Welcome to Exploring Education Through Technology! We will use Robert Marzano's Classroom Instruction that Works as a vehicle to generate conversation!
Step 1: Introduce Yourself! Not only your name, but title and school.
Step 2: Describe any experience you have had with blogs. It's okay if this is your first blogging journey!
Step 3: Simply interact! Don't hesitate to comment.
In Chapter 2, one of the four generalizations regarding research in the area of identifying similarities and differences emphasizes the importance of “explicit guidance” in how to perform this task. This is particularly true for children with disabilities. When attending a conference on research-based writing instruction, the researcher mentioned that findings showed that only about 20% of typically developing children could complete a task without explicit guided practice. So…if 80% of typically developing children require guided practice to be successful, what does that say about children with atypical development? I think this concept of “guided” practice is similar to Instructional Scaffolding where children are taught specific skills and then given numerous opportunities to practice those skills under a teacher’s guidance before going on to work independently.
This was an interesting chapter the involves many strategies we use in our classrooms. I never cease to be amazed at how well students can make deep connections when challenged. One of the great Venns we use many years is the compare your teacher to the teacher in "The Secret School". I loved the comparision I got one year when they told me "she is young, you are not as young." I asked if we could put young teachers in the similarity part and they had a VERY hard time deciding how to politely tell me that, no, that was a difference. Students make very high level connections and really amaze me when we spend time with these activities!
There are many ways to involve students in identifying similarities and differences. One is to use a graphic organizing tool such as the ones available free, like bubbl.us, gliffy or webspiration to make graphic organizers and involve students in making comparisions and contrasts. The research found this to be very powerful on paper so imagine the result when you increase interest and engagement through use of web 2.0 tools! They are amazing and results are exciting for students.
As students begin to make their own, independent ideas they can use collaboration tools such as Google docs, Basecamp, YackPack or using wikis and blogs. These allow them to interact with each other as they form and expand on each other's ideas.
As an English teacher, this chapter is right up my alley...even the examples the book selected are tailored to my curriculum. We use Venn diagrams, T charts, class discussions, and essays to thoroughly dissect the similarities and differences between literature, use of literary elements, author's style, and characters motivation, traits, backgrounds, etc. The list is endless. We all already know that seeing those areas of overlap and separation enhance comprehension. As an AIG teacher, one project we did was a Venn diagram on presidential candidates. Two republicans and two democrats initially, and then, after the nominations were complete, we compared the democrat to the rebuplican. It was interesting for the kids to see that even two candidates on the same side of the aisle had some pretty remarkable differences. From there, we extrapolated what we thought those differences would mean in terms of bills they'd support or veto as president, kinds of people they'd nominate for posts within their administration, and what would be the obvious differences for us as constituents.
For virtually everything I teach, I model. I model A LOT of writing skills, graphic organizers, even how I want the definitions, parts of speech and sentences from each week's vocabulary words. I find that the differences in learning styles make it QUITE helpful to do so. This way, the kids see and hear what I expect them to do. And they usually get it right ot at least close! ;)
Hey! I posted a picture! I know it's not the highest technology skill, but it's a start!! Now to update the profile! Have a Happy Valentine's Day and a great weekend!
We have been talking about slave times and how the black people achieved their freedom. I enlisted the help of two black ladies to come and talk to the children at both of my schools about 'then' and 'now'. It was amazing the similarities and differences that the children were able to distinguish just from hearing these ladies speak. I guess this would be my 'human venn diagram'. I have also used a chart with my older students using primary resources and have them do a compare/contrast type lesson. Cinderella stories, The Three Little Pigs, The Gingerbread Man...these are also good for a compare/contrast lesson. Analogies seem to be the most difficult for the children. Of course they are difficult for me as well, so that one I have to work at.
Chapter 2 was interesting -- I do use identifying similarties and differences when discussing films from the same timeframe. This chapter gave me some different ways of framing the lesson.
