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#Post#: 41--------------------------------------------------
Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: mdavidson
Date: June 20, 2011, 9:37 am
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I found the part about students learning how to monitor their
own understanding after being in classrooms where teachers check
understanding consistently. Sometimes it is easy to assume that
students can and do automatically monitor their learning.
However, I've come to know that this isn't the case. Some
simply do not develop these skills on their own. The idea of
pairing such students with students who have these skills
developed seems like a simple yet effective strategy in
providing them with effective models. This also reminds us that
there is much to be said for having 'lower' students in with
'higher' students for learning activities. I believe they can
learn much from the their peers.
#Post#: 42--------------------------------------------------
Re: Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: Susie
Date: June 20, 2011, 2:58 pm
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I liked the reminder about Understanding By Design, which I
initially used after I took the class, but have been less
dilligent about doing. Also the guidelines for "Accountable
Talk" made a great deal of sense. The rubrics for retelling
fiction and informational texts look very good. I wonder how I
can tie some of this in with the new reading period. I
especially like the share partner's ideas--if nothing else, this
will require active listening. But I think it will also be a
useful technique for students to have as it is used more often
in adult settings. That particular technique was actually used
last weekend at the Wyoming Writers pre-session, requiring us to
introduce ourselves to one other person, interview that person,
then introduce that person to the group. It was a great
reminder about listening skills. It was far too easy to get
caught up in the other person's story and forget to take notes.
Focusing on the purpose is necessary.
#Post#: 44--------------------------------------------------
Re: Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: Karen
Date: June 20, 2011, 4:45 pm
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This was very interesting to read about the different methods of
checking for understanding. I haven't experienced most of the
methods written about. Mostly I have encountered (and used) the
questions mentioned at the very beginning, and the
initiate-respond-evaluate method. I realized they were not
always effective, but knew no other way. Now the hard part is
how do I take what I am reading and implement it into real life
teaching situations?
#Post#: 46--------------------------------------------------
Re: Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: Julie
Date: June 21, 2011, 8:00 am
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Pairing students into learning partners is really a difficult
task. It is easy to say that the high students should be with a
lower student, but that isn't the only trait that you need to be
concerned with in pairing students. You also have to consider
whether the high student will ask questions to really find out
what the low student does know. Sometimes the low students will
just give up when placed with a high student because they feel
intimidated. Giving students guided questions to use in their
pair shares becomes very important so that each partner can
answer. You also have to know when it is better to have the
high student answer first to model for the lower student and
when it is better to have the lower student answer first so that
they can give the obvious answer and then hear an answer that
they might not have considered. I think that it was Kevin
Feldman that talked about this and made the reference of low
hanging fruit. That we should make it easy for our struggling
learners to give an answer either the obvious one or one that is
modeled. I try to use sentence starters also to give the
students the support they might need in answering questions. In
the primary grades I believe that we need to do more modeling,
but it can't be done without two teachers. So. how would that
work? Any ideas? Maybe we could use some of the awesome subs
who are taking this class! The kids need to hear good partner
sharing throughout the year.
#Post#: 47--------------------------------------------------
Re: Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: Carol Powers
Date: June 21, 2011, 9:47 am
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I agree with Julie's comment. Some higher students do a very
effective job of pair sharing, but then there are those that
want to be the only one that shares or else they soemtimes make
their partners feel inadequate and stupid. I agree that more
teacher modeling would be effective. I need to take the time at
the beginning of the year and then I wouldn't waste the
student's time correcting them on how to do it. I think it is
easier to pair share in reading and math. I don't do as much in
science or social studies because of time. I really liked the
idea of the Whip around.
#Post#: 48--------------------------------------------------
Re: Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: Margaret
Date: June 21, 2011, 12:35 pm
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These are some really good idea, some I am familiar with but
several are new to me. I especially like the idea of using
small groups to explore the reason that an answer may be either
correst or incorrect. This would surely help students feel more
at ease about sharing.
#Post#: 49--------------------------------------------------
Re: Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: Adrian
Date: June 21, 2011, 1:37 pm
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This is really good information. I wonder how this can be
implemented retroactivelly for the benefit of many of the adults
I know. I can't count the number of times I have heard "I hear
what your saying," as only a somewhat polite way of getting back
to that person's viewpoint. The fact is, they haven't been
listening at all, just planning their next comment. I am as
guilty as anyone. I guess my hope is, that if these strategies
can be taught to a new generation, maybe more effective
communication can be achieved. You may be able to tell, I don't
view these communitaction techniques as only useful in checking
for understanding in school.
#Post#: 50--------------------------------------------------
Re: Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: Patsie
Date: June 21, 2011, 4:33 pm
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I have been exposed as a student to this way of teaching and it
is effective at any age I would say. I have also observed it
done and always enjoy the process. I haven't much practise in
implementing it but look forward to doing so when I can. It does
make the subject more interesting and you are much more apt to
pay attention.
#Post#: 51--------------------------------------------------
Re: Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: Hans
Date: June 22, 2011, 9:12 am
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Sorry this is so late. For week 2, on "How We Teach," I
appreciated the fact that there is really nothing new under the
sun. Right now I'm working in Powell with the high school
summer school program. Recently, Powell had a large infusion of
money and decided to use it to purchase Ipads for every teacher
in the district - AND every middle and high school student.
Everyone knows that these are supposed to generate good lessons,
and some kind of alternative learning, but nobody seems to have
a clearly defined idea of just how that's supposed to work. I'm
not against technology, far from it, but I question how giving
every student expensive technology is going to help increase
student achievement in any measurable way. The model we have
been hammered with for the past 50+ years was and is still the
most effective way to teach. Clear objectives, build background
knowledge, chunks in lessons with guided practice opportunities
at regular intervals, and informal assessment on a continual
basis. I think the problems arise with the common lesson plans
and core standards. It can be very difficult to get teachers on
the same page academically. We are stubborn creatures, and
usually think our way of doing things is best. Teacher
innovation and creativity are great things, but must not be
sacrificed to student learning and growth on the larger stage.
#Post#: 52--------------------------------------------------
Re: Checking For Understanding Chap 1-2
DIR By: Anne
Date: June 22, 2011, 9:37 am
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I have occasionally tried a different kind of checking for
understanding in kindergarten. One example is acting out a story
that was read and that was quite familiar such as a folk tale
like the Three Billy Goats Gruff. This didn't take as much time
as I thought it might because the only prop I needed was readily
available as a little wooden bridge. When I was reading the part
in the chapter about retelling I thought of this experience.
Once the children were near the little wooden bridge I assigned
parts and scaffolded help in acting out the story. It was
illuminating to me to see who could easily act out and remember
the phrases from the story and who had trouble. I saw the need
for more chances to practice modeling complete sentences and
thought that on occasion this method of retelling could have
great application in my classroom to practice the skill of
summarizing at an age appropriate level. It doesn't have much
application for retelling articles but for stories, I found it
helpful when I could find a few minutes of time.
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