Somerset Slides from 3/21/12

1. Tools for Promoting Active,
In-depth Learning!
Presented by
TrDan
TrDanMoirao.com
www.danmoirao.com

4. The three most frightening words in America….
Some assembly required!
_____ ________ _______
4

5. What is the difference
between?
NOVICE EXPERT

6. Give-one, Get-one
page 11
Silver, Strong & Associates 6

7. Give One, Get One
Stand up, partner with one other person,
GIVE an idea, GET an idea.
If you both have the same, create a
new idea together.
Find a new partner. Give-One, Get-One.
Gather a total of 6 new ideas.
Work in dyads. NO HUDDLING, NO COPYING

8. Experts have…
• Effective, high-quality tools & strategies
• A diverse collection of tools & strategies to choose from
(different kinds for different jobs)
• The know-how to use their tools effectively
• The ability to choose the right tools for every job
• Practice and experience using their tools
• Blueprints for getting the job done well
• An ability to see the big picture/put everything together
• A team of expert colleagues to help and advise them
• The ability to assess their progress & make adjustments
8

9. Teachers are expert craftsmen, too!
To get their jobs done efficiently and effectively,
they need:
• A variety of high-quality tools and strategies
(different tools for different jobs)
• The ‘know-how’ and experience to use their
tools well
9

10. Thoughtful Questions
What are classroom tools?
What does a tool look like?
Why do teachers need a toolbox of tools?
If What, So What?

12. Justin J. Korijkac
November 23, 2011

13. When school was hard? Fist List
What are you good at?
August 2009 Niagara-Wheatfield/Cheektowaga 13

14. An effective tool in action: Fist List
Fist List
• Teacher provides a term, category, or question for
students to put in the “palm” of a hand organizer
• Students generate five words, phrases, or responses to
fit with whatever is in their palm (one for each finger)
 As you watch the video, ask yourself why Fist List is effective.
 Which of the ‘effective strategy criteria’ does Fist List satisfy?
14

16. Fist List is a vocabulary-building tool.
It is one of many tools used to implement
Vocabulary’s CODE, a brain-based instructional
strategy for learning new terms and concepts.
CODE stands for:
C ONNECT to prior knowledge
O RGANIZE into a conceptual framework
D EEP-PROCESS and dual code
E XERCISE and use elaborative rehearsals
16

17. A Word is like a…
17

18. photosynthesis
18

19. rectangle
19

20. promise
20

21. volume
Book in a series

23. Back to CODE…
Question:
Why do expert teachers use the tools in
Vocabulary’s CODE rather than having their
students copy definitions from a dictionary?
Expert teachers know that:
• A vocabulary is different than a dictionary.
• A synonym for vocabulary is “background knowledge.”
• The more students know, the more they can know.
23

24. Expert teachers pay attention to vocabulary
instruction because it is a “best bet.”
 A “best bet” is a research-based practice that
has been found to produce significant gains in
student learning.
 Teaching vocabulary is a best bet because
vocabulary knowledge correlates with:
• Verbal intelligence
• Academic achievement
• Economic opportunities
• Positive self-concept
24

25. Think of a Time
Based on the work of Fay Brownlie and Susan
Close (1992), asks students to consider issues
and concepts from different points of view.
25

26. Think of a Time
Steps:
1. Arrange students into groups of three, and assign each
student in the group a letter (A, B, C).
2. Pick an issue or concept that you want students to
explore (e.g., prejudice) and have them examine it from
three different perspectives (Participant •Observer
•Supporter).
3. At the end of Round 3, have students work with the
members of their final group to synthesize what they
learned.
4. Have students reflect on the content (What do they know
now that they did not know before?) and the process
26

27. Think of a Time
Think of a time when you were deeply engaged in an
activity. What caused you to be engaged?
• Generate ideas for three minutes.
• Discuss for three minutes.
• Person A takes notes, then move to another group
• Person A shares and compare his or her notes with
the new group’s for three minutes
27

28. Think of a Time
Think of a time you observed students who were
deeply engaged in learning. What did you see and
hear?
• Generate ideas for three minutes.
• Discuss for three minutes.
• Person B takes notes, then move to another group.
• Person B shares and compares his or her notes with
the new group’s for three minutes
28

29. Think of a Time
Think of a time you caused students to become more
deeply engaged in their learning. What did you do that
kept your students engaged? Why was it so engaging?
• Generate ideas for three minutes.
• Discuss for three minutes.
• Person C takes notes, then move to another group.
• Person C shares and compares his or her notes with
the new group’s for three minutes
29

30. Think of a Time
Return to your original group. Your task is to…
• Create an engaging poster that explains what you
have learned from sharing your experiences about
engagement.
• Be prepared to present your poster to the group (25
minutes).
30

31. When you think about your students’
responses to your questions…
-- name two things that make you crazy,
and two things that they occasionally do that
make you happy.
How do you help students become more
thoughtful in their responses?

32. Kindling
F ind a question that can be
explored
I nternalize the question
R ecord your thoughts
E xchange ideas with a
partner
S earch for similarities and
differences

33. Kindling
page 74
Silver, Strong & Associates 33

34. C ompare and contrast
R elate personally
E valuate
A ssociate
T race/sequence
E numerate
Silver, Strong & Associates 34

35. I dentify & describe
D efine
E xplore & create
A rgue a position
S ummarize
Silver, Strong & Associates 35

36. The Questions You Ask
• When did Columbus discover America?
• Columbus and astronauts: are they more
similar or more different?
• Should Columbus’ discovery of America
be celebrated or regretted?
• What if Columbus landed on the West
Coast instead of the east coast? How
would our world be different?

