Assignment 1
The first task of successful learning is setting right targets. In order to accomplish this task, we will provide a 30 days lesson plan due to Scaffold targeting. Scaffolding differs from other learning technics. It is important to provide material gradually. A teacher can use different strategies but the main thing is ‘to relate things’ (Pilcher, 2012). In scaffolding, there are two main objectives to achieve – pupils have to be able to describe and explain the material. Learning here is represented like a ladder and lesson plan is a set of steps pupils take on this ladder (Pilcher, 2012).
30 days lesson plan
Learning Standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.5
Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.
Overall 30 Day Learning Goal(s):
On the example of pizza, cookie, pie recipe describe the importance of sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza in the text structure;
Define the notion of sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza.
Describe the difference of the text structure due to their genres.
Explain how individual parts of the text deals with the structure of the text and text’s meaning;
Provide the explanation of theme, setting, and plot of the text and how sentence, chapter, scene, and stanza function in their development.
Pupils are able to explain what is sentence, chapter, scene, and stanza, how they function in the text structure;
Pupils are able to explain what is theme, setting, and plot and what role sentence, chapter, scene, and stanza perform within it.
Assignment 2
1. Teaching Always Actions chart is composed of 5 steps of a learning process. Those steps consider everything that has something to do with the learning process. The first point is ‘Procedure’. It deals with the classroom and the learning-centered environment in it. The second point deals with targets. Every day teacher should provide students with the lesson’s objectives in order to direct them to the expectations they have to meet. The third point deals with practice. In order to accomplish it, a teacher can use any technique he or she wants to use. The main task is to practice skills. The next step is feedback. A teacher has to provide students with feedback as well as teach them to provide feedback themselves. In addition, a teacher has to offer students to find out their learning gaps in order to deal with them. The last step is grading. It is important to keep students’ assessment. There is a great variety of methods to assess students’ knowledge. Still, the main thing is to stop centering children’s attention on the marks but center it on their achievements and further goals.
I believe, Ms. Benjamin’s strategy is quite similar to the one mentioned above. There is a part of a procedure, and setting the target. What I like the most is her willingness to change. She acquired new methodology and she saw the result children were ‘hooked’.
2. In the provided video, we can see the first step in the PDSA technique, which is planning. There is a plan for the next classes. There are a distinct aim and point given for this assignment. Also, the teacher does not only explain it to the students orally she provides a visual enforcement on the blackboard for students to see it. The first step in ‘Teaching Always Actions’ is preparing the environment while in PDSA they go strictly to the setting of their aim (plan). I believe, it is important to provide a suitable environment for students before beginning of the actual learning process. Still, I think that her strategy will also work.
Assignment 3
1. Why are the verbs "learn" and "understand" ineffective, when writing learning targets?
It is not appropriate to use verbs "learn" and "understand" when we set learning goals. Those of are the defaults of every lesson plan in every educational establishment. Still, they cannot be used because these actions cannot be measured. A teacher can interpret the goal of a lesson as to understand the meaning of the verb ‘to learn’ but how can he or she measure the actual understanding of students. Those words should be substituted with ‘explain’, ‘describe’, ‘identify’. Those verbs are oriented on the action that students can actually perform (Vaughan, 2106). Verbs ‘learn’ and ‘understand’ are often used because of the first level in Bloom’s Taxonomy – knowledge and understanding. Still, in order to provide actual knowledge and understanding teachers should seek for practical reinforcement.
2. How does effectively communicating learning targets impact student engagement?
It is important to provide students with the target, which is easy to understand. It will engage students into a learning process. When a teacher set a learning target he or she should use easy words and make it visible to the class (for example write it on a blackboard). Such kind of procedure will provide students with a tangible task and make it clear. A teacher can set a goal for the whole class (30 days) and separate it into smaller ones. It is useful to set weekly and daily goals for students’ success (Pilcher, 2012). The next step is to discuss these goals. A teacher has to ask students what they have already achieved, what they are planning to achieve, how they will achieve it, etc. Students’ understanding of the task set will provide a positive influence on the learning process. Understanding of the learning goal is the first step on the ladder.
3. Self-reflection (How will this information impact your professional/personal development?)
Many teachers do not spend time on self-assessment as they think that it is only important to assess their student. However, sometimes, it seems that a teacher is a professional educator but students are struggling to learn something. It is a sign of the lack of self-assessment. The table provided in the task will definitely provide good influence on my professional development. With the help of the self-assessment, I can see my strengths as well as my weak points. It is important to know the weak points in order to make a plan of their destruction. Such tasks will always help to see what teacher is doing right and what he or she needs to change. Sometimes, it is not the fault of children. The main task here is not to be afraid of accepting the idea of having weak point and be ready to change oneself.
References
Pilcher, J. (2012). Who's engaged? Climb The Learning Ladder To See (2nd ed.). Studer Education.
Vaughan, S. (2016). Are Your Learning Objectives Effective?. Td.org. Retrieved 6 January 2017, from https://www.td.org/Publications/Newsletters/Links/2016/04/Are-Your-Learning-Objectives-Effective
