I try (not that I always succeed) to make it OK to make a mistake.
Especially when students are learning something new, they will make
mistakes. I own up to my own mistakes. I used to be SO embarrassed,
but now I show students when I make a mistake, and then I show them how
I correct it.
I think inferences take lots of background knowledge. So when students
make an inference I don't see, I ask them what in the text made them
think so. Then I ask what do they already know that they can merge
with the text.
Sometimes, after I get an explanation from a student, I understand the
inference. If the inference still doesn't make sense, often the
student will recognize that. And it's OK. Maybe it's not even a
mistake, just a confusion that got cleared up in the discussion.
If we can have this discussion so that the entire class can listen, I
think that's a we do.
I love it when a student makes an inference that I would never think
of, but I can understand. I make sure to say that I wouldn't have
thought of it, but it makes sense to me.
Jan
Quoting "Palmer, Jennifer" <[email protected]>:
I agree, Renee. Especially in math...but in other areas too. We send
our kids a vote of confidence in their ability to think when we give
them the time and expectation that they WILL think. On the other hand,
demonstrating making inferences and then telling kids to make
inferences on their own and expecting them to do it without some
coaching might be a bit unrealistic. I am trying to get a picture of
some different ways to do "we do" without hand holding. Some real
doable ways that help kids become independent...not dependent upon us!
I love the idea of kids working in partners or in student led
discussion groups. Any other thoughts on what you think some
appropriate 'we do' activities might be?
Jennifer L. Palmer
Instructional Facilitator, National Board Certified Teacher (EC Gen)
Magnolia Elementary School (Home School)
901 Trimble Road, Joppa, MD 21085
Phone: (410) 612-1553
Fax: (410) 612-1576
In EVERY child...a touch of GREATNESS!!!
Proud of our Title One School!
Norrisville Elementary School
5302 Norrisville Rd
White Hall, MD 21161
Phone: 410-692-7810
Fax: 410-692-7812
Where Bright Futures Begin!!!
________________________________
From: [email protected] on
behalf of Renee
Sent: Tue 9/27/2011 10:56 AM
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group;
[email protected]
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] "we do..."
I would say that anytime you have students working in groups, that
would be a "we do" situation, whether or not the teacher is involved.
Personally, I have a problem with "guided practice" when it gives
students too much help or too much information and they are not allowed
to struggle on their own a bit (no, not to the point of frustration) to
figure something out. I also think it can be a factor in students
becoming less creative and less able to think critically on their own.
I recall one of my evaluation writeups when I was teaching art and my
1st grade students were doing a collage with geometric shapes. There
was a little tricky problem-solving component and some of the students
took a longer time to figure it out and that was ok because I was
interested more in the PROCESS of creating than I was in the END
PRODUCT and the principal wrote on my evaluation that "some guided
practice might have helped" those students. Uh..... no..... I would say
you didn't understand the art process nor the idea of the lesson.
I don't think we should always steer students toward the one right
answer, and I think the wrong kind of guided practice does exactly
that.
My two cents.
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