37. The Questions You Ask
 Attract students interest,
 Improve their engagement and
attention,
 Expand students thinking to;
 remember,
 reason,
 relate and
 create

38. Associative Thinking
STIMULUS Word
ASSOCIATION What comes
to mind?
EXPLANATION Why?
August 2009 Niagara-Wheatfield/Cheektowaga 38

39. Associative
Thinking
Page
Silver, Strong & Associates 39

40. What comes to mind when you
think of the word “Boredom”?
3 words Reasons
August 2009 Niagara-Wheatfield/Cheektowaga 40

41. High School Students respond:
Like a music video, you become
numb, too much coming at you at overwhelmed
once.
Same old, same old! monotonous
Mindless, teacher talk. tedious
Can’t pay attention. I’ve got more
distracted
important things on my mind.
Why do I need to know this? I’ll
uninterested
never use it.
August 2009 Niagara-Wheatfield/Cheektowaga 41

42. Boredom
Adam Phillips
• A form of depression - a kind of anger
turned inward.
• A longing for that which will transform
the self, making life and learning more
meaningful.
Boredom and Its Opposite 42

43. INDUCTIVE PROCESS
Meet with two or three people;
1. generate & record your words
associated with boredom
2. organize the words into three groups
and label each group.
3. Based on your group’s work what
conclusions can you make about
boredom.
43

44. INDUCTIVE PROCESS
GENERATE Stuff
GROUP Classify
LABEL Big Idea
CONCLUDE Generalize
Boredom and Its Opposite 44

45. monotonous
overwhelmed
frustrated tedious
angry
school
Fear of repetition
Failure

46. Metaphorical Thinking
A way to make the familiar
strange and the strange familiar
SIMILIE: Comparing two different
things usually by using like or as.

47. Boredom is like . . .
because . . .

48. Collaborative
Summary
Page 78
Silver, Strong & Associates 48

49. Boredom in school is a feeling that causes you to be
lazy because what you are being asked to do does
not make sense, you feel frustrated, have a hard time
focusing and in the end know you will not succeed.
Olivia P.
Boredom occurs when you can’t focus or when the same old stuff happens
over and over again. It leads to negative emotions like frustration, and it has
physical signs like yawning.
Jason W.
49

50. The American classroom
is preoccupied with the
dissemination of
information and low level
intellectual processes and
the use of diverse
engagement is minimal.
John Goodland,
1983 A Place Called School
50

51. Anticipation Guide
page 40

52. Anticipation Guide
1. The hours spent at school have little influence on
students learning as compared to the influence of the
home environment.
2. The success or failure of many students is directly
related to the instructional strategies that the teachers
use in their classroom.
3. A strategic teacher is a modeler and a mediator of
instruction.

53. Rank Order
What is the area of greatest concern to you (1) to least
concern (6)
__ What causes achievement gaps?
___ Strategies I can use in my classroom tomorrow.
___ How to provide for diverse learners while still meeting
or exceeding state’s standards.
___ Tools for increasing all students’ learning capacities.
___ How to make our professional development system
more effective.
53

54. Do-Look-Learn
• Doing is the process of performing tasks that
require some type of mental activity;
• Looking is the process of becoming an observer of
your own thinking and actions; and
• Learning is the process of revising and
synthesizing learning into a meaningful whole.
54

55. Do-Look-Learn
What are three things/tasks you like doing and
care enough to work hard at? Briefly explain
why.
What are three things/tasks you dislike doing
and don’t care enough to work hard at?
Briefly explain why.
55

56. Now, what can we conclude about activities we dislike
doing?
• Have to’s
• Tedious
• Require little thought
• After they’re done, you have to do them again
56

57. Characteristics of engaging work
• Stimulates our curiosity and interest
• Permits us to express our creativity
• Fosters positive relationships
• Involves doing things we’re good at or are
getting better at
57

58. What Is Your Engagement SCORE?
S uccess Relationships
the drive toward the drive toward
M astery I nterpersonal connections
C uriosity O riginality
the drive toward the drive toward
U nderstanding S elf-Expression
Success + Curiosity + Originality + Relationships = Engagement
58

59. Why Vocabulary Matters…
1. Increases verbal intelligence.
2. Raises the level of student achievement in
all content areas and across grade levels.
3. Raises people’s levels of income and
increases career opportunities.
4. Enhances self-confidence and self-concept
59

60. A Word is like a…
60

61. photosynthesis
61

62. rectangle
62

63. promise
63

64. volume
64

65. volume
Book in a series

67. Memory Box
 Take a moment to review your notes.
 On a blank sheet of paper, create a box.
 Write down everything you can remember
about the topic.
 Boggle:
 Compare your list with a partner. Earn a point
for everything you have that they don’t have.
 MVP: Most Valuable Point

68. How many of you have ever participated
in a professional development session
and left saying:
1.I can do this!
2.I can do this . . . but . . .
3.I am going to give this a try tomorrow!
4.No way, not with my students or I
already do this!
68

69. There can be no
improvement in
learning without the
teacher.
Richard Strong