Greetings,
What have you learned this week? I have been reading about the Science of Learning! Here are the key principles:
- Attention is the Gateway to Learning
- Emotions are the Fire under Cognition
- Retrieve to Remember
- Effortful Learning Leads to Stronger Memory
- Too Much Too Fast overload the Brain
- Effective Feedback Drives Improvement
Look at what is said about attentionLearning starts with focus. If attention isn’t captured, information doesn’t make it into memory. Minimizing distractions and using engaging strategies (such as storytelling, questioning, and novelty) enhances attention.
Anyway, it's something that I am interested in learning more about. What about you? What are you learning??
I love approaching history from a place of storytelling and I have learned that my students actually enjoy and love being “assigned” a country, political party, or person when we are talking about events that have happened in a country’s history. In a previous unit’s history portion, I spontaneously assigned a person in both of my 7th grade classes to be “Great Britain” as we talked about Apartheid in South Africa. The students chosen, as well as the other students, loved it and were so engaged in the lessons! A bonus was that as we moved through the unit, students were able to explain why Great Britain was “a problem” when colonizing South Africa. In the current unit we are in, I have “assigned” students a role each day as we talk about Communism in a different country. All students have been engaged in the lessons, can’t wait to volunteer, and are retaining the information easier since this makes it more personal as classmates are representing the countries, person, or party we are talking about. I was amazed in how much they truly retained over the course of the week as we did a review assignment in class today.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds not only intriguing, but FUN while they are learning at the same time! Believe it or not, kids love stories. Especially if you can relate them to the content that's being taught! I try to do that to obtain their interest level, and they actually listen. The stories often involve myself or old war stories that my grandfather use to tell me!
DeleteThis is great! Storytelling is vital in history, and assigning students a role in that story is brilliant!
DeleteWhat I have learned this week? There isn't any one thing I can pin down in my mind. One of the things that I go back and forth with is the concept of Science of Math. We have been learning about the Science of Reading via the blog and required classes online, but I wanted to find out more about my content, particularly in Math. So, I have been reading articles about the Science of Math and how important it is to have systematic, step-by-step approach to learning different concepts in math. Sounds familiar, huh? I know discovery and thinking are important aspects, and can be integrated into the world of learning in math, but the foundation needs to be built upon to withstand the weight of later concepts. I don't have the answers to which is better, and it seems to be a back-and-forth discussion that is on-going in the education world. Bottomline, you have to find what is best of the students you are teaching at that time, that year, that class--all are different, and you have to adapt/be flexible. You can find data/research that supports either side of the table. Some people stick to just one side of the table and stick to their convictions, while others move around the table depending on the many variables in the classroom. I don't think education is a Goldilocks story-nothing is "just right".
ReplyDeleteSing is, sister! Differentiation, differentiation, differentiation. Which means the more WE know the more we can meet the differentiated needs of our students. KUDOS to you!!
DeleteYES ! I love this. Not all students learn the same way. What works one year may not work the next. Flexibility is key with teaching!
DeleteI have seen/heard frequently in the past several weeks that the (not-so) hypothetical society of post-literacy is upon us. Technology has changed the way many of us consume information, from complex pieces of writing to short video clips. Whenever I “Google” anything, I have to scroll past the video resources to READ for knowledge or understanding.
ReplyDeleteThis author contends: “Fewer people reading and thinking for themselves makes it easier for others, some with bad intentions, to think for them… Our society is …one where anyone can confidently share their opinion…without having done the reading and research themselves.”
https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/on-the-post-literate-society
The concern is real and is (and has been) being discussed much moreso in realms other than education such as finance, sales, and politics. We all know that reading scores have been declining since before the pandemic. A drastic change is inevitable but needed NOW. How as educators can we turn this trend around? Or will we? Will education take a new direction?
This author delves a little more into what she feels education should be like, concluding: “The decline in traditional literacy and reasoning is a complex issue that cannot be pinned on any one factor. Addressing this issue requires a collective effort to redefine what literacy means in the 21st century. It is not about rejecting technology but integrating it thoughtfully into our lives, ensuring that the skills of comprehension, critical thinking, and nuanced communication are not lost in the age of scrolling and swiping.”
And one of her specifics touches upon more of this week’s topic: “Promoting Long-Form Content: Encouraging creators and educators to use digital platforms for long-form storytelling and in-depth discussions to counterbalance the dominance of short-form content.”
https://medium.com/@bumivirtualindonesia/in-a-world-where-seconds-decide-futures-let-your-mind-be-both-a-blade-and-a-well-swift-to-strike-26032d85d360
I have been trying to promote more collaboration with my 3rd-5th graders, but based on this I want to take it to another level. :)
I happen to think that attention is closely linked to movement—when kids move, they engage! I try to integrate short, high-energy activities right from the start to prime students' brains for learning. For the novelty effect I also try to incorporate unexpected themes, video games, or silly challenges—keeps students focused.
