Natalie+Bahen

Name:Natalie Bahen Email:nbahen@isgdh.org Unit:Geometry [| Natalie BahenUBD_6-Page_Template.doc]
 * **Guiding Question** || **Response** || **Posted By** ||
 * **Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results : //To what extent are the targeted understandings... //** ||  ||   ||
 * **   Aligned with appropriate goals (standards, benchmarks)?     ** || **Clear goals. CB** || **C.Brackmann** ||
 * ** Big ideas at the heart of the discipline (as opposed to basic facts and skills) in need of // uncoverage? //  ** || **Understanding is aligned with appropriate content standards. CB** ||   ||
 * ** Framed by provocative // essential // and // unit // questions?    ** || **They are framed in appropriate 'kid language'. They also frame and guide inquiry into the topic. CB** ||   ||
 * **Linked to valid and relevant knowledge and skills? ** || **Meet standards** ||  ||
 * **Stage 2 - Determine Acceptable Evidence** || Response || Posted by ||
 * **//To what extent are...//**
 *  Students asked to demonstrate their understanding through authentic performance tasks?
 *   A variety of appropriate assessment formats used?
 *  Assessments used as feedback for students and teachers, as well as for evaluation?
 * Students encouraged to self-assess ||  ||   ||
 * **Stage 3 - Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction** ||  ||   ||
 * **//To what extent will...//**
 *  Students know //where// they're going (the learning goals) and //why// the material is important, and //what is required of them// (in terms of unit goals, performance requirements, and evaluative criteria)?
 *  Students be hooked and //engaged// in digging into the big ideas of the unit (through inquiry, research, problem solving, and experimentation)?
 *  Students receive explicit instruction on the knowledge and skills needed to //equip// them for the required performances?
 *  Students have opportunities to //rehearse//, //revise//, and //refine// their work based on feedback?
 *  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Students //self-assess// and set goals prior to the conclusion of the unit? ||  ||   ||


 * Response Journal 1**

Hello! My name is Natalie Bahen and this is my second year teaching. I work with Primary 1 students in Jubail. By taking this course I hope to enhance my knowledge of curriculum planning with “the end in mind”. I also look forward to exploring other assessment opportunities that I can implement in my classroom. I am interested in creating standard assessment tools for literacy and math which accommodate many learning styles. By increasing my knowledge of curriculum design, I will be able to more thoughtfully plan my year and find cross curricular links. By learning to incorporate assessment purposefully into my planning, I will be able to find out my students’ strengths and weaknesses and plan future lessons accordingly. I am hoping that by learning more about assessment tools I can generate authentic results which give an accurate picture of my students’ knowledge and abilities. I would really like to be able to show my students a range of exemplars before assessments so that they have a solid understanding of expectations. It is my belief that showing exemplars sets students up for success.

**Response Journal 2**

__Response to **Knowledge Alive**__

In this article, Perkins contends that the //knowledge arts// are often overlooked in schools in favour of a knowledge-based approach to education. He argues that teachers who adopt //knowledge arts// as part of their pedagogy will create an atmosphere wherein students are engaged in learning and as a result, have deeper and more meaningful educational experiences. Students become active participants who help to create meaning from their learning and are able to apply their learning to new situations. Absent in this model is the notion that teachers hold the knowledge and that students are empty receptacles waiting to be filled. I had never heard of the term //knowledge arts// before reading this article. However, the philosophy behind it is very familiar because it is the underpinning of the International Primary Curriculum that we use in our school. The basis of the IPC is that rote memorization of facts and indoctrination of knowledge by teachers does not create a beneficial learning environment for students. Rather, the curriculum is based upon transferable skills which are revisited and assessed multiple times during a two year period. I strongly agree with the //knowledge arts// philosophy, and I feel it is extremely pertinent for international educators. Teaching my students the history of America, or the geography of Europe is a useless exercise because it has no relevance to their lives. They come from all over the world. Rather, exploring how to use maps and being able to find our home and host countries is a valuable learning experience because it is driven by interest and students will be able to apply that knowledge to new scenarios. Perkins also stressed the need to create an inquiry-based environment in the classroom. I think that this is useful because it means embracing unexpected learning opportunities and also sends the message that teachers and adults can be lifelong learners because learning is fun! This approach to education has several implications for curriculum designers. Rather than focusing on the knowledge that students should acquire, there is a shift to thinking about which skills students should develop. Also, when adopting this approach, one must plan to include opportunities for students to create and derive knowledge from learning activities, as in the science experiment example Perkins provided. Planning is also affected in the sense that one may wish to organize courses around fundamental questions that can be revisited in each unit.

