Learning Menu: Social Studies

As promised, today we pivot from math learning menus to social studies with a healthy helping of English language arts integration.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/differentiating-instruction-strategy

Similar to the math learning menu introduction, today’s video features learning menu strategies organized around a three-course meal analogy.  In the featured 7th grade social studies class, the teacher offers the following “courses:”

Appetizers – A choice of activities requiring students to demonstrate comprehension of key details.

Entrées – A choice of activities wherein students demonstrate an ability to trace the development of central ideas and draw deeper inferences from the text.

Dessert – A choice of activities to challenge students to analyze and synthesize information from the text.

In addition to the video, you will notice a link to a Word document of the learning menu options showcased in the video.  The link is directly below the reflection questions to the right of the video player.

Thursday’s content du jour is science strategies!  We hope you find today’s dish delectable!

Learning Menu: Math, Using Technology

Our daily special is using technology as a math menu selection!

When used effectively, technology provides an ideal platform for math menu activities.  Although not explicitly showcasing “math menu” choices, today’s video certainly answers Marilyn Burns’ “The Big Three” questions, most especially how to keep students meaningfully engaged while working with students who need intensive teacher instruction.

Mr. Pronovost, the teacher in today’s video, models and explains how using two math games allows him to provide differentiated opportunities for students who finish individual practice early while he works with small groups who need additional scaffolding.

As a bonus, he also describes how he was able to secure both hardware and software in order to provide a well-rounded math program.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/differentiating-in-math

Today concludes our look at math menu strategies; we will turn our attention to language arts, social studies, and science learning menu strategies next week.   

Learning Menu: Math

In her article, “Using Math Menus,” Burns shares the underlying benefits and specific math menu items to strategically tackle “The Big Three” burning teacher questions (Burns, 2016, p. 40).

What do I do with students who finish their math assignments more quickly?

How can I free up time to work with students who need extra help?

How can I differentiate experiences to support struggling learners while also meeting the needs of students who require additional challenges

Here is one such menu item, entitled “The Game of Pathways.” We have summarized the strategy below, but we invite you to visit Marilyn Burns’ blog for in-depth directions at http://marilynburnsmathblog.com/wordpress/the-game-of-pathways/

Create 4X5 game board grids.

Complete the grid with “numbers that are products of two of the factors below the grid.”

Students play in pairs on the same board.

The goal is for each student to “X off” connected “pathways” of squares from one side of the grid to the other.

Player One chooses two factors and puts an “X” in the square with the product of the two factors.

Player Two changes one of the factors previously used and then puts an “X” on the product of the new two factors.

Players continue to change a factor from their opponent’s previous move.

The first player to finish a pathway wins the game.

Burns, M. (October 2016). Using math menus: giving students a menu of activities to choose from helps differentiate instruction and engage all learners. Educational Leadership, 74 (2), 40.

The Big Three: 3 questions all teachers ask

Welcome to December!  We have a delicious month of TXT4 Teachers planned: Magnificent Learning Menus!

In her article, “Using Math Menus,” Marilyn Burns identifies three questions most frequently asked by teachers:

What do I do with students who finish their math assignments more quickly?

How can I free up time to work with students who need extra help?

How can I differentiate experiences to support struggling learners while also meeting the needs of students who require additional challenges?

Burns calls these questions “The Big Three.”  (Burns, 2016, p. 40). Of course, replace “math” from question 1 with “reading,” “writing,” “science,” “art,” or the other content areas, and the question remains the same.  

In an effort to address “the Big Three,” we will provide one content specific “menu” strategy throughout the month.  We begin with math menu items, and we will share ELA, science, and social studies strategies as the month progresses.

To give you a “taste” of what is to come, take a look at this short video introducing the Math Menus.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/independence-in-learning

Bon appetit!

Burns, M. (October 2016). Using math menus: giving students a menu of activities to choose from helps differentiate instruction and engage all learners. Educational Leadership, 74 (2), 40.

No such thing as a "flop"

We have all been there.  You have spent hours pouring over your standards, sifting through ideas and resources, to get 15 minutes into a lesson and realize your students aren’t, shall we say, impressed. Crickets are chirping.  Or, utter confusion ensues. What do you do?

Even the most seasoned veterans experience a “flop” every now and then.  Today, we provide three tips to turn the flop into an opportunity.

Acknowledge it.  Tell students you see they are confused or not engaged, and you are going to change gears a bit.

