In A Framework for Understanding Poverty, Dr. Payne seeks to improve the academic achievement of students from poverty. This chapter seeks to provide teachers with instructional strategies that will lead to achievement. First, Dr. Payne differentiates between teaching and learning and then explains the learning structures of cognitive strategies, concepts, skills, and content. Using information gathered by Reuven Feuerstein, she purports that children in poverty come to school without cognitive strategies. Furthermore, when cognitive strategies are missing there are learning ramifications such as, blurred and sweeping perceptions and the lack of systematic method of exploration, impaired verbal tools, impaired spatial orientation, impaired temporal orientation, impaired observation of constancies, lack of precision and accuracy in data-gathering, and the inability to hold two objects or sources inside the head while comparing and contrasting. Therefore, Dr. Payne believes that for children of poverty to be able to be more successful in school, cognitive strategies must be taught directly. A list of strategies that must be built are given in this chapter, as well as a lesson design and intervention strategies that a teacher could use.
Points to Ponder:· The focus in schools should be on learning.· Instruction in the cognitive strategies should be a part of the curriculum.· Staff development should focus on a diagnostic approach rather than a programmatic approach.· Efforts to promote learning should pay greater heed to what is in the student's head.· Insistence, expectations, and support need to be guiding lights in our decisions about instruction.
How does the points above apply in your school and classroom?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
34 comments:
All points are essential and necessary, particularly, that of staff development. I believe staff development should be diagnostic, programmatic, and unique to the needs of the students. Staff developments should investigate, pin-point, and problem-solve while involving the couse and the curriculum. Above all, staff developments should encompass the students' support needs. Staff developments should focus on learning and instructing.
Evory Johnson
This chapter encompasses a concept I have talked about often. Someone once told me about a story of a teacher who said I can't teach children how to think. The person telling me the story blew this off as a silly statement. I, however, started thinking about this statement. As educators we are taught how to teach a concept. However, there was not a single class in college how to talk a child through a thought process. This ties in with the procedural self talk from the last chapter, but it stretches farther. It has taken some planning for me to learn how to think through a skill where my kids can hear it before I give it to them.
H. Gasper
I agree Mrs. Johnson. It is very important that staff development focuses in on our students needs. If it isn't focused to what we need if can rarely be applied. These classes become a waste of time.
H. Gasper
Heather and Evory,
I will take these comments into consideration when planning future literacy staff developments.
Nicole Dodson
Ms. Gasper,
I find the statement "teaching children how to think" quite interesting. I realized when teaching drawing conclusions that my students have a difficult time thinking about what they already know. Brining in the procedural self talk is right on point. Our reading series gives us a lot of points to "think aloud". When we can model for our students we are showing them the procedure needed to complete the skill.
If we as educators can't teach them how to think, they will never complete the skill.
Staff development is needed and important in our school. Being a veternan at this school, I have seen many programs implemented. Many of these programs were extremely effective while others have been "fly by night" or "short-lived". At some times implementation of these programs were impossible because of fundings, and others were just ineffective. Experienced administrators already know what programs can be effective and which ones will not with our students. There have been times when I would have to devise my own strategy so the child could understand.
In the Points to Ponder of our chapter, it says efforts to support learning should pay greater heed to what is in the students' head or may I say what is not in his head. Insistence, expectations, and support need to be guilding lights in our decision and instruction. Yea.
Augustine Cann
I also agree with Mrs. Johnson and Ms Gasper, that staff development needs to focus on students needs,the learning process, and instruction.
Augustine Cann
Wonderful Ms.Gasper, Keep stressing the thought process for our students. The end clearly justifies the means.
Evory Johnson
Thanks Mrs. Cann, Going above and beyond are characteristics that good, responsible, and caring educators exhibit so that our children can continue to achieve excellence.
