Questions for each chapter
Please answer these questions for EACH chapter (based on the number of chapters depending on your grade level book):
1. Based on the information in this chapter, what should we doing differently in our classrooms and schools? In what ways might your suggest we start making the changes needed if we are to meet the needs of all students?
2. In what ways might your translate the principles presented in the chapter into practical, everyday useful methods?
3. If you were to plan your next steps for making your curriculum more brain compatible what would I be seeing you do differently in your classes?
Question 1: Allowing students to make choices and control their learning increases learning and motivation. It is important to offer more choices to students on what they are learning, how they are learning it, and how they will show us what they learned, especially in our NCLB world of learning the facts. In order to reach all students, it is important they we understand how decision making occurs. We need to offer choices that are relevant to our students and are related to prior experiences. We also need to allow student opportunities to discover on their own rather than directing all the time. In order to reach all of our students, we also need to make sure that we are offering enough but not too many choices to overwhelm them and choices that appeal to multiple intelligences.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: There are several ways to begin to offer choices in the room. Discovery play is a great way to offer choice through centers that is unstructured and allows student to discover on their own or in groups. Another way to offer choices while still working on specific requirements is to have must dos and may dos for assignments. Must-dos are required for every student and students may pick from may dos as optional work. When offering choices, start small and gradually increase the number of choices. Another great way to use choices is with homework assignments by making in more self-directed in that students can pick from a variety of assignments to complete. If you are using centers, use choice boards to let students decide where to go. Also, you can use center schedules so that each student goes to every center at least once and then they can go for free-play after their specific center is finished.
Question 3: One thing that I will be doing differently is making an effort to allow opportunities for my students to make more decisions. I usually have an activity they can do to "keep their hands busy" while we are working. Instead, I will let them choose between two or three different activities. Also, if students have multiple sounds they are working on, I can let them choose which one they would like to work on that day. They can also choose where in the room they would like to work
1. This chapter reminds me of the poem/story we had to reflect on in our second post. The idea that everyone needs to do the same thing is a very interesting on. However, according to this chapter, student choice is critical to success, and I agree. Students cannot have free reign on their choices, but they can be given options that do focus their choices. When students make choices, their brain goes through the following steps: Detect, Select, Try, and Modify. Students also must be expected to do some “must-dos,” with some “may-dos” as well. Again, the chapter focuses in on how to get more choices into your classroom, but also allow you to accomplish your goals and objectives at the same time.
ReplyDelete2. This chapter was filled with several practical examples. 1. Make your early classrooms play-based with lots of independent choices. This can be done by outlining what has to be done first, then their options after that. 2. In assessment or homework, give multiple choices that will fit each learner individually. For example, “Please demonstrate your knowledge by doing 2 out of the 5 activities below.” 3. Make rotations so students get exposure to all different types of activities so they can develop their learning style. (book groups, play stations, rotation schedules, etc…)
3. I am really going to focus on giving kids different opportunities to demonstrate their learning. When I review my assessments and homework, I am going to try really hard to give them multiple modes of demonstrating their learning. I also want to grow in understanding and assisting students in what activity may suit their learning needs best as well.