Determine what’s up.  Using the think-pair-share strategy or quick write, ask students to articulate what they are finding confusing or difficult.

Some quick open-ended questions are:

Tell me in your own words what you understand about the topic.

What are you finding confusing?

What do you think you need to help you understand?

3. Switch it up.   Instead of whole group, teacher-centered instruction that relies heavily on language, have students act out directions or allow them to perform a non-verbal representation of the concept, such as a drawing or play-dough sculpture.

Finally, and most importantly, use the feedback gained from students to reflect on what was the cause of the “flop,” how you put on your Super Teacher cape to save the day, and what you can do to prevent future flops.  Then take a deep breath, and know you’re not alone.

Words to Inspire

Since this week is short, and sometimes inspiring or reflective words are their own special category of professional development, we are sharing an excerpt of an E.E. Cummings’ poem.

This poem reflects the one quality all teachers share: we are first learners, then teachers; knowing this truth, the act of teaching deepens our learning.   Cummings’ poetry is particularly wonderful with its intentionally opaque images, leaving the reader a chance to contemplate its meaning on multiple levels.*

We hope this poem provides a few moments of such contemplation, and we wish you a week full of gratitude and bounty.

You Shall Above All Things

you shall above all things be glad and young.

For if you’re young, whatever life you wear

it will become you; and if you are glad

whatever’s living will yourself become.

…

I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing

than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance.

                                                                       - E.E. Cummings

*For those of you not familiar with Cummings, he took great liberty with punctuation, capitalization and syntax.  We have maintained his usage in this excerpt but have used standard usage for the poem’s title and the author’s name.

Vocabulary Strategy

We are going to divert from our professional collaboration series for a nifty vocabulary strategy.

It’s incredibly simple, elegant, and can be used with any grade level. And, it’s colorful!

Without further adieu, let us introduce “Vocabulary Paint Chips.”

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/build-student-vocabulary

We hope you enjoy this short, sweet, and spiffy video!

Professional Collaboration: Reaping the Benefits

“Teachers have a million things to do every day, and if we did not share the work, we would have three times as much work than we have right now.”

Every classroom teacher, whether new to the profession or a 30-year veteran, will identify with these words, spoken by Barbara McCoy, a featured teacher in today’s chapter of our professional collaboration series.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/power-of-teacher-collaboration

This short video highlights how two veteran science teachers successfully collaborate.  Although their school provides a common prep period in order to facilitate their work, many teachers have found time to work together outside of the school day in order to reap the benefits of collaboration.

In addition to working together, both teachers speak to the reciprocal benefit of hosting a student teacher.  As you watch the video, consider:

How does collaboration with a colleague, whether formally or informally, ultimately “lighten the load” of teaching?

How does mentoring a novice teacher enhance the practice of a veteran teacher?

How can engaging in intentional conversations about one’s teaching serve as a means of reflection and, ultimately, improved professional practice?

Professional Collaboration: Let's do this effectively

“How Can We Collaborate Effectively? Norms and Team Effectiveness.”

Although the push for professional collaboration has been in vogue for a number of years, there is a wide-range of implementation practices, ranging from informal teaming to formal training of teacher leaders.

A typical practice of effective collaborative communities is the establishment of norms.  The Center for Adaptive Schools provides “The Seven Norms of Collaboration,” which is a useful tool for both new and well-established teams. A team can either adapt all seven norms or come to consensus on those that are best suited to their needs.  We are providing a copy of the “Seven Norms of Collaboration” below; a lovely PDF can also be found at www.adaptiveschools.com.

Additionally, the following Teaching Channel video, “Norms for Leadership and Learning” provides a glimpse at how one school establishes norms and the benefits of doing so.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teacher-team-success

Next week, we will take a look at how teams work to improve instruction in a variety of ways.  We hope you enjoy today’s resources, especially the alliteration in the “Seven Norms of Collaboration!

Pausing - Pausing before responding or asking a question allows time for thinking and enhances dialogue, discussion, and decision-making.

Paraphrasing - Using a paraphrase starter that is comfortable for you – “So…” or “As you are…” or “You’re thinking…” – and following the starter with an efficient paraphrase assists members of the group in hearing and understanding one another as they converse and make decisions.

