Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Blog 4: Student Discussion
Based on what I have learned from class and the readings, there are many successful ways to get students thinking critically and to foster positive discussion. It is important to have discussions in the classroom with an emphasis on student thoughts and input. In my placement, the teacher does not allow students to discuss, rather she informs them as to what they should be doing. By that, I mean that the teacher merely has students answer her questions and if there is anything said in addition to that, she informs them that talking is for lunchtime and recess only. In order for response-centered talk to take place, the teacher needs to allow the students a voice and to gently guide them through the process of discussion so that they remain on task. There are a few students that would need extra guidance because they are typically distracted and can get side-tracked. For a successful discussion to take place, accountable talk needs to occur. Accountable talk includes: student participation, teacher linking student comments, students linking each others' comments and building from them, teacher clarification and guidance, student provision of knowledge, and the appropriate wait time (Power Point Week Four). Active discussion should involve all members of the classroom and should encourage active engagement in learning and critical thinking.
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I see much of the same things in my own classroom with my MT. I think that teachers are so focused on students reaching the comprehension level according to assessments that they often forget that there is much more to comprehension than recall and basic ideas. That being said, is there a way that you would be able to bring up discussions to your MT? How would you go about implementing this during your lesson? We all know about the elements of accountable talk but it is completely different to put it into practice. Do you think it would be important to talk to your MT about this?
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to think about bringing discussion into my MT's classroom, when the majority of the student-teacher interaction is based on assessments and worksheets. I think it is important to talk to my MT about this, because it is something that she does not typically do and might enjoy doing. It is definitely important as future teachers to push against the traditional classroom discourse. Learning shouldn't be based on rote memorization, but expanding thoughts and ideas through student discussion. Discussion can be implemented into the classroom with classroom readings and daily activities. Discussion can also help to really get to know each student and their range of understanding.
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