcjFGMgd2rZpr95Ks/w400-h400/fullsizeoutput_1ca.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9M5sG4wV9l90AVlHtwnJCXbiGzXgbMPmXWP9JDSqnsekL38N11PTfYfXE1iFf6rvhLwscYWwASX-daZr6usDQJtgzL4MuCG1gv201KYA0S10TX5_rijGbCDRCPWMKf9qIBzpn4KTxL3X/s1800/fullsizeoutput_1c9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9M5sG4wV9l90AVlHtwnJCXbiGzXgbMPmXWP9JDSqnsekL38N11PTfYfXE1iFf6rvhLwscYWwASX-daZr6usDQJtgzL4MuCG1gv201KYA0S10TX5_rijGbCDRCPWMKf9qIBzpn4KTxL3X/w400-h300/fullsizeoutput_1c9.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="359" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JZn9KYCklRo" width="484" youtube-src-id="JZn9KYCklRo"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">"It was a window to me because it gave me a view of what some people experience when they’re different from us or from different places. And that did give me an experience of how some people might feel because they’re bullied because they’re from a different place. Kind of like Omar was bullied from Daniel. But that can all change. Just like how Daniel did. So I’m pretty sure this is more of a window to me."</span></i><br /><br />Other video responses that thought the book was more of a <i>window</i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(</span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I'm including the transcript of the students' responses here, as they recorded themselves and I'd like to protect their privacy</span></i>)<br /></span><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Omar is a window for me because he’s from a different culture. In that way, it is pretty interesting to read a book about a different culture from us.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Planet Omar was a window for me because I don’t celebrate Pakistani traditions or any traditions like that, but I celebrate different traditions like Christmas and Halloween. I’m sure some Pakistanians do celebrate those.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve never been to London. I’ve never been out of the United States. I’ve never had a bully either.</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eGHn_QY5Qq4MBAy0pcFgQe1Jc2kDQVRLCP1gvGwSwjQjDjRo9CbtTsxKJNR-jKQFg9KlBB3VsDRzZy1t2K3u7aUgxdsTmudXwqPogHJ6tEcvI9grcfLEfbHRHOgoPFd9QhcPi7mySgL3/s1140/fullsizeoutput_1bf.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="1140" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eGHn_QY5Qq4MBAy0pcFgQe1Jc2kDQVRLCP1gvGwSwjQjDjRo9CbtTsxKJNR-jKQFg9KlBB3VsDRzZy1t2K3u7aUgxdsTmudXwqPogHJ6tEcvI9grcfLEfbHRHOgoPFd9QhcPi7mySgL3/w400-h145/fullsizeoutput_1bf.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzy0mnZAjZ1GvMkoewN6Ds55ms3uCSNMcQqaGCGQgdDJkOtbLTuGGjTG2tsNJgsBnRqfeshs10Z6V9fioeCUXTts9mx2kEmhNHiNSRNEZDzaMXdQQREaPbL0-NLfXL8Gc9VxaaYDS5Sog/s1545/fullsizeoutput_1c6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1545" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzy0mnZAjZ1GvMkoewN6Ds55ms3uCSNMcQqaGCGQgdDJkOtbLTuGGjTG2tsNJgsBnRqfeshs10Z6V9fioeCUXTts9mx2kEmhNHiNSRNEZDzaMXdQQREaPbL0-NLfXL8Gc9VxaaYDS5Sog/w400-h279/fullsizeoutput_1c6.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81ePDpin6DcTYXzZyo6UGW8OktEhICa4glZh6hYpw5hr1YSrWKBcrTssn29hfVUZEWLuwFdq_je8pUVdpXrPAH_85SVLRCQkya-ofFqQWcc68oQnMzXqN_P_ID673rTMT7-EUMKW_-xMN/s1325/fullsizeoutput_1c0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1325" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81ePDpin6DcTYXzZyo6UGW8OktEhICa4glZh6hYpw5hr1YSrWKBcrTssn29hfVUZEWLuwFdq_je8pUVdpXrPAH_85SVLRCQkya-ofFqQWcc68oQnMzXqN_P_ID673rTMT7-EUMKW_-xMN/w400-h263/fullsizeoutput_1c0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Video responses that thought the book was more of a <i>mirror</i> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><i>(I'm including the transcript of the students' responses here, as they recorded themselves and I'd like to protect their privacy)</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Omar is a mirror for me because he showed me that standing out is not always a bad thing.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Planet Omar was kind of a mirror for me because I can relate to him having to move to a new place and go to a new school and being kind of worried because I’ve done that a bunch of times. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Omar’s parents are scientists, my grandpa is a scientist. He studies rocks and stuff.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">When I was in first grade, someone was mean to me and then they were nice to me.</span></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cu5a1j7ny2TIEZVxklhvuYvgrvGmw4FOUSuW7F3iQOMSnr-pB5qtlwGQ0xvo3jDovyOiOOlymAg3E4hLOOoww5iM8vNL3oVBbEP-QRsH4IyXMrSUd_zCm9AYFYs__y_FoNix6l5jvBmd/s1044/fullsizeoutput_1c8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="1044" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cu5a1j7ny2TIEZVxklhvuYvgrvGmw4FOUSuW7F3iQOMSnr-pB5qtlwGQ0xvo3jDovyOiOOlymAg3E4hLOOoww5iM8vNL3oVBbEP-QRsH4IyXMrSUd_zCm9AYFYs__y_FoNix6l5jvBmd/w400-h185/fullsizeoutput_1c8.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiXUF5YEuk-9wrKCpbqmDWVQwQ2Gp0HJnUuiFq96dKxChK2k7uIoWQiqIjt1L9OKyiRX4icWPqiSahnljhbC2nRcmAjOuvzq8P2zQZytcR9zG8FpjRi5YLbOjbE5v5n4XhHYAnn-BLaTy/s1125/fullsizeoutput_1be.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="971" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiXUF5YEuk-9wrKCpbqmDWVQwQ2Gp0HJnUuiFq96dKxChK2k7uIoWQiqIjt1L9OKyiRX4icWPqiSahnljhbC2nRcmAjOuvzq8P2zQZytcR9zG8FpjRi5YLbOjbE5v5n4XhHYAnn-BLaTy/w345-h400/fullsizeoutput_1be.jpeg" width="345" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUkBWnkr3Gn7d1sIuxnwmmkT1z_dou4t2QpPXKzJyi_SvdW2K6zptq5GZSjyPWT_IiPdGX7yaqOhxQ-KlABCFJ5xAzeNK3Q0pWh0te0-Fayc-78EOSs10OK5w-FY7wLl9zeY7pLrZx9L5/s1124/fullsizeoutput_1c1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1124" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUkBWnkr3Gn7d1sIuxnwmmkT1z_dou4t2QpPXKzJyi_SvdW2K6zptq5GZSjyPWT_IiPdGX7yaqOhxQ-KlABCFJ5xAzeNK3Q0pWh0te0-Fayc-78EOSs10OK5w-FY7wLl9zeY7pLrZx9L5/w400-h329/fullsizeoutput_1c1.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatPJ3yUk1sc2ds4R3_sikh4Tp7RWoCohm_wzjY6Obng4vHVmS_VXidgwgcIhZLlbaDf8O9SLULzZH2epoMVawGkuuxwC61Er1JOU2FweTSniJwyr6-in1w1VSWEa-cnfAqI95UAh3dEfy/s1733/fullsizeoutput_1c2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1733" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatPJ3yUk1sc2ds4R3_sikh4Tp7RWoCohm_wzjY6Obng4vHVmS_VXidgwgcIhZLlbaDf8O9SLULzZH2epoMVawGkuuxwC61Er1JOU2FweTSniJwyr6-in1w1VSWEa-cnfAqI95UAh3dEfy/w400-h156/fullsizeoutput_1c2.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWj520zsKdQ6wkSprIqDqOAktpu843JejzdwIr4aPYM_kPxQSqsDXNl3oup3hn6lIMfNf0fGoyTdJv1QHxam4Uq5Sx6rEgH3toSqCE-xb_E7QVvBNmLqnMbWVkvCv8UlmoVq5hWbSEb6oJ/s1307/fullsizeoutput_1c3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1307" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWj520zsKdQ6wkSprIqDqOAktpu843JejzdwIr4aPYM_kPxQSqsDXNl3oup3hn6lIMfNf0fGoyTdJv1QHxam4Uq5Sx6rEgH3toSqCE-xb_E7QVvBNmLqnMbWVkvCv8UlmoVq5hWbSEb6oJ/w400-h240/fullsizeoutput_1c3.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeL1iUmzh4lQzR1Cek9aqOzOKOqx7H_IZju2BBCyifE5jM9OKl2MO8_QOVCYapnFWeQXNEpM7iBwpVesHmZrf_uhSF_cuNnDcYpj425qQRgKA5cvaUrl1HpTcTAiiHxaBFPt5jk8C54xSS/s1540/fullsizeoutput_1c4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="1079" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeL1iUmzh4lQzR1Cek9aqOzOKOqx7H_IZju2BBCyifE5jM9OKl2MO8_QOVCYapnFWeQXNEpM7iBwpVesHmZrf_uhSF_cuNnDcYpj425qQRgKA5cvaUrl1HpTcTAiiHxaBFPt5jk8C54xSS/w280-h400/fullsizeoutput_1c4.jpeg" width="280" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">When we expose children to all kinds of books - ones that reflect their experiences <b><u>and</u></b> ones that let them live through new situations from perspectives different their their own - we give them the opportunity to learn more about others and more about themselves. Helping students reflect on the ways that the books they read can be both windows and mirrors is an essential part of the reading process that we must lead students through with the books we read to them with the ultimate goal of them independently reflecting with the books they read on their own.</span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-61901685242290300822020-11-08T06:05:00.001-08:002020-11-08T06:07:14.289-08:00Exploring Humanity, Protest & Justice: 4 ideas for teaching BIG ideas to little kids<p><span style="font-family: arial;">For a long time, but especially ever since George Floyd was tragically killed earlier this year while in the custody of four uniformed Minneapolis police officers, I've been reading, thinking, reflecting on and discussing how best to help elementary-aged students explore the concepts of humanity, protest and justice. Surely, these young students have heard the news, their parents and older kids in their lives talking about these issues, so avoiding the topic all-together would not a responsible approach.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here are four big ideas that I will continue to consider as I plan the most developmentally appropriate ways to help my class of 9- and 10-year-olds navigate these important, yet sensitive ideas.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Dialectical Thinking</span></b></h2><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Dialectical Thinking</i> is being able to look at an issue from multiple perspectives and to arrive at the most "<a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED352632#:~:text=Dialectical%20thinking%20refers%20to%20the,seemingly%20contradictory%20information%20and%20postures." target="_blank">reasonable reconciliation of seemingly contradictory information</a>". It is our jobs as educators to help students understand the importance of looking at an issue from several possible angles; to weigh the many sides of very complex events and issues so that they might then come to a rational conclusion on their own. Using Project Zero's Thinking Routines such as <a href="https://pz.harvard.edu/resources/circle-of-viewpoints" target="_blank">Circle of Viewpoints</a> or <a href="https://pz.harvard.edu/resources/step-inside" target="_blank">Step Inside</a> (or the version that includes <a href="https://pz.harvard.edu/resources/step-in-step-out-step-back" target="_blank">Stepping Out and Stepping Back</a>) are essential tools for any classroom where dialectical thinking is a goal.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Disclaimer: this does not mean that <u>all</u></i><i> viewpoints should be explored and considered. Especially in our current public discourse, there are individuals who share views that are not based in fact, reason and/or civility. These perspectives do not get a place at our table. </i></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>2. No Tragedies Before Fourth Grade</b></span></h2><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In his book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Ecophobia-Reclaiming-Education-Literacy/dp/1935713043" target="_blank">Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the Heart of Nature Education</a>, David Sobel suggests that "big, complex problems beyond the geographical and conceptual scope of young children" should not be considered, in most cases, well beyond fourth grade. He offers teachers the question: "<i>When do children have the emotional and cognitive readiness for dealing with overwhelmingly sad and conceptually complex issues?</i>" This is not to say that concepts of humanity, protest and justice should <i>not</i> be explored with children, even those much younger than fourth grade. But it is to say that horrific details of specific tragic events should be avoided, as many children do not developmentally have the capacity to take on such subject matter. We must remember that </span><span style="font-family: arial;">far too many young children in our classrooms are living through adverse situations and experience trauma first-hand on a daily basis. This unfortunate reality</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> only strengthens our commitment</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> to sheltering our students from further trauma, not exposing them to more of it.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>3. There Are No Monoliths</b></span></h2><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ibram X. Kendi, who wrote <a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Antiracist-Ibram-Kendi/dp/0525509283" target="_blank">How To Be An Antiracist</a>, reminds us to attribute racist behavior - nay all behavior - to the individual. We must avoid the temptation to generalize the actions of individuals to an entire group. Individuals do not, and should not, represent an entire race. Humans are biologically wired to look for patterns in order to survive and we instinctually form biases, unconscious and conscious, to better make sense of the world. But our logical brains must overcome this temptation because ascribing particular thoughts, motivations and perspectives of individuals to a large group of people is not fair and it does not represent truth.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">4. Involve Families</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Public school teachers are charged with helping shape the next generation of an informed citizenry. We are tasked with developing young people into active citizens who are ready and able to participate in their communities and have the skills of critical thinking to weigh all evidence before they do. We mustn't back away from our charge of exploring complex issues and ideas with students so that they are prepared to live in our increasingly changing and complex world. However, we are not our students' only teachers. Students' families must be informed of what we're doing in the classroom and invited to be involved, so they can help their child process and reflect the big ideas that we're exploring in the classroom. Further, when we bring families into the conversation, we broaden the perspectives to which students are exposed and thus they're better able to develop their dialectical thinking (see #1).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Ron's Big Mission</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;">One way that our teaching team decided to help our fourth grade students explore the timeless, abstract, universal and transferable ideas of humanity, protest and justice was to do a deep dive into the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rons-Big-Mission-Rose-Blue/dp/0525478493" target="_blank">Ron's Big Mission</a> by Rose Blue & </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Corinne Naden, illustrated by Don Tate</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> (</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdPIx8JKuCs" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">listen to the book here</a><span style="font-family: arial;">).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbCVZntTgopGYlpH9Bsm5QB3YAThXWi20xVHSuKcoCFQJEvnTnyq8FU_vJU42lCr2E93DmiKA_i28qp86W67HKhjGXTjQ_HWwKWxH9J6vbBByEU4kWUIAQ9yLjBadectXSJvQi_u-vUx1/s2048/Ron%2527s+Big+Mission.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1635" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbCVZntTgopGYlpH9Bsm5QB3YAThXWi20xVHSuKcoCFQJEvnTnyq8FU_vJU42lCr2E93DmiKA_i28qp86W67HKhjGXTjQ_HWwKWxH9J6vbBByEU4kWUIAQ9yLjBadectXSJvQi_u-vUx1/s320/Ron%2527s+Big+Mission.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Our team chose this book from a collection of approved books our district had given us to use during our integrated unit of study at the beginning of the year. The book details an episode (based on an event in the childhood of astronaut Ron McNair) where a young black boy in South Carolina is denied a library card. After peacefully, but forcefully, demanding the right to check out books, he is eventually given that right. During his on-the-counter stand-in, several people are called to help intervene, including police officers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Before reading the book with our students, our team had a thoughtful conversation where we discussed the importance of providing students a safe place to explore ideas presented in the book, but also not steering the conversation in any particular direction. We agreed Blue and Naden's book would help our fourth graders explore the concepts of humanity, protest and justice in a developmentally appropriate way.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In addition to exploring the aforementioned concepts, our goal was also to help our students as <b>readers</b> develop their abilities to deeply think about texts. Our instruction was carefully designed to give students the opportunities to meet these two Minnesota reading benchmarks:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>4.1.1.1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>4.1.2.2.Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.</i></span></li></ul></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Gist</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To kick off our study, we had the students listen to the book and then write out what the book was "mostly about" or the book's <i>gist</i>. We had the students reflect on what the book was mostly about in ~20 words so that we could check for <i>their</i> understanding of the big idea of the book. We had the students use <a href="https://wordcounter.net/character-count" target="_blank">this character counter website</a> to help them keep their gists to around 20 words.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-O1t35W5sGFAuAzmu-RU8IKKL-0AMfFHMQYxSSdIPjiqD_KXnRdqcatSYJaRZWob69e32OgJY4Yt_xJZCbhpVdTc9_fhVJeTygh8ulrwPmCho1RvplwH6us28ZzElCVA9czv6BesrmX_e/s1378/IMG_0075-0510D.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="1378" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-O1t35W5sGFAuAzmu-RU8IKKL-0AMfFHMQYxSSdIPjiqD_KXnRdqcatSYJaRZWob69e32OgJY4Yt_xJZCbhpVdTc9_fhVJeTygh8ulrwPmCho1RvplwH6us28ZzElCVA9czv6BesrmX_e/w640-h98/IMG_0075-0510D.PNG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Story Structure</span></h3></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Next, we had the students map out the story's structure, which gave them the opportunity to "see" the action and gave us the chance to see the students' thinking. We had them use a story structure map and the framework "Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then".</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFzGMWDfGL0OfT7_kgm8WuUbfDAYON0MdRiS_NDQr2_bl6RXFdvPAx1EFuRfA1cMojGbA7aKJnXFYkWi2ySXZEO9aS6NVqUVMutKXUwe09riXszgGfOGbmkmT09zpuzT1ORvnv5n4etYr/s2048/fullsizeoutput_191.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1677" data-original-width="2048" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFzGMWDfGL0OfT7_kgm8WuUbfDAYON0MdRiS_NDQr2_bl6RXFdvPAx1EFuRfA1cMojGbA7aKJnXFYkWi2ySXZEO9aS6NVqUVMutKXUwe09riXszgGfOGbmkmT09zpuzT1ORvnv5n4etYr/w640-h524/fullsizeoutput_191.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Summary</span></h3></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Next, we had the students use their story structure maps completed previously to write a summary of the book <u>Ron's Big Mission</u>. We gave them success criteria to help them know if they had a successful summary. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zJktoMMhyo1xaZI6yVfuZV1ImB_zyMjzoIdDmQVVU0WapJZpdd6HjFBlpu8oSMUY8LT5hamEmk6gGj13YYwAt3z_yXgddQv3fBoqb6sYhBEWRYDf6DhFhO3STaOZ7kOTzIeoSL49TcSf//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="166" data-original-width="662" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zJktoMMhyo1xaZI6yVfuZV1ImB_zyMjzoIdDmQVVU0WapJZpdd6HjFBlpu8oSMUY8LT5hamEmk6gGj13YYwAt3z_yXgddQv3fBoqb6sYhBEWRYDf6DhFhO3STaOZ7kOTzIeoSL49TcSf/w640-h160/image.png" width="640" /></a></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysgxW6Xam4gtXtWdjzdHET7mQFfnmenyooAEeutsWKP-OgBojSMbP7cv_m0aRO0l-C8G00C7ElGnHDwKsmrE3mAYB2iATXMq1mBtLcZPZJR_UvvEH4nuAIV9O16P32zgoZD_kZGnWCkil/s2048/image-A9863.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysgxW6Xam4gtXtWdjzdHET7mQFfnmenyooAEeutsWKP-OgBojSMbP7cv_m0aRO0l-C8G00C7ElGnHDwKsmrE3mAYB2iATXMq1mBtLcZPZJR_UvvEH4nuAIV9O16P32zgoZD_kZGnWCkil/w480-h640/image-A9863.png" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="font-family: Times;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="font-family: Times;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ron's Big Mission: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Ron wakes up. He gets offered breakfast. He said, "no." He went outside. He starts to walk. He gets offered a donut. He said, "no." He walks. He gets offered to play basketball. He said, "no." He goes to the library. He gets his books. He tells the librarian, "I'd like to check out." The librarian doesn't answer. He steps on the table. "I'd like to check out." She calls the police. She calls his mom. She said, "Get off the table." He doesn't get off. The librarian gets him a card to check out with.</span></i></div></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Theme</span></h3></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Next, we had students infer the theme of the book; the big idea that the author wants the reader to understand. First, the students brainstormed big ideas they thought the author was trying to communicate. Then, they picked one of those ideas and provided evidence from the text that would support their selection. Although our chosen text took place in the <i>past</i>, exploring the theme helped the kids understand how big ideas presented in the book can apply authentically to our lives, regardless of time, place or circumstance.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbFUS0A25CuaCk9eC8g6w98U50hhJg4RPhyphenhyphenskWG9B41StpiaNGmTvLFSfIeMGCRB2-TQjJN57eN76ztrHvFthbNrrdytvQe3PmmPZZI3CQzt1ed-f6tYak2YnAwe5K9jFx4pIuiZUIpgM/s2048/IMG_0293-1B272.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="2048" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbFUS0A25CuaCk9eC8g6w98U50hhJg4RPhyphenhyphenskWG9B41StpiaNGmTvLFSfIeMGCRB2-TQjJN57eN76ztrHvFthbNrrdytvQe3PmmPZZI3CQzt1ed-f6tYak2YnAwe5K9jFx4pIuiZUIpgM/w640-h444/IMG_0293-1B272.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Application</span></h3></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Finally, we asked students to reflect on the character traits Ron showed and think about how they too could demonstrate those same traits. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCNJ-Te5ixJ9dUU5ZG62on48iNV6rkG6dlijfbGZi0QBbQWDNr-XbLb75OxhxSS7Re5NR-3IOAHEEiOTpzMHjz78afkucdG1efmdt6TLlacIAXV6lQ65G4IX7TAqjZ_aNR24tBt1okSvs/s1842/fullsizeoutput_192.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="1842" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCNJ-Te5ixJ9dUU5ZG62on48iNV6rkG6dlijfbGZi0QBbQWDNr-XbLb75OxhxSS7Re5NR-3IOAHEEiOTpzMHjz78afkucdG1efmdt6TLlacIAXV6lQ65G4IX7TAqjZ_aNR24tBt1okSvs/w640-h290/fullsizeoutput_192.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">By using the text <u>Ron's Big Mission</u>, we were able to help our 4th graders begin to explore the concepts of humanity, protest and justice. Continued exploration of these and related concepts will continue with books from our district-approved E.B. Lewis [Illustrator] unit of study like <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Other-Side-Jacqueline-Woodson/dp/0399231161" target="_blank">The Other Side</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Across-Alley-Richard-Michelson/dp/0399239707/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=across+the+alley&s=books&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Across the Alley</a>. Clearly, simply reading books, however thoughtfully, will not give students enough of a chance to understand these abstract and complex concepts. Discussion and out-loud thinking will have to continue to take place throughout the academic year. Why? Because our students deserve it. Ignoring that our students hear about tragic events isn't an option. We must insist on helping them, with their families, make sense of our sometimes chaotic world in developmentally appropriate ways. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1Minnesota, USA46.729553 -94.6858998-33.394482946628848 124.68910019999998 90 45.9391002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-91847988306097285262020-08-08T08:22:00.004-07:002020-08-08T08:22:37.814-07:00Organizing a Representative Classroom Library During a Global Pandemic<span style="font-family: arial;">The classroom library is the staple of any elementary teacher's classroom. Making sure that students can access interesting texts at their level is an essential component of our pedagogical approach. We want students to improve their thinking and reading skills, but more importantly, we wish that they develop an intrinsic and deep love of reading.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Selecting and organizing the books is a fun and exciting task, but can be a bit overwhelming as there are many factors to consider. I am aware that these factors have been discussed at length by experts with more education and experience than I have. Nevertheless, I'm interested in sharing what was going through my head as I rebuilt my classroom library in preparation for heading back into the classroom this fall.<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>REPRESENTATIVE</b>: The books in our classroom's library should both reflect the perspectives and experiences of the students in my class <b><u>AND</u></b> give </span>students the opportunity to learn about and from others' experiences and perspectives different from their own.</li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>ORGANIZATION</b>: The collection should be organized in a way that makes using (finding books and checking them out & in) the library <b><u>easy</u></b>.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>SAFETY</b>: There needs to be a system in place so that books can be borrowed and shared <b><u>safely</u></b> during this (hopefully) very unique time of COVID-19.</span></li></ul></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Windows and Mirrors</span></h2><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>“Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection, we can see our own lives and experiences as part of a larger human experience. Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and readers often seek their mirrors in books.”</i> Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop<br /><br />Dr. Bishop's words help remind me to include books in my library in which students can see themselves and also books that help them see the world from different perspectives. This is one way they can build empathy for others.<br /><br />In recent years, I have finally woken up to the reality that my book collection lacks diverse characters, voices, authors and illustrators. Statistics show my collection is representative of all available children's literature. Luckily, publishers are taking note and the availability of books that are more representative of the children we teach is increasing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To identify and purchase diverse books, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">We Need Diverse Books</a> (WNDB) is a <b><u>phenomenal</u></b> resource. Specifically, I'd encourage you to check out:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Their <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">OurStory</a> book-finding app (available through any browser or as an Android app)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Walter Award</a> winners and honoree</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">Resources for Race, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Inclusion</a></span></li></ul><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Classroom Library Organization Made Easy!"</span></h2><span style="font-family: arial;">In the past, I've organized my classroom library by level because I'm an advocate for helping students find books that are a good fit by their reading level. But I have realized recently that paying too much attention to a book's relatively arbitrary reading level is problematic for a variety of reasons.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For now, I'll stick to organizing my library like a book store, by topic, so kids can find what interests them easily. Helping students understand when a book is "just right" for them will have to be an important part to teaching them how to use the library at the beginning of the year.<br /><br />Regardless of how I set it up, I knew that I wanted to utilize an app to catalog all my books, something I've never done before. After much Google searching and blog reading, I found that despite some flaws, <a href="https://classroom.booksource.com/" target="_blank">Booksource Classroom</a> is a fabulous app.<br /></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pros:</span></h3><span style="font-family: arial;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">It is <b>FREE</b>!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">The app lets you scan books' barcodes as a way to add them quickly to your library</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">The web interface has loads of features that help you audit your library (for diversity, for reading level, etc)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Families and students can log-in independently to look at what books they have checked out and which books are available</span></li></ul></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cons:</span></h3><span style="font-family: arial;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">The app and the web interface don't match. The app is good for adding, checking-in and checking-out books but other than those actions, you're better off sticking to the browser version.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">The app doesn't recognize about half of the barcodes that I scan. I wonder if this is because they're outdated? Are my books too old?! I've found a pretty easy work-around though: I look up the current ISBN on Amazon and then use that number to add the books on the web interface. Super slick!</span></li></ul></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Staying Safe</span></h2><span style="font-family: arial;">The pandemic has forced us to rethink the way we "do school" and interacting with our classroom library is no exception. Here are two changes I'm making to make sure my students and I continue to be safe:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Online Browsing Only. Rather than allow students to physically go through the library in search of a book, I'll have them browse the online catalog through BookSource to find a book that interests them. That way, the only books they'll touch are the books they'll keep to read.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Book Quarantining. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">The Preservation Administrators Discussion Group of the American Library Association (PADG)</a> has shared that <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#">preliminary research</a> suggests that the COVID-19 virus can only survive on paper/cardboard for 24 hours. To be safe, I'll set up a return system where books returned one day won't be checked back in for 3 days.</span></li></ul></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Personalized Labels</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I had these stickers made at <a href="https://www.labelvalue.com/" target="_blank">Label Value</a>. The base price is $25 for a roll of 500. Discounts apply when you order multiple rolls. The greater the number of rolls, the greater the discount. I bought 2 and the price was knocked down to ~$20 / roll. Hopefully 1,000 labels is enough! Ha!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSOCps4RzHYOkMTMgcy8EvmJSieFvNSJpMhQ5WgFeqDLIx_rUR9bWqHcTo5zzRzhYVE5IS_kVJfEmPKOcXw4SPqpE9N3h-BN-V8gW41J8jabr-CEJMa81RBs6vLZbQpHDUb3TbsmWkCk7/s640/IMG_20200803_180245.jpg" /></a></div></span><div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Favorite Books</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As I scan and label books in my classroom library, I come across many books that I love dearly. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/4987869035790344413/9184798830609728526#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImmQJ4ResjPHSs-5mEC-bx9T3SW3phPr98L8YjYgIFW7jNsN7v_HxGrtRN4TzZXwA5DR7XjR2hHfUDl2CeBKPr_7d6zJKvEkTpu1BHMJKQytannZONuqVa1etvoV81eBHitoUjEEXynzD/s640/fullsizeoutput_a.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox is my favorite. </span></i></div></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Personalized Messages</span></h2><span style="font-family: arial;">As I open up the inside cover of my books to put on the labels pictured above, I find these personalized messages from people in my life who have gifted me these wonderful books. These messages are so dear to me.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9K3Ur8SuR_F2SsF4kfqGvl0nQya9YUbqvfhm5jIkqoRfuOEcWHmHqegg5ltV125TzwWx1kYwtlUYGzT2UMatkkOoz4MGxs7JGEHlQuZnXSu7pwJv7c-FmbTOBUBiLqFIX_14UDHm2IZ35/s640/fullsizeoutput_e.