Posing Questions - Two intentions of posing questions are to explore and to specify thinking. Questions may be posed to explore perceptions, assumptions, and interpretations, and to invite others to inquire into their thinking. For example, “What might be some conjectures you are exploring?” Use focusing questions such as, “Which students, specifically?” or “What might be an example of that?” to increase the clarity and precision of group members’ thinking. Inquire into others’ ideas before advocating one’s own.

Putting Ideas on the Table - Ideas are the heart of meaningful dialogue and discussion. Label the intention of your comments. For example: “Here is one idea…” or “One thought I have is…” or “Here is a possible approach…” or “Another consideration might be…”.

Providing Data - Providing data, both qualitative and quantitative, in a variety of forms supports group members in constructing shared understanding from their work. Data have no meaning beyond that which we make of them; shared meaning develops from collaboratively exploring, analyzing, and interpreting data.

Paying Attention to Self and Others - Meaningful dialogue and discussion are facilitated when each group member is conscious of self and of others, and is aware of what (s)he is saying and how it is said as well as how others are responding. This includes paying attention to learning styles when planning, facilitating, and participating in group meetings and conversations.

Presuming Positive Intentions  - Assuming that others’ intentions are positive promotes and facilitates meaningful dialogue and discussion, and prevents unintentional put-downs. Using positive intentions in speech is one manifestation of this norm.

Professional Collaboration: Teamwork makes a dream work

“You Are Not Alone:  The Power of Professional Collaboration”

In October, we examined various facets of developing our students into collaborative learners.  We began the month with Dr. Jeff Zweirs’ contention, “the process of learning is actually a social venture, and interactions such as conversations (and specifically academic conversations) [help] students to enhance and broaden their comprehension of a specific topic profoundly and in a meaningful way” (Zweirs, 2014).

What are teachers but lifelong learners?  If learning is “actually a social venture” for students, would not the same hold true for teachers?  Yet, teacher burn-out is frequently associated with a sense of isolation.

Hence, our November TXT4 Teachers will plunge into professional collaboration, which goes by many names such as “teaming,” “Professional Learning Communities (PLCs),” or “shared leadership.”  No matter the nomenclature, the intentional sharing of best practices, data analysis, and instructional planning holds the power to open previously closed classroom doors and transform this beloved profession.

We kick-off the month with “A History of Teaming,” which relates how one school’s teaming efforts have evolved.  As you watch the video, consider how the school exemplifies the definition of collaboration:  “teams of teachers who work interdependently to achieve common goals – goals linked to the purpose of learning for all – which members are held mutually accountable” [emphasis added] (DuFour, DuFour, and Eaker, 2008).

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teacher-teaming-evolution#video-sidebar_tab_video-guide-tab

Stay tuned for more tips and tools on Thursday!

Academic Dialogue: Broader Benefits

We are revisiting our tiny people with British accents!

Throughout October, we have contemplated myriad aspects of academic dialogue, from both a wide, philosophical lens and at other times, we dove into the nitty-gritty of specific structures and strategies.  We definitely have gone beyond “peanut butter and jelly partners!”

As we conclude this month’s journey, we broaden our perspective to the “why” of academic dialogue:  empowering our students to become empathetic, problem-solving, creative thinking citizens of the world.

http://www.edutopia.org/practice/wellbeing-developing-empathy-emotional-awareness-and-agency

You will see in the video and accompanying article that School 21 has their wellbeing curriculum built into their day.  American classroom teachers typically don’t have the luxury of a school-wide program such as this one.  Yet, the focus on open-ended dialogue based on concrete, authentic experiences and the structures to encourage these conversations can be adapted for any classroom.

School 21’s head of school, Oli de Botton, beautifully summarizes the ultimate goal:  “We want our children to have power and control over their lives, a sense of belonging, and to feel that we can grow here.  We want to give them the experiences and support to do all of these things.”

Be ready to be inspired.  

Academic Dialogue: Collaborative vs. Cooperative learnig

Surprisingly enough, collaborative learning and cooperative learning are similar but not the same.  We aren’t breaking out our Venn diagrams to compare and contrast these two terms, but our first video today will provide a succinct and thorough explanation of the difference.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/collaboration-vs-cooperative-learning-nea

Of course, a good explanation requires a follow-up example.  As such, we have a second short video illustrating the “1-3-6 Collaborative Group Work Protocol.”

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/1-3-6-protocol

• A few question to ponder as you view these videos….
  
• Do my small group discussions reflect more cooperative or collaborative learning?
  
• What learning situations in my classroom call for cooperative learning?What learning situations in my classroom call for collaborative learning?
  
