Article Analysis and Topic Selection graphic organizers help scholars organize information.
Graphic organizers are great tools to use with reading assignments or when helping students organize ideas and thought processes. When scholars are assigned text to read they should also write down key facts from the text. Graphic organizers help scholars organize information and ideas that are related to a text. Graphic organizers can also be used to help scholars with researching information. Many times students will “copy and paste” information into a research paper or project and claim their work as their own. However, to help scholars understand the researched information, writing is required. Writing helps students process the information obtained from various text. So, when they are given a graphic organizer on which to write down information they have researched, they begin to understand the information better; it also helps the teacher identify which scholars are actually researching information and which students need gentle guidance. In addition, scholars then begin using their own ideas and voices in finished research projects or papers. Using a graphic organizer for the first time? Teachers should always make sure they model how to use a graphic organizer for their scholars before assigning it to ensure that scholars understand how to use graphic organizers correctly. Graphic organizers are a favorite tool of teachers and scholars. During a conferencing session with about 23 scholars, when asked what learning activity they liked most in class, 13 scholars mentioned they liked working with specific graphic organizers, such as the Mind Joggers (See Image 1). Mind Joggers are a great tool to use with vocabulary, content-specific terms, and even math computation. The Mind Jogger in Image 1 focused on science terms and a few check for understanding questions that were based on the text scholars read in class. So, this week try using a graphic organizer with scholars as they read text or solve math problems.
Image 1
Mind Joggers help scholars learn content-specific vocabulary and check for understanding about a specific text.
The Pandemic has helped some people forget about social skills, such as greeting one another. Many times I read emails that do not contain a greeting, it just jumps straight to the point. What happened to saying “hello” and asking each other “how are you doing?” Greeting others is a social skill that is closely connected to the core value “respect.” Practice greeting each other:
Look the other person in the eyes.
Say in a kind way, “hi or hello.”
Ask in a kind way, “how are you doing?” Wait for a response. Be kind and interested in others.
These three steps seem so difficult especially when individuals do not know one another well. This social skill is not just for children/scholars, but for the adults too; adults should model social skills for children and young adults. If you are a teacher, parent, or both, you should be modeling for your children and scholars appropriate and acceptable social skills. We have been hiding behind the screens of our devices for so long until we do not know how to interact with each other in a “kind, respectful way.” Maybe we (adults) are out of practice too, but let’s begin practicing this week with our children and scholars. So let’s greet each other with a smile.
Planning for instruction is vital for effective teaching and learning. Teachers must plan out every minute of instructional time to ensure scholars remain on task. Mr. Benjamin Franklin said it well, “failure to plan, is planning to fail.” This famous saying should be the cornerstone of every teacher’s pedagogy. Planning the different areas of classroom instruction produces successful outcomes for both teachers and scholars. Effective planning begins with an instructional planning tool, such a plan book or planning template (See Image 2). There are five key areas that should be included in well-planned classroom instruction: the standards, learning objectives, learning activities (class agenda), assessment of and for learning, and the closing. Each of these components are vital to successful classroom instruction. (I am a science teacher, so most of the content will connect to a science topic as example but all the information shared can be used across content.)
Standards
The standards are the roadmap for classroom instruction; they provide a guide to teachers as they plan other ares of instruction. Whether the standards are Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (ELA and Math), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), or standards for Social Studies the standards are the first thing teachers should review.
Standards are considered skills to be mastered by the end of a particular grade level. For example the standard in Image 1 shows a middle school Earth Science Standard. Students who demonstrate understanding should be able to do the actions on the right side of image 1. Standards like the one shown have to be “unpacked” because there are more than one skill in each standard. Unpacking standards requires teachers to determine what students should be able to do once they demonstrate an understanding of the standard; students should be able to analyze and interpret data that focuses on catastrophic events that inform the development of technologies that will prevent such events. Once the standards are unpacked, learning objectives can be created based on the skills of the standards. Reviewing the standards should be the first stop for every teacher who is planning for instruction. Look at the verbs in the standards to better understand what scholars should be able to do once the standard is mastered.
Image 1
MS-ESS3-2.
Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects
Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS)
Image 2
Instructional Planning Tool
Learning Objectives
Once the standards are unpacked, learning objectives can be created based on the skills of the standards. The learning objective tells the learner what he or she will be learning in class. The objective also tells scholars what they can expect to learn and be able to do by the end of a lesson; a lesson can take place in one day or up to three days. The length of the lesson depends on the cognitive abilities of the scholars and the types learning activities, which will be discussed in the next section. A learning objective for the standard in image 1 could be: We will be able to analyze and describe the geographic locations of volcanic eruptions in the world with 80% accuracy. Notice the verbs? “Analyze” and “describe” are the verbs that scholars should be able to do by the end of the lesson. The standard has the same verb “analyze”, but “describe” replaces interpret in the learning objective. The learning objective tells scholars what they will learn and be able to do by the end of the lesson; it should also be aligned to the standard of focused; so far the learning objective is aligned to the standard.