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnwTXkMsQcVJZWZ1q8rPRVMsPA92HLMKp1sVnuT0s5s6SUWC4T7fLz8x-hFKmfRmWQqi7ZPS_9ArG3WOAt__olhOqMQ66TWoRv4-Mp1KdpZZSA-FvL5EI-AYoRYWWC_uGjylcvBFlO75M/s640/fullsizeoutput_19.jpeg" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"AJ" aka Aunt Judy</span></i></div></i><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tDGFs59Vwu_mANI6BSRwgL46q8b0prw4wYn6_TzB1MhfA7vN8CjYsk4r0UO0u76DA1U3GG5QJ-E6ycQz9vgN0lx2GRwDl3GFm2mv2OrRWpGZTVCyihLkeCTdyao6R9m62WnFMYx-zpB7/s640/fullsizeoutput_c.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheiVXvmeh2nKyIYuBV-9TmTOtkx3QIVl_vLGBxOWE7xPiq1YpFPOyMgsp0PD-3067R-I2Wl5kFz8-aeROZIdSE3p_atbP3IapVqeousB-6pwJHAJ0j4h_OIYK9H72KenDQOks-majNFqhf/s640/fullsizeoutput_d.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/4987869035790344413/9184798830609728526#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCO2MnX4sofHjXk-P9JDDUkPPhjwvpzchAmLkoSLk32AkGtjAC5BmFUbyDk8gqh9vZc3o1r0xjC-jkhyphenhyphenO716mDqJMzv93JBwhwyG3IXLn2rUl5h-bz31KRisXgYZp28Y-QuBha13EKjHbv/w512-h413/fullsizeoutput_10.jpeg" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">From 2011, when I first joined the third grade team at Kaposia Education Center.</span></i></div></i></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hidden Surprises</span></h2><span style="font-family: arial;">I know this might be an unpopular choice, but I've decided to recycle the dust jackets on the picture books that come with them. I feel like they'll end up getting damaged or lost anyway and I'd rather not deal with that. I only do this, however, if the artwork on the jacket is identical to the art on the front of the book. If that's not the case, I leave on the dust jacket. <br /><br />As I was taking off this book's dust jacket the other day to see if the art below was an exact match, I discovered this hidden surprise that Yuyi Morales snuck in, and I was so tickled to have found it! Can you spot the difference?<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1O04MJEMFwHRUK_G2lfB7GjbIIXGGoi-FMMiZ5iEnI064IJv1t7sbFumd9at962zvqw0tMv_bFRwq8Wl7_KUF9xBXJvy5-1PftB8oj7xWrvn1SP0-shg_bASF1KOXPogRkPGKt29xQBq/s640/fullsizeoutput_14.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9P9m0NYPdROim7yUmBIzAURcmfEe17ed8r7j-wIdwn7ys4orU9x2W2EyrCFLgVS_KXzKVlvXajAQRohSPUZ_IFmqyM7PGbKNo5IrFP6ja1KGGlusmXh5FEApqVchyphenhyphenZiXnkHfcJvOOUMyI/s640/fullsizeoutput_18.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Organizing a representative classroom library in the middle of a pandemic can be daunting, but it has been fun thinking about all the possibilities and putting it all together. It is a constant work in progress though and through continual reflection and hopefully some feedback on this post, I'll be able to continue to add to and improve upon this important staple of my pedagogical approach.</div></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-49529542449126001972020-06-07T05:15:00.003-07:002020-06-07T13:48:49.441-07:00Using the PYP’s 7 Key Concepts to Talk about Race, Injustice and Change<font face="arial"><i>NOTE: PYP Coordinator Melissa Powers and I collaboratively authored this post. In addition to being a PYP Coordinator in Arizona, United States, Melissa is a part of the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">IB Educator Network</a> (IBEN), leading PYP workshops and participating in site visits. She and I first went through our initial IBEN training together. I am grateful for her partnership, her thoughtful perspective and her voice.<br /></i><br />The International Baccalaureate’s (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) posits that “The Learning Community” is inclusive of everyone involved in the life of the school. Together, this community’s goal is to, “live peacefully together, prioritize people and their relationships, and assume shared responsibility for learning, health and well-being,” (<i>A Community of Learners</i> from <i>PYP: From Principles into Practice > The Learning Community</i>). <br /><br />With the recent murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the hands of police officers, there is a sense of urgency from <b>principled</b> and <b>caring </b>elementary-school teachers to speak with their learning communities — their students — about issues of safety, race, justice, change and action.</font><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl2qjf0xf8T7K-9ukoJzOD40m4gpj6bhBUBJVClgAgSCd-1g50HwbFBTNuUqut8XcxZKxSIXs1Aqk7HMGccw1wA_CjN8PgulMGCEIKAQP2ffqvIUJS7ABJoA29_itJBZILUquCoY92ZOl/s720/We+are+being+called.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl2qjf0xf8T7K-9ukoJzOD40m4gpj6bhBUBJVClgAgSCd-1g50HwbFBTNuUqut8XcxZKxSIXs1Aqk7HMGccw1wA_CjN8PgulMGCEIKAQP2ffqvIUJS7ABJoA29_itJBZILUquCoY92ZOl/s320/We+are+being+called.png" /></a></div><font face="arial"><br />As we engage with our immediate learning community, it is important to have a clear objective and structure. Successful teachers use thinking routines and discussion protocols so that conversations that center around seemingly controversial topics do not stray off course. As PYP teachers, we are empowered to<b> take risks</b> and should not be afraid to facilitate these discussions in our classrooms. </font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfx1hW0jwOkcsewA_UiBj229ZYdmnRGA7QEfstVaHmJpQshRRwJOzVd1zW9SWVvjhCWVdXshPFOYh84rX5plcFkMYd0D2H8uynEmBYIBRWGNqsmCudRM7oCCCBUj2sOctfq6qUmG9H4Mfs/s720/We+must+model.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfx1hW0jwOkcsewA_UiBj229ZYdmnRGA7QEfstVaHmJpQshRRwJOzVd1zW9SWVvjhCWVdXshPFOYh84rX5plcFkMYd0D2H8uynEmBYIBRWGNqsmCudRM7oCCCBUj2sOctfq6qUmG9H4Mfs/s320/We+must+model.png" /></a></div><font face="arial"><br />Those who work in PYP schools can leverage the components of the PYP’s international framework to help structure spaces and opportunities for meaningful processing and reflective conversation. The PYP’s key concepts are seven powerful, broad and abstract organizing ideas that can frame conversations and drive learning. When PYP teachers identify topics and investigate them through the key concepts, students learn to be <b>inquirers </b>and think critically about big ideas. It is essential to explicitly teach critical thinking skills so that students learn how to think for themselves and not blindly emote. </font><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2089zEeRhkzMp7g4P_Yqq8EkVEWaNBQgZ4wbnVkSBTO24-ZTfJVF4Trv2js8rmiKzrC7Z5Wdl7jMhMzegjd_7xof4VzIZXAWq4I19oxdG1pYNa3gwJncF9cZXvQ3kWIdu4tQgLE4EPMEf/s1229/key+concepts+%25281%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="1229" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2089zEeRhkzMp7g4P_Yqq8EkVEWaNBQgZ4wbnVkSBTO24-ZTfJVF4Trv2js8rmiKzrC7Z5Wdl7jMhMzegjd_7xof4VzIZXAWq4I19oxdG1pYNa3gwJncF9cZXvQ3kWIdu4tQgLE4EPMEf/w640-h206/key+concepts+%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><font face="arial">When teachers view the key concepts as a set of open-ended questions, they can more easily direct purposeful and manageable conversations (<i>Concepts </i>from <i>PYP: From Principles into Practice > Learning and Teaching</i>). Below, we have brainstormed key concept questions with the intention of provoking PYP teachers to <b>think </b>about how they will provide safe spaces and opportunities for their students to critically engage in meaningful conversations that lead to authentic and mindful action.<br /></font><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">We sorted the questions by primary and intermediate, as the conversations that will take place in these two different settings will inevitably require different approaches, however we encourage teachers to use the questions that best fit the needs of their contexts; you know your students the best!</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Think of the questions below as a </span><u style="font-family: arial;">start</u><span style="font-family: arial;">. We call to you, dear reader, to contribute questions that you'd want to ask your students. As you put forth ideas, we’ll update the collection below.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodkoZ4__uiysQC-8KxWBlA-td5_5axQTe-Umi-DW7oD53oQZbFvyr-QZvrWIY2WT4gk5x7b7hlvrydLYQtRDhdMXasiubVlmK1NPS9V4kkKZ_aupQEJCSYShaegdXhDHes5vpUuZD2wWd/s720/What+questions+will+you+ask.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodkoZ4__uiysQC-8KxWBlA-td5_5axQTe-Umi-DW7oD53oQZbFvyr-QZvrWIY2WT4gk5x7b7hlvrydLYQtRDhdMXasiubVlmK1NPS9V4kkKZ_aupQEJCSYShaegdXhDHes5vpUuZD2wWd/s320/What+questions+will+you+ask.png" /></a></div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial" size="4"><b>Form</b></font><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><font face="arial"><i>Primary</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">What is racism?</font></li><li><font face="arial">What is antiracism?</font></li><li><font face="arial">What is a protest?</font></li></ul><li><font face="arial"><i>Intermediate</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">What is racial injustice?</font></li><li><font face="arial">What is systemic racism? </font></li><li><font face="arial">What does it mean to be an antiracist?</font></li><li><font face="arial">What is a protest?</font></li><li><font face="arial">What is implicit bias?</font></li><li><font face="arial">What is prejudice?</font></li><li><font face="arial">What is privilege?</font></li></ul></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="arial"><b>Function</b></font></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><font face="arial"><i>Primary</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">If someone does something wrong, how can they make it right?</font></li></ul><li><font face="arial"><i>Intermediate</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">How important is the study of racial injustice?</font></li></ul></ul></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="arial"><b>Causation</b></font></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><font face="arial"><i>Primary</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">Why do people protest?</font></li></ul><li><font face="arial"><i>Intermediate</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">What effect do dehumanizing and devaluing black and brown people have?</font></li></ul></ul></div><div><font face="arial"><font size="4"><b>Change</b></font><br /></font><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><font face="arial"><i>Primary</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">How can something unfair change into something fair?</font></li></ul><li><font face="arial"><i>Intermediate</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">What can young people do to promote change?</font></li><li><font face="arial">How can you challenge any implicit biases you might have to make a change in your own beliefs and actions?</font></li></ul></ul></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="arial"><b>Connection</b></font></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><font face="arial"><i>Primary</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">How are different people groups connected to each other?</font></li><li><font face="arial">What sets us apart and makes us unique?</font></li></ul><li><font face="arial"><i>Intermediate</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">How is the US’s history of slavery and Jim Crow connected to current events?</font></li><li><font face="arial">How are the seemingly separate incidents of violence against black and brown people connected?</font></li><li><font face="arial">Are racism and prejudice the same thing? How are they different?</font></li></ul></ul></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="arial"><b>Perspective</b></font></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><font face="arial"><i>Primary</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">What are the ways we can appreciate and celebrate others who don’t look like you / are different from you?</font></li></ul><li><font face="arial"><i>Intermediate</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">Why do we say “Black Lives Matter” and not “All Lives Matter”?</font></li><li><font face="arial">What biases do you have about racial groups different from yours?</font></li></ul></ul></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><font face="arial"><b>Responsibility</b></font></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><font face="arial"><i>Primary</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">How can you show other people you care?</font></li><li><font face="arial">How can you stand up for other people when wrong is being done to them? </font></li></ul><li><font face="arial"><i>Intermediate</i></font></li><ul><li><font face="arial">What action can you take to fight racial injustice? Use the PYP’s 5 types of action to help frame your thinking: <i>social justice, advocacy, social entrepreneurship, participation, lifestyle choices</i>.</font></li><li><font face="arial">How can you be a responsible inquirer and critical thinker? Why is it important?</font></li><li><font face="arial">How can you show other people you care?</font></li><li><font face="arial">How will you learn about racial groups that are different from yours?</font></li><li><font face="arial">How can people examine their own privilege and use it to help?</font></li></ul></ul></div><div><i><font face="arial">For more information about facilitating challenging or difficult conversations, check out this resource from Common Sense Education: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">A best-of-the-best collection of resources for social justice- and equity-focused educators</a>.</font></i><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-74725998124312359602020-04-14T08:51:00.001-07:002020-04-14T09:03:51.527-07:00Approaches to Distance Learning: ATL in the time of COVID<h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 20pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The time is now</span></h2>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to content that state and local municipalities deem "essential learning", it is fundamental that teachers guide students in developing <b style="background-color: cyan;">universal skills</b> that help them approach the learning in which they engage. Equipping students with these universal skills </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">gives them “</span><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blog.cambridgeinternational.org/reflections-on-the-100th-year-anniversary-of-john-deweys-democracy-and-education/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">the ability to take on the responsibility to make informed, intelligent choices and decisions</a>.</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” Although this idea of </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">John Dewey was written over 100 years ago (ironically around the time of another pandemic), it continues to be just as relevant today.</span><br />