I also posted a picture Ronda and I know to others it may not seem like much but I was soooo proud! (It only took about 10 tries). When I read chapter 2, I was thinking the term "prior knowledge". We either tap into what the students already know (schema) through student directed activities fo finding similarities or differences or we help them to make inferences by providing them a baseline of our knowledge to fit the material into through teacher direction. In kindergarten I use a lot of KWL charts and Venn diagrams. Even kindergartens can grasp Venn diagrams. I often make them 3-D by having hula hoops in the floor for them to sort items into. Graphic organizers are one way that students who are visual learners can really grasp a concept. I looked up KWL in the index and noticed no reference to it in the book. I thought that was interesting especially on a primary level. KWL's help the students (and teachers) to realize what they already know about a subject so they can sort out and process new information. I was glad to see that in reading everyone's blog we are on the same line about recognizing different learning styles and how graphic organizers can help this. I love to web with the kids in kindergarten they often find it fun to see how far they can extend their web. I know there is more about webbing in chapter 3. But, in kindergarten I feel like we sort and classify information all day, from shapes to colors to letters to numbers. I always enjoy going beyond the identifing similarities and differences and applying what they have learned into more complex things. Such as after we classify shapes where can we find the in the environment? I didn't realize that I use simple analogies with them in kindergarten such as opposites. I am very interested in the RIT process and this book is lining up perfectly with the RTI process for the regular education teacher.
As a phys. ed teacher, I was curious how this chapter would be incorporated into my curriculum. I was excited to see the example about the Olympics in the book. Although we don't usually have paper and pencil, we do identify similarities and differences, especially when learning new games and rules. In the older students, it is easier to allow student directed activities, but this seems to be more difficult with the younger ones. Comparing and classifying tend to be most often used in my situation. I would love to have some suggestions on how to use metaphors and analogies more productively in the classroom.
I am so glad that everyone had similarities to the discussions in this chapter. Does anyone have differences that come to mind? For example, I tend to do much more teacher directed than student directed so this chapter challenged me to turn more of it over to students, as appropriate. I did that last week and had mixed reviews. But maybe with time and practice I can do it! What about everyone else? Anything you don't do that you tried or want to try.
I like it when a teachable moment comes up and your are able to let the students do the teaching. I recently had a student in my room who had been causing much trouble in the general education classroom. He was completing work that he missed in class while I worked with another student. During the class period, the other child asked a specific question about what he was working on and the student who has been in soooooo much trouble volunterred to assist the other child and was very appropriate. It was heart warming. :)
As I finish sipping my coffee and feeding my 8 month old, the laundry machine buzzes and Barney music plays in the background. I try to think about how this chapter applies to me as a mother and a teachers assistant 2 days a week. We all use comparisons (similarities and differences) in one way or another.
Even my two year old son can relate to a comparison I used a little over a year ago when we went out west and saw some elk. I called them "big doggies" so he could understand what they were.
Even this week the teacher I work with used a venn diagram to explain to kindergarteners how we can be helpful at home and at school (differences). Next, he compared how we can be helpful in both environments (similarities).
A few examples of similarities/differences I liked in this chapter were: --"Love is a rose" --"Making a sandwhich/writing a paragraph" --analogies to help students study pg. 27
It is funny how everyone is thinking along the same lines with Chapter 2. I agree with Jenny that two year olds can understand comparisons. I see this with my 4 and 5 year olds in PreK. We do a lot of comparing and classifying. We discuss similarities and differences everyday. When introducing a new concept we use mostly teacher directed activities, but it is always so rewarding to see them take the new concept and blossom. I think that scaffolding is definitely what occurs with my students. Often times what they know is right on and other times they gather so much information from comparing.
We use Venn diagrams some, but we use KWL charts much more frequently in PreK. I was a little disappointed that the chapter didn't mention them at all. I think that it is interesting as well Donna that primary wasn't, I don't want to say considered - maybe overlooked. I enjoyed this chapter because I didn't realize how many different comparison charts, etc. were out there being used.
I have been a technology teacher for 20 years and still have days that I am so frustrated with the technology!!!!! So, don't feel bad, I too had some difficulty getting my picture posted. ha ha! Chapter 2 was very interesting and reassuring about the effectiveness of the graphic organizers to help identify simiarlities and differences. Venn diagrams are very useful in my computer classes, especially when dealing with ethical issues, i.e. privacy. Also, the comparison matrix works very well during my desktop publishing section when looking at similarities and differences between common publications, both professionally created and poorly created. I too find myself using these in more teacher-directed settings early in instruction. But, as students grasp the formatting concepts and begin to look at publications from a design concept, I can move more toward student-directed comparisons. They really don't have much experience in this before my class.