• What strategies encourage true collaborative learning?
  

Academic Dialogue: Speaking Well is Key

Oracy: A fancy word for the “ability to speak well.”  The good news is it is already occurring in your classroom, and it is the heart and soul of academic dialogue.

Today’s video showcases School 21, a British school that reflects as much ethnic, racial, and economic diversity as any American school.  And, similar to our Arizona College and Career Readiness Standards, School 21 recognizes “speaking is a huge priority [as] it’s one of the biggest indicators of success later in life.”

Just like our previous Edutopia videos, this one features not only “in action” examples, but also a full article providing details about implementation.

You will note similarities to previously highlighted strategies, yet the focus on developing speaking skills and students analyzing their conversations provides another dimension to the topic.

The tiny people with British accents are a bonus, too!

Academic Dialogue: Deep Listening

In an effort to engage our students in a discussion, the art of deeply listening is sometimes overlooked.  The various academic dialogue techniques discussed in previous TXT4 Teachers have included components of active listening: paraphrasing and seeking clarity for what one hears.  Deep listening, however, is distinguished by “listening over hearing and connecting over responding.  In relationships, deep listening means acknowledging others’ emotions so they are heard.  In careers, deep listening means developing productive communication by listening to understand, not merely to reply” (Heusterberg-Richards, 2016).

Instead of a video, today we offer a thoughtful Edutopia blog post from Amy Heutersberg-Richards, “Deep Listening Activities for Academic Discussions.”

http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/deep-listening-activities-academic-discussions

We invite you to visit her post for a full description of the following deep listening activities:

Follow the Thread Discussion

Conversation Circle

Acknowledgment Transitions

Paused Pair-and-Shares

Inviting Quietness

Undoubtedly, these activities are adaptable to all grade levels and content areas.  The challenge, of course, is to intentionally implement one or more of the strategies and consistently build them into either small or whole group discussion protocols.  Imagine the pay-off, however, as students learn to “better know each other’s ideas…It can mean a more inclusive atmosphere where all voices feel respected and where moments of silence are welcome.”

Academic Dialogue: Cute Kinders give Peer Feedback

Thus far this month, we have primarily examined small group academic discussions.  Today, we will visit kindergarteners who are holding peer feedback discussions that would knock the socks off of many adults!

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/growth-mindset-young-students

Academic dialogue tends to be synonymous with small groups.  True, intentional, and thoughtful small group conversations are fertile ground for growing a plethora of academic and social skills.  However, this video exemplifies how a well-structured whole-group peer feedback session:

Provides specific, meaningful peer feedback on a writing assignment

Affords students an opportunity to set their own revision goals based on success criteria

Builds respectful dialogue and active listening skills

Encourages a growth mindset for both students and teachers

Upper grades will especially appreciate the incredible gift this kindergarten teacher is giving her young students by empowering them with these experiences.  Plus, they are super cute!

Academic Dialogue: Taking it to the next level

“The world increasingly relies on people to work together to collaboratively solve problems.” - Dan St. Louis, Principal of University Park Campus School.

Dan St. Louis’s statement imparts yet another nuanced case for ensuring structured and scaffolded student-to-student academic dialogue.  Lucky for us, University Park Campus School is spotlighted in today’s video!

Last week, we examined directly teaching “talk moves” in order to provide students with an academic discussion framework.   Today’s installment, “Teaching Group Work:  Building Student Collaboration and Agency,” provides a more complex method for not only stimulating academic dialogue, but also for creating truly interdependent, problem-solving group work.

http://www.edutopia.org/practice/teaching-group-work-building-student-collaboration-and-agency

This Edutopia video includes a detailed explanation of the school’s seven-step process for “building student collaboration and agency.”

The seven-steps employed by the school are:  

Help Students Experience Group Work Through Warm-up Activities

Share How People Learn in Different Ways

Build Comfort Around Speaking in a Group

Give Students Roles

Create a Strong Group-Work ProgramGroup Students by Their Complementary Strengths

Assess Group Work

As you view the video, you might think about:

Why are Steps 1-3 important to laying the foundation for successful collaborative learning?

How can teachers use Steps 4-7 to strategically meet individual learners’ needs? (Hint: Take a close look at Step 6).

Bonus alert:  Hyperlinks to nifty resources appear throughout and at the end of article.   You definitely won’t want to skip either the video or the article!