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Typically, I have thought about helping students develop these necessary skills so that someday far into the <b><u>future</u></b>, when they’ll need them, they’ll be ready to put these skills into practice. However, it is becoming increasingly more obvious everyday that we experience distance learning that the time that students need these skills is <b><u>now</u></b>.<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 20pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The PYP ATLs</span></h2>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The International Bacchaeleature (IB) has identified five distinct categories of associated skills that help students become self-regulated learners. The IB refers to these collective skills as the </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DfDM9ANs8zzbziIbwtim6MthSpiNAyj8/view?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Approaches to Learning</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The Primary Years Programme (PYP) has identified skills and sub-skills under each of the five categorical umbrellas. The teachers with whom I work defined each of these skills in student-friendly language (<i>to read more about how we did that, check out </i></span><a href="http://making-teaching-visible.blogspot.com/2019/10/updated-pyp-placemat.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>UPDATED* PYP Placemat</i></span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">ATL in the time of distance learning</span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As teachers, it is our responsibility to help students develop these lifelong learning skills not so that they can be successful adults </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>someday</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but so that they can be successful </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">now</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. As students engage in distance learning, effective teachers ask:</span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Many of the ATL skills can be newly interpreted in the current context. Below are just a <b><i>few </i></b></span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>examples </i></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of the ATL skills reinterpreted in this time of <i>distance </i>learning.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THINKING</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Forming decisions</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>As I learn from home, how can I stay flexible and open-minded when making a choice or learning something new?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RESEARCH</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Ethical use of media/information</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>How can I continue to be responsible, respectful and safe in a digital classroom?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">COMMUNICATION</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Speaking & Listening</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>During virtual video chats (like Google Meet and Zoom), how can I speak clearly to share and explain my ideas in many ways and listen respectfully and responsibly to others so I can understand?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SOCIAL</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Interpersonal Relationships</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>How can I get along with and care for others in my home as we learn? How can I get along with my family members who are now my teachers? How can I get along with my siblings with whom I might be sharing a device?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SELF-MANAGEMENT</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Organization and Perseverance</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>What’s my plan to complete all these challenging online tasks that I have to do today without giving up?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 20pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">How can teachers support students in actively engaging in their own learning?</span></h2>
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The PYP advocates for teachers to <b>implicitly </b>and <b>explicitly </b>help students develop these Approaches to Learning so that they can actively engage in their own <i>distance </i>learning.<br />
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Developing ATL skills implicitly</h3>
Teachers can <b>implicitly </b>embed ATL learning in the culture of the distance learning classroom. As they engage with learners in online platforms and synchronous and asynchronous learning, they can model the ATLs and use the language of these skills. They can highlight the use of ATL by the children in the class and characters in storybooks.<br />
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Developing ATL skills explicitly</h3>
Teachers can also <b>explicitly </b>teach the Approaches to Learning through inquiry by creating specific ATL goals with students and giving them the opportunity to reflect on their own progress towards these goals.<br />
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With personalized, actionable </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">feedback (a highly effective strategy according to <a href="https://visible-learning.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/VLPLUS-252-Influences-Hattie-ranking-DEC-2017.pdf" target="_blank">Hattie's research</a>)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, teachers can support students’ development of these skills one-on-one. In the shift to distance learning, teachers have the opportunity to think and rethink the ways in which they provide feedback to learners. Digital tools that educators across the globe are now utilizing offer a variety of ways to give feedback that enhances the way feedback is given and received.</span><br />
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Further, successful teachers monitor their students’ development of these skills and when they notice particular skills that are lacking, design specific learning experiences that will help their students fill the gap (like these </span><a href="https://www.toddleapp.com/learning-library/2020/04/04/build-ib-approaches-to-learning-at-home-a-collection-of-diverse-challenges-across-skills/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">diverse challenges</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Parita Parekh and the team at </span><a href="https://www.toddleapp.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toddle</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although distance learning has some limitations and the way we “do school’ looks different, the philosophies at the core of our teaching and learning - like equipping students with </span><span style="background-color: cyan; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>universal skills</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that help them become self-regulated learners -remain the same. How are you implicitly and explicitly helping </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">your</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> students develop the Approaches to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Distance</i> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learning so that they become successful, self-regulated learners?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>My grateful thanks to Sarah Miller and Kara Coffino, friends and thought-partners, for their meaningful contributions to this post.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-63283592522337853412020-04-07T13:37:00.002-07:002020-04-07T13:43:13.615-07:00Lesson Planning in Distance Learning<h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Distance Learning Begins</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On Sunday, <a href="https://mn.gov/governor/news/#/detail/appId/1/id/423071" target="_blank">March 15</a>, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, closed public schools so that educators could plan for long-term plans for the continuity of education. We had approximately two weeks to completely revolutionize the way we teach and the way students learn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Collaborative Backwards Planning As Usual</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although the way we "do school" certainly looks different, the philosophies at the core of our teaching and learning remain the same.<br /><br />One of these approaches to teaching that hasn't changed is the way in which we collaboratively plan for instruction with the end in mind; first starting with the <b>essential learning </b>then planning for <b>how students show successful mastery </b>and then <b>giving feedback </b>framed in terms of those criteria.<br /><br />Research for Better Teaching, Inc. published the graphic below that does a nice job of visually representing this chain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4ZVyC76JeA4jIHMDX0ASHXCNo3iQat6PDl37n3VD8V_x4G6y5l4prJ-SvhWPJysVLclEEH7jYF1kbcRP59XplPVkxjXBQePVOhhC2WaULg17tEPbYZugeHki8foi9nK_pOiAUY-_Mwkz/s1600/Chain+of+Objectives+from+Research+for+Better+Teaching.PNG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4ZVyC76JeA4jIHMDX0ASHXCNo3iQat6PDl37n3VD8V_x4G6y5l4prJ-SvhWPJysVLclEEH7jYF1kbcRP59XplPVkxjXBQePVOhhC2WaULg17tEPbYZugeHki8foi9nK_pOiAUY-_Mwkz/s400/Chain+of+Objectives+from+Research+for+Better+Teaching.PNG" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">retrieved from <a href="https://www.rbteach.com/products-resources/downloads/all" target="_blank">https://www.rbteach.com/products-resources/downloads/all</a> on April 6, 2020.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Questions To Consider When Collaboratively Planning</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Communicate Objectives</span></h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What do we want students to <b>understand </b>(<i>concepts</i>), <b>know </b>(<i>knowledge</i>) or <b>be able to do</b> (<i>skills)</i>?</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These essential learnings can come from central ideas, lines of inquiry and state standards.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These essential learnings can be communicated in many ways (<a href="http://making-teaching-visible.blogspot.com/2015/04/should-i-always-start-with-i-can.html" target="_blank">not just as "I Can" statements</a>). In a programme that values inquiry, <b>questions </b>can be an effective way to spark curiosity while communicating to students the learning target.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Select Performance or Product</span></h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How will students demonstrate they understand, know or are able to do what we have identified as essential?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How can we set up loose <i>enough </i>parameters that students' can still exercise their creativity and voice in how they choose to demonstrate proficiency?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. Develop Criteria</span></h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What does success look like? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our team should decide on loose <i>enough</i> criteria so that student responses can be varied, create and unique, yet specific <i>enough</i> to help us frame the feedback we give students.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Give Feedback</span></h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Using the previously developed success criteria, communicate to students how they hit the mark or help them to understand what they're missing and how they can improve.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What does this look like in practice?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Communicate Objectives</span></h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Conceptual understanding: Based on the current unit of inquiry's central idea, teachers want the students to <b>understand</b> that senses are used for exploring and staying safe.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Performance Assessment: Students will use their senses to explore during a spring nature walk and identify what they see, hear and smell.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Does the student's response make sense for what you'd see, hear, and smell outside in Minnesota in springtime?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Does the student include ideas similar to the ones in the read-aloud that was a part of this learning experience?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Give Feedback</span></h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If a particular student's responses do not make sense or are not similar to the ones in the read-aloud, how can we provide corrective feedback that helps students to get closer to a more successful response?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Distance Learning's Unintended Positive Consequences</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although distance learning has some limitations, the format promises to enhance collaboration, personalization and the quality and the specificity of feedback we give to students.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-17120084083367819282020-03-21T08:40:00.004-07:002020-03-21T08:40:57.221-07:00Math Expressions Interactive ActivitiesIn 2019-2020, my school first adopted the 2018 version of Math Expressions. Our rockstar teachers have been working hard to understand the different components of the program and how they all fit together to provide our students an exemplary math education.<br />
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One of the major elements of the program is Think Central, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's one-stop-shop for teaching and learning materials related to all their products, including Math Expressions. <span style="color: #222222;">(Read more at </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/content/help/html/prod/Login/index.htm" target="_blank">Welcome to Think Central</a>).</i><br />
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<img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCWwKLsA5VT2rPNeBwRLNj_lh4C4mEE2HJCU5ax-ldQJ0EV7aTNSLgW1h58NFVmSFGzAsCbU-47b5d9ZtJDJbW2Y3Zd2dLsu8MJ3B4SVWK79YI-4B7NqrXklL7CTcnGBwo5EaTq9hr6SM/s200/Think+Central+Logo.png" width="200" /> </div>
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Many of our teachers have used Think Central and the Personal Math Trainer to varying degrees in the classroom, but now that we've entered into an unprecedented time of distance learning, our students stand to greatly benefit from the learning opportunities within Think Central.</div>
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Much of what's available in Think Central allows students to <i>practice </i>what they've already been taught, but the <b><span style="font-size: large;">RTI Tier I and Tier II interactive activities</span></b> walk students step-by-step through mathematical concepts, helping students understand each of the unit's big ideas. These activities are kid-friendly and all the instruction is narrated to students, as opposed to having them read text.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZ5OSKepBHVEBLZzdEr_DJn9qUj-wM_e9dMnqryVcH878IY1kBQTcatNeLJ2XaaEKE-0AigFlqbUCCqf9cp2pV07-MTyEIUglQjaTuLUd4nDBLAXdkPSVaRy0cy40POfgbq1kgUfvIOJR/s1600/Tier+I+G1+U8+BI1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1600" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZ5OSKepBHVEBLZzdEr_DJn9qUj-wM_e9dMnqryVcH878IY1kBQTcatNeLJ2XaaEKE-0AigFlqbUCCqf9cp2pV07-MTyEIUglQjaTuLUd4nDBLAXdkPSVaRy0cy40POfgbq1kgUfvIOJR/s320/Tier+I+G1+U8+BI1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_CQcpm16Mx5uXCmqaxE8KIWiGBgqwvc0E9IC6OnDAReVHxlrJWwcqil6Z_9vO2lMTiRuAmoOtDaF_dShOcX3Au0ohQFHzUR2oiSiPPxBLPLZbOW85gSo6soTA02iC6GOJZAnan6vUjOc/s1600/Tier+II+G3+U5+BI2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1600" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_CQcpm16Mx5uXCmqaxE8KIWiGBgqwvc0E9IC6OnDAReVHxlrJWwcqil6Z_9vO2lMTiRuAmoOtDaF_dShOcX3Au0ohQFHzUR2oiSiPPxBLPLZbOW85gSo6soTA02iC6GOJZAnan6vUjOc/s320/Tier+II+G3+U5+BI2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Teachers can use these interactive activities for instruction, instead of or in addition to creating original videos or slides.<br />
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The RTI Tier I and Tier II interactive activities are found in each grade level's Math Activity Center in RTI.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKp48JzLcOGjp5pdH808unk0VMBq7Dvw8bOqafK_t-YjzoFIgZ6yj7AePu9bjHWv16MZTj0bY4tavLYBjYyHs8OjDPyZAACEpueVs_O85Id6WXjoO4jNh6w3cTYqfWMpMs0dKTc7U5eIz/s1600/Math+Activitiy+Center+Button.png"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKp48JzLcOGjp5pdH808unk0VMBq7Dvw8bOqafK_t-YjzoFIgZ6yj7AePu9bjHWv16MZTj0bY4tavLYBjYyHs8OjDPyZAACEpueVs_O85Id6WXjoO4jNh6w3cTYqfWMpMs0dKTc7U5eIz/s200/Math+Activitiy+Center+Button.png" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpbPxAagO6gr4GZbiKuq2o6AWsXVa9SLPJzgjb_ba1GdpflNLArFhhA18BlfPudDf3MRkRO7FCbpiGN88_SSxBfOVxwLGua8I0Yt7eY9uFUiQPsf52LNZ6htEJ5y8v7EwQ_yLhosUMI1R/s1600/RTI+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="439" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpbPxAagO6gr4GZbiKuq2o6AWsXVa9SLPJzgjb_ba1GdpflNLArFhhA18BlfPudDf3MRkRO7FCbpiGN88_SSxBfOVxwLGua8I0Yt7eY9uFUiQPsf52LNZ6htEJ5y8v7EwQ_yLhosUMI1R/s200/RTI+button.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Leave a comment on this post if you have used these interactive activities. How's it going? How well do kids like it? Are they learning math?<br />
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Additionally, if you need any technical or pedagogical support using these resources, reach out. I'd love to help problem-solve with you!</div>
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Tech tips to preview and assign the Tier I & II interactive activities</h2>
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Are you a visual learner? Watch the short video below that <b><u>shows</u> </b>you how to preview and assign these interactivities in Think Central. Keep reading below to <u style="font-weight: bold;">read</u> the step-by-step instructions.</div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XX17D1dvarg/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XX17D1dvarg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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Log into Think Central</div>
