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Teacher: Marilyn Western |
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Interview |
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Overview |
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Principles of Learning |
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Information Processing |
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Content Standards |
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Tenets of Democracy |
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Technology | |
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Teacher Knowledge | |
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Teacher Behavior | |
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Questions |
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Interview: Previewing Questions 1. Western’s activity is an on-going lesson, which lasts the whole year. What would Western need to do to keep the children’s interest for the entire year? 2. Western states that this project is a “real life way to learn”. Think about your school experiences. Explain how your teachers used “real life” concepts in their lesson plan(s). Describe those learning experiences. How were they beneficial to your growth and development? 3. Western stresses that this activity helps develop teamwork skills. Do you feel that it is fair for students to be graded on how they work together? State some advantages and disadvantages of basing a large portion of the grade on students’ working together in teams. Interview: Post-viewing Questions 1. Western teaches in a multi-age classroom. Describe this. Discuss some advantages and disadvantages of this type of classroom. 2. Western states that assessment for this class is “easy and difficult”. Why do you think she feels this way? Describe how she assessed the students. What other ways could she have assessed the students? 3. For this project, Western chose the groups in which the students would work. Why did she do this? In what instances do you feel it is necessary for teachers to choose the students’ groups? What are some advantages of letting children decide their own groups? |
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Overview: Previewing Questions 1. Marilyn Western’s classroom consists of 1st and 2nd graders. In a 1st or 2nd grade classroom, how would you describe a healthy balance between student centered activities and teacher-directed activities? 2. What can a classroom teacher do to create a more student-centered classroom? Refer to the Principles of Student-Centered Learning. 3. Western states that this activity has evolved each year. Why is it important for teachers to update their activities? How does this improve student learning? Overview: Post-viewing Questions 1. Describe the activity in detail. Assume the role of the student. Do you feel that some concepts might be difficult for some 1st and 2nd grade students? Would you as a teacher modify the lesson to suit the needs of individual students? How would you do this? 2. Review the lesson plan. Would you add or delete anything from the project? Explain how your decisions would improve student learning. 3. Review
the purpose of the project as found in the lesson
plan. How does Western integrate these into the
lesson?
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Principles of Learning: Previewing Questions 1. Refer to the 8 Principles of Learning as described in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model. Pick two that you think are most important and explain why. 2. Read “Popcorn Poetry Lesson” available on-line, as referenced in the model. Describe how this lesson promotes student learning by using Direct Experience. What other Principles of Learning are utilized in the popcorn lesson? How? 3. In her lesson plan, Western states that she uses Frequent Feedback in her classroom. How do you think frequent feedback impacts student learning? Find research on feedback in education. What did you learn? Does it change your opinion? Principles of Learning: Post-viewing Questions 1. How does this lesson use Compelling Situation to promote student learning? Refer to the Checklist of Observable Behaviors for Compelling Situation. 2. How does the project use Direct Experience to promote student learning? How else could Western have utilized direct experience in this lesson? 3. Are there any Principles of Learning not described in the video that you noticed in this classroom? Which ones? Give specific examples and explain. 4. By
providing a compelling situation, Western allows her students to learn how to run a business.
How do you think this experience will impact their learning?
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Information Processing: Previewing Questions 1. Study the six stages of Information Processing as described in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model. How do these stages relate to your everyday life? How do you use them? 2. Read the definition of Interpretation in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model. Brainstorm various ways lower elementary students can interpret their information. 3. What are the positive and negative consequences of having peers evaluate one another’s work? Information Processing: Post-viewing Questions 1. Read the explanation of the Interpretation stage of Information Processing as found in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model. Describe what interpretation is, according to the model. Does Western’s project allow the student an opportunity to go through this stage? If so, explain how it fits with the definition of interpretation according to the model. 2. What aspect of the project “Giving ‘Em the Business” demonstrates the Communication stage of Information Processing? Can you think of a way to change the project to demonstrate the Communication stage in a different way? 3. How
does technology play a role in the students’ Evaluation
stage of Information Processing? What other ways could
Western have encouraged her students to evaluate their work?
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Content Standards: Previewing Questions 1. Read some Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Invent a lesson for the lower elementary grades that incorporates at least two of these. 2. Read the description of Social Studies Standard VII by the National Council For the Social Studies. Do you feel that this standard is important to address in the lower elementary grades? Why or why not? 3. How could Standards for School Mathematics be integrated into a social studies lesson? Give specific examples. Content Standards: Post-viewing Questions 1. How does Western integrate Social Studies Standard VII, Mathematics Standard Number 6, and Mathematics Standard Number 5 into this lesson? 2. The lesson plan states that this project integrates English Language Arts Standards 3, 4, 5, and 12. What aspects of the lesson allow for the implementation of these standards? 3. Put yourself in Western’s position. How could you have integrated National Science Education Standards into this project? Would this fit with the lesson?
