Assignment #2: Complete the 4 part assignment format as you read, reflect, and respond to Chapter 2 – Identifying Similarities and Differences.
Although your course packet asks you to post to blog for parts A, B, C, and D…we are asking that you only post part C and D. We’re trying to make the blog easier to read and more user- friendly. Thanks!
A. Guiding Questions for Self Assessment of Current Beliefs and Practices: This component asks you to reflect on how and why you currently use the instructional strategies of identifying similarities in your classroom. The intent of this is to activate your prior knowledge of your strategy use so that you can make comparisons as you read the chapter. Below are the questions to help you complete your self-assessment. (Complete – but do not post!)
• What is the purpose of asking students to compare?
• What kinds of activities do I use to help students compare?
• I can think of a time that I asked students to compare, and I was pleased with the results. Why did it go well?
• I can think of a time that I asked students to compare, and I was not pleased with the results. Why did it not go well?
• What questions do I have about using comparing in my classroom?
B. Read & Reflect “Research & Theory”: This portion of the assignment asks you to read chapter 2 and reflect briefly on your thinking after reading the “Research and Theory” section for identifying similarities and differences. (Complete – but do not post!)
C. Practice: Choose one of the specific “classroom practice” strategies or techniques shared in this chapter to teach to your students (If you are not currently teaching, you may share how you would use this strategy in your classroom) – please post a brief reflection of how this went to the posting labeled Week Two: Identifying Similarities and Differences. Click on the “comment” link below.
D. Final Strategy Reflection: Use the following sequence of questions/prompts to reflect on what you’ve learned about both the strategies presented in the chapter and what you’ve learned about yourself as both a teacher and a learner. Please post your brief reflection to the posting labeled Week Two: Identifying Similarities and Difference by clicking on the “comment” link below.
How has the information you read in this chapter on comparing affected your thinking about teaching and learning? What have you learned about yourself as a teacher and learner? Use the following questions to assist you in writing a brief strategy reflection:
• How has reading this information affirmed some of what you already knew about comparing?
• What is something you now understand better about comparing?
• How might you change how you use comparing in your classroom?
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10 comments:
Chapter 2
Part C:
I have several ideas for implementation of this strategy in the classroom. I often use the Venn Diagram to complete comparing tasks as part of my reading instruction, so I would like to try something different. I plan to use the categorization strategy in my 13 colonies/Revolutionary War social studies unit. I will ask students to categorize the major historical figures involved in this time period (Sam Adams, Ben Franklin, John Hancock, etc.). I think doing so would deepen student understanding of the role these men played in the American Revolution, as well as the character of the men themselves.
I would also like to implement the analogy strategy in several of my social studies and science units (Early Exploration, Inventors, Gravity & Earth Forces) as a way to help students form more solid understandings of the vocabulary, events, and people presented in these units through the examination of similarities and differences.
Part D:
This reading affirmed my idea that comparing is a simple strategy to implement, yet one that greatly deepens student understanding of a topic and encourages critical thinking. The Venn Diagram comparing strategy is used so often in my reading curriculum that it seems to become too simple of a task for my students. I needed the reminder, and now also better understand, that there are other forms of this strategy (classifying, analogies, metaphors)that can be used to facilitate this deeper thinking. I also now know that there are both teacher and student directed forms of implementation, each providing students with different learning and thinking opportunities.
I will definitely change the way that I implement this strategy in the classroom (no more boring old Venn for me!). I plan to use the different graphic organizers and forms in a variety of subject areas. I think that social studies, science, and even math lessons would benefit from allowing students to identify similarities and differences of key ideas in some format.
Thanks for your comments Cassandra. I think that using both the categorization and analogy strategies as you described will definitely broaden your students thinking within your units of study. It is nice to use something other than a Venn to get kids to compare and contrast…I hope your students enjoy it:)
C. Practice: Along this same theme, I used a Venn diagram with my advanced middle school French students. I asked them to think about similarities and differences between French and English. At first, they were dubious that they would be able to offer much in the way of notable points for any of the three areas, due to it being a relatively new exercise for them and their perceived lack of knowledge on the subject of grammar in either language. After giving them a few examples, they were able to fill up a good portion of each area. They were able to activate prior knowledge that they were unsure that they possessed. The activity was very useful in making connections between the languages and helped to strengthen their understanding of each language’s grammatical structures. It also pointed out them that they knew more than they thought about both languages.