Academic Dialogue: Talk Moves in Academic Discussions

It’s October, and the first quarter is about to wrap-up.  You have worked hard to establish collaborative learning structures.  Students are well-versed in procedures such as, “Talk to your shoulder partner.  Jelly goes first.” They are champs in signaling completion of their discussion.  Yet, you feel their conversations are simply repeating what you have already told them.  You are wondering how to move beyond surface-level discussions.

Today’s video is “Talk Moves in Academic Discussions,” which features scaffolds in the form of sentence frames that directly teach students how to engage in an academic conversation.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-ells-to-participate-in-discussions-ousd

The video showcases English Language Development students applying the talk moves to their discussion.  Without a doubt, these scaffolds are critical for ELD students in their English language acquisition.  However, providing a framework for discussion benefits all students in developing their expressive language proficiency.

Of course, in the beginning these talk moves may be a bit stilted, but as they are afforded myriad opportunities to apply them, students develop into champion academic conversationalists!

Academic Dialogue: Beyond the Basics

The idea of structured, academic dialogue has received great attention in recent years.

This attention is well-deserved; Stanford University professor Dr. Jeff Zweirs provides clear justification for increasing academic dialogue as “the process of learning is actually a social venture, and interactions such as conversations (and specifically academic conversations) [help] students to enhance and broaden their comprehension of a specific topic profoundly and in a meaningful way” (Zweirs, 2014).  Yet, Dr. Zweirs’ research found most classroom academic conversations are dominated by teachers, robbing students of the rich opportunity to actively engage in a learning dialogue with their peers.  Armed with this knowledge, teachers have made a concerted effort to increase structured student-to-student conversations. As a result, students are now talking to each other much more often than in the past.

“Peanut butter and jelly partners” are probably familiar to most teachers, especially those teaching elementary-aged students.  It is an accessible strategy for creating “think-pair-share” partner groups to ensure equal participation and individual accountability.  The danger, however, is sometimes these sharing opportunities are merely a recitation of facts or lower-level comprehension.

Without a doubt, structures are a necessary foundation for academic conversations that foster deep and extended learning.  We are going to take this base even further this month as we share various resources to deepen teachers’ academic conversation toolkit.

To get us started, here are Dr. Zweirs’ “Think-Pair-Share Tips.”

In Think-Pair-Shares, students should:

Think about the possible responses and how best to say them in connected sentences (They can write them down, too, but shouldn’t read them when talking)

Interact face to face (face each other)

Take turns talking

Listen to remember, connect, and compare to what the partner says.

Give evidence from the book, discussions, or own life.

Ask clarifying questions to know more   (Do you mean that…? Why do you think that? Where does it say that? Did you get that from a random website? Tell me more about…)

Zweirs, J. (2014). Academic language literacy: tools & resources. Retrieved from

http://www.jeffzwiers.com/ and    http://jeffzwiers.org/tools–resources.html

Assessment Strategies: One Final Word

Throughout this month, we have explored strategies for incorporating authentic and formative assessments into daily practice.  Our videos have featured math, language arts, and collaborative assessment practices from a span of grade levels.

Today’s video movingly depicts the aim of all teachers:  graduating seniors who are ready to take on the world, as evidenced by a culminating “defense of deeper learning.”

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/college-success-portfolio-defense-structure-eed

Whether one teaches kindergarten or high school, all educators will appreciate how the teachers and students featured in this video demonstrate the power of many formative assessments culminating into this final articulation of deeply personal, while also academic, learning.

You might want to have a tissue nearby, especially towards the end.

Assessment Strategies: Low Tech + High Tech

Today’s installment of awesome assessment strategies contains two short Teaching Channel videos.  One is high-tech and the other is low-tech, and both have great applications for the busy classroom teacher!

Our “low-tech” example is the use of “infinitely usable folders” for practice and formative assessment.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/streamline-teaching-practices

Our “high-tech” example is especially useful for classrooms equipped with Chromebooks or other one-to-one technology.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/student-assessment-with-tech

Some points to consider as you view these short videos are:

How does the teacher’s use of this strategy allow for differentiated practice?

What important information can a teacher gather in real-time about students’ progress ?

How might this strategy be applied to other content areas?

How do students benefit from a mixture of low- and high-tech assessment strategies?

Josh Kwon, the teacher featured in the “Using Tech Tools for Formative Assessment” video, has a link to connect with him via Twitter.  The link is found underneath the reflection questions to the right of the video player.