__ Response to **Preparing for Today and Tomorrow** __ In his article, “Preparing for Today and Tomorrow”, Elliot Eisner focuses on the concept that a meaningful education today will intrinsically prepare students for tomorrow. Eisner outlines a series of aims, or targets that should be implemented in order to achieve a meaningful education for today. Eisner discusses the importance of //judgment//. Problem solving is a major component of judgment. Allowing students to grapple with different types of problems will facilitate the growth of strong, decision-making mind. Teaching students to consider the consequences of all important decisions will open the mind of the student and better prepare him/her to form a logical, level-headed resolution. //Critical thinking// is a major component of Eisner’s philosophy. A mind that has the ability to critically analyze an idea or concept will be better able to grow. Students need to have the ability to consider the multiple implications of any issue and apply their understanding of these implications to their life and beliefs. Eisner is deeply concerned with the idea of m//eaningful literacy//. It is vital for students to be socially and culturally literate. Schools must focus on all forms of literacy, not just the knowledge of words and numbers. Media literacy, in many ways, is just as important for the development of an educated ‘mind’ as numeracy. No person is an island. Students must be able to //collaborate// in order to reach their full potential. Too often, individual achievement overshadows group success. The collaboration of individuals results in a multi leveled and cooperative education. Ideas can be shared, opinions expressed and lives shared. Finally, Eisner discusses the concept of //service//. Students need to connect their individual lives with the communities in which they are agents. This will encourage a sense of belonging and citizenship. There are many factors that contribute to the ‘preparatory’ and ‘hoop jumping’ conception of education. I believe that bureaucracy is an important factor to this senseless form of education. Standardized tests dominate the school environment. Students must sit in a room and complete timed tests because it is purported to help them in the future. Students are unable to make this connection; instead they fear the consequences of a bad score. Administrators love standardized tests because they are an easy way to rate students and a convenient way to separate or categorize children. Often, scores are published in the local newspaper and overall scores affect funding. Students must jump through this standardized hoop for no meaningful reason. In my experience, teachers are prone to the preparatory model because it is easier than the alternatives. Knowledge is prescribed from above because teachers already know what students will need to know. Many teachers fear curricula that are not prescriptive but open to student based learning. Educators do not wish to lose control over the distribution of knowledge. This dedication to the empty vessel approach to education results in simple pontification and has no true educational meaning or purpose. Essentially, students are forced to jump through teacher-defined hoops. In my current teaching position as a Primary 1 teacher I am able to incorporate all of Eisner`s aims in my classroom. Collaboration is a particularly important aim for young students because they are still learning to socialize appropriately with others. In my class we have been working together to create an environment conducive to improving our literacy skills. This involves 30 minutes of uninterrupted, independent reading and writing each day in which students work together and avoid distracting others by sitting in one spot, being apart from friends and using quiet voices. The class has realized that even if one person chooses not to follow these guidelines, it interrupts the whole class and is inconsiderate. We are all working together to create an environment where everyone has an opportunity to learn. I am able to apply critical thinking processes in my classroom as well. Whenever a problem arises in our class (i.e. messy workstations, taking too long to get settled after breaks, etc) we meet as a class and students come up with possible resolutions. I encourage them to think of the implications of their suggestions and together we vote on a solution. After a week passes or trialing a solution, we meet again and discuss whether or not our attempt was successful. Sometimes we have to reevaluate and consider other options.

