Transforming into the Facilitative Teacher

Claiming

Key Ideas, Tips, & Tools

Key Ideas

• Claiming (reflection) is the process by which students lay claim to their own learning. Students process their experiences and transfer new content and process knowledge to the next task.
• Technology used well can be an asset
• Based in 3 concepts
  • Concrete recall- What did I do?
  • Evaluation- How effective were my efforts?
  • Transfer- What would I do differently if I were starting over now (or next time)? This component is referred to before starting the next project.
• Traditional assessment can happen as a lead-in to this stage, using pretests and post-assessments to measure growth.
• Individual reflection is an internal process, external representation is needed so a teacher understands the student’s process
• Questioning: “The questions are the spine of the reflective experience, but the medium can be as varied at the imagination.” (Thomas, 2013, p. 101) No matter how students choose to demonstrate their reflection, the most essential component is asking the right questions. Here are some questions to guide the three stages (Concrete, Evaluative and Transfer) of reflection. (Thomas, 2013, p.83)

Tips

• Don’t skip it! Reflection is an area that is often skipped but is very valuable.
• Focus on the value! Students need to be taught to “see” the value in looking back, pausing, and reflecting in order to move forward
• Teach it! Reflection is a skill that must be taught through modelling and guided practice. Framing how to share, why we share, and how it can help support our collaborative learning community need to be part of the discussion process. Ask good questions that promote deep reflection.
• Model it! Teachers should contribute as well with mindful feedback that helps bridge learning to new experiences- meta-cognitive growth is not easy for younger students to connect without support.
• Be flexible! Individual reflection is best represented in the student’s own learning style, so give them choice or vary how they are able to reflect.
• Give it time! Individual reflection often requires time and space.

Tools and Resources

Reflective practices must become second nature in selecting and facilitating activities for and with students. Reflection can be built into the typical day as well as at the end of a larger unit, it can be formal or informal and it can take a variety of forms. Here are some examples of how reflection can occur:

Self-Assessments/Peer Assessments

• Reflective Progress Reports: Students self -assess and reflect on their growth and then share it with their parents and return it to the teacher enhancing communication. (Thomas, 2013, p. 87)
• SPIN Rubrics: Students use “I Can” statements adapted from learning goals, students assess their ability several times during the unit (with teacher guidance at first) using S,P,I and N to represent what they know at that point (S - Superior, P = Proficient, I = Intermediate, and N = novice). This connects the student to the curriculum. They become more invested in what is being learned. (Thomas, 2013, p. 79) - see here for examples.

Skills Lists

At the beginning of a unit or project, students are asked to determine what a certain set of skills will look like, feel like and how they will know when they have succeeded in this skill. This list is revisited at the reflection stage. (Critical Skills Coaching Kit, 2007).

• Post-it Notes Stars/Wishes Strategy: Immediately after a presentation, each student writes one or two Star(s) (something they loved about the presentation) and a Wish (something constructive they would have changed about the presentation) on either side of a post-it note to hand to the student(s) for some quick celebration and feedback. Strategies to enhance peer feedback.

Quick Daily Reflections

• Rating Activities (e.g. Fist to Five, thumbs up/thumbs down) - With eyes closed students hold up a fist or any number of fingers (or thumbs up/down) representing how they feel about a certain question. (Thomas, 2013, p.100)
• Think/Pair/Share - Students are prompted with a question, given first time to think in silence, then time to share with a partner, then share with the class, reducing anxiety about sharing ideas as a whole group. (Thomas, 2013, p.86)
• Chalk Talks - Students have an informal talk with the teacher about how things are going.
• KWL (Know/Want to Know/Need to Learn or Have Learned) - Students identify at certain points of a project what they know, what they want to know and what they still need to learn. This allows students to celebrate progress while focusing their next steps. (Thomas, 2013, p.87)
• Entrance/Exit slips - Students answer a question on a slip of paper on the way in or on the way out of the classroom, providing quick feedback to the teacher. (Thomas, 2013, p.86)

Whole Unit Documentation and Reflection

• Students individually or as a group document their problem solving and learning process, reflecting regularly using any variety of mediums. This can be shared with the community. Using a variety of resources, this can take many forms from traditional writing to pictures, videos, sound clips. Here are some methods and resources:
  • Portfolios/ePortfolios
  • Video Diaries
    • Flipgrid
  • Classroom Blogs/Websites
    • Blogger, Kidblog, Weebly, Wordpress
  • Padlet: a prompt can be given to students with a link to the padlet, and students can share with their class their responses to the prompt. See an example of how Padlet can be used here: Padlet Example done
  • SeeSaw
  • Google Apps For Education (GAFE)