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To <b><u>preview</u></b> the Tier I and Tier II interactive activities:</div>
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<li>Home</li>
<li>From the carousel, select your grade level</li>
<li>Math Activity Center, G# Teacher</li>
<li>RTI</li>
<li>Filter (on the left) by Unit & by Big Idea</li>
<li>Click on any of the activities on the right.</li>
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<li>TIP: Each Big Idea has two interactive activities: 1 for Tier I and 1 for Tier II</li>
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To <b><u>assign</u></b> the Tier I and Tier II interactive activities:</div>
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<li>Home</li>
<li>In the text box "Search for Resources", type the math unit you're teaching.</li>
<li>Filter (on the left) by</li>
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<li>Grade Level</li>
<li>Assignable (switch the toggle switch "on")</li>
<li>Show additional filters > </li>
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<li>Component > + More > Response to Intervention</li>
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<li>Media type > HTML</li>
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<li>Click the "Assign" button and fill in all the appropriate text boxes and hit "save".</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-58180974549073844332019-10-19T15:38:00.003-07:002019-10-19T16:28:03.895-07:00School Visits as Professional Learning<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB) is a comprehensive and complex program. All those in candidate and authorized schools participate in professional development that assists them in deepening their understanding of this international program. Being able to visit other PYP schools is a rich form of professional learning that all Pedagogical Leadership Teams should consider when building their five-year PYP action plans.<br /><br />Last spring, I had the great fortune of visiting a couple of different PYP schools. These visits helped me better understand the diverse ways of implementing the PYP and gave me ideas that we potentially could use at my own school.<br /><br />In March 2019, on a personal trip to Germany, I was able to visit the Berlin Cosmopolitan School. About a month later in April, I visited a couple of PYP schools just up the road from where I live in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, USA. During these visits, I was able to engage with other PYP professionals and see the PYP in action, giving me ideas of how we could further develop the PYP in my own school. <i>See photos below from both of those visits.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Later in the school year, I took a team with me to visit schools implementing two math curricular resources we were looking to adopt. In addition to learning extensively about the resources on our own and having teachers try out the materials at our school, visiting schools where experienced teachers could demonstrate the resources' full potential was some of the best professional learning we experienced during our curriculum review process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether you're in a PYP school or not, visiting schools both near and far allows you to</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> see how others "do school". School visits must be an essential part of any school's professional learning plan.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The leaders at the Berlin Cosmopolitan School generously hosted us for several hours during a school day to show us around and allowed us to meet with teachers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Berlin Cosmopolitan School's vision and mission signage stands out with the inclusion of students' artistic interpretations.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ryPOv3zrUWs/Xat_FuvBSPI/AAAAAAAADB4/gi8qdgIWM3YvV7Zt4DeprS8UvdQZkf-ZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/BCS%2BPlayground.jpg"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ryPOv3zrUWs/Xat_FuvBSPI/AAAAAAAADB4/gi8qdgIWM3YvV7Zt4DeprS8UvdQZkf-ZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/BCS%2BPlayground.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Berlin Cosmopolitan School's principal Mark Johnson told us that students walk a couple of blocks to this adventure playground that may seem a little bit more dangerous that a typical playground, but gives its students the opportunity to assess risk for themselves and shows them they can keep themselves safe.</div>
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The following photos show flexible seating in one of the classrooms at Stevenson Elementary in Fridley, Minnesota, USA. Students in Andrea Erichsrud's classroom have lots of seating options as they learn during the school day.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qngfHHpNClE/XauDNbJYZII/AAAAAAAADCQ/xzyf0qR96rg48IN5hPkVIGWkvWUduyNKQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Stevenson%2BClassroom%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qngfHHpNClE/XauDNbJYZII/AAAAAAAADCQ/xzyf0qR96rg48IN5hPkVIGWkvWUduyNKQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Stevenson%2BClassroom%2B01.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsCXQse3luY/XauDOV-1N1I/AAAAAAAADCg/0SOiftZmf0c-hxO7qn4T_CG2gdK-mIReACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Stevenson%2BClassroom%2B06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsCXQse3luY/XauDOV-1N1I/AAAAAAAADCg/0SOiftZmf0c-hxO7qn4T_CG2gdK-mIReACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Stevenson%2BClassroom%2B06.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Thank you to Orlando Pola-Rivera, PYP Coordinator at the Berlin Cosmopolitan School in Berlin Germany for hosting me and letting me sit in on one of his collaborative team meetings. I also greatly appreciate Veronica Westerman, PYP Coordinator of Stevenson Elementary in Fridley, Minnesota, USA who not only hosted me during the visit but also sent me the pictures above when I neglected to take my own on the visit.</i></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-12766277071439974762019-10-18T11:39:00.000-07:002019-10-18T11:39:20.856-07:00*UPDATED* PYP Placemat<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since the enhanced Primary Years Programme documentation was released in October 2018 (PYP: From principles into practice), I have been updating the PYP placemat I previously created for teachers and students at Kaposia Education Center, an IB World School to support their implementation of the PYP.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some changes were easy to make. I took out reflection as a key concept. I removed the action cycle and replaced it with the five different forms of action articulated in the new documentation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the back of the placemat proved more difficult to bring up-to-date. I was able to easily replace the new ATL sub-skills, but defining them in student-friendly language seemed like a difficult task to do alone. So, I waited until yesterday when I was able to work with the amazing Kaposia educators to create definitions of all the ATL sub-skills (and sub-sub-skills) that even our youngest learners will be able to understand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following is the product of our work together. My hope is that the teachers and students at Kaposia, along with others at authorized or candidate PYP schools, are able to use this PYP Placemat to help them more deeply implement the robust international Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click the images below to be linked to the PDF version of the placemat that can be printed and copied.</span><br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/a/apps.sspps.org/file/d/1As7wHROCXRdlJjQjYaSLTKmmI7pXa3ij/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1039" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aUlbmKxKP8g/XaoCnclqDzI/AAAAAAAADBc/EMtvz-pniZccCA2S643oGSCyGg10UVvdACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/PYP%2Bplacemat%2B01.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/a/apps.sspps.org/file/d/1As7wHROCXRdlJjQjYaSLTKmmI7pXa3ij/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1008" height="484" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AFD_o_Kv4kc/XaoCndqv86I/AAAAAAAADBg/GeyBVCmwOEovEWrGmrTqr2wAyeE4vIgcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/PYP%2Bplacemat%2B02.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-21201308320555558072019-03-19T08:48:00.001-07:002019-03-19T08:56:27.096-07:00Student in ACTION: Bringing Corn Snakes to South St. Paul<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Did you know that residents of South St. Paul, Minnesota were not allowed to keep corn snakes as pets? Recently, one of our third grade students, Soreal, worked to change that. Learn about her story below. But first, some reflections on action in general in the Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate. <br /><br />Prior to the release of <i>PYP: From principles into practice</i>, little guidance was given to schools on action, an essential element of the PYP.<br /><br />In <i>Making the PYP Happen</i>, the action cycle (<i>figure 10</i> shown below) represented the suggested steps students go through as they contemplated what action they could take as a result of learning. Voluntary action, be it grandiose or simple, individual or collaborative, was to be initiated by the student.</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g_iiOtJTO5M/XJEH3aes0aI/AAAAAAAAC64/1d9otJu3IBEX2iBKzhYQJd3T4KkFfs0KgCLcBGAs/s1600/Figure%2B10%2BMYPYPH%2BAction.PNG"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g_iiOtJTO5M/XJEH3aes0aI/AAAAAAAAC64/1d9otJu3IBEX2iBKzhYQJd3T4KkFfs0KgCLcBGAs/s400/Figure%2B10%2BMYPYPH%2BAction.PNG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />In the enhanced PYP, action is still meant to be authentic, meaningful, mindful, responsible and responsive. However, much more guidance is provided to PYP schools around this core element of our international framework. I see three big ideas emerge as I digest the <i>Action </i>section under <i>The Learner</i>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Action is an integral part of the learning process </b></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Action can be taken at any point during an inquiry cycle and is itself a part of learning. </span></li>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Action can take on many forms</b></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the new digital resource, the PYP outlines five types of action: participation, advocacy, social justice, social entrepreneurship and lifestyle choices. They also provide concrete definitions and examples of each type. </span></li>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Adults must support action</b></span><br /><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although action can be initiated by students, the PYP has now provided a framework that guides adults in ways that they can support students taking action. <i>Figure AC03: Supporting Action</i> from <i>PYP: From principles into practice</i> (shown below), shows different ways that adults and students can collaboratively work together to plan, carry out and reflect on meaningful action that is integrated into the learning process. </span></li>
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<a href="https://resources.ibo.org/data/the-learner_fc17a71a-2344-4b26-84cb-caca3a02750d/PRC-images-AC03-supporting-action-en_c6c26075-3805-4722-9a23-ac65bb4486dc.png"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://resources.ibo.org/data/the-learner_fc17a71a-2344-4b26-84cb-caca3a02750d/PRC-images-AC03-supporting-action-en_c6c26075-3805-4722-9a23-ac65bb4486dc.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;">Now, back to Soreal.</span><br /><br />In the fall during the unit of inquiry <i>How We Organize Ourselves</i>, third graders explore the balance of rights and responsibilities that citizens have in a democracy. Students inquire into the function of government and the responsibilities citizens have to identify problems and to work to solve them by communicating with local, state and nationally elected leaders.<br /><br />The embedded video below shows Soreal in action at our community's city council meeting. We're very proud of students like Soreal who work collaboratively with adults to initiate positive change in our community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="292" src="https://townsquaretv.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=12060&starttime=459&stoptime=664&autostart=1&embed=1" width="520"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Soreal at the South St. Paul City Council Meeting</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IY9E7tdWf68/XJD-i32DP5I/AAAAAAAAC6s/h_5oiGK4fbU-xUAYmWpoveHDqSQuekRiACLcBGAs/s1600/Corn%2BSnake%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IY9E7tdWf68/XJD-i32DP5I/AAAAAAAAC6s/h_5oiGK4fbU-xUAYmWpoveHDqSQuekRiACLcBGAs/s640/Corn%2BSnake%2B01.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Soreal got her corn snake!</i></span></td></tr>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-761371650712746332019-01-28T10:01:00.000-08:002019-01-28T10:03:51.835-08:00Enhanced PYP Treasure Trove<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In January 2019, PYP teachers in South St. Paul, Minnesota, United States read sections of the new digital resource, “PYP: From principles into practice”. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />To share our understanding of the enhancements with others in our local and global PYP communities, we created digital content: infographics, mind maps, presentations, blog posts, videos and a hyperlinked word cloud that summarized the contents of "PYP: From principles into practice".<br /><br /><span style="background-color: yellow;">Our digital creations (<b>THERE ARE OVER 70!</b>) can be found using <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank">this link</a>.</span> They are organized in the same way as the enhanced PYP and you can use the table of contents (the third slide of the <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank">linked slide deck</a>) to navigate to different sections. In each section, click on the thumbnails to be linked to the original digital content to see it in bigger detail.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" border="0" height="353" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dey3tnAiCBc/XE85rw3wYUI/AAAAAAAAC3o/ZiaOXPZzQncWvb8NGB5sEYg5aiUmOOQ6ACLcBGAs/s640/Enhanced%2BPYP%2BSSPPS%2BDigital%2BCreations%2BTable%2Bof%2BContents.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Table of Contents</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are just <i>some </i>of the digital creations creatively made by PYP teachers in South St. Paul, Minnesota. Click on any of them to go to the vast Treasure Trove of digital creations that summarize the new PYP digital resource.</span><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RHcsu-kOoqg/XE87mEWhPVI/AAAAAAAAC4I/vJjVKkbjZfgMGpyO9mFq2bNMg4nSlqsaQCLcBGAs/s400/PYP%2BEarly%2BLearner%2BMind%2BMap%2BKT%2BMM%2BER.png" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OEL1SNj0lAo/XE87j7lP1VI/AAAAAAAAC34/lp9FB1tYLHU2RhM1e8My_Ud34gi2GgzCwCLcBGAs/s400/Action%2Band%2BInternational%2Bmindedness%2Bin%2Bthe%2Benhanced%2BPYP.JPG" width="386" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u5rsLUmbMI8/XE87jzjoZQI/AAAAAAAAC38/kUmeyo-RovMceIDruXzen1ITLtWZ5SfZgCLcBGAs/s400/Approaches%2Bto%2BLearning%2B%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GYirAZJLemE/XE87jjY2HuI/AAAAAAAAC30/V0EEn2WATfAU0re75Z201gzD2W9RrIYKQCLcBGAs/s400/Assessment%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hZv_I9Zfju4/XE87kgbXUgI/AAAAAAAAC4E/EeZISJvvFIkVvpn_Pl2WRGLSDFWULgb8gCLcBGAs/s400/Community%2Bof%2BLearners%2B-%2BDaniels.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdySsly2Tbs7vP5SgAL9_3aQqkHub9zZOv_ZjLQ1JTRZJn7e__4OyVRBd_GBjhRnC6XdtcJuJZMXU9/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HIB0_a8pbB4/XE87kNm_QyI/AAAAAAAAC4A/_7w0sfkZmBkyEv7YNfkdmmraQYgkQAB2QCLcBGAs/s400/Blended%2BLearning%2BDrawing%2Bfor%2B1_18.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nothing is a substitute for reading the original content from IB, but we hope our digital creations inform, inspire and provoke you to act and learn more!