How to utilize higher order thinking and effective practices with kindergarten students Presentation seen at: https://youtu.be/R-4ECWFBccw

1. PRACTICES THAT
REALLY WORK FOR
KINDERS
EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION

2. BUT THEY ARE ONLY 5!
ANYONE WHO’S NEVER TAUGHT KINDERGARTEN
(AND MAYBE US ON A REALLY BAD DAY)
K5 FOR LIFE!

3. ATTEND TO THIS
FOUR AREAS
WHERE WE CAN REALLY BE
EFFECTIVE
▸SMALL
GROUP/COOPERATIVE
LEARNING
▸CONSTRUCTIVIST
PERSPECTIVES
▸NOTE
TAKING/SUMMARIZING
▸NONLINGUISTIC
REPRESENTATIONS

4. SMALL GROUP COOPERATIVE LEARNING
1. STUDENTS INTERACT FACE-TO-FACE
‣ ARE YOUR GROUPS TRULY INTERACTING, OR THEY ALL JUST WORKING ON THE
SAME THING INDEPENDENTLY?
2. POSITIVE INTERDEPENDENCE
‣ DO THEY NEED EACH OTHER? WHERE IS THEIR SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE COMING
FROM? EACH OTHER?
3. COLLABORATIVE SKILLS ARE NECESSARY
‣ IS EVERYONE INVOLVED? ARE THEY PROVIDING EACH OTHER FEEDBACK?
DRAWING CONCLUSIONS AS A GROUP?
4. MEMBERS MONITOR GROUP PROCESSES AND RELATIONSHIPS
‣ ARE THEY CONDUCTING SELF-ASSESSMENT OF THEIR PROGRESS?
THE FIVE ELEMENTS*
*HOY, A. W., & HOY, W. K. (2013) INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP: A RESEARCH-BASED
GUIDE TO LEARNING IN SCHOOLS (4TH ED.). NJ: PEARSON EDUCATION. PAGE 132

5. GROUPING
ABILITY GROUPING
▸ USE SCORES FROM THE MOST
RECENT ASSESSMENT
▸ THIS MEANS GROUPS MAY
CHANGE WEEKLY
▸ DO NOT SEAT OR WORK
TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF YOUR
GROUP
▸ THIS MEANS AT CENTER
TIME!
▸ THESE SHOULD CONTAIN
MIXED-ABILITY GROUPS

6. ANY DISCIPLINE, SKILL, OR CONCEPT
SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN SEVERAL
APPROPRIATE WAYS (BUT NOT EIGHT
WAYS EVERY TIME).
HOY & HOY (2013)

7. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE…HOW CAN WE ADD TO OUR CO-OP
LEARNING?
THE MAGIC 8
Logical-Mathematical Sensitivity to discerning logic and number patterns
Linguistic Sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, word meanings
Musical Appreciation of forms of musical expression
Spatial Ability to perceive visual and spatial world accurately
Interpersonal Ability to read the moods and motivations of others
Intrapersonal Self-awareness, of strengths and weaknesses
Naturalist
Ability to use categories and systems to understand
the natural world
Bodily-Kinesthetic Control body movements, handle objects skillfully
*HOY, A. W., & HOY, W. K. (2013) INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP: A RESEARCH-BASED GUIDE TO LEARNING IN
SCHOOLS (4TH ED.). NJ: PEARSON EDUCATION. PAGE 62

8. CONSTRUCTIVIST PERSPECTIVES
‣ INQUIRY
‣ “FUZZY ILL-STRUCTURED PROBLEMS” - EXPERIMENT
‣ PROBLEM-BASED
‣ OBJECTIVE IS TO FIND THE SOLUTION; APPROPRIATE
RESOURCES
‣ COGNITIVE APPRENTICESHIPS
‣ OBSERVATION, SCAFFOLDING, SUPPORT
‣ COOPERATION
‣ COLLABORATION, SOCIAL SUPPORT
MANIPULATIVES, HANDS-ON, ORGANIC
*HOY, A. W., & HOY, W. K. (2013) INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP: A RESEARCH-BASED GUIDE TO
LEARNING IN SCHOOLS (4TH ED.). NJ: PEARSON EDUCATION. PAGE 125-130