Oral Discussion Techniques

• WHIP-One word summaries - Students are asked to provide a one-word reaction to the activity and they are shared quickly through the room. Remember to allow kids to pass. (Thomas, 2013, p.100)
• Compass Points - Students break down into groups based on their feelings about a topic or project: E - Excited, W - Worried, N - Need to know, S - Suggestions for moving forward. Or alternatively: N - I want to do it Now, S - I want to Share and Support feelings, E - I want to express, envision and imagine, W - When, what,when,where, how? Notes can be take on a compass as a visual anchor and this gets students out of their seats and moving around. (Thomas, 2013, p. 101) also: http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org/VisibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03c_Core_routines/CompassPoints/CompassPoints_Routine.html)
• Concentric circles - students form two concentric circles with the same number of students in each so that pairs are formed . The teacher gives reflection questions to be discussed and time to discuss. Then the inside circle rotates, creating new pairs for a new discussion question. This creates a safe sharing environment where many ideas and perspectives can be shared. (Thomas, 2013, p.100) https://www.uvm.edu/~dewey/reflection_manual/activities.html#Group
• Fishbowling - several students are chosen to be in the “Fishbowl” with the remaining students on the outside observing, then the roles reverse. This encourages students to be listeners and contributors. (Thomas, 2013, p.100) https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/fishbowl
• Dyads and Triads - Allowing students to discuss and reflect in pairs or groups of three to make the discussion more natural and less threatening . (Thomas, 2013, p.100)
• WASH- We All Speak Here - A method of exploring, discussing and discovering thoughts and feelings surrounding any issue. The design involves a series of four questions: "why" (concrete experience),"what" (reflective observation), "how" (abstract conceptualization), and "what if" (active experimentation). The participants, in small groups, generate a list of as many responses as possible to each question during a set time limit. Once the list has been generated for a particular question, the group prioritizes the responses to the question. (https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED438139)
• Shared learning circle - Students complete a given statement according to their feelings or thoughts: I thought it was neat because…, The feeling today that I would most like to share it… I felt most proud today about… (Thomas, 2013, p.101)
• Postcards/emotion cards - students choose from a set of emotion cards in the middle of the circle to represent the card that represents how they feel about the day, the lesson,the group or their role in the group. (Thomas, 2013, p.100)
• Found objects - Students find an object in the room representing how they feel about an experience. (Thomas, 2013, p.100)
• Ball of String - Students discuss a prompted question and a ball of string is tossed to each speaker, tracking patterns in who talked and who didn’t giving information to the class. (Thomas, 2013, p.100)

Written Short Reflections

• Today’s Tweets- #Today’sBiggestLearning Students use post-its to capture key points in 42 words or less and add to the bulletin board. (Thomas, 2013, p.86)
• Journaling- Daily responses to prompts about daily learning, challenges, work, skills used, and plan for next time.
• Letter to self - Students write a letter to themselves focusing on “a goal you have for this year,”, “something you learned about yourself”, “something you learned about your classmates,” “something that challenged you,” or” a goal for yourself for the next school year”. The letter remains confidential and is returned to the students later in the year at an appropriate time.(Thomas, 2013, p.101)

Creative/Artistic Options as tools for Transfer

What do they wish they had done in their process? How might they use their new skills in the future that can be helpful? Giving students opportunity to use a reflection tool that matches the way they think will produce the most accurate reflection of their learning.

• Planning future projects
  • 8th grade students interview students from other classes to share highlights and biggest learnings from their own respective STEAM projects.
• Role-playing
• Realistic scenarios
  • 7th grade students redesign robots to perform a skill or provide a service to an imaginary town that the 1st grade will collaboratively build.
• Writing Poetry or fiction
• Keeping a Sketchbook

Transfer Activities

• Mapping - Students identify a road map that includes where they started, what their journey has been like with challenges, obstacles and learning highlights and where they want to go next with goals, hopes and action steps(Thomas, 2013, p.101)
• Creative fiction - Students write a story or create a skit or video about what they wish they had done or how they could use their skills in the future. (Thomas, 2013, p. 87)

Reflection Rubrics

In order to improve their reflection skills, students need timely feedback on their reflection, regardless of the form it takes. Using Reflection Rubrics allows the student to receive formative guidance, increasing the learning. Sample reflection rubrics. (Thomas, 2013, p. 91-94).

