Cadet Teaching Portfolio
 
Search this site

Mini-Lesson #3 Belief Statements

Mini-Lessons  

 Student Activities 

Student Role*: problem solver, critical thinker, creator, collaborator, communicator

 Teacher Activities

Teacher Role*: guide and facilitator

 Media Specialist Activities

Media Role: support, guide, and facilitator

 #3: Belief Statements
  • generate personal list of non-negotiable belief statements
  • conceptualize and communicate beliefs with a nonlinguistic representation
  • begin a directed inquiry project
  • create sample belief statements and nonlinguistic representation
  • create list of components to include in final product
  • collect real world examples of belief statements and share
  • collaborate with other staff members to collect more belief statements
  • publish examples on Google Sites
  • model inquiry process throughout the semester by participating with the creation of belief statements as a student
Inquiry skills: connecting, finding focus, narrowing topic
 
 
General Overview and Timeframe:
This lesson will be executed at the end of the first semester. The first two mini-lessons will required students to generate twelve weekly reflections and participate in twelve asynchronous discussion circles that have given them fuel for the first phase of Lamb's Inquiry Model 8Ws -- Watching and Wondering. This final step challenges students to synthesize what they have learned and produce a list of eight belief statements about teaching and learning. In an attempt to encourage the development of visual literacy skills, students must also produce a nonlinguistic representation of their beliefs.  (Time: student dependent)
 
Elaboration of Activities:
 
Guiding Question: What do I believe about teaching and learning?
 

 Activities

 Inquiry Skills

 Materials

 Assessment

 1.Independently, students will be asked to read over their semester's work: reflections and discussion circles. While reading, they should highlight or note any statements of belief that emerge.

 Reading, discussing

 access to classroom Moodle

Personal response 

2. Students will read a list of things learned from Charlie Brown

http://halife.com/halife/charliebrown.html

The students will then visit a Google site and peruse a series of belief statements from teachers within their school that the media specialist has collected and posted.

 Observing, discussing

 Access to computer, projection device

 Personal response

3. Students will listen to several "This I Believe" segments that the media specialist has selected.

http://thisibelieve.org/

Note: Selections should be timely and relevant. Examples:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96667434

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94836671

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97769909

Listening (observing)

 Access to computer, projection device

 

Participation

4. Students will Pair and Share -- i.e. partner with another student and share what they read that caught their eye and stirred their own imagination.  

 Discussing

Internet access and projection 

  

Participation 

 5. Students will engage in a whole classroom discussion, shaing what they have discovered, questions they might have, and what they are thinking right now. The classroom teacher will share the evaluation checklist and the sample symbol and belief statement. The media specialist will share how to document sources for their belief statements.

 Discussing

  Sample Checklist  Personal response
 

Sample Symbol and Belief Statements

Note: Belief statements should be written in a way that the reader can clearly see the connections between the picture and the beliefs.

 

This picture is from the perspective of sitting upon the seat of a Navajo outhouse. The outhouse is likely located on the Colorado Plateau. Many times the outhouses are located in remote places where Navajo families have their summer hogans. Doors are not always necessary -- air circulation for ventilation purposes and temperature balance receive precidence. The artist's name is Shonto Begay.

 

 

I, Joe Pounds, believe it is the teacher's job to create a comfortable, safe environment, but not so comfortable that students do not want to leave. (Source: Reflection #3)

I believe the classroom should be a place that allows students to look beyond its walls and see their own hopes and dreams in the distance. (Source: Reflection #5)

I believe learning should be self-directed and motivation to learn should come from within the learner. (Source: Discussion Circle #1)

I believe the learning should be front and center, not the teacher. (Source: Discussion Circle #1)

I believe whenever possible that students should be given a choice in the direction they want to go. (Source: Reflection #2)

I believe learning should have elements of excitement, spontaneity, and creativity while at the same time provide regular opportunities for self-reflection and self-assessment.(Source: Discussion Circle #2)

I believe schools should be free of academic competition and ability groupings. (Source: Reflection #5)
 
Mini-Lesson #3 Belief Statement Checklist for Evaluation

Completion Checklist:

 ___ A minimum of seven belief statements have been written (14 points possible).

 __  All of the belief statements are unique (7 points possible).

  __ A symbol/picture has been provided (5 points possible). 

  __  All belief statements have a clear connection to the symbol or picture (14 points possible).

  __  Elaborating details are provided about the picture (5 points possible).

____Sources have been identified for all belief statements (7 points possible).

___ The final product has a professional appearance. (potential loss of 10 points).

Attachments (1)

  • Sample Belief Statements.doc - on Dec 3, 2008 8:43 AM by Joe Pounds (version 1)
    32k Download