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This was an English class, Year Four, a double period, which was 60 minutes total. The teacher was very enthusiastic and caring. The students and the teachers exhibited a sense of community, respect and caring for each other.
The teacher began the class by asking students questions about their recent holiday, and asked how many of them had been to the zoo. This was a good attempt to connect the lesson to the students' experiences and interests. He then discussed several animals that one would expect to see at the zoo. Then he directed the students to a page in their workbooks which had an example of information that could be found on a brochure for a zoo. The teacher led a discussion of brochure information, asking students to find and read details. After about 30 minutes of teacher-led discussion the students were directed to form groups and work collaboratively. Finally, each group presented their work to the rest of the class. |
Lesson and Classroom Analysis
We always begin by observing the physical and emotional environment of a classroom as well as the academic environment. The students were seated in rows with pairs of desks. While this classroom is arranged as a teacher-centered classroom, the students had the ability in this class to move about and work in groups. After a somewhat lengthy teacher-centered/led discussion composed of the teacher asking questions and the students answering him, and the teacher talking, the students were finally asked to get into groups. We were very pleased to see this, but were disappointed that the assignment for these groups was only to copy a table out of their workbooks and fill in four blanks. We walked around the classroom to see what the students were doing in their groups, and we realized that every group was doing exactly the same thing. Even the method used by each group to draw the table was exactly the same.
We found the classroom to be teacher-centered. Although students were able to work in groups during part of the class, the group work was highly structured. The assignment and the information taught seemed to be very basic (low level). There were very low expectations by the teacher. But we were happy to see his efforts to connect the lesson to the students' experiences and interests and his efforts to allow them to work in groups and to then present their product (identical tables copied from the workbooks) to the whole class. This was far better than mere teacher lecture.
We found the classroom to be teacher-centered. Although students were able to work in groups during part of the class, the group work was highly structured. The assignment and the information taught seemed to be very basic (low level). There were very low expectations by the teacher. But we were happy to see his efforts to connect the lesson to the students' experiences and interests and his efforts to allow them to work in groups and to then present their product (identical tables copied from the workbooks) to the whole class. This was far better than mere teacher lecture.
Ideas . . .
Instead of having each group of students copy a table from their workbook onto a sheet of paper, then fill in the six blanks, why not have them do some things that allow them to develop their critical, analytical and design thinking skills? Zoos are a great theme for a project-based unit. This unit could be taught by just this teacher, in this class only, or could be taught by two or more teachers at ths grade level.
In my notes during the classroom observation I wrote some ideas for possibilities:
We spent about 15 minutes brainstorming possible connections to various disciplines and discovered that all of them could be taught through this theme: literature, geography, zoology, botany, horticulture, environmental studies, chemistry, physics, biology, statistics, economics, and much, much more.
Imagine students DESIGNING their own zoo. Imagine them conducting collaborative research with students, teachers and experts from around the world as they learn about kinds of animals and habitats, biomes, history, mythology and more.
They could develop high level media literacy skills as they critically view films related to this topic and as they create mini-documentaries such as those seen on the Discover Channel, Science Channel, Biography Channel and National Geographic.
Allow students to experience fulfillment of the needs which William Glasser, M.D. stated must be present before any learning can occur:
Watch some of the videos of the same old, chalk and talk, lecture driven classrooms and ask yourself how you would like to be in there all day every day?
In my notes during the classroom observation I wrote some ideas for possibilities:
- Let the students design a brochure
- Let the students choose which animals they want to learn about
- Allow students the freedom to create a product in a medium of their choice.
- Have Expert Groups, each group studying a different animal, then Jigsaw, teach each other and create a product
- Have students design a zoo!
- Do a project about the environment
- Let students do individual research on an animal or environmental issues of their choice.
We spent about 15 minutes brainstorming possible connections to various disciplines and discovered that all of them could be taught through this theme: literature, geography, zoology, botany, horticulture, environmental studies, chemistry, physics, biology, statistics, economics, and much, much more.
Imagine students DESIGNING their own zoo. Imagine them conducting collaborative research with students, teachers and experts from around the world as they learn about kinds of animals and habitats, biomes, history, mythology and more.
They could develop high level media literacy skills as they critically view films related to this topic and as they create mini-documentaries such as those seen on the Discover Channel, Science Channel, Biography Channel and National Geographic.
Allow students to experience fulfillment of the needs which William Glasser, M.D. stated must be present before any learning can occur:
- The need to belong and to love
- The need for power
- The need for freedom
- The need for fun
Watch some of the videos of the same old, chalk and talk, lecture driven classrooms and ask yourself how you would like to be in there all day every day?