</span><br /><br /><i style="background-color: cyan;">Note for PYP Coordinators and other organizers of professional development: </i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you'd like to replicate or adapt what we did in South St. Paul as a way to help your teachers dive into the new digital resource, "PYP: From principles into practice" here are the steps we took:</i><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Learning Engagement 1</b> (teachers had the option of doing this ahead of our January professional development day and then coming in for Learning Engagement 2 halfway through the day)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Build background</b> (all resources available on the Programme Resource Centre)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jZjWrCqgCwCpmlSjYMmdGKXw5KGJ-7f1/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">The Overview</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Watch:</span></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://player.vimeo.com/video/269620445" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The learner</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://player.vimeo.com/video/264230179" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Learning and teaching</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://player.vimeo.com/video/264226530" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The learning community</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://player.vimeo.com/video/293138176" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Getting started</span></a></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Read </b><u>one</u> of the sections from "PYP: From principles into practice"</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Create </b>digital content in response to what you learned. We provided the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1utJWQ9ev0iDQj4GcuBhuVq6_4p7AwW4-WXJrD6024uw/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Success Criteria</a> for the digital content.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Suggestions:</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Voice-over screencast using <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/?usp=mkt_slides" target="_blank">Google Slides</a> & <a href="https://www.screencastify.com/" target="_blank">Screencastify</a> (≥ 5 minutes)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Podcast using <a href="https://anchor.fm/" target="_blank">Anchor.fm</a> (≥ 5 minutes)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Video blog using <a href="https://flipgrid.com/" target="_blank">Flipgrid</a> (≤ 5 minutes)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Infographic using <a href="https://docs.google.com/drawings/" target="_blank">Google Draw</a> (minimal white space)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mindmap using <a href="https://docs.google.com/drawings/" target="_blank">Google Draw</a>, <a href="https://www.mindmeister.com/folders" target="_blank">Mindmeister</a>, <a href="https://app.creately.com/" target="_blank">Creately</a> (minimal white space)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Presentation using <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/?usp=mkt_slides" target="_blank">Google Slides</a> (≥ 5 slides)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blog post using <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/?usp=mkt_docs" target="_blank">Google Doc</a> to draft, to be posted as a guest blog here (≥ 300 words)</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Examples (using the Learner Agency section)</span></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://making-teaching-visible.blogspot.com/2018/11/learner-agency-7-ways.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Learner Agency in 7 different ways</span></a></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Digitally<b> submit</b> what you<b> </b>created</span></li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Learning Engagement 2:</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Explore</b>:</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Review others' digital creations and ask:</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What’s important to remember? What comes up again and again?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What’s new? What’s different? What’s changed?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Did someone interpret the enhanced content differently than you?</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Reflect</b>:</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First individually, then with a partner and finally with the whole group, reflect on what was learned about the enhanced PYP after looking through your colleagues' digital creations.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Act</b>:</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Using a Google Form, submit ideas for what our PYP should do now. These ideas will be added to our action plan.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-26874934870022873822019-01-18T09:34:00.002-08:002019-01-18T09:34:43.530-08:00Learner Agency<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">In January 2018, the elementary teachers in our district's two PYP schools set out to explore the enhanced PYP content that make up the document "PYP: From principles into practice." Many thanks to elementary principal and guest blogger, Mike Fugazzi, for authoring this post on concepts in the PYP.</span></i><br /><br />In an effort to further support PYP schools, the IB released additional resources through the digital, “PYP: From principles into practice”, this past fall. The online resource is designed to help learners (adults and children) foster a deeper understanding of the PYP’s framework and how to implement the program.<br /><br />The PYP: From principles into practice, organizes the PYP under the concept of Agency, which is directly in support of the self-efficacy of learners. The concept of Agency is not new to the PYP, nor the world of education. It has always existed in the PYP as what we’ve usually referred to as student “voice, choice, and ownership”. Agency and self-efficacy are also at the forefront of Visible Learning research, underpinning Collective Teacher Efficacy and Self-Reported Grades, the top two influences on student learning (Hattie 2017). The strong research backing of the impact of Agency and self-efficacy further reinforces their importance to learning in the PYP.<br /><br />Agency, as supported by the PYP, “enables people to play a part in their self-development, adaptation, and self-renewal with changing times” (Bandura 2001). Self-efficacy in the PY is described as an individual’s belief in their “capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce give attainments” (Bandura 1997). These two are interconnected, as a strong sense of self-efficacy directly influences the agency an individual will engage in.<br /><br />Students are able to show agency when they:</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">are aware of their learning goals</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">direct and adjust their individual learning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">express interest</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">make decisions about their learning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">are able of voice opinions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ask questions</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students who use their own initiative and will, and take responsibility and ownership of their learning are demonstrating agency. The impact of doing as such is a strong sense of identity and self-belief. This can fosters a community and awareness of global citizenship.<br /><br />Teachers are able to support agency when they:</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Build relationships</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Personalize learning based on student interest and need</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Extend student voice</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Provide open ended tasks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Allow student to be creative and take risks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use assessment data to inform teaching and learning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reflect on student needs and provide feedback and intervention </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Help students set high expectations for their learning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Help students set and monitor goals for their learning</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recommendations for educators:</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All members of the school community should be familiar with agency and self-efficacy.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learning leaders should shift to more coaching and less teaching. Teachers can help guide and coach students to take agency over their learning.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Educators should look for ways to include student voice and choice in the classroom community. This can, and should be, supported in partnership.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students should understand their current levels and work with teachers to determine goals and next steps to reach them.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Action that I will take:</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will help design professional development for staff that promotes adult agency and self-efficacy.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will work with teachers to understand assessment data and how that can be used with students to raise self-efficacy and agency.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will foster a school culture of agency where staff can be risk-takers, just like the students.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will find additional ways to include student voice in decision making for the school.</span></li>
</ul>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-65547427336874019302019-01-18T09:29:00.001-08:002019-01-18T09:35:10.860-08:00A Transdisciplinary programme of inquiry<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">In January 2018, the elementary teachers in our district's two PYP schools set out to explore the enhanced PYP content that make up the document "PYP: From principles into practice." Many thanks to elementary teachers and guest bloggers, Paulette Spafford and Dianne Spannbauer </span></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">for authoring this post on a transdisciplinary programme of inquiry.</span></i></span><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #9900ff; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Transdisciplinary programme of inquiry </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Through the use of a transdisciplinary programme of inquiry, students in a PYP setting will be offered a balanced learning experience rooted in conceptual understanding and given opportunities to explore human commonalities. Teachers will work collaboratively to develop and continuously improve the six transdisciplinary themes in their programme of inquiry. The goal being that students will revisit the six transdisciplinary themes throughout their years in school and be provided an opportunity to extend their understanding on the themes.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Teachers in a PYP setting should be familiar with the six transdisciplinary themes. They are:</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
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<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="153"></col><col width="436"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 42pt;"><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Transdisciplinary themes</span></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Description</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 66pt;"><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who we are</span></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships, including families, friends, communities and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 78pt;"><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Where we are in place and time</span></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between, and the interconnectedness of, individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 66pt;"><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How we express ourselves</span></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 78pt;"><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How the world works</span></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 66pt;"><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How we organize ourselves</span></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 66pt;"><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sharing the planet</span></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Figure POO1: Transdisciplinary themes</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #9900ff; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our Recommendations:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. In planning and preparing for the units, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teachers</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and stakeholders in the community, should reflect on their current community of learners to better plan units that will meet the needs and honor the experiences of the learners. The teachers must also plan the units collaboratively, either vertically or horizontally. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All six units in the POI need the following:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>Transdisciplinary Theme </li>
<li>Central Idea </li>
<li>Key Concepts </li>
<li>Related Concepts </li>
<li>Lines of Inquiry</li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Teachers must know that they are </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">required</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to review and adjust their units at least annually. During the annual review process, teachers should be prepared to refine the central ideas and find ways to make them more balanced and interconnected to the scope and sequence documents or to the local/national curriculum.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While planning and revising units, keep in mind that units should try to make connections with a global perspective. Consider finding connections in the following ways: </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>Culturally </li>
<li>Ecologically </li>
<li>Politically </li>
<li>Economically </li>
<li>Technologically</li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. It is recommended that specialists and other members of the learning community are included in each step of the planning and review process.</span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Teachers need to help students understand that there is a connection between all subjects and teachers can support that by:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Moving from</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Moving towards</span></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 66pt;"><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-left: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-right: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; border-top: solid #e4e4e4 0.75pt; padding: 9pt 14pt 9pt 14pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Subjects as collections of related facts and isolated skills</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Subjects as collections of key and related concepts, skills, theories, methodologies and examples that contribute to an understanding of how a subject connects to the central idea</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stand-alone subjects as the sole driver for learning</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Subjects as part of transdisciplinary learning</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Teaching subject-specific lessons in isolation from the unit of inquiry</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Making connections between one subject and another in planned, spontaneous or incidental ways through units of inquiry</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Subject-specific knowledge, conceptual understandings and skills viewed through the lens of age-specific development</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assessing prior knowledge and the needs of students before the selection of subject-specific conceptual understandings, knowledge and skills</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Measuring students’ abilities within a subject only</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Monitoring, documenting and measuring students’ capacity to understand and apply subject-specific knowledge, conceptual understandings and skills within authentic contexts</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Figure POO6: Transdisciplinary learning across, between, and beyond subjects</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><span style="color: #9900ff; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our Actions:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After reading through, “A transdisciplinary programme of inquiry” of the IB Document, “PYP: From principles into practice”, our personal action steps will be to:</span></span></div>
