So sorry for this late posting - last week was a whirlwind for me! I was out Wednesday, Thursday and a 1/2 day Friday - each day was a different sub. On top of that, I had a new student start on Friday! Anyway...
Here are a few of the takeaways I had from Chapter 1 - please share your thoughts and/or experiences on these topics or share some takeaways you had from this chapter:
Page 5 "...asking the right questions is one of the most important steps in problem solving. Before we can solve the problem, we have to define it." What are we trying to achieve? What do we want to know?
Page 8 "...relevancy is the biggest key to retention." AMEN to this statement. If a student knows why they need to know something and/or if we can relate it to their life, they are much more likely to remember the topic and have a vested interest in learning. I try to relate every standard and learning objective to real life. Ex: Why do we need to know improper fractions & mixed numbers? Ever plan to cook? Double a recipe?
Page 13 "Yet pursuing anything valuable or important means you have to be willing to fail." Every student (and adult) needs to know it is ok to fail as long as you learn from it. Not everything in life will come easy for them. We need to create an environment for them that allows failure and turns it into teachable moments - it's ok, now what do we know going forward, what did we learn?
Page 15 "...let's provide them with experiences to grow by collaborating, creating a culture of positive failure, and allowing them the freedom to research and pursue what is important to them." Ah, freedom - choice. This can be a key piece to the puzzle. If they choose what they research and/or how they share what they have learned, they will be much more invested in the process. If they are allowed to fail along the way, they will remember their path and have pride in their results. I'll tell my kids in my class every week - "It's ok to struggle. I want you to struggle. You need to try it on your own before you run to me for the answers." I also love the focus on collaborating. In my classroom, we focus on what we learned from others in our groups and how they could create some thoughts in our minds, they gave us a seed to grow from. I feel they also need to learn to work with EVERYONE. They most likely will have a future class, professor, student, co-worker, that they may not necessarily get along with or enjoy. They need to know how to work positively with anyone and everyone in order for them to be successful and continue to grow and learn.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts - thanks for sharing!
pg 5: Asking the right questions in mathematics is very important. In all of my training the number one topic of teaching math is asking the right types of questions. There is that fine line with math, in helping a student, and telling how to do it. Asking the right types of questions furthers their thinking process.
ReplyDeletepg 7: My goal in my classes was perfectly demonstrated. The book stated that each semester I select a few successes from the previous year to repeat and then come up with new ideas and projects for the next years students. My goal as a first year teacher was that every year I taught I would add in new projects or discoveries. (in Geometry) This is now my 4th year teaching and I have about half of my chapters have a fun innovating activity. Doing them all at once was a chore. So I decided each year I would add something new.
pg 9. I love that when I create the projects from above that students take ownership of their own education. They get excited and involved. Trying to relate it to their lives is what I strive to do.
pg 10. The only aspect that I question with this type of learning and environment is when students get to college. As of now...students that are in a "new Tech" environment struggle when they get to higher education. In college many classes as you all know are sit still, take notes, no homework, and 4 tests then your final. Some students do not know how to learn this way because in prior years they get to do group projects and teachers provide notes. There needs to still be the process to succeed in college. Or does College need to shift teaching techniques?
I love the quote on page 9 about "I'm here to help facilitate learning, help manage projects, and make connections." I worked on brainstorming books they were interested in (which they struggle with) and then locating them in libraries and on-line. It was amazing to see how engaged and more interested they were.
ReplyDeleteIt's an advantage to teach in a subject area that isn't "on the test" so to speak. It gives me the opportunity to constantly reinvent. The hard part is actually doing it! The quote, "students are asked to take ownership of their education." might be the most difficult and challenging component to innovation in the classroom. I often feel like I'm working harder than my students. Students are not natural risk takers when it comes to learning. They are afraid to make a mistake, get an answer wrong or venture out on their own. Holding their hands through a project is what they expect. I have really had to rethink my approach to assessment and helping them to find out what is important. It keeps it fun though.
ReplyDeletepg 13-"Collaboration is at the heart of why we need an Innovation Class model." I think this is so important and to see it is refreshing. Students should not be learning alone. Better learning comes from collaboration.
ReplyDeleteI also like the thought to "make do with what we have." It does make sense that this brings about innovation, creativity.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges in education is getting students to see that failing is a part of learning and it's okay! Maybe that is partly because we as adults can find it difficult to fail overall. If we would allow ourselves as well as our students the freedom to fail, I think we would all do much better, perhaps be more willing to take risks and in turn really learn and grow.
As I'm reading more thoughts come to mind, our assessment pieces need to change based on this process. Our current tools don't assess a great deal of creativity or innovation. Another idea is to have more business people come into our classrooms to share more relevant ideas and purposes for learning. This book should be required for all educators to keep our teaching inspired and relevant!
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