In Chapter 2, one of the four generalizations regarding research in the area of identifying similarities and differences emphasizes the importance of “explicit guidance” in how to perform this task. This is particularly true for children with disabilities. When attending a conference on research-based writing instruction, the researcher mentioned that findings showed that only about 20% of typically developing children could complete a task without explicit guided practice. So…if 80% of typically developing children require guided practice to be successful, what does that say about children with atypical development? I think this concept of “guided” practice is similar to Instructional Scaffolding where children are taught specific skills and then given numerous opportunities to practice those skills under a teacher’s guidance before going on to work independently.
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting chapter the involves many strategies we use in our classrooms. I never cease to be amazed at how well students can make deep connections when challenged. One of the great Venns we use many years is the compare your teacher to the teacher in "The Secret School". I loved the comparision I got one year when they told me "she is young, you are not as young." I asked if we could put young teachers in the similarity part and they had a VERY hard time deciding how to politely tell me that, no, that was a difference. Students make very high level connections and really amaze me when we spend time with these activities!
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways to involve students in identifying similarities and differences. One is to use a graphic organizing tool such as the ones available free, like bubbl.us, gliffy or webspiration to make graphic organizers and involve students in making comparisions and contrasts. The research found this to be very powerful on paper so imagine the result when you increase interest and engagement through use of web 2.0 tools! They are amazing and results are exciting for students.
As students begin to make their own, independent ideas they can use collaboration tools such as Google docs, Basecamp, YackPack or using wikis and blogs. These allow them to interact with each other as they form and expand on each other's ideas.
As an English teacher, this chapter is right up my alley...even the examples the book selected are tailored to my curriculum. We use Venn diagrams, T charts, class discussions, and essays to thoroughly dissect the similarities and differences between literature, use of literary elements, author's style, and characters motivation, traits, backgrounds, etc. The list is endless. We all already know that seeing those areas of overlap and separation enhance comprehension. As an AIG teacher, one project we did was a Venn diagram on presidential candidates. Two republicans and two democrats initially, and then, after the nominations were complete, we compared the democrat to the rebuplican. It was interesting for the kids to see that even two candidates on the same side of the aisle had some pretty remarkable differences. From there, we extrapolated what we thought those differences would mean in terms of bills they'd support or veto as president, kinds of people they'd nominate for posts within their administration, and what would be the obvious differences for us as constituents.
ReplyDeleteFor virtually everything I teach, I model. I model A LOT of writing skills, graphic organizers, even how I want the definitions, parts of speech and sentences from each week's vocabulary words. I find that the differences in learning styles make it QUITE helpful to do so. This way, the kids see and hear what I expect them to do. And they usually get it right ot at least close! ;)
Hey! I posted a picture! I know it's not the highest technology skill, but it's a start!! Now to update the profile! Have a Happy Valentine's Day and a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteWe have been talking about slave times and how the black people achieved their freedom. I enlisted the help of two black ladies to come and talk to the children at both of my schools about 'then' and 'now'. It was amazing the similarities and differences that the children were able to distinguish just from hearing these ladies speak. I guess this would be my 'human venn diagram'. I have also used a chart with my older students using primary resources and have them do a compare/contrast type lesson. Cinderella stories, The Three Little Pigs, The Gingerbread Man...these are also good for a compare/contrast lesson. Analogies seem to be the most difficult for the children. Of course they are difficult for me as well, so that one I have to work at.
ReplyDeleteChapter 2 was interesting -- I do use identifying similarties and differences when discussing films from the same timeframe. This chapter gave me some different ways of framing the lesson.