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<li>Continue to meet regularly with our team and PYP Coordinator to reflect upon and plan for the units of inquiry </li>
<li>Look for ways to integrate the new math curriculum (possible start date of Fall 2019) into our six transdisciplinary units in hopes of creating a better balance and understanding of connectivity for all students </li>
<li>Advocate for more vertical planning and planning with specialists to better serve our learners</li>
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</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">In summary, we wish you well on your journey of collaborative planning and reflecting as you attack with vigor and courage the new, enhanced PYP.</span><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-91398445793044750752019-01-17T17:40:00.001-08:002019-01-17T17:40:09.639-08:00Exhibition<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">In January 2018, the elementary teachers in our district's two PYP schools set out to explore the enhanced PYP content that make up the document "PYP: From principles into practice." Many thanks to fifth grade teacher and guest blogger, Robbyn Wincentsen, for authoring this post on concepts in the PYP.</span></i><br /><br /><i>Do the thing you think you cannot do.</i> It’s the quote I display in my classroom to start off every Exhibition Season. That’s what I think of Exhibition as now, after more than ten years of being a final year PYP teacher. It’s a season. While students in other grade levels are winding down the year, looking forward to their end of year picnic, fifth graders are gearing up to share the biggest project most never even dreamt they could accomplish.<br /><br /> It’s a love-hate relationship that I have with this thing many misspeak and call Expedition. Really, the misnomer isn’t completely wrong. According to Webster Dictionary, the definition of an expedition is: <i>a journey or voyage undertaken by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration, scientific research or war.</i> There are days during Exhibition Season that I honestly feel I’ve been through a battle. So the misnomer is fitting, not to mention the other keywords<i> journey, group, particular purpose and research</i>. Furthermore, it’s a much more appropriate word substitute than the one I made up after a particularly tough day of battle.<br /><br /> Technically, the exhibition is an authentic, student driven culmination of the Primary Years Program. In layman’s terms it is a collaborative, research-action based project that is presented. That’s how I explain it to people who ask what exhibition is but don’t need to know all of the dirty details. In reality, it’s so much more. Like how it’s an experience where students gain conceptual knowledge (using key concepts as a guide). Like how students use transdisciplinary skills and attitudes they’ve acquired along their PYP journey. Like how students initiate the learning and have lots of support from their classroom teacher, mentors, and usually an expert in their topic area. This is TMI for most. <br /><br /> Because of my logical sequential nature, I think of Exhibition as five main phases: <br /><ol>
<li>Topic selection- Students choose a globally significant issue related to one of the PYP themes. </li>
<li>Becoming an expert- Inquiry/guiding questions/key concepts/gain conceptual knowledge</li>
<li>Central Idea and lines of inquiry- Focus inquiry and continue becoming an expert</li>
<li>Action</li>
<li>Presentation- Share and reflect on learning, attitudes and the overall exhibition journey</li>
</ol>
Exhibition is messy and complex and busy and crazy and difficult and wonderful and mind-blowing and overwhelming and rewarding. It’s probably a lot like running a marathon. There always comes a point during Exhibition Season that I say, “That’s it! I’m going to a different grade level because I don’t ever want to do Exhibition again!” Then, I look at my students and how far they’ve come. I see them solving problems, their creativity, the knowledge they’ve gained. I see so many of my students burst with pride because they did the thing they thought they could not do. Then I say, “That was hard, but it was so worth it. How could I ever not do this again?” <br /><br /> The personal action I take and will continue to take is to remember what the end looks, and feels like. Through the reading I was also reminded that Exhibition can be guided, student-led or somewhere in between. I do the somewhere in between (with the most capable groups nudging the student led type) which is why it’s messy and hard. There are anywhere from 5-8 different groups (and topics) in a classroom which contributes to the messiness and level of difficulty to manage as a teacher. I could simplify and do a class wide guided exhibition or use the elements of guided exhibition for struggling groups. I also need to remember the process is more important than the final product. <br /><br /> My recommendations for what PYP schools should do for a successful exhibition are:</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elements of the PYP need to be focused on and mastered in prior grade levels.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep Exhibition in mind with in every other unit of inquiry.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find mentors and experts for each group because these people make all the difference!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Embrace the messiness of Exhibition...remember, it is magical to see your kids do great things and makes feeling like you’ve survived something like a battle or a marathon so worth it.</span></li>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-39772554157789564252019-01-17T17:35:00.000-08:002019-01-17T17:40:23.133-08:00Concepts in the PYP<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>In January 2018, the elementary teachers in our district's two PYP schools set out to explore the enhanced PYP content that make up the document "PYP: From principles into practice." Many thanks to fifth grade teacher and guest blogger, Lauren Ryan, for authoring this post on concepts in the PYP.</i></span><br /><br />As an educator in the fast-paced, digital era of the 2000s I feel fortunate to be a teacher at a PYP school where inquiry, curiosity and student-centered learning is celebrated. I remember seeing a meme on the Internet a few years back about how readily information is available to people in today’s world. It depicted a math teacher from decades ago saying to his class of students who were sitting in well defined, compliant rows, “Now you better memorize this because it’s not like you’re going to be carrying a calculator around with you in your pocket every day.” Enter a picture of a pocket-sized smartphone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">People today have access to endless amounts of facts and information at the click of a button, on a device that is regularly not more than a few feet from us at any given point. It makes me wonder what a teacher can provide to her students in today’s world that they can’t receive from a quick Internet search. The answer- a conceptually-based, inquiry driven curriculum.<br /><br />The Primary Years Program says that “concept-based inquiry is a powerful vehicle for learning that promotes meaning and understanding, and challenges students to engage with significant ideas.” It is a way for learning to be built around big ideas that transfer across subject areas and can be applied to new situations. The seven Key Concepts defined by the PYP are form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective and responsibility. Teaching through these concepts allows me to help students construct mental models of how things work and connect throughout the world. It is a way to connect new, abstract, or complicated learning with things that students already know and to extend their learning to new ideas and topics. <br /><br />An example of this is when I taught first graders about addition through the concepts of change and balance. While addition can feel complicated and abstract for students, I was able to help students explore the idea that an addition sign will change a number by adding more to it or making it bigger. We also explored the idea of balance when thinking about the function of an equal sign. The equal sign is often thought of by kids as meaning “the answer”, which is a narrow way of thinking and has implications for future learning when it comes to more complex math topics, such as algebra. Additionally, we looked at the concept of balance so that students understood the idea that both sides of an equal sign had to be the same. Looking at addition through the lens of balance helped our students make the connection to the idea of “same as” instead of just “equal to”. For example, we read basic addition as 2 + 2 is the same as 4 rather and just 2 + 2 = 4. Now, as an intermediate teacher I value conceptual teaching even more as I see how much more successful a student can be when he or she is able to make connections to previous learning and transfer past knowledge to new situations. <br /><br />In general, concepts help guide the way I construct learning experiences in the classroom and they help my students think critically about big ideas. They are a launching point for questions around a topic and help students develop their curiosity and understanding. When key concepts are too broad, related concepts act as way to explore concepts in more detail or to add depth to an area of study. Related concepts are narrower and more focused, often addressing content specific information, or standards that must be addressed on a more local level. <br /><br />Knowledge is accessible nearly everywhere in today’s world, but true understanding of the world is the heart of what a PYP teacher’s role is in preparing students for success in school and beyond. Key and related concepts allow teachers in today’s age to root essential learning of skills, facts and knowledge in concepts that are deep, transferable, broad, abstract and not locked in place or time, so that students are able keep pace with a fast-moving world, full of complex systems and relationships.<br /><br />As a PYP teacher I feel I get to address the evolving needs of students in an environment that encourages me to think about the enduring understanding I want my students to walk away with. An area of action for me is to be more intentional about teaching conceptually in stand-alone units or in content areas that do not align directly with a unit of inquiry. This might look like writing concepts on my “Learning Targets” bulletin board, or leading a lesson with questions about a topic that are concept driven. It might also look like backwards planning an ELA or math unit thinking about the long term concepts or deep understanding I want my students to understand and creating lesson content that will drive towards deeper conceptual understanding of a topic.<br /><br />As a school, PYP buildings have a unique opportunity to provide students with common language that develops the skill of conceptual learning. All teachers, from kindergarten through intermediate grades, can teach students to recognize patterns in learning and talk about content in terms of key concepts. This can be supported through collaborative time for team teachers to plan units and lessons that align with concepts that will provide students with common and rigorous learning experiences and through vertical alignment of content so that conceptual understanding begins at a young age and is carried on through a child’s PYP experience. Furthermore, PYP coordinators can work with their teachers to develop skill as writers of curriculum and help craft lessons and units that are conceptually driven and be provided with support for developing inquiry opportunities that support students’ ability to access curriculum in a way that connects to their natural interest and prior knowledge.<br /><br />Source:<br />The PYP Curriculum Framework. International Baccalaureate Organization, 2005-2018, <<a href="https://resources.ibo.org/pyp/works/pyp_11162-51681?c=2972d4b6" target="_blank">https://resources.ibo.org/pyp/works/pyp_11162-51681?c=2972d4b6</a>><br /></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-13494405016649520212019-01-14T11:21:00.001-08:002019-01-17T17:40:38.641-08:00Learner agency in physical education<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">In January 2018, the elementary teachers in our district's two PYP schools set out to explore the enhanced PYP content that make up the document "PYP: From principles into practice." Many thanks to PE teacher and guest blogger, Jen Friedges, for authoring this post on learner agency.</span></i><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-g1teFd3WM/XDu_MNWWdfI/AAAAAAAAC1U/x9Q1Rd5PuDIlw6SmorbjtuFsDtuLWA-EwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/student%2Bagency%2Bmind%2Bmap.png"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-g1teFd3WM/XDu_MNWWdfI/AAAAAAAAC1U/x9Q1Rd5PuDIlw6SmorbjtuFsDtuLWA-EwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/student%2Bagency%2Bmind%2Bmap.png" /></a><br /><br />What I learned from this project is that I already do a lot of this that I don’t give myself credit for but it was a good reminder to make sure that I can continue to do this. </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have a respectful welcoming culture.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kids know it is okay to fail, better to try and fail then never try at all!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I establish routines and all classes K – 5 know and can demonstrate them whether I am present or not.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I do let students make some of the decisions but need to get more comfortable with going farther with this.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Continue to let them know expectations and why we are doing what we are doing.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also learned I am not very creative or patient and that I should’ve done a presentation instead of a mind map.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How I plan on adding more agency into Physical Education.</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Empower students to select environment they learn in as P.E. is performance based by letting students decide in some sport related units if they want to be at the recreational level or competitive and tailor their experience to what fits them best.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Consider make some changes to the units that are taught that encompass state standards as well as students interests.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Be mindful of students comfort level when “performing” in Phy. Ed. particularly in sports (volleyball, basketball, hockey, soccer and football) as well as the dance unit which is scary for most including myself as it is WAY out of my comfort zone.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Resources:</span></div>
