Episode Seven: Comments and reflections - Inter-American Teacher Education Network2024-03-29T07:34:34Zhttp://itenamericas.ning.com/forum/topics/episode-seven-comments-and-reflections?groupUrl=critical-thinking-for-teachers-audio-program-parti&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHi Shonella,
Early Childhood…tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2017-03-05:6559867:Comment:415442017-03-05T21:42:47.320ZTracey GSE Littlehttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/TraceyGSELittle
<p>Hi Shonella,</p>
<p>Early Childhood spans a period in the child's development where curiosity, inquisitiveness and experimentation are at its highest levels and we can hone in on this in order to extend their thinking beyond "yes" or "no". Children at this stage seem to have an internal drive that forces them to want to know more about anything and everything, so it is the perfect time for early childhood educators to facilitate the development of their critical thinking capacities.…</p>
<p>Hi Shonella,</p>
<p>Early Childhood spans a period in the child's development where curiosity, inquisitiveness and experimentation are at its highest levels and we can hone in on this in order to extend their thinking beyond "yes" or "no". Children at this stage seem to have an internal drive that forces them to want to know more about anything and everything, so it is the perfect time for early childhood educators to facilitate the development of their critical thinking capacities. </p>
<p>With the Socratic Seminar, while it may be a bit of a challenge according to Daniel to have the children "lead a discussion", it is very doable. Children now have a voice which they will use and are very observant. At early childhood level, do remember that we structure the environment to be a third teacher, within which we act as facilitators. We may have to add probing questions at some points to assist any given child in leading a discussion, which at early childhood level we refer to as chats due to the time-frame within which it is done. While it is likely that we may have to tweak some of the principles of socratic seminars in order to use it effectively in an early childhood classroom, it can be done. Demonstration and practice will be at the core of using this strategy in the early childhood classroom.</p>
<p></p>
<p><br/> <br/> <cite>Shonella Morgan said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://itenamericas.org/forum/topics/episode-seven-comments-and-reflections?groupUrl=critical-thinking-for-teachers-audio-program-parti&groupId=6559867%3AGroup%3A37251&id=6559867%3ATopic%3A39537&page=1#6559867Comment39391"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p> I noticed that nearly all the teachers in this community are either in Secondary, High School, College or University so I am sure if it may be a bit easier for you to plan lessons for the older children using the 5 step process. However, I am an Early Childhood Teacher and I find that using and connecting the steps for my level of children would demands more creativity on my part to gain and keep children's attention. I find too that I would have to have my lesson in parts (on different days) to accomplish my objectives.</p>
<p>What I really love about this overall program is that it has helped me to develop activities and questions at the higher levels that would aide students use of higher order thinking skills (HOTS). </p>
<p></p>
<p>Presently I am working on my plan, trying to ensure that my objectives link to my questions, activities, and evaluation. Scaffolding is a very important aspect of developing critical thinking skills as this course has taught me, and now I am practicing more of asking probing questions so that children can think and make better decisions. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I am indeed happy that I signed up for this course because I am better than I came in. I learnt some new things: The Socratic Seminar, also that the Scientific Method can be used for any subject area and not just for science. Most importantly, I have learned how to plan my lessons linking all the parts. I must say though that to link the parts together is my challenge, but I am giving it my best effort. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks Daniel and the team for your support and work, thus making this course a success and memorable experience for all of us here.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Regards,</p>
<p>Shonella</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> This course has been of great…tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2016-11-25:6559867:Comment:396772016-11-25T00:28:29.161ZAnnabella Medina Mangandidhttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/AnnabellaMedinaMangandid
<p><br></br><span>This course has been of great help for my work as a high school teacher, since modern youth is now unknowingly used critical thinking in their activities in class and subjects, receiving this knowledge we can guide their minds with better results. The bloom's taxonomy and the scientific method are new to me and I will not hesitate to use them in class. The Socratic Seminar has already been used in class and is fun for students and useful for us teachers. Go forth, Blessings…</span></p>