Evory Johnson
We know that staff development is an important part of our students' success. Just as Ms. Gasper and Mrs. Johnson have said, staff development should focus on our students' needs. It is evident that their background carries over into the learning, and with the background of poverty, our teaching must suite them to better prepare them for their future. Implementing programs must fit the students learning styles in order to be effective. We know what works at one school may not necessarily work at our school for our children.
Mrs. Cann stated that we should pay attention to what's not in the students head. With this, alot of our students don't carry the background information that kids that don't live in poverty already have. Paying attention to what's not in the head as well as what's in will best benefit our students.
Another point that was stressed is expectations. We use this word all the time and our students know what is expected of them.
Janitra Jackson
Many of our students come to school as "empty containers" waiting to be filled with rich and meaningful knowledge. All knowledge is not necessarily good knowledge, but I digress. Sometimes, I take for granted or assume that my students already have the background knowledge needed to understand a concept or skill. When I realize they don't have the background knowledge, I want to kick myself for assuming. One thing for certain, I am learning to assume nothing and teach a concept as if my students have never been taught that concept. Once I get a grip on the amount of knowledge they already have, then I can adjust or readjust my lessons.
It is vital that our students are taught cognitive strategies. We want them to be independent thinkers. Initially, they will depend on us significantly. But as time prevails, they should become more confident in their own thinking abilities. There is so much research out there about teaching students and the best way to teach them, but I believe that experience is the best teacher.
Mrs. Cann, I truly agree with what you said about what's not in the head. As I stated before, I am learning not to assume.
Staff meetings should be more hands-on. Show me what you want me to do. Don't just tell me because I only retain about 20% of it. And my goodness, if it's on paper, I am prone to misplace it as soon as I leave the meeting.
Teaching is what occurs outside the head...
Learning is what occurs inside the head...
In my classroom, I use as many hands on activities as I can get in the schedule. Using thinking maps daily and four-square writing really increases the learning ability for these children. I realize that I am in a first grade classroom, but the children really respond to manipulatives. We use playdough, and shaving cream to form shapes, phonograms, spelling words and math. I have seen children taking a test making the motions on their desk with their hands like we did with the shaving cream or playdough to get an answer.
If a teacher does not know how to use different techniques to teach the children will not learn. I think that all points in this chapter should be used for staff development and providing better learning.
Mrs. Hernandez, I, too, find that many of our students learn better with hands-on tactics. I observe the students in the classrooms and see that some of them are so lost during instructional time. They can't wait to ask me "what do I need to do?"
Augustine Cann
Lori I completely agree with the hands on approach. My favorite subject to teach is math because of all of the readily available hands on lessons. It is so important to get them doing what you want them to learn.
H. Gasper
I agree with Mrs. Johnson all points are essential; however, I think the cognitive strategies are plays a vital role in the success of the curriculum. Research has come along way with the thinking process for many year as Mrs. Johnson stated we thought we could not teach a child to think. Our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things, like people, situations,and events. The benefit of this fact is that we can change the way we think to feel and act better even if the situation does not change.
Cleoria Dunn
I agree with Ms. Gasper,
If we as educators can't teach them how to think, they will never complete the skill or we've lossed the battle.
Cleoria Dunn
Yes, the focus in schools should be on learning and instruction in cognitive strategies should be a foremost priority. Many children are blank slates and have not had the resources at home to prepare them cognitively for academia. That’s why efforts to promote learning should pay greater attention to what is in the student’s head, or in many cases, what is NOT in the student’s head. Robinson does a great job of providing AND utilizing cognitive strategies and tools, such as 4-square or thinking maps, that help students. Ms. Sledge knows EXACTLY what she's talking about. These tools integrate thinking skills and learning techniques across the curriculum. Learning to use different strategies helps students develop academic skills; thus, they become better learners as they develop long-lasting study skills that help them grow as they mature and their skills improve.