**Response Journal 3** The constructivist approach has many student-centered benefits. For one, students become actively involved and engaged in the learning process which increases learning. Student questions and interests fuel the learning process, which gives them ownership of their own learning and a sense of accomplishment when they have arrived at a solution. Constructivism promotes interaction among students, and teaches children how to negotiate in social situations using tactful, considerate methods. Problem solving is the foundation of constructivism, which means that students will be able to easily transfer their learning to real world scenarios. Constructivism focuses on learning rather than rote memorization so that students can apply their knowledge in other classes and situations. When adopting a constructivist approach to teaching, educators should be weary of creating an environment where ‘failed’ experiments are actually failures rather than embraced as learning opportunities. Also, I think teachers should be cautious of giving away answers and try to resist the tendency to overtake lessons. Educators should try to ensure that all students have a voice, and that a few students do not dominate discussions. This can be achieved by ensuring that a safe environment is created wherein students are not afraid to share their opinions. Additionally, students may be given the opportunity to write down their thoughts before being asked to give their opinion. This way students are able to collect their thoughts and don’t feel like they are not prepared to share their ideas.

**Response Journal #4** I am always learning new culinary methods and techniques. I enjoy cooking as a means of relieving stress and because I find it enjoyable. I usually grasp new cooking concepts quickly and retain the information because it is important to me. My class and I have set a goal to read for 15 uninterrupted minutes each day in school. This was difficult for them to do at first, but after repeated modeling, practice and encouragement they are only 1 minute away from achieving this goal! Trying to use new technology to complete my Masters online has been challenging. While I am comfortable using the computer for basic functions, my previous experience with blogs, wikis and podcasts was minimal. Therefore, when I tried to complete some assignments, I noticed there were gaps in my knowledge. I had to look for support using tutorials and friends to learn the new skills I needed. When I purchase a new camera, for example, my first instinct is to read through the manual and test things out as I’m reading. In contrast, my husband usually tosses the manual aside, and only consults it when he cannot find the answer using trial and error. I see this principle carried out in my classroom every day. The reason that most learning in early education occurs through centers is because learning is social. Children negotiate meaning and develop different ways of knowing by working together. This notion is what underlies the practice of assessment for learning. If we provide children with feedback and let them know areas where they excelled and how they can improve their work in the future, it takes the mystery out of assessment and sets students up for success. I am currently coaching students for an upcoming spelling bee. In addition to giving them word lists to learn, I had to provide them with memorization strategies. After modeling the different strategies, I encouraged the group to test them all and find one or two that they could be successful with. Recently I took a pottery course with the hope of finding a new hobby. My instructor was so critical of my efforts and lack of experience (all the other participants had some knowledge) that I stopped attending after two classes. The latest brain research says that too many colours and distractions in the classroom can actually undermine student learning. I plan to update my classroom by choosing one colour for all bulletin boards and ensuring the border is one solid colour.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"> 1.  **** People learn what is personally meaningful to them **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"> 2.  **** People learn more when they accept challenging but achievable goals **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"> 3.  **** Learning is developmental **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"> 4.  **** Individuals learn differently **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"> 5.  **** Much learning occurs through social interaction **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"> 6.  **** People need feedback to learn **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"> 7.  **** Successful learning involves use of strategies- which themselves are learned **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"> 8.  **** A positive emotional climate strengthens learning **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin"> 9.  **** Learning is influenced by the total environment **

Response Journal #5 With backward design, the focus seems to be on learning rather than “doing”. Learning goals are at the forefront for teachers and students. This gives students an opportunity to reflect on their progress and gives a sense of urgency for learning- not just doing “because the teacher said so”. Textbooks and resource materials do not determine the teaching focus, rather they are used to support learning. Using a backward design also helps to determine which learning targets and outcomes are essential and provide authentic assessment opportunities for students to showcase their learning. Backwards design forces educators to take a critical approach on assessment to determine whether existing assessment methods really are valid indicators of learning.

Response Journal 6 <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">Knowing vs. Understanding: What behaviors do you associate with student understanding? <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">In order for students to cultivate understanding, they must participate and experiment within a topic. Simply teaching students and expecting them to have an overarching understanding is unrealistic. Applying skills in new contexts and teaching others would indicate a deeper understanding. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">How do you distinguish between students "knowing" and "doing" versus understanding what they are studying? <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">For example, my Primary 1 students may know how to solve addition problems and be able to do countless equations accurately. They may even be able to solve challenging word problems independently or as a group. However, showing true understanding may require them to compose and solve addition word problems (e.g. Alex has 3 trucks and he bought 7 more. How many does he have altogether?)