ReplyDeleteI agree that movement definitely prompts engagement! I don't get to do a lot in class, but when we do, the kids love it! They also talk about how much they love PE and some of the fun things you're doing in class! I remember when I was face-to-face, many years ago, the persona was to have a quite class that sits in their desk with no movement; unless they were raising their hand or turning something in. Many of them grew restless and tired from sitting so long. Being active in the classroom doesn't mean that learning doesn't exist!
DeleteMovement is powerful, the vast majority of my middle grade students will stretch when I ask them to while we wait for class to start. The power of stretching is physical but also mental as we "stretch" for understanding or "stretch" a constructed response to include evidence to support an answer. The connection between physical movement and mental growth and well being is transcendent.
DeleteAs I capture my students' attention, I love to have a deep vocabulary lesson/activity to connect the words in the text with real life examples in my or my student's lives. This helps them to remember what the term is, as well as what the passage using that term in the text is about.
ReplyDeleteI also found a section in HMH called reading and vocabulary slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-QQhysr1P2YWjLgvR3DphcPzfvqHpODd/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112456418158135668371&rtpof=true&sd=true
These prompt questions allow my students to think about different events in the plot of the story. The students must annotate the answers in their mybook as we go over the questions. During each lesson, we always try to connect a real-world scenario to better understand what is happening in the story. This definitely gains student's attention, because they like to hear what others are discussing as it relates to the story and vocabulary words.
Retrieve to Remember caught my attention while reading through the list of key principles that Rebecca shared from the Science of Learning. So today,while we were starting a new passage, I started asking questions along the lines of "this reminds me of something we read earlier this year, but I can't remember...". Well guess what, by pretending that I didn't remember, students started responding with what they remembered and that started to spark conversation. I had done this before with vocabulary words, but based on what happened in class today, I will start to do this more often when we are comparing characters, settings, central messages and so on. There is something powerful about connecting new to old, there is something powerful about remembering!
ReplyDeleteI also try to prompt Retrieve to Remember. With my read-aloud, I always ask the students to kind of summarize what happened previously before we move on to a new day or chapter. Sometimes, I have to get the ball rolling but then they usually chime in. I also prod for more... anything else happen that caught your attention? Also for connecting...Why did it catch your attention? :)
DeleteI often use the "I can't remember...can someone remind me about..." to get students to think about material we have talked about previously, as well as making connections on similar topics across the various regions or periods in history we have covered.
DeleteI am constantly trying to find new resources or tools to increase engagement and participation with my students in small groups. Several things stuck out to me on the Science of Learning Key principles list. A few of the things that stuck out to me were the attention is the Gateway to Learning. I struggle with this. I have a few students that are not interested in school at all. They will tell you that it is hard for them and that they don't want to be doing it. I also understand that some of my students may have deficits in areas that may make the content we are teaching a little more challenging, which is where differentiation comes in and the ability to be flexible. I am constantly trying new things to get them to engage in class. If the attention is on class instead of tuning class out, they will take something away from each class. I have tried to find interest of the students to try to tie into lessons to gain their attention.
ReplyDeleteOne of the other key principles that stuck out to me was Too much Too fast overload the Brain. I think that Empower as a whole does a great job with creating built in breaks or transitions so that the students do not get overwhelmed by too much content being given at once. There are often times where I see my students attention fade or motivation fade and I know it is time for a break and come back to it later.
I think these two Principles are most evident to me in the classroom and are things that I am constantly trying to work to improve. As another post said, what works for one student might not be what another student need. Flexibility and the ability to adapt is very important in the classroom and flexibility has been a key component in my classroom trying to find what will gain the students attention and work to increase participation and learning.
I agree that getting students attention (and then keeping it) and breaking down content to not overload students is a constant battle. Every student is different and even if we do something one day to keep their attention, there's no guarantee that it will continue to work. I've found that some things I've done on the fly have worked the best and helped my students to enjoy class and want to learn the content.
DeleteAttention to learning is so important but I struggle with it too for my students. I have a few that want to "sleep", play with things or like you said complain it is too hard or they can't do it. I try to break up our learning with brain breaks or physical movement breaks. I also try to figure out other ways the students that the students can engage in their learning. These don't always work but like you said the ability to adapt and be flexible is critical in finding ways to get our learners to pay attention to their learning.
DeleteI agree with your comments and thoughts. It can be extremely hard if students lack the motivation to even try. I like how you keep your attention on them and provide breaks when needed. Flexibility and differentiation are for sure the key!