Karen Holland
Yes, Ms. Neal, faculty meetings/professional development should be more hands-on and interactive. We as teachers also have varied learning styles, just as our students do. I learn and retain more effectively when I see something or do something as opposed to being told how to do something. However, I do like a hard copy, unlike Ms. Neal. I have a binder for everything! :o)
Karen Holland
Like Mrs. Hernandez commented, many children respond so much better to hands-on activities. This is also a way that we accommodate different learning styles such as visual, kinetic, tactile, etc. In my classroom, I use several different hands-on activities but I really need to try to include more. I have also seen children taking a test making the motions or gestures, looking off and recalling the visual, or humming the little “diddy” we learned to help retain the skill. It makes me happy to know that these little things have made a difference and allowed them to be successful.
Karen Holland
I believe that it is imperative that all teachers engage in professional development. Most teachers enjoy the experience and cherish the bonds that are made by engaging in collegial discussion. Often times, instructors are not encouraged to attend these activities and many cannnot afford to go on their own so they are left to trudge through the ones that are 'mandated' by school administration or the state.
I believe that we should try to make sure we address the needs of the staff and students as we look to add to our professional portfolios. It is not enough to just attend these sessions. We must look to gain knowledge and implement the strategies we have been taught.
Ms. Gasper you are so right. As I look back on the courses I took, many of them focused on ideologies and strategies that are not in use today. Professional development is definitely a way to stay abreast of what is going on.
I personally believe that staff development should focus on the teaching, learning, and instructing of the students. We should focus on our students needs that will work at Robinson. Just because it may have worked at a school in another state does not necessarily mean its for Robinson.
DeWanna Granger
Miss Gasper, I agree with Mrs. Johnson as well. Staff development should be beneficial to developing success in our children.
Amen Mrs. Neal. I am the same. Show me what you want me to do in staff development meetings. I am a little adhd and my attention span is very short.
DeWanna Granger
I agree with Mrs. Johnson. All points are essential and necessary. Also, I believe, as Mrs. Johnson does, staff developments should encompass the students' needs.
Mrs. Neal has hit it on the head. I also used to assume students came with background knowledge. I found out very quickly not to assume. I try to teach like they have never seen it before, if they have they can help out with the lesson.
The first year I taught in Morehouse our staff had a lady come in who had written a book on Higher Order Thinking Skills and Questioning. It sounds like it would be boring, but I learned more from her than I have ever learned at any other staff development or courses. She helped us learn where our students were coming from and she helped us learn how to help them. It was like deprogramming us from thinking that all students have the same information, no matter how big or small the concept. We learned how to easily switch direction and questioning in our lesson to pull in all of our kids. The point is, we cannot always blame the students or the parents for what they do not know. We have to figure out ways to reach them. We also have to realize that not every way will work for every child.
I agree with Mrs. Johnson. I feel that effect staff development should target the needs of the children and that particular school. What works at J.S. Clark Elementary will not necessarily work at Robinson Elementary. The children are different, as well as the types of experiences that these children go through on a daily basis. Other dynamics, such as socio-economic status, the number of free-reduced students, etc., are different also. I feel that the faculty and staff should have a say in the types of staff development that take place at their schools. Who knows better what they need to have at their schools to effectively do their jobs than the teachers?
Glenn Antonio Kline
I agress that we need staff development that is more devoted to meeting the emotional needs of our children. Even this year, I have heard a teacher laugh and roll their eyes when a special needs student showed them a high score (B) on a test. It doesn't matter how wonderful you are every day of your life if you are going to blow it with 10 seconds of negative energy. I have seen how students grow and really step up to better themselves with subtle encouragement from teachers. I think we all get overwhelmed with all that we deal with, and it's easy to let our skepticism out.
Thinking or the thought process is a very needed skill for many children, not just those in poverty. They are so used to having information just handed to them. There are not very many instances where they are required to think and solve problems for themselves. Many times when they are forced to think through a situation, they choose not to complete the task and/or find a solution. This is something that can be targeted in most of their daily interactions, not just at school. Instead of answering their questions, I guide my students through a process to discover the answer for themselves.
Post a Comment