1st TODIE??? Seeing errors as a call to action

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Beyond The Apple

Taking time to unpack the thinking involved in noticing and correcting an error is a powerful way to better understand the layers of cognition an error sets in motion.

Here’s an example:

On first glance, I read the title of this James Patterson book as “1st TODIE” (think toadie).  Since “1st TODIE” had no meaning to me, I was baffled. That moment of confusion sent me straight into probelm solving mode.

patterson071

Below is charted deconstruction of that experience. As you can see, resolving the error turned out to be a full body experience, complete with a physical response, an inner dialogue, imagined sounds, and mental images at each step of process. (Note: While this process looks lengthy,  the entire correction took less than 2 seconds.)

Error Processes Physical Response of Error Process
 Inner Thoughts of Error Process Mental Image of Error Process
 Imagined Sound of Error Process
1.Dissonance noted: What? Todie???? Jolting to a stop What’s a Todie? This doesn’t make sense! stop-2 Screeching tires
2.Problem solving begins Webbing connections of what I know, what I expected and potential solutions. What’s a Todie? Could it be pronounced Toddie? Should I reread? What else could it be? web Car trying to go forward, then  reversing, then turning
3.Arriving at a possible solution Pausing and reflecting on possibilities Hmmm…. it seems like a solution, but does it make sense as a book title?
 (note the dotted, less than confident check)check
 Car accelerating cautiously
4. Checking for accuracy and a match to the context Confident, relaxed Yes! That makes sense.  thumbs-up Car driving smoothly at speed

This exercise highlights the power of:

  • noticing the disequilibrium caused when things stop making sense
  • searching for information that restores understanding and equilibrium
  • confirming that the solution truly fits the full context (mystery novel), not just the item (correct pronunciation)

Learners of all ages benefit from seeing this type of problem solving made visible.

So, give it a try with your peers. Put “The Power of Errors to Make Thinking Visible” on the agenda of your next professional conversation. To prepare, create a mind map – similar to the chart above or in a format of your choosing of an error you’ve made. Share it with your peers and ask them to create a mind map of an error they’ve solved. The  content of each mind map will vary and will open up lively discussions about what the error solving process can look like, sound like, and feel like to notice.

During a professional learning conversation at a school where I was teaching, a colleague connected a poorly kicked soccer ball his error to the physical response, sound, inner thoughts, he experienced. This connection allowed him to understand what it felt like to make an error and how the error, in his words, “wasn’t just a mistake, it was a call to action”. Even at this late stage of his academic career, he was astounded by this new, and very useful, perspective on errors.

Now, take it to your classroom. The next time you make an error – stumble over a word, miscalculate an algorithm, or miss a step completing a fail a pirouette –  pause and share your error experience with your students.

Now, ask the students to do the same thing.

Learning to embrace an error as a “call to action” allows students to feel the potential of an error to develop a whole new perspective on problem solving.

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How to Score Student Work Equitably

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Beyond The Apple

Contrary to public perception, scoring student assignments and tests goes well beyond determining whether an answer is correct or incorrect. To score equitably, a teacher needs to be familiar with the art and the science of scoring. It’s an important task and there’s a lot to think about. Here are some things to thunk about:

1. Determine a rationale for the method of scoring you’ve chosen – letter grade, percentage, comments, rubric, level, etc –  each has a purpose and a place.

2. Use a scoring guide (a list of possible correct and incorrect responses) and refer to it throughout the scoring process.

3. If time permits, share scoring tasks with another teacher. This increases the reliability of the results.

4. As each assessment item is scored, be aware that correct answers can be expressed in different ways –  but ensure the student answer meets the criteria of the scoring guide. In other words, don’t “read into” the student answer or make assumptions about “what the student meant”.

5. Ensure that the scoring is not impacted by irrelevant factors. For example: spelling errors must not have a negative impact on a math assessment.

6. Be aware of the “halo effect”, which occurs when a teacher’s prior knowledge of student performance impacts the scoring process.

7. If an unexpectedly high percentage of students answer a question with an incorrect response, examine the wording of the question for clarity. If judged to be unclear, do not include the question in the final tally of results. If clarity is not a problem, ensure that the content has been covered in class. If not, do not include the question in the final tally of results.