D. Final Strategy Reflection: I have seen evidence of how powerful identifying similarities and differences are in my own classroom many times. It is truly powerful in a foreign language class when students draw conclusions and strengthen their understanding of French by making comparisons with English or their native language. In class, the book series we use as well as myself as the teacher, encourage the kids to identify similarities and differences in hopes of making their understanding of the foreign language clearer by having opportunities for comparison and thus avoiding abstraction wherever possible. This can be a challenge, especially with grammar, depending on the students’ knowledge of their native language’s grammar rules and exceptions. I now see that comparisons, using tools such as Venn diagrams and other graphic organizers, can really cement a student’s understanding in ways that can be crucial to their overall comprehension of a topic. Especially at the higher levels in a foreign language, there are many opportunities to use these tools. As I move back into high school teaching, I’ll be able to use these tools to reinforce not only grammar, but also French history, literature and more!
C. Practice: I did use a comparison matrix in my theatre arts classes this last year. Each unit related to the main historical periods with regard to Western Theatre tradition. The kids were tasked first to read excerpts of works by representative authors such as Sophocles for the Greeks, Seneca for the Romans, a mystery cycle for the Medieval period, a Shakespeare play for the Renaissance, and finally Chekov and Augusto Boal for the Modern period.
I wanted to create a study guide that my 7th and 8th graders could use once they got to high school, when they would be required to have this basic framework of Theatre history. It just seemed natural that the kids would use a matrix to identify authors and other theatre practitioners that fit well into an Aristotelian form of Theatre or rebelled against it. What was great was that during this year, the kids in their various ways of identifying these similarities and differences all concluded that Western Theatre could be primarily identified as having to address Greek theatre poetics and practices.
D. Final Strategy Reflection: How is reading this information affirmed some of what you already knew about comparing? I knew from my own studies, and the form my students who typically drew these comparisons during class instruction and discussion, that this activity produced better understanding of topics. This understanding showed up also on tests that were taken on the subject.
What is something you now understand better about comparing? This helped refine my thinking with regard to teacher-directed and student-directed comparisons.
How might you change how you use comparing in your classroom? This refinement will help identify when to choose either teacher-directed vs. student-directed contrasts. Early on in a unit, I will use the more teacher-directed one and then for reflective or summative reasons, I will have them be student-directed.
C.
Comparing would be a classroom practice that would work well in my literacy classes. I see many uses for both Venn diagram and comparison matrix. For example, with the Venn diagram, I could have the class compare/contrast characters or setting from a story or stories. The Venn diagram could also be used to compare/contrast how a character has changed from the beginning of a story to the end. The comparison matrix could be used for an author study identifying the similarities and differences of different author styles. A comparison matrix could also be used to compare several different stories themes, characters, setting, etc. Comparing is a classroom practice that will help my students better identify similarities and differences in literacy.
D.
Reading the information from this chapter was a great reminder for me of the importance of comparing and how it elevates student understanding. Also, since I am in the process of reworking my literacy curriculum, it gave me some ideas to broaden my repertoire of activities for teaching similarities and differences. Something I better understand about comparing is how beneficial it is for students to identify similarities and differences for themselves in "student-directed" activities. I may change how I use comparing in my classroom by adding more variety to the activities I use, going beyond the Venn diagram and trying creating metaphors and analogues. I would also like to add more student-directed activities to the comparing we will do in class.
Thanks Gina, Jeff, and Heidi for your comments. I really enjoyed reading how you guys use the strategy of Identifying Similarities and Differences with both middle and high school students, as I spent the majority of my time working with elementary aged children. All of the recent brain research shows that the more we can connect new learning to the known (old learning), the better understanding and retention there will be of the new information. Gina - I love the idea of being able to find similarities within languages… I wish my Spanish teachers had tried this strategy with me….maybe I would have been more successful :) Jeff - Using a matrix to compare and contrast different works of western literature was a great idea….this also supported students in summarizing important information about the pieces as well. Heidi – using a Venn diagram to support students in character study would definitely support students in a deeper understanding of their characters.
