Cooperative Learning-3A

Evaluate how you can use grouping patterns to teach your grade level standards in the area of writing in your content area.

3^rd GRADE. W3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Activity: Imagine you woke up and saw a dinosaur in your backyard. Write a story telling what you see and do.

I would use flexible grouping patterns to teach to my grade level standards in the content area of writing. I have not taught in the classroom yet, so this is all a bit hypothetical and based off some research I have done. It seems that one great strategy is changing the groups throughout the activity or over an allotted time. I will begin my writing activity as a whole class discussion that will eventually break into small groups, working independently, then again into working with a partner.

Describe how you will form each group attaining a mixture of heterogeneous and homogeneous grouping.

It is important to use both heterogeneous and homogeneous grouping as both have their benefits. Working with the class as a whole would be heterogeneous grouping as every student is working together. As a class we will create a graphic organizer of the needed components for a good story (Character(s), setting, plot, conflict, and resolution.) This portion will be building off prior knowledge and a good reminder for how to create a strong story.

I would then place the students in smaller heterogeneous groups of 4-5 students. This group will use the graphic organizer we created together as a class and start to fill in each section and what sort of important details need to be included in the 5 main parts of the paper. For example: Characters need traits and descriptive words, the setting needs descriptive words as well and needs imagery, the plot needs details and events, and etc. Having a heterogeneous group for this portion is important as the more advanced students can supply some strong vocabulary and start to build off of each others ideas. After each group has created the graphic organizer, I will make copies of the finished product so each student can have it as reference when writing their story. It will act as a sort of checklist to make sure they are including all the needed pieces.

The next part of the lesson will be each student working independently for 45 minutes to create their story. I will then take these stories home and read each of them and then place students homogeneously with a partner based off of their writing skills. The next day they will partner with each other and read, edit, make suggestions, and ask questions about each others stories. I may repeat this step a second time with a new partner depending on how much time I have and how I feel progress is going. Maybe the second partner can be heterogeneous as this would really help the lower level students as well as build the higher level students editing and leadership skills.

Create at least three group configurations based on Gardner’s intelligences including whole group, small group, peer pairs and individual design.

I can use Gardner’s intelligences through the way the final product is presented. Every student will need to have a completed written story, but they can present their story in a number of different ways that targets the different types of learners.

Visual-Spatial: Students can make a poster board with pictures of their dinosaur and characters that illustrate the descriptive character traits written in their story.

Linguistic: Students who use words effectively and have high auditory skills may want to present their story in oral presentation by bringing their story to life in their ability to tell their story in front of the class or through a multimedia presentation.

Musical: Students who like to express themselves through rhythm or sound can create a presentation that incorporates instruments, music, or lyrics. Maybe they turn their story into a rap or song.

Explain how you will use each grouping pattern to reinforce the grade level content standard you selected in writing.

My grouping patterns will reinforce the grade level content in the following ways: 1) Higher skilled students will help the lower skilled students in their writing techniques and foundations. 2) Students will have opportunity to collaborate with one another and build off of personal experiences, opinions, methods, and interpretation. 3) Students will build their writing skills through peer-to-peer learning, editing, and organization.

Analyze how each grouping pattern will facilitate meeting the content area standard for each learner cluster. 

During the first portion of the activity, I am meeting the content area of establishing an event and flowing sequence that unfolds naturally through creating the graphic organizer. When they break into the second group I am meeting the content standard through creating a foundation of descriptors, feelings, specific events, character traits, and vocabulary to build a strong story. After they create their stories and come back together in homogeneous partners is an extension of the last step. It is in this step where they really get to dig deeper and use more critical thinking skills to improve their stories and make sure they have all components to make for a good story.

Defend cooperative learning (forming groups) allows for differentiation and increasing student performance.  

While it is important to be able to work independently, it is just as important to be able to successfully work together in the classroom setting. There are many benefits to cooperative learning. Cooperative learning can promote higher level of critical thinking skills, builds self-esteem, promotes positive learning experiences, develops social, communication, team-building skills, encourages student diversity, and places an emphasis on student responsibility and accountability. (Phew! That’s a ton!) These are just SOME of the benefits that can come from students working together in the classroom.

