We are constantly reminded of what is and what is not developmentally appropriate for elementary children within their learning environments as we make instructional decisions day in and out. The picture above demonstrates an old joke: Is the baby reading to learn from the encyclopedia on his lap? John Hattie in his book 'Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 MetaAnalyses Related to Achievement "(2008) identified over 138 educational strategies that impact student achievement. The first was student self-reported grades which means that students set goals of success for themselves. They are aware of their chances of success with a particular task and therefore are willing to take risks. For instance, I know my multiplication facts well therefore I am willing to perform math problems that will involve the multiplication process. The number two strategy was entitled Piagetian Programs. Does this take us all back? Well..as any educational theorist will remember, Jean Piaget's view of children and how they learn was based on physical and mental maturation. In other words, as children grow so does their ability to reason from the concrete to the abstract. When you left your pre-service education courses behind you probably thought "Surely all the programs in the schools I will teach in will keep this mind!" Sorry...not so much. Even the Common Core State Standards don't tell you how to teach just what is expected after a year's instruction at a particular grade.
Having a community of best practice within our schools relies on the supposition that all teachers have internalized a bit of educational theory and research that supports effective student learning regardless of what programs are available. Hattie's term Piagetian Programs basically reminds us that teachers need to understand child development, how necessary it is to assess students to find out where they are and to allow enough flexibility to make the adjustments students need to be successful. Piaget promoted the idea that a child's thinking does not develop in smooth increments, instead there are certain points in a kiddo's learning that it "takes off" and moves into completely new areas and capabilities. For example, in my school we use the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System and the resulting data analysis continually supports this idea that within a year many transitions in a student's learning takes place and we have to make curricular decisions based on this growth. Piaget's stages are as follows:
Of course, Vygotsky and Bruner later emphasized the importance of language and social interaction with other people which allows children to learn as well. The Common Core's Speaking and Listening standards support their and others research around the social nature of human knowledge acquisition.
Why does this topic of conversation matter to me?
1) I participated in Chris Lehman's fabulous and free #Fall2015EdCollabGathering last Saturday where I "sat in" on the closing presentation by Kristi Mraz and Christine Hertz where mindsets, goal-setting and student success were discussed as it related to the research that supports their new book "A Mindset For Learning: Teaching the Traits of Joyful, Independent Growth". Being a part of Personal Learning Networks are where educators get to exchange ideas, resources and suggestions with like minded colleagues. PLNs are very Piaget and Vygotsky!
2) Since the start of school, I have participated in grade level meetings where in-school programs are discussed and teachers troubleshoot what is not working for their kiddos and which solutions we need to find to support effective learning.
3) My belief that it's about the children in the classroom and valuing what they bring to us first before we teach what we want them to know and finding a way for them to have more moments of success rather than frustration during a day of a teacher's instruction.
How can we empower each other to make the best decisions and choices for our students?
Shedding Light: Being a part of a Personal Learning Network definitely allows educators to share ideas, resources and information that allows our profession to prosper and our students to excel.
"Live in rooms full of light"- Cornelius Celsus
No comments:
Post a Comment