Resources

• Critical Skills Program Level 1 Coaching Kit*
• Facilitating Authentic Learning by Laura Thomas Ch. 5,6,7*
• Padlet https://padlet.com/
• SeeSaw http://web.seesaw.me/
• GAFE https://www.google.com/
• Flipgrid https://info.flipgrid.com/ *
• https://www.edutopia.org/blog/going-gradeless-student-self-assessment-matt-weyers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
• http://www.advanc-ed.org/source/se2r-can-revolutionize-how-we-assess-learning
• https://www.masteryconnect.com/features.html

*annotated in bibliography

Claiming

Key Resources

Critical Skills Program Level 1 Coaching Kit: Fourth Edition. (2007) Antioch University New England: Keene, NH. ISBN I-881245-08-X.

• Why did you select this?

The Critical Skills Level 1 Coaching Kit was chosen because is filled with a pedagogy and a framework for establishing a Collaborative Learning Community which utilizes authentic, real-world, relevant learning models to create environments for learning.

• How do you think it could prove useful at this stage?

The kit includes rubrics, sample challenges, team building activities, and a delivery model that is flexible for every subject area and curriculum. The methods are designed to support building critical skills and dispositions which are the backbone of effective collaborative learning communities.

• What facilitation problem does it solve?

This is an invaluable resource for all stages of the facilitation process because of the examples it provides to creating and maintaining a safe Collaborative Learning Community where quality claiming can occur.

Flipgrid. Ignite Classroom Discussion. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2017, from https://info.flipgrid.com/

• Why did you select this?

Flipgrid is an online video discussion board that is user friendly to students and fun to use. This can be used at many stages of a project or lesson.

• How do you think it could prove useful at this stage?

It is valuable during the reflection stage because it gives students a platform to reflect on their work, explain their intention on their work, and provide feedback to others. Flipgrid allows every student to have their thoughts and feelings heard and to receive feedback.

• What facilitation problem does it solve?

It solves the problem of students being overlooked and not having a voice as might be the case with a traditional oral discussion.

Thomas, L. R. (2013). Facilitating authentic learning, grades 6-12: A framework for student-driven instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

• Why did you select this?

This book was chosen because it provides an extensive list of creative and different ideas and tools to promote the very important stage of claiming.

• How do you think it could prove useful at this stage?

This book is an invaluable resource at this stage because it provides the explanation of why reflection is so important, samples of the different levels of questioning, sample rubrics for self-assessment and real world testimonials from teachers using these techniques so teachers can see the techniques in action.

• What facilitation problem does it solve?

It solves the problem of HOW to put the claiming stage into action with concrete examples of new, creative tools that meet every student's learning style.

Others resources mentioned:

References

Fishbowl. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/fishbowl

Flipgrid. Ignite Classroom Discussion. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2017, from https://info.flipgrid.com/

J., S. J. (1999, September 30). W.A.S.H. (We All Speak Here!) and a Learning Model. Retrieved March 18, 2017, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED438139

Kidblog. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from https://kidblog.org/home/

Create a unique and beautiful blog. It's easy and free. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from https://www.blogger.com/about/ Create a website or blog. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from https://wordpress.com/

Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from https://padlet.com/

SE2R Can Revolutionize How We Assess Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2017, from http://www.advanc-ed.org/source/se2r-can-revolutionize-how-we-assess-learning

Strategies to enhance peer feedback. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from http://www.assessmentforlearning.edu.au/professional_learning/peer_feedback/peer_strategies_enhance.html#1

Student Driven Digital Portoflios. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from http://web.seesaw.me/

Thomas, L. R. (2013). Facilitating authentic learning, grades 6-12: A framework for student-driven instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Visible Thinking. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org/VisibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03c_Core_routines/CompassPoints/CompassPoints_Routine.html

Weebly is the easiest way to create a website, store or blog. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from https://www.weebly.com/

Weyers, M. (2016, March 29). Going Gradeless: Student Self-Assessment in PBL. Retrieved March 15, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/going-gradeless-student-self-assessment-matt-weyers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow