Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Module 1: Targeting Thinking in the Classroom

In this module, we thought about the essential skills that are needed to be succesful in the classroom and beyond.  We learned  that instruction that builds upon and encourages higher-order thinking skills results in greater levels of student learning. We created our own taxonomies of learning, including the skills that we feel our necessary to succeed as 21st Century Learners.  We also identified positive and negative influences that can affect thinking, from the viewpoint of a 21st Century citizen.

As you reflect on the activities you completed in tonight's class, please answer the following question:

  • What does thinking look like?
  • What thinking skills should I target for my classroom?
  • How can I best design instruction that promotes thinking?
Once you have posted your thoughts, reply to the post of at least one other participant. You may ask them a question, comment on their good ideas, or even disagree (respectfully), as long as you are saying more then just, "I agree" or "Good job". Before entering your comments, please make sure to start with the person's name you are replying to, such as "@ Melodie" or "To Melodie".

23 comments:

  1. Thinking looks like an individual being able to add to the educational experience.
    The thinking skills that I should target for my class is anaylsis and knowledge.
    I can promote instruction that promotes thinking by giving my students an opportunity to give my students opportunity to work and manipulate the basic skills.

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  2. Thinking looks like my students actually working on a problem and asking thoughtful questions and answering thoughtful questions asked by other students.

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  3. • What does thinking look like?
    It’s a pained look on one’s face where they are trying to get all their neurons to fire at once to create an idea.
    • What thinking skills should I target for my classroom? t
    I want to target more application skills; I am an upper level math course and my students to be able to apply the content we learn each day before they leave.
    • How can I best design instruction that promotes thinking?
    I need to take the instruction from a basic level and make the students apply the knowledge they learned and then maybe in writing have them reflect on their learning and apply their learning to previous content.

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  4. What does thinking look like? Tonight - collaboration with groups

    What thinking skills should I target for my classroom? Critical thinking, independent thinking, visual thinking

    How can I best design instruction that promotes thinking? Through programs like inspiration like the example we did tonight

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  5. What does thinking look like? Tonight, thinking looked like an exploration through a variety of web sites. A lot of thinking and discussing in our groups.

    What thinking skills should I target for my classroom? Making my students thinking visible. My students will learn many new ways to visibly show their original thinking.

    How can I best design instruction that promotes thinking? Again, teaching my kids multiple sites for displaying their original works of "thought".

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  6. To me, thinking looks like someone looking for an answer to a question. A problem arises, and that persons does everything in their power to find the answer.
    In my classroom I need to show my students how to think for themselves and find answers with minimal help from me. The skill that I wish my students would walk out of my classroom with, is the ability to find answers for themselves, and apply it to their everyday lives.
    The way I can best promote thinking in my classroom is giving the students every opportunity to locate answers on their own!

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  7. Thinking looks like students working, discussing and coming up with answers to or solutions to what they are working on.
    Skills students being able to find or come up with the answers by themselfs or with the group.
    Instruction for thinking - have the tools for them to be able to come up with the answers.

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  8. Thinking looks like a creative, thoughtful planned collaboration betweem me and my "intellectual" environment. When students are involved, it is the attempt to build steps to higher order thinking. By following the ideals of Bloom, Marzano and the latest in 21st Century Skills will help build the Habits (16) in becoming digital citizens

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  9. Thinking can look very different depending on the situation. Thinking can look like a group working together to find the answer to a problem. It can look like quiet readers working to comprehend new information. In my classroom, I really need to help target those lower level thinking skills (Remembering, Understanding, & Applying) so that students have that strong foundation. From there we can move onto the more advanced thinking skills where they can really be in charge of their own learning. By designing instruction that is constantly scaffolding, students MUST be held accountable for their learning. New learning always builds upon prior learning. But it's my job to help my students see how all those puzzle pieces fit together...

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  10. To chantell,
    I like the part about making the thinking visable, that way we as teachers can see that the students are doign something.

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  11. Thinking looks like students collaborating and justifying their thought process. It should be excited, “good” noise. Higher-order thinking only happens when students are being challenged and engaged. In my classroom, I should be trying to have students think flexibly and make sure they are in a safe and positive classroom climate in order for them to take risks. I can best design instruction that promotes thinking by modeling “how to think” and giving positive and constructive feedback.

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  12. To Misha: I love how you used the word, "pained" when referring to the look on ones face while thinking.

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  13. To Chantell,
    I really like your answers. You are my guiding light that I strive to be like. Keep up the good work in your classroom!

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  14. Thinking is a process of building knowledge from basics facts to creating new ideas and innovations.

    The thinking skills I feel I need to target in my classroom are basic understand, applying, up to students evaluating new problems we face in our society.

    I can design my instruction through scaffolding new terminology and concepts to build the foundation for the students. Than give them oppurtunities to use their creative thinking and problem solving skills to real world problems.

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  15. to misha
    I like you questions and answers. Keep them kids thinking and trying to figure those math problems out

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  16. To eric - I totally agree the hardest thing to get them to do is think for themselves!

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  17. Connie to Ms. Rupp
    I agree that especially independent thinking is a challenge, yet, very important for a student to learn. I always tell my class that if they learn nothing else on class, I want them to learn how to think constructively.

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  18. To Stacie, it is very clearly written exactly what we are doing in the classroom!

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  19. Misha, I think that the pained look is the realization that they have a test tomorrow.

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  20. To Talia:
    I like what you wrote about "designing instruction that is constantly scaffolding, students MUST be held accountable for their learning". Students have to be accountable to be prepared to be a 21 century learner.

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  21. To Bethany-
    I like your description of "good" noise... I always tell my kids that there are 2 types of noise, the constructive kind of noise & the noise, just for the sake of noise.

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  22. Thinking can be quiet or collaborative. It may look like scrunched foreheads, sqinting eyes, or daydreaming. For my particular class, I should target application and evaluation thinking skills. I can design instruction that promotes thinking by planning objectives that require thinking, facilitating experiences using thinking tools, and encouraging persistence even when it gets hard.

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  23. To Bethany: Nicely said. I particularly like the part where students justify their thinking and creating an environment conducive to thinking and learning. Well done!

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