Episode Seven: Comments and reflections

[Daniel Pier]

Dear Colleagues,

You did it! Thank you for sticking with the program to complete all seven episodes.

How useful did you find the planning process described in the program? Does it vary from the method or methods you have used to plan classes in the past and, if so, to what extent will you incorporate this new planning process into your routine?

What new ideas do you have regarding teaching your students to think critically? I would be very happy to read your overall reflections on the course and the most important action step you will take based on this experience.

Warm regards,

Dan Pier

[Annabella Medina Mangandid]

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 !.

[Tracey GSE Little]

Hi Shonella,

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.  

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.

Shonella Morgan said:

 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.

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). 

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. 

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. 

Thanks Daniel and the team for your support and work, thus making this course a success and memorable experience for all of us here.

Regards,

Shonella