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<li><a href="https://globallyinformed.org/2018/07/01/student-agency-in-middle-school-health-and-physical-education/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Will Vreugdenhill, International School of Brussels, Belgium. July 2018. “Student Agency in Middle School Health and Physical Education.”</span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Learner Agency, PYP From Principles into Practice</span></li>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-48384531983511683282018-11-20T16:26:00.003-08:002018-11-21T04:04:41.895-08:00Learner Agency in 7 different ways<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a952d6f3-7fff-bf52-4fb7-d9aa22e2e270"></span>At the end of October 2018, the IB's Primary Year's Programme released the much-anticipated new digital resource, "PYP: From principles into practice" (available on <a href="https://internationalbaccalaureate.force.com/ibportal/IBPortalLogin" target="_blank">My IB</a>'s Programme Resource Centre). This digital document helps educators working in PYP schools better understand the PYP's framework for international education, full of the PYP enhancements.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reading through this new document and exploring the teacher support materials will be an essential first step in deepening PYP teachers' understanding of the enhanced PYP.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I hear, read or experience something for the first time, if I have the chance to <u>create</u> something, I find I understand the new content better. To better understand the contents of "PYP: From principles into practice", I thought it would be a good idea to create digital content in response to what I read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To begin, I read the first section of the new digital resource on <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XYTQ87MobRRy_rbijjh-sWM-JKD2Y2fP" target="_blank">Learner Agency (IB, 2018)</a>. Afterward, I created different forms of digital content, using different digital media to synthesize my understanding of what I read. I ended up created 7 different digital products: a <a href="https://youtu.be/VegX0wau6Xg" target="_blank">voice-over screencast</a>, a <a href="https://anchor.fm/making-teaching-audible/episodes/Learner-Agency-in-the-Enhanced-PYP-e2k79b" target="_blank">podcast</a>, a <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1khxtSf-FDQVYxDd4Zb6UU3_0Rz2y9w4k" target="_blank">vlog</a>, an <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1HGwwmS60ib2VT2xdABsJuQhmgDucAJD5" target="_blank">infographic</a>, a <a href="https://app.creately.com/diagram/RVC3WFk5pBt/view" target="_blank">mindmap</a>, a <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=16qdh4ts3rMPiV_aFyP7qPou1lUKSrLRg" target="_blank">presentation</a>, and a <a href="https://making-teaching-visible.blogspot.com/2018/11/learner-agency-in-enhanced-pyp.html" target="_blank">blog post</a>. All the same content, just presented in different ways. Thumbnails and links of each are below, along with notes about what digital tool I used to create each.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Creating these gave me the opportunity to explore ideas about learner agency and in sharing them with you, I hope you're able to grow in your understanding of learner agency, a new term, yet familiar concept to the PYP.</span><br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/VegX0wau6Xg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Voice-over screencast</span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b0341fd1-7fff-f3ce-5f6d-d39eeb33adb3"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #595959; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">created using </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/?usp=mkt_slides" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0097a7; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Google Slides</span></a><span style="color: #595959; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> & </span><a href="https://www.screencastify.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0097a7; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Screencastify</span></a></span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJ6R8OJfEo8/W_SY5EpViaI/AAAAAAAACx8/jLx8getG34wiTx9At_J56WwqceCR7js8ACLcBGAs/s1600/Voice%2BOver%2BPresentation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://anchor.fm/making-teaching-audible/episodes/Learner-Agency-in-the-Enhanced-PYP-e2k79b" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Podcast</span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="Making Teaching Audible" height="400" src="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/anchor-generated-image-bank/production/podcast_uploaded400/1203861/1203861-1542727654539-71fbca314838c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">created <span id="docs-internal-guid-18d23293-7fff-3df0-b9bd-75fa0f9cab16"><span style="color: #595959; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">using </span><a href="https://anchor.fm/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0097a7; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anchor.fm</span></a></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1khxtSf-FDQVYxDd4Zb6UU3_0Rz2y9w4k" target="_blank">Vlog (Video blog</a>)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="722" height="233" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sHlTKqobjI0/W_SZngnIGzI/AAAAAAAACyI/O0G0G31c4L0H6Q27O1rtnakHR-siV8EeACLcBGAs/s400/Vlog.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">created <span id="docs-internal-guid-fca0bc2b-7fff-0a2e-22fd-25488480bbc7"><span style="color: #595959; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">using </span><a href="https://flipgrid.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0097a7; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Flipgrid</span></a></span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1HGwwmS60ib2VT2xdABsJuQhmgDucAJD5" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Infographic</span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f0eb54a5-7fff-4c32-006b-76f1b558e266"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #595959; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">created using </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/drawings/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0097a7; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Google Draw</span></a></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://app.creately.com/diagram/RVC3WFk5pBt/view" target="_blank">Mindmap</a></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-86Y7n6lxjhA/W_VJkB2fr4I/AAAAAAAACy4/mMggVUMM8A0X9GZrItUotYlzDGOVi1siQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Learner%2BAgency%2BMindmap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-86Y7n6lxjhA/W_VJkB2fr4I/AAAAAAAACy4/mMggVUMM8A0X9GZrItUotYlzDGOVi1siQCEwYBhgL/s400/Learner%2BAgency%2BMindmap.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">created using </span><a href="https://app.creately.com/" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0097a7; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creately</span></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=16qdh4ts3rMPiV_aFyP7qPou1lUKSrLRg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Presentation</span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1177" height="227" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kXCa4gkk0PU/W_SanoL_MlI/AAAAAAAACyc/uU_CEfjoMbElvGHRl63OKzRC2h8BsjyswCLcBGAs/s400/Presentation.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After reading different sections of the new digital resource and exploring the teacher support materials, "PYP: From principles into practice", </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what will you create?</i><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-1528411475063882542018-11-19T13:05:00.000-08:002018-11-19T13:05:19.839-08:00Learner Agency in the Enhanced PYP<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learner Agency isn't a new concept in the Primary Years Programme (PYP). Those of us who have been teaching in the PYP for some time might not recognize the word "agency" but the idea of centering learning and teaching around learner voice, choice & ownership is one that we should all be familiar with.</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5jxZX8C_Gs/W_MhK5k0XLI/AAAAAAAACxc/QA9OZPHWkzEKIA2aURc1X13Wi9rBL48ZQCLcBGAs/s1600/Learner%2BAgency.PNG"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5jxZX8C_Gs/W_MhK5k0XLI/AAAAAAAACxc/QA9OZPHWkzEKIA2aURc1X13Wi9rBL48ZQCLcBGAs/s400/Learner%2BAgency.PNG" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">from "<a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XYTQ87MobRRy_rbijjh-sWM-JKD2Y2fP">Learner Agency</a>" a section from "The Learner" in "PYP: From Principles Into Practice"</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learner agency can be remembered as "voice, choice and ownership" which Bandura says "enable[s] people to play a part in their self-development, adaption, and self-renewal with changing times" (in <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XYTQ87MobRRy_rbijjh-sWM-JKD2Y2fP">Learner Agency</a>, IB 2018).<br /><br />The idea of agency is closely connected to <i>self-efficacy</i>, a belief in one's own ability to succeed. When learners believe in themselves and have a strong sense of identity, they are more likely to exercise agency.<br /><br />When <b>students </b>are agentive, they:<br /><ul>
<li>Take initiative, responsibility & ownership</li>
<li>Express interest</li>
<li>Make choices</li>
<li>Are aware of their own learning goals</li>
<li>Monitor and adjust their learning</li>
<li>Voice opinions</li>
<li>Influence and direct their own learning</li>
<li>Develop approaches to learning & dispositions</li>
</ul>
They also work <b>collaboratively with teachers </b>to:<br /><ul>
<li>Make decisions together</li>
<li>Create shared agreements</li>
<li>Create shared routines</li>
<li>Set up learning spaces</li>
<li>Reflect together</li>
</ul>
It is important to recognize that <b>teachers </b>cannot give learners agency, but rather they can create opportunities in which learners can exercise agency. They can do this by:<br /><ul>
<li>Working in partnership, building relationship</li>
<li>Actively listening</li>
<li>Respecting and responding to learner ideas</li>
<li>Noticing learners’ capabilities, needs and interests</li>
<li>Reflecting on when students need help, intervening & giving feedback</li>
<li>Establishing a welcoming culture</li>
<li>Modeling desired behavior and language</li>
</ul>
So what should PYP schools be doing, now that there is an increased emphasis on learner agency in the PYP? If you walked into a PYP that is dedicated and focused on giving students the chance you exercise learner agency, you would see:</span><div>
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<li>Students and teachers collaboratively creating learning engagements and assessments.</li>
<li>Students setting learning goals and monitoring progress.</li>
<li>Students fostering their own belief in themselves and their own ability to succeed.</li>
<li>Students being active, engaged participants in thinking and learning.</li>
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After reading the <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XYTQ87MobRRy_rbijjh-sWM-JKD2Y2fP">Learner Agency</a> section of the IB document "PYP: From Principles Into Practice", I'm inspired to take <b>ACTION</b>!</div>
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<li></li>
<li>I will <b>ADVOCATE </b>for learner agency in my school by</li>
<ul>
<li>Modeling what learner agency looks like for teachers during PD</li>
<li>Celebrating agentive learning when I see it by documenting it through pictures and videos on Twitter</li>
<li>Asking reflective questions in situations when learners are not exercising agency</li>
</ul>
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The question is, now that you know more about what learner agency is, how it is connected with self-efficacy and what teachers can do to provide students opportunities to exercise agency, <b><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT DO YOU FEEL INSPIRED TO DO?</span></b></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3South St Paul, MN44.869771 -93.0338603999999819.3477365 -134.34245439999998 70.3918055 -51.725266399999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987869035790344413.post-65564046250775793462018-09-30T10:17:00.003-07:002018-09-30T10:27:59.950-07:00Christopher Columbus: Hero or villain?<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Around this time of year, the debate over what October 12 should be called comes creeping into conversations online, in the break room, around the dinner table and in the classroom. The central question is: "Should we continue to honor Christopher Columbus or reclaim the day as Indigenous People's Day?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Currently at our school, in fifth grade, students are studying the <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vWUqhFzXGcrQsMYpNBvDkumnfzBI_8elkok1sO5HDzA/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000&slide=id.g661b93e51_0_193" target="_blank">transdisciplinary unit of inquiry where we are in place and time</a> as they explore the central idea: <b>expansion causes consequences</b>. During this unit, they inquire into decisions made by European explorers and colonizers, the causes of their actions, the changes that ensued whilst considering the perspectives of indigenous peoples and Africans who were affected by these Europeans.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To meaningfully dig into the ideas presented in the "Columbus Day v. Indigenous People's Day" debate, a fifth grade teacher with whom I work led her students through the <a href="https://www.avid.org/" target="_blank">AVID</a> strategy <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dxKZqvJG0v3RBdp3tYYWjv9W2CVYfWdp" target="_blank">Philosophical Chairs</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, she had students watch the <a href="https://youtu.be/GD3dgiDreGc" target="_blank">TED-Ed video History vs. Christopher Columbus by Alex Gendler</a>. As they watched, students took notes organized by a hero/villain t-chart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To prepare for Philosophical Chairs, she had the students practice with low-risk topics (and used <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1G6tKlI5wbAPKpeu6998lLHTwvhPQdThY" target="_blank">this slide deck</a> as support).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With each example, she promoted the use of <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tZ2euiWNs7DJzs3ELt9woTBVGhHD9I_a" target="_blank">academic language</a>, encouraging students to use the sentence stem below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To prepare further for philosophical chairs, we had the students watch the video one more time, adding to their notes they had previously taken. First, we had them pick a side: Columbus Day or Indigenous People's Day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then, as they watched the video, they were to look for evidence that would back up their opinion. To aid in their comprehension, we used an <a href="http://edpuzzle.com/media/5bad112775000e405a17c14f" target="_blank">EdPuzzle version of the video</a>, which periodically stops and suggests important pieces of evidence that they could potentially include in their t-chart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally, after all the preparation, students were ready to begin the routine of philosophical chairs. We had them write their opinion and one supporting piece of evidence on an index card and then separated the students by "Pro Columbus Day" on the west side of the room and "Pro Indigenous People's Day" on the east side.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The teacher facilitated the conversation by asking students to both share their opinions and supporting evidence and listen to the points provided by the alternative side of the argument. Students' attention to each other was evident as they shared their own evidence only after repeating what they had heard their peer say from the other side of the room. As students heard evidence that swayed their opinion, they changed sides of the room. Students remained engaged and civil throughout the conversation and brought up strong reasons for why they felt that either October 12 should be remain Columbus Day or be renamed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We closed the conversation by praising the students' participation and inviting the students to act on their learning:<span style="font-size: large;"> "Now that you know what you do about Christopher Columbus and the consequences of his actions, what will you <b><u>do</u></b> with this information?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the elementary classroom, there are certainly lots of ways to thoughtfully examine multiple perspectives of a contentious issue. The AVID strategy Philosophical Chairs is an impactful strategy that provides students an opportunity to develop inquiry, oral language and argumentation skills.</span></div>
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