8.  If a high percentage of students achieve an exceptionally high score, the task may be too easy. Assignments and tests that are too easy provide little information about recent student learning.

9.  If a high percentage of students receive an exceptionally low score; the test may be too hard. Assignments and tests that are too hard provide little information about recent student learning.

10. Provide students with feedback and an opportunity to reflect on their answers and in a timely manner – asap!

11. Feedback should acknowledge what’s been accomplished as well as an indication of  the next steps of learning. For example:

“I notice that you can . . .”

“Tell me how you did this . . . ”

“The next step of learning is . . .”

12. If students or parents/guardians have questions about the results, be willing to review the scoring process with them.

13. Use the assessment information about what the student has accomplished to inform the next steps of instruction.

For More information about fair student assessment practices, read Principles for Fair Student Assessment Practices in Canada

You can also visit our video about equitable scoring: Scoring Tests: Keeping it Fair

For more conversations about education, please visit:Beyond the Apple . . . Reframing Conversations in Education

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When Students Think They Can’t Read

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Beyond The Apple

We share the following script, taken from a teacher’s real experience, as a discussion starter about high school students who see themselves as non-readers. As you and your professional colleagues read “I Can’t Read” (or maybe ask some colleagues to act it out) , consider the following questions:

What information about T most informed the narrator’s choices?

How did the narrator approach her first meeting with T?

How did T respond?

What feedback did the narrator give to T?

What did T learn?

What did the narrator continue to learn?

What’s the next step?

To follow up on the teacher’s final sentence, “The more you read and the more you learn about reading, the better reader you’ll be.” What support does T need? What support does the teacher need?

I Can’t Read!

Narrator: After my workshop presentation to a group of high school teachers, I thanked my hosts, tidied my papers, and prepared to leave. A participant from the audience approached the dais.

Participant: That was a good presentation and I get what you’re saying. I agree in theory, but what about the students who are finishing high school and simply can’t read? We’ve tried everything and some kids just can’t read. Are you willing to visit our school and show us how to put your words into action?

Narrator (thinking): Okay . . . this is where the rubber hits the road. If teachers are willing to listen to me talk the talk, surely I can respect their time by walking the walk.

Narrator: One week later, I met with the principal, teacher and resource teacher to chat about a student we’ll refer to as T. The conversation began with a list of T’s problems – he skipped school, he was disruptive, he had many suspensions, he’d been tested and was known to be a non-reader, his siblings were non-readers, he never completed his work, etc. etc. Since the list only provided information about what T couldn’t do and included no information about T as a person or what he could do, I asked, “What is T interested in?”

School principal: Kirk Johnson! T lives and breathes Kirk Johnson! (for those unfamiliar with the boxing scene, Kirk Johnson established himself as a notable Canadian boxer.)

Narrator: That’s the information I need. I’ll be back in two days.

Over the next 2 days, the narrator collected information about Kirk Johnson and wrote a series of paragraphs about him. She rewrote each paragraph at a different level of difficulty. Each paragraph was printed on 81/2 x 11 paper in Times New Roman font, size 14. Regardless of the level of difficulty, each paragraph looked identical. Then the narrator went to the school to meet T.

T entered the room with his hoody-covered head down. He slumped in the chair across from the narrator.

T: This sucks! I can’t read and I’m sick of these tests. I’ve had a hundred tests and I know I can’t read. I can’t wait to get out of this place!

Narrator: Okay, but right now, let’s just talk. I heard you know a lot about Kirk Johnson, so I looked him up. Here’s what I know.

The narrator shared what she knew about Kirk Johnson, and T proceeded to fill in the many gaps in my knowledge. T told the narrator about Kirk Johnson’s training, his latest fight and the unfair treatment he got from the press. He also had strong ideas about the press’s bias and fairness.

Narrator: I have some information about Kirk Johnson. Some of these are easier to read than others. We’re going to find one you can read.

T: I TOLD YOU I CAN’T READ! MY TEACHERS KNOW THIS, I KNOW IT . . . WHY DON’T YOU LISTEN!

Narrator: Because many people who say they can’t read or who have been told they can’t read actually can read.

T. Yeah, yeah . . .

Narrator: Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll give you some paragraphs about Kirk Johnson, and you take a few minutes to look through them. Some might seem hard and some might seem easy.

