221+Agenda+2.27.14

Post a comment and/or question related to discussion-based instruction that is **tied to a specific** resource(s) on the P.E.T. Be sure to sign your post with three tildes ~

I always seem to find difficulty in incorporating some of these teaching techniques with math. I wish there was an example I could view so I could just imagine it. My question applies to something else altogether though. As a student, I would use these "discussions" as a way to get a teacher off topic. How does a teacher know when a topic is too far off its main point that the discussion becomes an effective teaching point or is it good to be going in depth and relating to other things? user:anne957

I was reading "Discussion Strategies" on the website []and one of the given strategies was having students take turns being a discussion leader. I can see this being beneficial because it will cause students to be more involved, and to think more deeply. Being able to lead a discussion is a great skill to have and it may also help the students who are disinterested because now they will have somewhat of a say in what happens. However, it may be difficult to teach students how to lead discussions. (Perhaps it is more fitting for high school students than middle school students.) How difficult do you think it would be to teach students to take turns leading a discussion? What would be required to teach them this? What exactly would students need to know? user:AlinaST

As I was reading this website, http://www.bestteachersinstitute.org/id73.html, it gave a lot of good advice about what to do to help a classroom be a productive and safe environment. However, toward the end of the page, it poses the question, "What would you do the first time your student came to class without completing the reading?" It is an open-ended question, which was frustrating, because I was genuinely curious of the answer. I feel like the first time that this happens is a important time to establish class expectations, because discussion-based instruction relies greatly on the reading being completed ahead of time. How would you answer that question? user:JulieH17

-Is it really an effective discussion technique to use sticks with every students name on it to randomly have different people talk throughout the class period? It could create an uncomfortable classroom environment and make specific students who are struggling with social and emotional development feel called out and make them not enjoy classroom discussions in the future or learning in general. user:mfreel1

When I watched the video "Calling on Students" I was confused as to how that is an effective discussion technique. It is entirely teacher led and does not allow much discussion on the student's part. I know that if I had been in that class I would have hated it. Math is hard for me already and being put on the spot in a classroom setting where everyone hears and knows if you get the answer wrong would have terrified me. user:supersarah3

After reading http://www.bestteachersinstitute.org/id74.html and watching the video about the high school history teacher that the best way to go about formulating an effective class discussion is to first start with a question that students work on individually, then with a neighbor, next moving to a small group, and finally coming back to the big group. I think that this is important because it gives students time to formulate their own ideas before being exposed and influenced by ideas of others. I think being called on in front of the class would be much less stressful after working in small groups because they have helped developed your idea or thought and given you confidence to answer the question. user:andyn7

In my opinion and experiences, discussion based classrooms are the most effective. I find that students are better able to understand something when they can simply have a conversation about it. However, in the case of first discussing in smaller groups before returning to the whole class discussion, is it too easy for an unprepared student to get away with not completing his or her work? Also, how can a teacher use the method of randomly calling on different students without humiliating shy students or students who are unprepared? user:juliag23

Agenda
Objectives:
 * SWBAT describe instructional strategies and principles to promote effective classroom discussion

9:25 - 9:40 - Welcome and Review
 * Notetaker: Megan
 * Photographer: Julia
 * Reviewer: Sarah

9:40 - 10:10 - Discussion about discussion 10:10 - 10:35 - Constructive Controversy Model
 * CHIP pre-write - What challenged, helped, inspired, and perplexed you from your P.E.T. about discussion-based instruction?
 * Fishbowl
 * How to keep a //comfortable// classroom environment to foster discussion? Small Groups?
 * How to make sure students are doing the pre-work (reading)...
 * Teachers must be //motivators// to make sure students **WANT** to do pre-work
 * Group work/discussion=comparable to **REAL LIFE**
 * Fine line between discussion and putting students on the spot
 * Can you have discussion based learning in math?
 * Some students learn more from class discussions then from the text.
 * Do we put advanced students with struggling students in order to bring up the bottom? Double-edged sword?
 * Put Thumbs up if you want to continue on the topic, if you have a new topic or a question put a two up
 * Groups of four - 2 pro, 2 con
 * __Con__: Hard to bring up points while the inner group is talking. (maybe make rules to allow students to enter inner-discussion circle?)
 * __Con:__ Trying to follow a very structured discussion style when discussions vary depending on topic and the students involved (better to have general guidelines?) Hard to stay focused on outer circle? (need level of accountability in outer circle)
 * __Con__: encouraging kids to say anything, may be irrelevant or silly, just to get points...
 * __Pro__: forces people to be LISTENING, paying attention to conversation and being involved.
 * __Pro__: helps ALL STUDENTS to share their opinion and get involved.
 * Five minutes to prepare an argument__**-constructive controversy**__
 * Each side has 2 minutes to present their position; other side just listens
 * Other side presents while opposing pair just listens
 * Each side has 3 minutes to prepare the opposite argument
 * Each side presents while the other side listens (2 minutes each)
 * The group of 4 debates and comes to a consensus (5 minutes)
 * Pro: students get invested in their side
 * Con: can get personal, make subjective statements.
 * Con: only focused on what you're going to say, hard to respond to other group or to listen actively to what they're saying.
 * Con: Issue must be somewhat controversial, but not too personal.
 * Pro: teaches students to have an opinion and fosters learning.
 * Pro: the conversation doesn't end in the classroom, relevant to real life.
 * Pro: opens students eyes to new issues, current events they could become interested in.
 * Pro: teaches students civic discourse: how to thoughtfully listen and debate. How to respectfully and intentionally argue their opinion, gets every student involved.

10:35 - 10:45 - Break

10:45 - 11:30 - Video Activity [] - Sorting and Classifying: Class Discussion (Math) -high expectations -very structured discussion/intense -learning math through the discussion -no one was rejected if they didn't know the right answer [] - Making Science Relevant with Current Events (Science) [] - Discussing Non-Fiction (Social Studies) -loosely structured, still rigorous -teachers role=facilitator (neutral) -mentor, approachable -validating comments=crucial to fostering discussion -students must be prepared for discussion -questions should be central to discussion based lessons -teacher should encourage all students to participate -teacher should leave "thinking time" for students to formulate what they want to say.

[]

11:30 - 11:55 - Field Observation Rubric and Co-Teaching

11:55 - 12:05 - Closure

(P.S. If time, NTSG - Harnessing Energy)
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 * Housekeeping: **
 * Due next Thursday - Discussion-Based Instruction Activity Guide
 * Teaching Demos: Julia, Julie, Anne
 * Remember to send me your lesson plan for feedback and approval before you teach your observed lesson in the field. Reflection due within 48 hours.