Learning Activities
The learning activities should be aligned to the standards and objectives. The learning activities will help students comprehend the standard through manipulating material and information that will help the learner “do” the verbs found in the standards and learning objectives. Let’s focus on the following learning objective: We will be able to analyze and describe the geographic locations of volcanic eruptions in the world with 80% accuracy. There could be several ways scholars could analyze and describe the geographic locations of volcanic eruptions. Scholars could either look at a physical map of volcanic activity in the world or they could look at a virtual/digital map of volcanic activity in the world (See image 3). The learning activities should be designed to help scholars master specific skills and learn content associated to those skills. As scholars are analyzing the volcanic-activity map, they should be answering questions that will help them analyze and describe features on the map and be able to explain what they are thinking about volcanic activity in the world (interpret). Learning activities should be fun and engaging, allowing students to be inquisitive and excited about learning new information; this means that productive conversations should be expected with learning activities and scholars should not be expected to be quiet.
So now, the end of instruction has approached and it is almost time for class to end. How should classroom instruction effectively end? Instruction should end with a brief review of things learned. For example, have scholars to share one or two new things they have learned. Once scholars have shared out, then the teachers should recap the main takeaways from the lesson, such as locations of volcanic activity and some volcanoes are more recent than others. Then, the teacher should check for understanding with a short “exit ticket” that is one of the analysis questions from the learning activity. Checking for understanding should help the teacher gauge their next learning session with scholars; if most of the scholars mastered analyzing the volcanic-activity map, then the teacher can move on to the next standard and learning objective. Teachers can also determine if a small group of scholars need additional time with the learning activity to master the skill. Checking for understanding helps teachers to pace their classroom instruction and increase student achievement.
To establish a successful school year, requires planning for success in the classroom. Teachers should think of how they want their classrooms to look, feel, and sound once scholars arrive to school. How do you want your classroom to appear to scholars? How do you want your classroom to feel? How will your students move around in the classroom? Will you have an area just for students? These are all questions I face at the beginning of each year. Management planning focuses on classroom management and how the classroom will be utilized by you and scholars; the arrangement of the classroom contributes to the management of the classroom. The more organized a classroom is, the easier it will be for the teacher to manage the space and behaviors. Below is a list of possible classroom focal points:
Management Planning Areas of Focus
Entering and Exit the Classroom
Retrieving a pencil, ink pen, paper, or art supplies
Work Submission area
Seating Arrangements
Sanitizing Station (location)
Storing of content-related materials
Content-specific word wall
Student Area
Classroom Library
Bulletin Board and White Board arrangements
Identify areas in the classroom that will be designated for a specific use. For example, establish a particular wall area for a content-specific word wall, or designate a space for a student area; this is where extra ink pens/pencils, paper, pencil sharpener, and any other supplies you think your scholars will need. Other areas to consider are classroom library, work submission areas, sanitizing stations, and bulletin/white board arrangements (See Image 1). Bulletin boards could house positive messaging and also be used to display student exemplar work; exemplar work samples help scholars correctly complete assignments. White boards could be used to display date, standards, learning objectives, essential questions, class agenda, homework and, or vocabulary word of the day (See Image 1).
Teachers should not wait until the first day of school to figure these things out, a plan should be devised before the first day of school; this is where classroom management starts. An organized classroom produces a well-managed classroom which is essential to ensuring the safety of everyone who enters your classroom.
“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”
Benjamin Franklin
Image 1: Board Arrangements
Planning for Success in the Classroom Strategy #3 will be posted on Friday, August 27, 2021.
Before the school year begins, reach out to the families. Introduce yourself to new parents/families and reacquaint yourself with old parents/families. Make a list of questions, no more than five, to ask parents/families that will help you be successful with your scholars. Here are some questions I use:
How was your summer? Did your family travel anywhere?
Is there anything, I should know, that may negatively impact your child’s learning this year? (only if parents/families want to share this information, do not pressure).
How can I help you help your scholar be successful?
How can the school help you help your scholar be successful?
The questions you format should be customized to the families you will be serving during the school year. When conversing with parents/families, I like using index cards for each student and writing key facts about each scholar and answers to asked questions. The information collected will help you build trusting relationships with your scholars and increase learning and academic success.
Teaching is a service profession and we serve, not only, our scholars but their families too. Provide your contact information to parents/families; I suggest using Google Voice, which protects your personal information. You can also connect parents to Class Dojo, which allows parents to message you directly through the Class Dojo platform. Other ways to communicate with families include sending a post card to the homes of families, introduction emails to parents/families, or sending a newsletter via mail or email to parents/families.
The first step to building trusting relationships with parents/families is providing direct contact information to them; parents/families immediately develop a sense of trust . Communicating with parents and families before the school year begins, helps to establish guidelines for communication throughout the school year and help parents to see that the teachers care about their scholars. So create a schedule for communicating with parents/families and establish of number of parents/families that you will contact before school commences.
Strategy #2 will be shared on Monday, August 23, 2021.