Cooperative learning is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their strengths while improving on their weaknesses as well. Through cooperative learning, students can build strong and meaningful relationships with one another that will result in a more positive classroom culture. There often will be instances where students do not understand the content after we teach, but their classmate may be able to teach it in a way they will understand. This is an opportunity to work on problem solving and learn about their classmates experiences and different perspectives on a variety of topics. 

Assignment 2B- Beginning Differentiation

A.    English Language Learners: I would differentiate my instruction by slowing my speech down, provide materials in both languages when possible, utilize technology, use visuals, and group strategies.

Activities:

1.      Technology- I can use Raz-Kids to aid them in reading. This app supplies both the English and Spanish version of 100s of books that are all labeled by reading levels. They can listen to it on audio as well and answer comprehension questions at the end.

2.      Grouping- If students were working on a science project together I can group my ELL students in a group with an advance student who speaks both English and their native language knowing they will help them through the project.

3.      Visuals/Pictures- During vocabulary I can provide pictures along with the vocabulary words. Depending on the students English fluency I can have the vocab in both English and their native language. This can be turned into a memory game or flashcards.

4.      Drawing- After reading a book they can draw what they read about and start to tie some key words in and build their English vocabulary.

5.      Sentence frames- For journal entries I can give them sentence starters and a list of words to use to feel in the rest.

B.     Special Needs Students: I would differentiate by using prior knowledge, visual aids, modeling, collaboration, and technology.

Activities:

1.      Role play- students can role play and apply their learning to real life situations and act them out in front of classmates or myself.

2.      Assistive technology- Provide access to computers, screen readers, and voice recognition software. For example I could show flash cards with different face expressions and they use technology to pick the emotion associated with the expression.

3.      Collaboration work- Group students with more academically capable students and build their social skills and practice being a contributing member of a team.

4.      Visual- Flashcards with words and pictures to teach sight words, emotions, and new concepts.

5.      Modeling- Demonstrate what I expect and want them to be doing and give a lot of verbal cues and gestures. Also, use call and response to make sure the students understand instructions.

C.    Gifted Students: I would use more open ended questions, supply more choices, PBL projects, creativity, and technology.

Activities:

1.      Internet- Teach them how to utilize the internet for research and how to find quality sites. After teaching them how to use the internet, I could let them do a research project on a topic of their interest.

2.      Delivery- I would change the way I deliver material to them and leave them with more open ended questions that will force them to use deeper critical thinking skills.

3.      Choices- I would empower them through having choices over their education and let them use their person interests to motivate them to dig deeper.

4.      Creativity- Access their creative side through extending lessons. For example, rewrite the ending of a book the students have read.

5.      PBL projects- Extend their learning through hands on activities that require multiple steps, collaboration, research, and presentations through technology. 

Differentiated Instruction

It wasn't until I began my credentialing program in August that I heard of differentiated instruction. I have not had the opportunity to teach in the classroom yet, but I am excited to try and incorporate differentiated strategies in my classroom as much as possible. After course work, research, and speaking with teachers, I realize how important differentiated instruction is and hope to develop my skills in this area.

There are a few ways I hope to differentiate, but one strategy that has really stuck out to me is using Project Based Learning (PBL). In my last course, I learned what PBL is and had to create a PBL idea to use in the classroom. While creating these can be a lot of work on the teachers end, I can see why they are so beneficial to student learning. PBL allows students to use and learn research skills, peer collaboration, self-assessment, technology, social skills, and cross analyze curriculum. I am going to set a goal for myself for my first year of teaching to incorporate at least one big PBL project. I hope I can incorporate it more, but after talking to other teachers it seems it is not the easiest task and they feel there isn't always enough time for them.

Some other ways I plan to differentiate in my classroom is through scaffolding, technology, and peer-peer learning. Differentiating is still a bit of a mystery to me as I have not seen a lot of it used, nor have I gotten to use it myself. All I can do at this point is learn as much as I can and learn through others and personal experience. I believe mastery of differentiated instruction will only come with hard work, time, and classroom experience. I am excited to continue to build my knowledge around differentiated instruction and learn from others' experiences.