DeleteGame Changer for Google Assignments! I just saw this on Jake Miller's newsletter! I haven't tried it out yet but can't wait to. Have you ever posted something in Google Classroom and wanted to add to the document or to the slide - where students could see it? Now you can! You need the Magic Exercise Book add-on. The add-on lets you make changes to the pages or add extra pages - without copying and pasting. This is great for when you want to build a resource/notebook/presentation as you go. Also a great way to "chunk" assignments for our students with that accommodation.
ReplyDeleteI definitely have to look into this for my async students. Could you share the newsletter with me? Thank you!
DeleteI did not know this...and how I wish the same could be done for pages that we push out in Book Creator. There have been many times that I have wished I could edit or add to a page that I have pushed out in their ELA Journal.
DeleteLooking this up now! Sounds fun!
DeleteI went to the GAGC conference this week. Two of the best sessions were on SEL and Problem Solving. Ga PBS has some great resources for SEL lessons that include videos and discussion prompts for all students. Of course, we spoke about the specific issues surrounding the gifted student. These were: anxiety, perfectionism, procrastination, and emotional sensitivity. There were several mentions of strategies for the classroom including a 5m meditation/guided breathing as well as my favorite hand tracing breathing exercise. In the problem solving session we spoke with a presenter from Future Problem Solvers and their 6 steps to problem solving. They even have competitions for students where they are given a scenario then have to think of a future problem and try to solve it. This was a really cool session and something I want to try in my class!
ReplyDeleteI also think we should try it a F2F event to spark some interest for larger scale competitions! Maybe TVEEs, too? :)
DeleteI recently started using Formative for unit exams, and it has really streamlined the process. It allows students to answer in various ways like typing, drawing, or uploading work. I can monitor their progress in real time and provide immediate feedback.
ReplyDeleteOne of the standout features is the ability to pause an exam and resume it the next day. This is perfect for longer tests or when we run out of time in class, allowing students to finish at their own pace without losing any work. It’s also a great way to manage the exam process in a virtual setting.
Formative helps me collect data on student performance instantly, so I can quickly spot problem areas. It’s an effective way to make unit exams more interactive and provide more personalized feedback, making assessments less stressful.
One of the digital tools I have began to research is Adobe Express. As virtual teachers, we are always working to keep students focused and engaged. Lots of our students are very creative and progressive with digital tools . Adobe Express provides a tool where students can create an avatar and animate their own voice. I want to try this with students allowing them to use content with their designs and avatars. I want to spend more time learning and exploring Adobe Express. I think our students could really utilize this program for classroom projects or simply daily learning activities.
ReplyDeleteMaking learning relative to students lives is one of the top engagement strategies I strive to meet when planning my lessons and assignments. The past few weeks I have strongly recognized the need to do this more and make sure I keep it at the forefront when planning. One of the experiences that reminded me of this-I have an ongoing Music Listening Journal assignment where students listen to music weekly and respond to prompts about the music. First semester I chose the music and all students listened to the exact same pieces-teacher selected. This past 9 weeks I decided to give the choice to the students. They selected the music from their own taste preferences for their weekly journal. I saw an increase in engagement-measured by their responses-they wrote more descriptive responses with a more personal edge. I will be using this as a starting point for our journals in the next 9 weeks-hoping to "borrow" some of the music that was student selected.
ReplyDeleteThis is great idea! I love having the students responding to music! What a great way to ignite their thinking!
DeleteI agree student engagement is key and I struggle with it, too. But building background knowledge and exposing students to new experiences is also important! I think that maybe alternating between the two strategies in the upcoming years isn't a bad idea? I don't know...food for thought. :)
ReplyDeleteThe first pillar, Attention is the Gateway to Learning, is so important to all learners. In Kindergarten and First grade, I am working on teaching the students how to minimize distractions especially ones they can control like putting toys and food away. At this age, the students are just learning "how to learn" so it is extremely important that I help them learn study skills so they are better prepared to continue learning throughout their lives.
ReplyDeleteIn my master’s program, I have been learning how to analyze student data with greater precision and depth. This process has significantly enhanced my ability to conduct a thorough “deep-dive” into the data, allowing me to identify specific areas where students are struggling and pinpoint their deficits more effectively. As part of my coursework, I was required to select a student from my class to progress monitor, assessing their academic performance and discussing the accommodations that best support their learning needs.
ReplyDeleteThis experience has been incredibly enlightening, as it has exposed me to a variety of strategies designed to help students succeed. I have gained a deeper understanding of where to locate appropriate accommodations and how to implement them in a way that directly benefits students. Additionally, our studies have delved into the historical foundations of these strategies, exploring the research and key figures who pioneered these educational supports. Understanding the origins and rationale behind different interventions has provided valuable insight into why they are effective in practice.
Overall, this learning process has strengthened my confidence in data analysis and student support, equipping me with practical skills that will enhance my teaching and intervention strategies.