Project-Based Learning
Problem Solving
Differentiation
Metacognition
Mindfulness
Competency-Based Learning
Standards-Based Grading
Gallery Walk
Callie Hilleshiem
Critical Thinking
Inclusion
Personalized Learning
References
Reflection
Gallery Walk
Callie Hilleshiem
PBL is an instructional methodology which requires students to learn and apply knowledge in an long-term, engaging learning opportunity. Students work through real-life problem solving situations that are cross-curricular. Projects are about the product, PBL is as much about the process.
Project-Based Learning (PBL)
CBL aims to emulate how people learn, work, and collaborate in the real world. Students make decisions about their learning each day and progression is based on mastery of skills. Assessments are performance based and students receive timely, relevant, specific feedback that supports their developing master of the skill being assessed. Discussion question: What are the potential benefits and challenges to implementing CBL in our current educational system?
Competency-Based Learning (CBL)
Teachers can support students in developing their critical thinking skills in a variety of ways. Allowing time for metacognition and encouraging students to analyze their thoughts and ideas helps students more fully understand their own answers. Provide students with real contextual problems in which they need to generate, present, and defend their reasoning. Teach students to analyze texts for relevance and bias while still encouraging exploring mulitple perspectives on an issue.
Critical Thinking
Teaching lessons in mindfulness tecniques to calm the body and mind have been linked to decreased stress, increased engagement, and increased academic achievemment. Students need time to understand what mindfulness is and the positive impacts it can have on their brains. One example of a mindfulness exercise is guided meditation. Discussion question: What mindfulness activities have you tried or do you want to try with students? If you already use some mindfulness activities, what were the observed effects on student behavior and learning?
Mindfulness
Metacognition is the process of reflecting on our thinking to gain understanding of our feelings, needs, and behaviors. This process allows room for the person to use that understanding a perspective to approach a problem in a new, more constructive way. Metacognitive skills are helpful for self-regulation and quieting negative self-talk.
Metacognition
Standards-based grading (SBG) moves away from traditional letter grade systems and uses rubrics to assess student's mastery of a skill or strategy. As students master each subsequent element of the rubric content, they are given the next until they show mastery in the standard being assessed. Teachers provide students with regular feedback, reteaching, or reinforcement as necessary for student growth.
Standards-Based Grading
The most important thing for students exposed to trauma is to feel safe at school through developing healthy relationships with the adults and their peers. Teachers need to genuinely listen to their students and model healthy, caring relationships. Fostering a positive classroom community allows students to develop relationships with their peers and feel as though they are a wanted part of that community. This will lead to students developing social, emotional, and academic skills needed to be successful.
Inclusion
Each of the articles reflect what are best practices for all students. Students who have experienced trauma will succeed in an environment that prioritizes positive relationships, mindfulness, and metacognition. Developing problem solving and critical thinking skills support students in developing resilience. All these practices include engaging students where they are at and supporting them individually to reach their highest potential.
In light of what is known about how children learn, how shall professional educators best promote resilience and recovery for the children and their families who have experienced traumatic events?
Teachers differentiate instruction by tailoring the content, process, product, or learning environment to meet the needs of individual students. Within lesson plans teachers vary the types of activities and provide different options when students need them. Differentiation can involve providing supports so struggling students can access grade level content or providing extension for students who have already mastered a learning target. Discussion question: What does differentiation look like in your classroom? How does differentiating instruction support students who have experienced trauma?
Differentiation
Students encounter problems in all aspects of their lives and having the skills to navigate those problems is essential. Students need to also understand that struggling and making mistakes means that they are learing and growing. Teachers can foster problem solving skills by incorporating open-ended questions, celebrating mistakes as learning opportunities, and leaving room for productive struggle rather than stepping in immediately. Discussion question: What does student problem solving look like in your classroom? Is there a new strategy you would like to try?
Problem Solving
Miller (2019) lists three key myths about personalized learning: technology is the key component, students mainly work independently, and it just means students move at their own pace. In reality, technology is a useful tool but does not replace small and whole group instruction from the teacher. Collaboration is also a skill students must develop as well as how to learn from their peers. Students do not completely work at their own pace but partner to create the goals and learning plan that they will follow with the teacher.
Personalized Learning
Beachboard, C. (2022, April 5). Getting started with Standards-Based grading. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/getting-started-standards-based-grading Hudson, E. (2022, December 6). An Introduction to Competency-Based Learning: What, why, how. GOA. https://globalonlineacademy.org/insights/articles/an-introduction-to-competency-based-learning-what-why-how Jacobson, R. (2024, February 5). Metacognition: How thinking about thinking can help kids. Child Mind Institute. https://childmind.org/article/how-metacognition-can-help-kids/ Jennings, P. A. (2019). Teaching in a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom: What Educators Can do to Support students. The American Educator, 43(2), 12. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1218755.pdf McDonald, L. (2020, November 6). Projects and Project-Based Learning: What’s the difference? Graduate Programs for Educators. https://www.graduateprogram.org/2019/12/projects-and-project-based-learning-whats-the-difference/ Miller, A. (2019, February 20). 3 Myths of personalized learning. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-myths-personalized-learning Provenzano, N. (2023, March 23). Helping students hone their critical thinking skills. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-critical-thinking-middle-high-school/ Staake, J. (2023, October 31). 50 Differentiated instruction Strategies and Examples for K-12 Classrooms. We Are Teachers. https://www.weareteachers.com/5-differentiated-instruction-strategies-to-try-out-this-year/ Tatter, G. (2019, February 22). How making time for mindfulness helps students. KQED. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/53110/how-making-time-for-mindfulness-helps-students Wysocki, S. (2023, May 8). Students can solve many of their own problems. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/independent-problem-solving-in-the-classroom/ All images created by Callie Hilleshiem using Padlet, Gemini, Craiyon, and wordclouds.com.
References
