After reading Situated Cognition and the ABC's/AeCTS, the part that stuck with me the most was, taking concepts as the tools. It is so important that students are learning the "concepts" as tools. As learned in the article, students have to know how to apply or use the tool in order to fully understand the tool. So often I worry about teaching them and preparing them for how to use the "tool" and practice and practice how to hold the tool, when you use the tool but not often enough do I step back and say OK now go use the tool in a real life situation. For example, in math teaching third graders money, an how to count money, when you use money, how to make change, those show knowledge of the tool, but not application of the tool. I personally am not a fan of history so I am guilty of sticking to the curriculum, making sure they know the standards, and moving on. I realize I need to step back and see how I can make it more authentic, because most of the standards with the exception of ancient civilizations apply to the 21st century culture that I can connect to.
I thought the doctor diagnosis activity we did together was so cool. After my "Ahh Ha moment," that we are doing what we learned about in the articles and class discussions, I immediately started brainstorming ideas on how to incorporate and simulate something similar in my third grade classroom. Let me know if you guys come up with any cool ideas you would like to share as well.
I have learned that I need more application in examples that a 21st student will see that involves PICKLE in order to ensure full understanding through authentic activities. I feel like it is similar to hand holding your child, it is hard to let go and trust that what you have taught them will shine through and be applied and recalled when doing an authentic activity. I always tell my mom you raised me well, trust that I am going to make the right decision and use what you have taught me......I guess I should take my own advice........ I know personally coming from first grade last year, I have to realize my class is capable and it is ok for them to struggle at first to help them learn if they are not grasping right away. That also builds the communication with the class to help solve collectively. As we learned through the name game the first class, we don't all need to remember each piece of information, but collectively we know a lot more than one person can.
Same page--would love ideas for how to do something like the medical activity in class!! Money is such a great topic for incorporating authentic activities, especially if you have a classroom economy/rewards system related to money. This year, my class has "debit cards" that hold their cashed-out Class Dojo points, and every couple weeks I'm hosting a shopping spree. I've had one so far, and there was so much little math they had to do (ex: I have 35 points, how many $2 raffle tickets can I buy for that and still have $3 left for an eraser?). And they thought I would figure it out for them--ha ha ha good one!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel like I don't hold my class's hand enough and I expect them to just be capable. And then I remember how old they are. I guess you and I need to meet in the middle haha!
We did something similar with our first graders last year! Nothing past a dollar for them but they earned a penny for good deeds, completed work, or doing something without being asked. They were then able to exchange their pennies for larger coins. We did it for most of the second semester and I am curious to see if it pays off with their second grade math teacher and making change for less than $2.
DeleteThat is funny! A mixture of the two of us would be great! But the credit card is adaptive to this culture so it's not wrong to do such an activity. I mean how many people still pay with cash.
DeleteI have found that each year, I think my kids this year are less "independent," though perhaps it's more that they expect me to "help" them by telling them what to do. The kids expect a lot from us, but I know they're capable. I find even with my older daughter, she expects me to tell her every night if her dirty clothes should go in the light or dark laundry basket. How can I PICKLE this so she will understand how and why to sort her clothes without having to "pink" an entire load of lights to show her? This is problem-solving for real-life situations, right??
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to think about a scenario for the soil unit where farmers are trying to set up an experimental farm somewhere (on Earth, the Moon, etc), and they need guidance on getting the right soil composition. Of course, we usually rip through the soil unit on our way to the ecosystems and animal adaptations unit... Or maybe a soil webquest?
As for the ancient civilizations, we've tried having the students act as time-travel agents, creating travel brochures to visit places in Ancient Greece and Rome to see the origins or examples of different contributions from those civilizations. The kids have taken us to the Parthenon, Colosseum, Olympia, and others. We originally envisioned this as a Google Earth activity, but I haven't figured out how to use Google Earth for saved "tours" yet. That's one of my goals. Can anyone teach me how to save tours on Google Earth?
Awesome idea! I was thinking of doing something with the civilization units as well. We might need to collaborate on that!
DeleteI agree with statement in the last paragraph - I want to create projects that promote 21st century students. Last year we were one of pilot schools for Personalized Learning. I set up my room in learning rotations and turned a lot of control over to the students. It was definitely scary - but we built a learning community where students worked in groups on various activities and I say a dramatic difference in their ability to problem solve and think critically. I don’t think I had all of the elements of PICKLE represented but I know the students were learning in ways that excited them and their application of what they learned exceeded my expectations. I am hoping to create math rotations that will encourage the same type of learning community that can take ownership of their learning.
ReplyDeleteI agree that through math stations it is a little easier to represent and have the students assist each other. I find it to be more challenging however in other areas such as content or even language arts.
DeleteI find students that are less independent are that way because they have been told "No that's not the right way, it’s this way" and then it is corrected for them but they don't get to try again for themselves. They are not given the chance to do things on their own as often as in the past because it is faster for someone else to just do it for them. We are living in a very fast paced world where we are always rushing to do the next thing so the chance to learn and do it not always given. This is something we are working really hard on in kindergarten. We are a month into school and I am teaching kids to open their apple sauce on their own. They will make a mess the first time or two but the more they practice on their own the less of a mess they will make. By the time they get to first grade they will be doing it on their own with no mess at all and that will save the teacher a lot of time at the beginning of the year.
ReplyDeleteYou can give your students a PICKLE in their unit about money like Caroline suggested. It will get them ready for a 21st century on a smaller scale and they will learn and have fun in the process.