T: Easy! Right! I can’t read, so that won’t happen.

Narrator: After you look over the paragraphs, I’ll ask you to choose one to read to me. I’m going to listen for how your reading sounds . . . I’ll listen to hear if the words you read are correct, if your reading flows fluently, if you notice a mistake, if you fix up a mistake and how you fix up a mistake. I won’t mess around – if it’s too hard, I’ll tell you; if it’s too easy, I’ll tell you.

T: Yeah, yeah.

During this conversation, T’s continued to be slumped in the chair, his hoody still covering his face. 

Narrator: Please choose one of the paragraphs and read it aloud to me.

T: Out loud???!!! No way! That sucks!!!

Narrator: I know, but right now, I need to hear you read, so I can get information about how you read.

T started to read. He was reading at approximately 50% accuracy and in a very halting way. At unfamiliar words, he mumbled. He quickly became frustrated.

T: See! I can’t read! I told you!

Narrator: Then try this one.

T grabbed the next paragraph and started to read. His accuracy improved. It was clear that T noticed this improvement, because his “presence” changed. His back straightened a bit and the lower half of his face became visible.

Narrator: You’re getting more words right, but you’re mumbling some of the tricky words and it still sounds choppy, so it’s too hard. Try this one.

T started read the new paragraph. His accuracy was above 90% and he read fluently. His postured changed again. Now  the narrator could see his face. As he read, the narrator saw the hint of a smile emerge – but just a hint. The narrator had the feeling T was surprised by his reading and was trying to suppress the urge to truly smile.

Narrator: So, you can read.

T: Yeah, I guess, but it’s about Kirk and I know this stuff.

T seemed intrigued with the paragraph and read it again silently. His posture straightened even more.

T: Can I keep this?

Narrator: Yes. It’s yours to keep.

T: So, yeah, I read it, but this isn’t as hard as what we’re supposed to read in class.

Narrator: You’re right. It’s easier.

T: So I can only read easy stuff?

Narrator: No, this is just the start point. You now know that you can read because you heard yourself reading. You can start by reading text like this and then you’ll learn how move on to more difficult text on a wider range of topics. The more you read and the more you learn about reading, the better reader you’ll be.

T: When can we start?

—————————————————————————————————————

As a professional conversation, discuss the questions posed above and link this story to your own classroom experiences. What are your next steps?

For more conversations about education, please visit: Beyond the Apple . . . Reframing Conversations in Education

 

 

 

 

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Appreciative Inquiry: Beyond the Apple’s Applications for Education

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Beyond The Apple

There’s a lot of interest in Appreciative Inquiry and its application for educational change.

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) was designed by David Cooperrider as a strategic planning tool; its applications in an educational setting are creating a lot of excitement.

Here’s Beyond the Apple’s introductory discussion about Appreciative Inquiry with a focus on education.

If you and your colleagues are interested in educational change, here are some videos and  articles that provide some opportunities for a shared or jigsaw reading and follow up discussions.

1) First, be aware that there’s bound to be an initial skepticism about the AI approach. Sarah Lewis addresses this well.

2) In Case Study of a School Wellbeing Initiative: Using Appreciative inquiry to Support Positive Change, Waters and White (2015) provide a deeper look at the tenets of Appreciative Inquiry (the Four Ds: Discovery, Dream, Design, Destiny) and how they can be applied to school change. This is a good foundation on which to build staff discussions about change initiatives with impact.

3) We found the next article in The Center for Appreciative Inquiry’s August, 2016 newsletter. You and your colleagues may enjoy Todd Conkrite’s  Transforming Human Rights With The Right Questions . While Conkrite writes about AI’s applications to the world of human resources, the application of his ideas to teaching staff are obvious.

As a problem solving process, Appreciative Inquiry’s strength is in how it changes one’s perception of the problem and how the problem solving process proceeds. AI requires a shift in thinking:

from

focusing on and fixing a problem

to

identifying and then building on what’s been accomplished.

This shift in thinking has, quite honestly, renewed many educators’ passion for teaching because it requires a teacher to really know the student and to search through the student’s written, oral, physical, or artistic work for information that answers the questions, “What does this student have under control?” and “How can we build on that foundation?” The answer to these two questions creates a framework of building on accomplishments rather than fixing what’s wrong. It seems to be a simple shift, but in practice, it’s dramatic.

