Probing Questions

Teacher: Laurie Sybert

Interview

Overview

Principles of Learning

Information Processing

Content Standards

Tenets of Democracy

Questions

Interview: Previewing Questions

1. What are some ways that elementary teachers can overcome problems that occur when their classroom includes students with many different ability levels?

2. What are some advantages and disadvantages of engaging young students in a multidisciplinary lesson/activity? 

3. Brainstorm various activities that could be used in a multidisciplinary lesson on weather for early elementary students.

Interview: Post-viewing Questions

1. How does Sybert assess her students during this activity? Do you think this is a valid method of assessment? Why or why not?

2. What does Sybert do to address the various intelligence levels of her students? Do you think this is effective? Why or why not?

3. How does this project improve student skills in areas such as writing, math, etc.? Do you think this is an effective method to help students gain competence and skills in various subject areas?

Overview: Previewing Questions

1. As a student, did your science teacher involve you in a project about animals? Were other curricular areas part of your science class? Which ones? How did your teacher integrate them in this class?

2. Assume the role of a teacher. If you were to teach a lesson on dinosaurs, how would you activate your students’ prior knowledge on dinosaurs? What would be the first activity you would start your class with and why?

3. Revise Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Which intelligences are you strongest in? Which are your weakest? How might this impact your students?

Overview: Post-viewing Questions

1. Read Sybert’s lesson plan. How does she assess her students? If you were in her place, would you use different tools to assess your students? If so, which ones?
   
   
2. Sybert’s students are studying dinosaurs through a wide variety of cross-curricular activities. What are the different cross-curricular areas addressed in this project and what was their contribution to the success of the class?
   
   
3. How did Sybert’s lesson address her students’ multiple intelligences? Do you think that having them “touch, feel, interact with everything” enhanced their learning? Explain how.

Principles of  Learning: Previewing Questions

1. How might engaging students in learning Patterns and Connections improve their learning?

2. How might the addition or absence of Active Involvement affect the various stages of Information Processing? 

3. Describe how teachers can use the Principles of Learning during the Transformation cycle of teaching (from Shulman's Model of Pedagogical Reasoning).

Principles of  Learning: Post-viewing Questions

1. How does Sybert use technology to engage her students in Active Involvement? What other technologies could she have utilized?

2. Read the checklist of observable behaviors for Direct Experience. How does Sybert incorporate each of these three in her classroom?

3. How does this activity engage the students in transfer of knowledge and analogical reasoning? Refer to the description of Reflection in the model for a description of these two concepts. How does the use of transfer of knowledge and analogical reasoning improve student learning?

Information Processing: Previewing Questions

1. Do you think the Appreciation stage of Information Processing is necessary for improved student learning? Why or why not?

2. How does Teacher Knowledge affect the Appreciation stage of Information Processing in the classroom?

3. Describe how the Interpretation stage of Information Processing can be enhanced through the use of technology in the classroom. Give specific examples.

Information Processing: Post-viewing Questions

1. How does Sybert engage her students in the Appreciation stage of Information Processing? Brainstorm other methods that could be used with students this age.

2. Do you think Sybert is effective at leading her students through the Search stage of Information Processing, based on the checklist of observable behaviors found in the model? Explain why or why not.

3. Look at the checklist of observable behaviors for the Interpretation stage of Information Processing. Which of these behaviors do you see the students engaging in and the teacher emphasizing? Pick two that are not shown in the video and describe how they could have been incorporated into the lesson.

Content  Standards: Previewing Questions

1. Read the summary of Content Standards in the model. What are the three primary goals that content standards can accomplish? Do you think that content standards accomplish these goals in education? Why or why not?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of addressing content standards from different areas in the same project?

3. How would you as a teacher integrate English Language Arts Standards 1, 5 and 8 into a second grade lesson on birds?

Content  Standards: Post-viewing Questions

1. What does Sybert do to integrate English Language Arts Standards 1 and 3? How does the inclusion of these standards improve student learning of dinosaurs?

2. How does Sybert address Math Standards during the lesson on dinosaurs? How does this improve student learning?

3. Although it is not described in the video, how does Sybert's lesson incorporate Science Standards? 

Tenets of Democracy: Previewing Questions

1. Read the definition of Empowerment in the model. Do you think this is important for student learning? Why or why not?

2. How can Teacher Behavior affect Critical Thinking and Decision Making among students? Explain and give specific examples.

3. Explain the relationship between Power Sharing and Empowerment, and the Principles of Learning.

Tenets of Democracy: Post-viewing Questions

1. What does Sybert do to create opportunities for her students to engage in Critical Thinking? How does this impact their learning?

2. In Sybert's classroom, how does technology allow for student Empowerment? 

3. How could Sybert have incorporated learning about Tolerance into this lesson?

Technology: Previewing Questions

1. Pick a lesson topic appropriate for second grade, and do an Internet search for appropriate sites that the students could use to find information on the topic. What was the process you went through to find these sites? What did you learn about the Internet and its use in education?

2. How does a teacher's knowledge of the Preservice Teacher Technology Competencies affect student learning?

3. Read the National Education Technology Standards Performance Indicators for Grades Pre-K-2. Do you feel that these are appropriate according the age level? Why or why not? What would you add or delete from these standards?

Technology: Post-viewing Questions

1. How does the use of technology impact the students as they go through the stages of Information Processing? 

2. How does Sybert use technology to create the "conditions that optimize learning" (Switzer, Callahan, & Quinn, 1999)?

3. How does Sybert address the National Education Technology Standards Performance Indicators for Grades Pre-K-2 in her classroom? How could this improve student learning?

Teacher Knowledge : Previewing Questions

1. Describe various methods that you could use as a teacher to meet the needs of diverse learners in your classroom.

2. Dunn and Griggs (1995) conceived a Learning Style Model revealing that students are affected by 5 main factors. A description of these is available in the Model under the summary of Knowledge of Student Characteristics. Give an example of how students can be affected by each of these factors. Explain how teachers can use these to create an optimal learning environment.

3. Shulman's Model of Pedagogical Reasoning (explained in the Summary of Teacher's In-Depth Content Knowledge) describes a cycle of activities that teachers should complete. Tell about a time when you progressed through these stages, either formally or informally. What specific activities did you carry out? What were you thinking and feeling during each stage?

Teacher Knowledge : Post-viewing Questions

1. 1. How does the video show Sybert's In-Depth Content Knowledge? What other things could she have done to display her content knowledge?

2. How does Sybert demonstrate her Knowledge of Student Characteristics? 

3. Describe how Sybert advances through the Transformation and Instruction stages of Shulman's Model of Pedagogical Reasoning. Describe other things she could have done for these two stages.

Teacher Behavior: Previewing Questions

1. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Identifies the Five Propositions of Accomplished Teaching. If you were asked to add one more to this list, what would it be and why?

2. Describe how a teacher would act if he/she was displaying good Content Management. How might this improve student learning?

3. What is Covenant Management? Why might the absence of this create a poor learning environment?

Teacher Behavior: Post-viewing Questions

1. How does the use of technology in the classroom reflect Sybert's Pedagogy (attitudes and beliefs about education)?

2. Critique Sybert's use of Content Management. What does she do that is effective and/or ineffective? What should she have done differently?

3. How does Sybert's Pedagogy (attitudes and beliefs about education) and use of Classroom Management affect her students' learning?