<p><br/><span>This course has been of great help for my work as a high school teacher, since modern youth is now unknowingly used critical thinking in their activities in class and subjects, receiving this knowledge we can guide their minds with better results. The bloom's taxonomy and the scientific method are new to me and I will not hesitate to use them in class. The Socratic Seminar has already been used in class and is fun for students and useful for us teachers. Go forth, Blessings !.</span></p> The program was an informativ…tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2016-11-23:6559867:Comment:397042016-11-23T04:58:41.900ZImogene Howardhttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/ImogeneHoward
<p>The program was an informative one. I used Bloom's Taxonomy before but not as how it is used here. I particularly like how the strateies are used to linked to other subjects. Although I would have appreciated more detailed lesson plan examples, the concept to encourage critical thinking was very clear and emphasizex.</p>
<p></p>
<p>My challenge is how to apply the strategies and develop critical thinking skills among students who are working way below average and suffer from slight dyslexia…</p>
<p>The program was an informative one. I used Bloom's Taxonomy before but not as how it is used here. I particularly like how the strateies are used to linked to other subjects. Although I would have appreciated more detailed lesson plan examples, the concept to encourage critical thinking was very clear and emphasizex.</p>
<p></p>
<p>My challenge is how to apply the strategies and develop critical thinking skills among students who are working way below average and suffer from slight dyslexia and learning ability, or to a group of male students who can't really read well.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Critical thinking skills is very applicable and can be taught at early stages, even at preschool, but the scientific stepa will have to be modified.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I am now more eager to go train other teachers especially the ones in my department since most of them are novice teachers.</p>
<p></p> Thank you, Macian! This is ve…tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2016-11-22:6559867:Comment:396662016-11-22T19:48:45.822ZDaniel Pierhttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/DanielPier402
<p>Thank you, Macian! This is very nice feedback.</p>
<p>We will provide participants with a more formal opportunity to provide feedback on the programs soon. I am glad you found the program helpful and very happy that you look forward to engaging your students as critical thinkers.</p>
<p>Warm regards,</p>
<p>Dan</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thank you, Macian! This is very nice feedback.</p>
<p>We will provide participants with a more formal opportunity to provide feedback on the programs soon. I am glad you found the program helpful and very happy that you look forward to engaging your students as critical thinkers.</p>
<p>Warm regards,</p>
<p>Dan</p>
<p></p> Hi there:
Completing the seve…tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2016-11-20:6559867:Comment:396562016-11-20T21:26:31.319ZMacian Moreen Lloydhttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/MacianMoreenLloyd
<p>Hi there:</p>
<p>Completing the seven episodes was an eye opener and a refresher! This program took me back to my Teacher College days and post Teaching practice. This proved to be a reminder of the importance of proper planning and catering to the needs of all types of learners.</p>
<p>Often, teachers focus simply on teaching for exams as our society more or less is exam oriented and therefore teachers tend to focus more on teaching for students to pass rather than teaching for students to…</p>
<p>Hi there:</p>
<p>Completing the seven episodes was an eye opener and a refresher! This program took me back to my Teacher College days and post Teaching practice. This proved to be a reminder of the importance of proper planning and catering to the needs of all types of learners.</p>
<p>Often, teachers focus simply on teaching for exams as our society more or less is exam oriented and therefore teachers tend to focus more on teaching for students to pass rather than teaching for students to learn and understand.</p>
<p>Confession is good for the soul, so I must confess that I have not always made a concerted effort to include the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy in all my lessons. However, having completed this program, I will correct this behavior going forward. </p>
<p>The planning process is extremely helpful as it creates easy steps for the teacher to follow. One however needs time, especially when planning several subjects for varying levels/grades.</p>
<p>Based on my experience in this program, I vow to include rubrics for all my activities and make them available to my students.</p>
<p>Something that was not said in this program but which I thought of at the end of Episode 7 was to include a feedback form at the end of each term so students can critique the lessons over the term. I see the need to engage students as much as possible and constructive criticism can only serve to strengthen our art of teaching. </p>
<p>I am now in the process of planning my lesson and I look forward in engaging my students as critical thinkers.</p>
<p>Macian</p>
<p></p> Way to go Glenda.