That’s not to say that AI sees the world through a lens of sunshine and lollipops; in fact, AI begins with capturing a real world view – it’s how that real world is described that makes the difference.

Here’s an example of how an Appreciative Lens captures the real world of an elementary student’s writing:

Moving from elementary school to high school, here’s a conversation with an 18 year old student was convinced he could not and never would read. By adopting an appreciative lens, the teacher acknowledges the concern, but begins the problem solving process by gathering information about the student and what he knows. From that foundation, the path to reading success begins.

So that’s a good start for a few professional conversations about the application of Appreciative Inquiry to education. There will be more soon.

For more conversations about education, please visit us at Beyond the Apple . . . Reframing Conversations in Education

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Arts based pedagogy: gaining insight through multiple lenses

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Beyond The Apple

The idea of teaching through the arts is embraced by some, questioned by many, and ignored by others. We’re excited by the opportunity to explore the multiple lenses the arts provide. Here are our first thoughts – they might be useful as an introduction to arts based pedagogy.

Arts based pedagogy knows no age limit nor is it confined by a discipline. Arts based pedagogy invites students to use multiple formats to demonstrate what they know, what they are thinking, and what they question. It’s important to note that arts based pedagogy is not about creating “fine art” to represent content; it’s about representing learning and thinking in an alternate form. That form can include poetry, visual arts, theater, dance – the sky is the limit.

Arts based pedagogy is a powerful instructional strategy that is accessible to all students. Here’s a reader’s submission to the journal, Teacher:

“Using arts-based pedagogies or arts-inquiries goes beyond singing the times-tables or watching a topical DVD, it is about framing learning experiences to connect the cognitive with the emotive, to critically examine assumptions, understandings and beliefs, to view things from different perspectives, and create a space for experimentation where alternative views can be explored. It is about creating a space where self-esteem, identity, voice, compassion and empathy can be developed and expressed. It is student centered, participatory and socially constructed. It can be used within single subjects but is a natural way to integrate or teach across the curriculum and has the greatest pedagogical impact in developing an understanding and potential engagement in social justice” You may wish to share the full article Arts Based Pedagogy, The Natural Partner for Social Justice  with your teaching colleagues.

So what does this look like in the classroom? As the instructor, you don’t need to identify as an artist, but you do need to feel comfortable exploring information in creative ways. To begin, here’s the simplest possible way to demonstrate how a the most basic of artistic representations, a “squiggle” can lead to deep thinking, questioning, intriguing conversations and new ideas.

This TED Talk by astronaut Mae Jemsion, who states that the science and the arts are different manifestations of the same thing and sees “the arts and science as avatars of human creativity”.

And what about assessing arts based pedagogy – can you actually assess creativity?  It a great topic for discussion. Grant Wiggins thinks we can and we agree. Check out what Wiggins has to say and his handy rubric Creative.

If we’ve piqued your interest, and want an idea for classroom practice, check out our blog Exploring Social Studies Through Arts Based Pedagogy.

For more conversations about education, please visit: Beyond the Apple . . . Reframing Conversations in Education

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Effective Listening, the key to success in a professional learning community.

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Beyond The Apple

The success of a professional learning community is heavily influenced by how effectively  the participants communicate with each other. Clearly, this is obvious, but what’s not obvious is that it’s not only how we speak to each other, it’s how we listen to each other.  Listening is the most used and the most important communication skill; however, listening is the least acknowledged and the least practiced communication skill.

To ensure a successful framework for your school’s or organization’s Professional Learning Community, you may wish to invite the participants to think about the impact of how colleagues listen to each other. Here’s a lighthearted look at listening at its best and its worst. As you watch, think about what’s working, what’s not working, and why.

So, are you a listener or a “waiting to talker”?

You and your colleagues may also want to check out Dick Lee and Delmar Hatesohl’s  “Listening: Our Most Used Communication Skill”. It’s a very interesting look at the best and the worst of listening. Here are some quotes from the article:

“. . . the  difference between speaking speed and thought speed means that when we listen to the average speaker, we’re using only 25 percent of our mental capacity. We still have 75 percent to do something else with. So, our minds will wander.”