Assignment 2
C. Practice: I enjoyed reading about the four methods of guiding students in their identification of similarities and differences to increase their understanding of and abilities to use knowledge. I’ve used both Venn diagrams and metaphors to enhance learning in the past. My use of them has always been teacher directed and I liked the idea of using them in a student directed manner. I really enjoyed the various examples presented in the chapter of ways in which numerous teachers have implemented the different strategies. There were a number of different techniques from the chapter that I will try. I’ll use the Comparison Matrix from p.19 at the end of my short story unit to have students compare three short stories using four literary terms/concepts they choose from the various literary concepts/terms they studied during this unit.
I also think I might try using a student directed examples of Venn Diagram, Comparison Matrix, metaphors and analogies at the beginning of the year in some icebreaker activities where the goal is for students to learn about the different members of their group. This seems like it would be a good way for students both to learn information about other members of the class as well as find out how these various graphic organizers work.
D. Final Strategy Reflection: It has been clear to me from past usage how teacher directed Venn diagrams and metaphors are effective ways to teach and assess student knowledge. This chapter has reaffirmed this idea and has provided many more examples of how these strategies might be used. While I read the examples presented in the chapter, I penciled in many ideas of connections to the curriculum that I teach. I think I’ll find many opportunities to use these various techniques in both my English 9 class and U.S. History. As I previously mentioned, I hadn’t done much with student generated comparisons or contrasts. I still see value in the teacher directed comparisons and contrasts but I also can see that there is a lot of value in student directed comparisons and contrasts. Although I haven’t used many analogies in the past, I plan to use them now. I think they allow for both creative thinking and increased understanding of concepts.
C.
I have used Venn diagrams during our Oregon Trail studies to compare pioneers then and now, modes of transportation , communication, hardships, etc. This was always teacher-directed, but at the same time it has always produced the results I wanted. Now I want to use the comparison matrix as I can see that there would be some advantages in having more information gathered in one place. Then I think I could move into student-directed activities using both formats. I also liked the math analogies and I’m going to integrate these into my math lessons on a regular basis. I use a lot of game like activities during those extra couple of minutes that pop up throughout the day. Math analogies would fit well during those times.
D.
As much as I try to change my lessons from year to year in my attempt to improve them, this was a reminder that I’ve missed the mark here. The Venn diagram has its place, but I’ll be stewing around the juices of these other options and decide how best I can make use of them. I will definitely use more student-directed activities to compare and contrast information. I really like the idea of weaving analogies into my units as they’ll be especially good for the higher level thinkers in giving a deeper understanding of the material.
Chapter 2
Part C:
A common theme has happened here and that is the use of the Venn Diagram which I try to use throughout the school year. I have used it quite a bit in science during my teaching time in third grade and am ready to use it during my first year in fifth grade especially in the Revolutionary War unit, like Cassandra does. I see class using the Venn Diagram when comparing different wars that we will be studying. I would also use it to compare what life is like today to what is was like during the Revolutionary War. It can be a real eye opener for students. I also will use the Venn when comparing different books and/or authors.
Part D:
This chapter affirmed to me that I comparing can be a very powerful strategy not just in reading but in all areas of curriculum. Also it gave me so new strategies to use with comparing, not just the Venn. I plan on using the comparison matrix as another tool. After reading this chapter I understand there is much more then using the Venn Diagram when comparing. I am hoping that I will be able to use the Analogies as another strategy in comparing especially in my new 5th grade class. This strategy will be beneficial for my 5 TAG kids and the handful of other high level students I will have in the upcoming year. The way I would change using comparing in my classroom is using the analogies and metaphors, not just the Venn Diagram. I see my self making a large version of the comparison matrix to use for some of my whole class novel studies. Then after using it whole class I may try to use it in some of my smaller reading groups, maybe starting with my TAG group. I plan on being much more explicit in my use of the comparison strategies this year so it will be more advantageous for my students. Then letting them experience it independently to see if they understand it. If I can do this:) I think my students will be much more successful.
Thanks Colleen, Chuck and Rhett for your comments on Assignment 2. Colleen – I absolutely love the idea of using the Venn diagram, Comparison Matrix, metaphors and analogies at the beginning of the year in some icebreaker activities. What a great way to build classroom community as well as give instruction on these organizers which will be used throughout the year! Chuck – I think that moving the students towards using self directed organizers during your Oregon Trail study will definitely facilitate more powerful higher level thinking. I agree that this chapter was a great reminder that there’s more out there to get students comparing & contrasting other than the Venn! Rhett – I think that using a Comparison Matrix would be a great way to get your students thinking during class novel studies, whether it’s thinking about characters or social issues or other themes.
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