9. CONSTRUCTIVIST PERSPECTIVE
CONSTRUCTIVIST SAMPLE
▸ ALLOWS STUDENT CHOICE
▸ RECORD KEEPING FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY
▸ NON-LINGUISTIC
REPRESENTATION

10. CONSTRUCTIVIST PERSPECTIVE
CONSTRUCTIVIST SAMPLE
▸ ROOM FOR ERROR
▸ SCAFFOLDING, GUIDING LETTER
BLOCKS
▸ NON-LINGUISTIC
REPRESENTATION
▸ ADD LETTER TILES TO BUILD
AND RECORD
▸ WORK IN PAIRS, ASSIGNING
ROLES

11. NOTE-TAKING AND SUMMARIZING
“SUMMARIZING IS THE PROCESS OF DISTILLING INFORMATION
DOWN TO ITS MOST SALIENT POINTS TO AID IN UNDERSTANDING,
MEMORIZING, AND LEARNING THE RELEVANT MATERIAL.”
YES, IT’S POSSIBLE IN KINDERGARTEN
DEAN, C. B., HUBBELL, E. R., PITLER, H., & STONE, B. (2012) CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
THE WORKS: RESEARCH-BASED STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
(2ND ED.). CO: MID-CONTINENT RESEARCH ON EDUCATION AND LEARNING.
OPPORTUNITIES IN KINDERGARTEN
‣ STORY WEBS
‣ CLOSE READING
‣ GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
DEAN, ET AL. (2012)

12. NOTE-TAKING AND SUMMARIZING
COMPASSIONATE APPLES
▸ OPENED THE DOOR TO A
CONVERSATION ABOUT FICTION
VS. NON-FICTION
▸ ISOLATING WORDS AS PART OF
A SENTENCE
▸ LETTER AND WORD DICTATION
▸ NON-LINGUISTIC
REPRESENTATION CREATED BY
STUDENTS

13. NON-LINGUISTIC REPRESENTATIONS
‣ BUILDS SOLID MEMORIES
‣ VIA THE CONVERSION OF WORDS TO IMAGES
‣ WRITING JOURNAL
‣ MAKE PHYSICAL MODELS OR MANIPULATIVES
‣ TEACH THEM TO USE (EX. ALPHA TILES)
‣ THEN HAVE THEM MAKE THEM (EX. PLAY DOUGH CUT OUTS)
‣ KINESTHETIC ACTIVITIES
‣ ROLE-PLAYING
‣ ACTING OUT VOCABULARY WORDS
‣ GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
‣ COMBINE LINGUISTIC AND NON-LINGUISTIC REPRESENTATIONS
COMMUNICATION WITHOUT WORDS
DEAN, C. B., HUBBELL, E. R., PITLER, H., & STONE, B. (2012) CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
THE WORKS: RESEARCH-BASED STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
(2ND ED.). CO: MID-CONTINENT RESEARCH ON EDUCATION AND LEARNING.

14. NON-LINGUISTIC REPRESENTATION
HELP THEM DEMONSTRATE THEIR
KNOWLEDGE
▸ ALLOW THEM TO DRAW
ANSWERS RATHER THAN
WRITE, WHEN THE ACTUAL
WRITING IS NOT THE ASSESSED
OBJECTIVE
▸ IN SOME CASES, A TRUER FORM
OF ASSESSMENT
▸ CAN BE ADAPTED FOR CUT &
PASTE SORTING, WRITING AND
DRAWING IN ORDER TO
DIFFERENTIATE OR GROW WITH
THE STUDENTS.

15. REFERENCES
DEAN, C. B., HUBBELL, E. R., PITLER, H., & STONE, B. (2012) CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION THE WORKS:
RESEARCH-BASED STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT (2ND ED.). CO: MID-
CONTINENT RESEARCH ON EDUCATION AND LEARNING.
HOY, A. W., & HOY, W. K. (2013) INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP: A RESEARCH-BASED GUIDE TO
LEARNING IN SCHOOLS (4TH ED.). NJ: PEARSON EDUCATION.
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