ReplyDeleteI also posted a picture Ronda and I know to others it may not seem like much but I was soooo proud! (It only took about 10 tries). When I read chapter 2, I was thinking the term "prior knowledge". We either tap into what the students already know (schema) through student directed activities fo finding similarities or differences or we help them to make inferences by providing them a baseline of our knowledge to fit the material into through teacher direction. In kindergarten I use a lot of KWL charts and Venn diagrams. Even kindergartens can grasp Venn diagrams. I often make them 3-D by having hula hoops in the floor for them to sort items into. Graphic organizers are one way that students who are visual learners can really grasp a concept. I looked up KWL in the index and noticed no reference to it in the book. I thought that was interesting especially on a primary level. KWL's help the students (and teachers) to realize what they already know about a subject so they can sort out and process new information. I was glad to see that in reading everyone's blog we are on the same line about recognizing different learning styles and how graphic organizers can help this. I love to web with the kids in kindergarten they often find it fun to see how far they can extend their web. I know there is more about webbing in chapter 3. But, in kindergarten I feel like we sort and classify information all day, from shapes to colors to letters to numbers. I always enjoy going beyond the identifing similarities and differences and applying what they have learned into more complex things. Such as after we classify shapes where can we find the in the environment? I didn't realize that I use simple analogies with them in kindergarten such as opposites. I am very interested in the RIT process and this book is lining up perfectly with the RTI process for the regular education teacher.
ReplyDeleteAs a phys. ed teacher, I was curious how this chapter would be incorporated into my curriculum. I was excited to see the example about the Olympics in the book. Although we don't usually have paper and pencil, we do identify similarities and differences, especially when learning new games and rules. In the older students, it is easier to allow student directed activities, but this seems to be more difficult with the younger ones. Comparing and classifying tend to be most often used in my situation. I would love to have some suggestions on how to use metaphors and analogies more productively in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that everyone had similarities to the discussions in this chapter. Does anyone have differences that come to mind? For example, I tend to do much more teacher directed than student directed so this chapter challenged me to turn more of it over to students, as appropriate. I did that last week and had mixed reviews. But maybe with time and practice I can do it!
ReplyDeleteWhat about everyone else? Anything you don't do that you tried or want to try.
I like it when a teachable moment comes up and your are able to let the students do the teaching. I recently had a student in my room who had been causing much trouble in the general education classroom. He was completing work that he missed in class while I worked with another student. During the class period, the other child asked a specific question about what he was working on and the student who has been in soooooo much trouble volunterred to assist the other child and was very appropriate. It was heart warming. :)
ReplyDeleteAs I finish sipping my coffee and feeding my 8 month old, the laundry machine buzzes and Barney music plays in the background. I try to think about how this chapter applies to me as a mother and a teachers assistant 2 days a week.
ReplyDeleteWe all use comparisons (similarities and differences) in one way or another.
Even my two year old son can relate to a comparison I used a little over a year ago when we went out west and saw some elk. I called them "big doggies" so he could understand what they were.
Even this week the teacher I work with used a venn diagram to explain to kindergarteners how we can be helpful at home and at school (differences). Next, he compared how we can be helpful in both environments (similarities).
A few examples of similarities/differences I liked in this chapter were:
--"Love is a rose"
--"Making a sandwhich/writing a paragraph"
--analogies to help students study pg. 27
Oh--sorry for my spelling error--sandwich ha ha
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how everyone is thinking along the same lines with Chapter 2. I agree with Jenny that two year olds can understand comparisons. I see this with my 4 and 5 year olds in PreK. We do a lot of comparing and classifying. We discuss similarities and differences everyday. When introducing a new concept we use mostly teacher directed activities, but it is always so rewarding to see them take the new concept and blossom. I think that scaffolding is definitely what occurs with my students. Often times what they know is right on and other times they gather so much information from comparing.
ReplyDeleteWe use Venn diagrams some, but we use KWL charts much more frequently in PreK. I was a little disappointed that the chapter didn't mention them at all. I think that it is interesting as well Donna that primary wasn't, I don't want to say considered - maybe overlooked. I enjoyed this chapter because I didn't realize how many different comparison charts, etc. were out there being used.
I have been a technology teacher for 20 years and still have days that I am so frustrated with the technology!!!!! So, don't feel bad, I too had some difficulty getting my picture posted. ha ha!
ReplyDeleteChapter 2 was very interesting and reassuring about the effectiveness of the graphic organizers to help identify simiarlities and differences. Venn diagrams are very useful in my computer classes, especially when dealing with ethical issues, i.e. privacy. Also, the comparison matrix works very well during my desktop publishing section when looking at similarities and differences between common publications, both professionally created and poorly created.
I too find myself using these in more teacher-directed settings early in instruction. But, as students grasp the formatting concepts and begin to look at publications from a design concept, I can move more toward student-directed comparisons. They really don't have much experience in this before my class.