Rising Up

Through the use of varied and/or new teaching approaches, teachers can extended and raise the expectations set for a child's learning.  The following 3 examples are new approaches to old methods that these teachers have used to rise the bar on learning.

1. Roller Coaster Physics   lesson plan -

• Academic expectations: Design and create a roller coast that is "fun and safe" and uses/enhances students understanding of motion and energy - potential and kinetic energy and Newton's 3 laws of motion
• Behavior expectations:
• collaboration, team work
• clear communication 
• promote autonomous learning
• individual work to highlight what each students knows
• problem solving skills
• match skills or roles assigned in groups
• Norms and Procedures: 
• The teacher hosted meetings that were held at the beginning of class to breakdown the activities of the coming day and to discuss practices and issues that came in up in the last lesson
• The teacher uses the meetings to:
• conduct formative assessments of the students
• Students are given independent work with specific requirements that need to be included so that they can:
• "showcase" what they know
• conduct teacher, self, peer assessments
• Independent work then flows into group work where students:
• develop team building skills
• collaboration
• consensus 
• The teacher limits the materials the students have access to, so that they have to problem solve and try to reach solutions based within their means and challenge their understanding
• real world practice using a budget and using math skills

2. 3rd Grade Chinese Math   East teaching West -

• Academic expectations: 
• Young learners beginning learning multiplication at an early age - first semester grade 2
• Teachers and parents expect high scores from students on their national standardized tests 
• Education is prioritized
• China's math goals:
• develop conceptual and procedural knowledge through rigid practice
• use whole-class instruction, engaging all students in the material and promoting feedback
• Behavior expectations:
• Score high on test and exams
• Study math for 4-5 (40-45 min) class periods a week
• Complete 30 mins of homework a night
• Study in addition to the above amount of work
• Drill, drill, drill 
• Norms and Procedures: 
• Teachers use a variation of teaching methods to help students learn math concepts and emphasize logical reasoning
• prompting students to ask questions and extend their learning
• Students are made and expected to memorize multiplication tables at a young age
• Students study math for 9 years
• taught to understand numerical relationships
• develop and prove their solutions in front of the class
• understand whole concepts of math
• apply previous knowledge to help learn new topics

3. Whole Brain Teaching   website - 

• Academic expectations: Students are fully engaged in receiving and instructions from their Teacher and responded with trained actions and chats to acknowledge that they have understood what is expected of them to do
• Behavior expectations: 
• Students are alert and responsive to the Teacher's instructions and commands
• Use movement, gestures, songs, chants and dance to help enhance and facilitate learning
• Students respond appropriately and timely
• Norms and Procedures:
• Whole Brain Classrooms (WBC) have 5 main rules that students are expected to know and follow:
• follow directions quickly (students shoot hands forward like a fish)
• raise your hand to talk (raise hand, bring down to head and make a talking motion)
• raise your hand to leave your seat (raise hand, make walking motion with fingers)
• make smart choices (students tap one finger their temple as they say each word)
• keep the teacher happy (students hold up each thumb and index finger making the letter 'L', frame their face, and then bob their head to each work smiling)

Compare & Contrast -

1. I really liked the Roller Coaster lesson and how the teacher went about breaking down various parts of the lesson to allow for great student involvement in their own learning.
I liked how she had a hands-on creation portion of the lesson, as well as, a computerized simulator that allowed to the students to observe and practice different outcomes of their roller coaster designs.
I also liked how she have "chirping" meetings, in which she let the whole class discuss, brainstorm and troubleshoot issues with their experiments.

This type of lesson is one that I would like to put into practice when I have my own classroom.  However, in my current teaching position - while it could be possible - it is not possible for me at the moment.
- My 1st graders are too young to be able to handle a lesson like this and while my 4th graders could do a lesson of this teaching method, I do not teach them the type of subjects that would allow for a lesson such as this.  I could use parts of it and adapt them to fit the needs and learning (language) abilities of my students, but again finding the right topic would be the most constricting element to consider.

2. This one is tricky.  This is what is done in Korea as well.  At least I can say that is what is typical done for ESL classrooms.  I was just told today in a staff meeting that I allow individual students to speak too much by themselves - and instead I should do full class drills and speaking in unison.

Blank stare.... 

Umm.. 

How about no?

Yes, drilling allows for greater repetition and practice, but it is also boring and dull and mindless.
The Chinese math teachers in the article allow for individual student work - in the classroom - in front of the peers!  Speaking English should be know different, because when in real life are you going to speak in unison with a group of 30 people, reciting set word and phrases?  Never. (Ok maybe at a sporing event or national ceremony or something, but not in normal, everyday life).

I do like how it stated that whole concepts are taught, varied teaching methods are used, and that emphasize is placed on logical reasoning.  But then it goes on to state that these practices are done by only some teachers.  So still old norms win out in areas that are less inclined than others.

3. WBC is hard for me.  I do use it.  And I see the need and success of it for young learners.  Y-O-U-N-G learners.  However, when it is used for students in grades 4, 5, and 6 it starts to get a bit questionable to me, and when it is used on 7th graders or older I get uncomfortable with the idea.  At that age and grade level I doesn't feel appropriate to me.  I feels childish and demeaning to the students and very out of place.

I like it and use it for young learners and will continue to use it in my future classrooms.  For young learners.

How can I use these examples to set high expectations for my students?... 

1. provide greater thought provoking activities and discussions
2. challenge students with questions that push them beyond what they already know and focus them to troubleshoot and problem solve
3. engage students in activities that are fun and make learning seamless
4. offer drills (in moderation) to re-enforce learning
5. vary my teaching practices to help develop students understandings
6. create methods that fully engage students - mind and body - for better focus
7. try my hardest to constantly improve and do my best

• Compare how you would create learning environments for your students that are similar or in contrast to the three teaching situations illustrated in the above videos. 
• Provide a brief context for your summary in terms of grade level and background of your students.