Keep it up.…tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2016-11-19:6559867:Comment:395532016-11-19T00:36:03.778ZGale Mohammed-Oxleyhttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/GaleMohammedOxley
<p>Way to go Glenda.</p>
<p>Keep it up.</p>
<p>Gale</p>
<p>Way to go Glenda.</p>
<p>Keep it up.</p>
<p>Gale</p> Hi Glenda, Gale and Daniel, …tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2016-11-18:6559867:Comment:396512016-11-18T23:00:12.427ZShonella Morganhttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/ShonellaMorgan
<p>Hi Glenda, Gale and Daniel, </p>
<p>Thank you for your insight on ways I can accomplish critical thinking with my age level. Management of the lesson as you have mentioned Gale is important that is why I will choose to do mines in part so that I can focus on students learning from the sessions and not just the content. Also Gale, as I started to plan I realised that the content is so much, thus I need to have activities that will be engaging for the children. Thanks Daniel for the document.…</p>
<p>Hi Glenda, Gale and Daniel, </p>
<p>Thank you for your insight on ways I can accomplish critical thinking with my age level. Management of the lesson as you have mentioned Gale is important that is why I will choose to do mines in part so that I can focus on students learning from the sessions and not just the content. Also Gale, as I started to plan I realised that the content is so much, thus I need to have activities that will be engaging for the children. Thanks Daniel for the document. The Morning Meeting is what we call Circle Time, so I intend to use my lesson at this time since as this would allow much discussion and movement and it would also make provision for their own 'why' questions. </p> Dear Shonella,
Thank you for…tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2016-11-17:6559867:Comment:395492016-11-17T15:20:02.649ZDaniel Pierhttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/DanielPier402
<p>Dear Shonella,</p>
<p>Thank you for your insights. I am happy to know that you found the programme valuable for your early childhood teaching; this is the intention, though clearly the examples and the storyline are more directly relevant to middle or high school teachers. I have two suggestions regarding applying your learning to that setting:</p>
<p>1. Please note that there is an interest group entitled "Early Childhood" in this virtual community. I suggest you join it. I see that it has…</p>
<p>Dear Shonella,</p>
<p>Thank you for your insights. I am happy to know that you found the programme valuable for your early childhood teaching; this is the intention, though clearly the examples and the storyline are more directly relevant to middle or high school teachers. I have two suggestions regarding applying your learning to that setting:</p>
<p>1. Please note that there is an interest group entitled "Early Childhood" in this virtual community. I suggest you join it. I see that it has not been very active lately, but I will post the resource below as a conversation starter.</p>
<p>2. You mentioned appreciation for the Socratic seminar, which is a very nice method for middle or high school, but of course it would be difficult for pre-schoolers to truly lead a discussion on their own. A structure or method that is in some ways similar and is more geared toward that age group is the Morning Meeting, which is part of the Responsive Classroom approach. You can find here a description of the Morning Meeting: <a href="https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/sites/default/files/pdf_files/SMMbooklet.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/sites/default/files/pdf_files/SMMbooklet.pdf</a></p>
<p>This pdf refers to a paid professional development package complete with DVD, but you can get a solid understanding of the idea from the pdf itself. Perhaps you already do something similar, but this is a well-articulated list of the goals and principles related to morning meetings, which can be a very good space for asking pre-schoolers the kinds of questions that lead to higher levels of thinking.</p>
<p>Warm regards,</p>
<p>Dan</p>
<p><br/> <cite>Shonella Morgan said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://itenamericas.org/forum/topics/episode-seven-comments-and-reflections?groupUrl=critical-thinking-for-teachers-audio-program-parti&#6559867Comment39391"><div><p> I noticed that nearly all the teachers in this community are either in Secondary, High School, College or University so I am sure if it may be a bit easier for you to plan lessons for the older children using the 5 step process. However, I am an Early Childhood Teacher and I find that using and connecting the steps for my level of children would demands more creativity on my part to gain and keep children's attention. I find too that I would have to have my lesson in parts (on different days) to accomplish my objectives.</p>
<p>What I really love about this overall program is that it has helped me to develop activities and questions at the higher levels that would aide students use of higher order thinking skills (HOTS). </p>
<p></p>
<p>Presently I am working on my plan, trying to ensure that my objectives link to my questions, activities, and evaluation. Scaffolding is a very important aspect of developing critical thinking skills as this course has taught me, and now I am practicing more of asking probing questions so that children can think and make better decisions. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I am indeed happy that I signed up for this course because I am better than I came in. I learnt some new things: The Socratic Seminar, also that the Scientific Method can be used for any subject area and not just for science. Most importantly, I have learned how to plan my lessons linking all the parts. I must say though that to link the parts together is my challenge, but I am giving it my best effort. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks Daniel and the team for your support and work, thus making this course a success and memorable experience for all of us here.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Regards,</p>
