Module 24: Identifying the Focus of a Unit? (pgs. 289-297)
Please share your thoughts on this Module including the ideas for Recommendations for Classroom Practice:
- Considering a focus on knowledge
- Considering a focus on issues
- Considering a focus on student exploration
Question 10-Module 24
ReplyDeleteWe want students to acquire new skills and knowledge. How we get there logically is important. Thankfully the district provides us standards and a map that helps me plan logically. This is much different than 30 years ago when I was handed a set of manuals and was told to teach. So I started on page 1.....
The learning goals we have now make lessons more powerful. My instruction can focus on issues and have students generate and test hypotheses. After progress is made, students can identify an issue they want to explore. I see that part as a very complex task to accomplish.
Box it and Bag it. This was a math program that allowed students to learn math while exploring math. I LOVED it. Students would talk about math and experiment with their learning. Yes, they learned the basic facts but they also learned why. It is interesting that research is now swinging back to support the student exploring with blocks and building in the lower grades. This time for them to build with blocks leads them to the time to understand how the part becomes a whole or two half blocks make one whole block when building a wall. Explorations isn't just for Science!!
ReplyDeleteI think the district does a good job setting those goals for the lessons, what the focus is, and ultimately what knowledge students should walk away with. I've changed my teaching from skills focused to diving into the stories and finding new connections meanings from them. I find that students now discuss more about what we are learning they I've ever seen them before. Our new focus with instructional guides have made learning fun again.
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