We are teaching kids not just what to learn but HOW to learn Because the WHAT keeps changing

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We are teaching kids not just what to learn but
HOW to learn (Because the WHAT keeps changing!)
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Why has education changed?

• Q Should we prepare children for their future in
  the 21st centuryor for our past?
• A If we prepare students the way we did fifteen
  or twenty years ago, we are preparing them for a
  world that no longer exists.

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Why has education changed?

• The report A Nation at Risk
• National International Assessments
• Research about successful classrooms
• Standards-based movement

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Why has education changed?

• Some disturbing conclusions
• Many kids needs are not being met
• Our average student is not much better, if at
  all, than the average around the world
• Traditional instruction is not reaching many U.S.
  students

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• HOW PEOPLE LEARN National Research Council
• (Research the brain is plastic)
• Learning needs to be connected to what students
  already know
• Novel situations create new neural networks
  (growth)
• Strategies need to be varied
• Facts taught without understanding are not likely
  to be remembered
• That way the learning transfers to novel
  situations (future problems to solve)

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Why has education changed?

• Q Should we prepare children for their future in
  the 21st centuryor for our past?
• A If we prepare students the way we did fifteen
  or twenty years ago, we are preparing them for a
  world that no longer exists

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Constructivism

• What is it?
• What does it look like?
• What do constructivist teachers do in the
  classroom?

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Constructivism

• is a concept
• is a learning theory that describes the central
  role that the learner plays in his/her own
  learning
• is a way to think about how children learn

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Constructivism

• focuses attention on the learner
• is respectful of learners
• sees students as active learners/agents in their
  own learning (we are all responsible for our own
  learning)
• allows students to follow their interests, to
  make connections, to reformulate ideas, to reach
  unique conclusions

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Constructivism

• is a way of learning about the world
• challenges teachers to create environments in
  which students are encouraged to think and explore

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ConstructivismWhat does it look like?

• It is defined by active, hands-on learning
• Students points of view are valued
• Lessons are planned around big ideas
• Students are encouraged to investigate, discover
  and explore
• Students are encouraged to challenge their
  suppositions

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What do constructivist teachers do in the
classroom?

• Constructivist teachers
• Encourage and accept student autonomy
• Use raw data and primary sources along with
  manipulative, interactive, and physical materials
  to teach ideas and concepts.

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Constructivist teachers

• Allow students responses to drive lessons, shift
  instructional strategies, and alter content
• Inquire about students understandings of
  concepts before sharing their own understandings
  of those concepts

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Constructivist teachers

• Encourage students to engage in dialogue both
  with the teacher and with one another
• Encourage student inquiry by asking thoughtful
  open-ended questions and also by encouraging
  students to ask questions of each other

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Parents still need to be involved just in a
different way
When your child asks for help with homework use
this as a chance to support them by prompting
them to think for themselves. When your child
says, I dont get it! Your job is to think of
questions that will engage him or her in the
problem. What is the problem about? Tell me in
your own words. What did you do in class to get
started? Can you make a diagram or draw a
sketch? What assumptions are you making? How do
you know you are solving the right
problem? Could there be any missing or extra
information? Can you solve a simpler version of
the problem?
.
?
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When your child is partially done and stuck, and
doesnt know what to do next

• Your job is to ask questions that will help him
  or her get unstuck.
• Can we break down the assignment?
• Did you check your arithmetic?
• What is the important information you need to do
  the assignment?
• Can you tell me what you know so far?
• What have you already tried? What steps did you
  take?

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When your child tells you he or she doesnt have
homework or that theyve already done their
homework Your job is to take a few minutes and
go over the homework with your child.
Does your work make sense? Could there be more
than one answer? How do you know? How do yu
know your assignment is correct? Is there
anything you might have overlooked? Did you do
all parts to your assignment? Did you show all
of your understanding? Could you explain
yourself more clearly? What do you think you
were supposed to learn from this homework? What
new questions or problems might you now pose and
explore?
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Have basic resources/materials on hand

• Printer paper
• Extra ink cartridges
• Rulers
• Scissors
• Markers
• Construction paper
• Be aware of the number of homework excuses
  teachers get about computers
• My computer crashed
• My printer is broken
• My printer is out of ink
• Have a back up plan for these situations by
  having extra ink and printer paper on hand and
  e-mailing to another computer or save to a disk
  assignments.

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Understand a Variety of Assessments

• Assessments can be
• - a demonstration of understanding through
  projects like Be-The-Expert.
• skills assessment.
• a collection of interactive, reflective
  activities.
• an open-ended question.
• More emphasis will be on communicating their
  reasoning and explaining their answer.
• When your child completes a project ask them if
  they followed all of the directions and if the
  project shows their understanding of the topic.

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Monitor of the use of technologyin your home
Downloading papers
Finding valid web sites as a source
E-mailing your work to others doing your own
work
Using the library if you dont have a computer
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Chunking projects time management

• Be aware of time lines for projects.
• Create a working time line together with your
  child (they may not be aware of other obligations
  during the week).
• Allow them to struggle - this prompts their
  creativity.
• Allow them to do their work themselves - this
  will remind them the next time that they need to
  rely on themselves.
• Support your child when they are working on a
  project by using questions to prompt their
  thinking.

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Know What Information is Available

• Teacher web page/homework on-line

• Grades are on-line

• Curriculum is on-line

• School web page

• District web page

• Planner

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Stay Connected

• Dont be afraid to ask questions

• Write a note in the planner

• Drop off a note

• Leave a voice message

• Come to conferences with a list of questions

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Whats to come in the upcoming sessions of Parent
University

• Math night Thursday, October 11th

• Language Arts night Thursday, Oct.18th

• Social Studies night Thursday Oct.25th

• Science night Thursday, Nov. 1

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Return to Parent University

• http//www.parentu.html