<p>Shonella</p>
</div>
</blockquote> Shonella,
Management of the l…tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2016-11-17:6559867:Comment:393942016-11-17T11:27:58.559ZGale Mohammed-Oxleyhttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/GaleMohammedOxley
<p>Shonella,</p>
<p>Management of the lesson is important in this instance. Many teachers are trained to address the student rather than the learning. They focus on understanding content rather than understanding processes. I am teaching all levels in the system and I can see how critical thinking can be applied at all levels in all subjects. The teacher/facilitator has to be very alert to changes of movement within the teaching/learning process. The only difference is volume when teaching. I…</p>
<p>Shonella,</p>
<p>Management of the lesson is important in this instance. Many teachers are trained to address the student rather than the learning. They focus on understanding content rather than understanding processes. I am teaching all levels in the system and I can see how critical thinking can be applied at all levels in all subjects. The teacher/facilitator has to be very alert to changes of movement within the teaching/learning process. The only difference is volume when teaching. I believe it is at the early childhood level that critical thinking is best applied as this is the elvel children ask 'why' to all learning. When we plan lessons we intend to place learning rather draw learning. The objectives must be sequential. If teaching a concept you cannot dwell on giving too much seat practice but dwell on the student getting the foundation of the learning taking place. Then reinforce at the next lesson and at every lesson you need to use this concept, recall this concept. I know it may sound hard but with practice it can be done. You are a builder of (minds) learning. Take your time and build skills while drawing knowledge and experience from the learner. Remember VASK when teaching.</p>
<p>The episodes have not addressed these areas but they have helped in placing skills at the service of the inexperienced teacher which they can build on as is done in scaffolding. Always remember when you teach you are also learning.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Gale</p> Shonella, you are right!! it…tag:itenamericas.ning.com,2016-11-17:6559867:Comment:395482016-11-17T03:25:24.489ZGlenda Morales de Duchicelahttp://itenamericas.ning.com/profile/GlendaMoralesdeDuchicela
<p>Shonella, you are right!! it is not easy to link the parts together, objectives and questions. For your elementary students must be harder but as you say, it is everyday practice and a lesson can take more than a day to complete it. I am getting used to the Socratic seminar as I havent used before.</p>
<p>I am working on my unit plan too, linking all elements together, scaffolding ideas, but in the meantime I have been introducing the idea of higher critical thinking and students are…</p>
<p>Shonella, you are right!! it is not easy to link the parts together, objectives and questions. For your elementary students must be harder but as you say, it is everyday practice and a lesson can take more than a day to complete it. I am getting used to the Socratic seminar as I havent used before.</p>
<p>I am working on my unit plan too, linking all elements together, scaffolding ideas, but in the meantime I have been introducing the idea of higher critical thinking and students are demanding when their point o view is valued, their responses are important, when they are in charge of the activity!! <br/> <cite>Shonella Morgan said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://itenamericas.org/forum/topics/episode-seven-comments-and-reflections?groupUrl=critical-thinking-for-teachers-audio-program-parti&commentId=6559867%3AComment%3A39391&xg_source=msg_com_gr_forum#6559867Comment39391"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p> I noticed that nearly all the teachers in this community are either in Secondary, High School, College or University so I am sure if it may be a bit easier for you to plan lessons for the older children using the 5 step process. However, I am an Early Childhood Teacher and I find that using and connecting the steps for my level of children would demands more creativity on my part to gain and keep children's attention. I find too that I would have to have my lesson in parts (on different days) to accomplish my objectives.</p>
<p>What I really love about this overall program is that it has helped me to develop activities and questions at the higher levels that would aide students use of higher order thinking skills (HOTS). </p>
<p></p>
<p>Presently I am working on my plan, trying to ensure that my objectives link to my questions, activities, and evaluation. Scaffolding is a very important aspect of developing critical thinking skills as this course has taught me, and now I am practicing more of asking probing questions so that children can think and make better decisions. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I am indeed happy that I signed up for this course because I am better than I came in. I learnt some new things: The Socratic Seminar, also that the Scientific Method can be used for any subject area and not just for science. Most importantly, I have learned how to plan my lessons linking all the parts. I must say though that to link the parts together is my challenge, but I am giving it my best effort. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks Daniel and the team for your support and work, thus making this course a success and memorable experience for all of us here.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Regards,</p>
<p>Shonella</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>