“Ralph G. Nichols, long-time professor of rhetoric at the University of Minnesota (now retired), says in his book Are You Listening? that “if we define the good listener as one giving full attention to the speaker, first-grade children are the best listeners of all.””

We also recommend the article  The Art Of Listening Well  by Eugene Raudsepp who begins with the comment, “Forget about what you were going to say next. Make sure you hear what the other person says.”

After reading and discussing these articles, work with your colleagues to create a personalized list of what they value in listening. This serves as an ongoing self-assessment of listening and a way to monitor how and why some conversations are effective and why some go awry.

If your PLC is comprised of teachers, there are bound to be questions and comments about the listening skills of students, such as, “What are the expectations for our students – is effective listening as important to them?”  The answer is absolutely!  Effective listening is a learned skill – a skill that needs a teacher to model and monitor. Here are some thoughts about listening in the classroom context and an idea about teaching students how to listen. . .

. . . to follow up, check out our Beyond the Apple blog about student listening.

Classrooms where teachers listen and students listen are classrooms where lives are changed. Karen Engels’ article What’s Love Got To Do With It? describes how listening is an integral component of effective classroom practice. It’s another great conversation starter for your PLC. Engels shares the words of Torraine to describe the impact of listening:

“I could always tell when a teacher actually saw me as a human to be invested in …who really saw me as an individual. There are maybe three teachers in my life who have stood out to me as incredible influences on the person I am today. They made me feel understood and listened to. They made me feel like my life mattered. …

For more conversations about education, please visit:Beyond the Apple . . . Reframing Conversations in Education.

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Wondering Leads to Learning

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Beyond The Apple

Can you remember the last time you had a chance to simply sit and allow your wind to wander? If you can’t remember, now’s the time to try it.  Have a look at our video about wondering and open the doors to your thoughts.

The next time you schedule a professional conversation with colleagues, take some time to celebrate wondering.

You might want to begin with, “Why are most pencils yellow?” (no Google searches, just wonder about possible reasons)

img_3484

Begin the conversation with a shared reading of Chris Bodenner’s “There Is a Creative Purpose to Daydreaming, Even Boredom”.  Bodenner’s thoughts remind us of Wittgenstein’s words, “the key to thinking is the three B’s: bed, bath, and bus. In other words, we can actually think when we’re unfocused, unconcentrated, or even semi-conscious.” A wandering mind allows us to wonder; wondering can have a powerful impact on thinking; and thinking has a powerful impact on learning.

Wondering is about considering possibilities and what’s possible about impossibilities. Wondering creates a web of the known that provides various pathways to the new. So, why not explore one of those new pathways? Take some time to work with your colleagues to create a group illustration Albert Einstein’s quote:  “The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mysterious. It is the power of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead.”

We don’t often picture the Wall Street or Bay Street gang taking time to wonder, but Jeff Hoffman knows the truth about wondering –  spend some time viewing Hoffman’s TEDxWall Street video, The Power of Wonder with your colleagues.

To finish up, here’s some research on the power of wondering:

The Wonder Approach to Learning by Catherine L’Ecuver. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 06 October 2014 |

For more conversations about education, please visit: Beyond the Apple . . . Reframing Conversations in Education

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Re-igniting professional learning with a challenge to think

Posted on May 8, 2016 by Beyond The Apple

The first 10-15 minutes of any professional learning session provide an opportunity to set the stage for thinking, wondering, and sharing. Before you jump into the content, grease the participants’ thinking cogs by demonstrating a discrepant event. Here’s an example that we’ve used:

While a discrepant event is  a fun way to begin, the impact of activities can be fleeting, so provide some time for participants to explore the cognitive activity that the discrepant event provoked. Questions such as: What did they expect? What questions did the activity bring to mind? How did they explain the outcome? After the discussion, encourage your colleagues to keep a questioning and wondering mindset alive throughout the upcoming session.

Here’s another idea that begins a professional learning session with a focus on thinking and questioning. Here’s one of our videos that demonstrate the power of an ambiguous image.

Introductions to professional learning sessions such as these are designed to set the stage for learning. Once the stage is set for thinking, the content begins.

For more conversations about education, please visit: Beyond the Apple . . . Reframing Conversations in Education  or contact us at Beyondtheapplecontact@gmail.com

 

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