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Tenets of Democracy: Previewing Questions 1. Review the checklist of observable behaviors for Tolerance as described in the model. What would you as the teacher add to these in your lesson? Besides lecture, what other teaching methods could be utilized to help these children learn the concept of tolerance? 2. Study the article “The Individual’s Tools of Making Meaning” . What is the main purpose? What concepts from this article can be used by elementary educators to encourage thinking together and making meaning? How? 3. Do you feel it is important for lower elementary students to have a sense of empowerment in school? What about power sharing? Why or why not? Tenets of Democracy: Post-viewing Questions 1. How does Western create opportunities for critical thinking and decision making in her classroom? What other ways could critical thinking and decision making have been encouraged throughout this project? 2. How does this project encourage students to use Civil Involvement With Others? What lessons about civil involvement can the students learn? How effective do you feel this teaching strategy is? 3. Review the Checklist of Observable Behaviors for Individual Responsibility and Civil Involvement with Others in the model. Which of these behaviors did you observe in the video? Give specific examples. How else could Western have encouraged these behaviors? 4. How is the activity shown in the video an example of Empowerment? Do you see any Power Sharing in this activity?
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Technology: Previewing Questions 1. In your own words, define technology. Then read the Technology Summary in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model. How does this definition differ from your own? In what ways is technology important for education? 2. What types of technological tools are appropriate for use in the lower elementary grades? Why? What technological tools may not be appropriate for lower elementary students? Why? 3. Assume the role of a Kindergarten or 1st grade teacher. You want to do a project using the two computers you have in your classroom. Half of your students have used computers at home, but the other half of your students do not have as much background. How would you address this problem in the classroom? Explain why. Technology: Post-viewing Questions 1. Which Technology Competencies (in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model) does this project address? How? 2. Other than the Technology Competencies Western addresses in the video, which competencies could be added to the lesson to further emphasize the importance of technology? How could they be added to the lesson? 3. Do you feel that the technology used in this video, such as the graphing software, KidPix software, and Audio/Visual production equipment actually improved the student’s learning? Why or why not? |
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Teacher Knowledge : Previewing Questions 1. What student characteristics are important for a teacher to know about? Why? 2. What are your opinions about learning styles? Do you feel that children in first and second grade have specific learning styles? Why or why not? For reference on learning styles, refer to the summary of Knowledge of Student Characteristics in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model. 3. In your own words, interpret the phrase “pedagogical content knowledge.” Read Schulman’s article as referenced in the model (Schulman, L. (1986, March-April). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 4-14.) What are your reactions? How could you use this knowledge in the classroom? Teacher Knowledge : Post-viewing Questions 1. The video discusses the concept of multiple intelligences as part of teacher knowledge. How does Western address her students’ bodily/kinesthetic and logical/mathematical intelligences? How might this improve student learning? 2. Western demonstrates in-depth content knowledge through her use of group work as an instructional method. Refer to the summary of Teachers In-Depth Content Knowledge and explain why group work shows content knowledge. 3. Look at the checklist for Teachers In-Depth Content Knowledge in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model. Besides group work, how else does Western display content knowledge through this lesson?
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Teacher Behavior: Previewing Questions 1. Read the “Five Propositions of Accomplished Teaching” under the pedagogy summary in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model. What are your reactions? Name at least one teacher characteristic or behavior to add to this list. 2. Name some specific behaviors an educator would need to display to effectively manage their classroom when doing group work in the lower elementary grades. Why are these behaviors important? 3. The Pedagogy Summary in the model states that “teachers must master a repertoire of instructional methods and strategies, yet remain critical and reflective about their practice.” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? How could a teacher do this while in practice? Teacher Behavior: Post-viewing Questions 1. In the video, how did Western display good Classroom Management as described in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model? What else could she have done to display good classroom management during this lesson? 2. Study the Checklist for Content Management in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model. If you were teaching this project, which classroom management skills would you need to be sure to display? Explain. 3. Western displays good pedagogy in the video by using computer software to allow the students to be creative. Read the Pedagogy Summary in the model and explain why this shows good pedagogy.
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