The Importance of Sequence

Students turn-in their assignments.  Again, you find that the content and quality are not what you expected.  You did everything you could do to explain the assignment.  You provided a model, you helped students get started, and you answered questions.  But, yet, students returned many variations of the assignment.  What went wrong?

As teachers, we can increase the quality of the work students submit by making sure our directions are as clearly presented as possible.  Sequence plays an important role.  The next time you give an assignment present the directions written in sequence (1, 2, 3) order.  Then demonstrate each step in the sequence as you would expect the students to follow.  For some students who need more structure, the sequence becomes a To Do List that can be checked off when completed.  This simple task will increase the quality of the assignment. 

Sequence is important in so many ways.  We can divide most learning into procedural learning.  Procedural learning divides the content into sequenced steps students complete.  The steps can simply lead to the end of the task.  Or, they can scaffold and increase in difficulty as the student proceeds through them.  An example of a procedure where the task steps scaffolds is in writing.  As a student writes and rewrites, the complexity of the sentences increase in sophistication and interest.  This process can be written as a procedural task.  Anita Archer in her writing program, Rewards Writing, demonstrates a sequenced approach to scaffolding writing (Archer, A., Gleason M., and Isaacson, S. (2008).  Longmont, CO:  Sopris West. 

The sequence strategy invites differentiation.  All students receive a written set of sequenced steps.  For those students who require additional support, pictures or samples can be added to each step.  As noted above, the steps can become a personal To Do List.  The sequence can be modified to better enhance the needs of individual  students. 

Sequencing enhances understanding.  When we teach student how to use sequencing as a strategy when they are reading, for example, they remove the main details and place them in a sequence.  This step enhances understanding.  We have discussed how sequencing can be used for clarifying directions, writing better organized and more interesting paragraphs, and for helping students maintain organization and attention.  As teachers, we can use the strategy in our own teaching but we should also support students as they move toward indepence for selecting their own opportunities to use sequencing. 

Whatever sequence is used it is important that the teacher refer to it often.  "Let's take a look at this assignment, what do we do first."  "Can you show me how you do step two?"  Sequence in the classroom is as easy as counting one, two, three! It is an important and easy to implement tool  Anything that can  be written as a paragraph can be divided into a sequence. 

N.Y./Region: Becoming Han Solo - nytimes.com/video

Everyone Involved: Sparking Conversation in the Classroom

Conversation in the classroom is important because it helps students to expand, clarify, and apply their growing knowledge base.  How do teachers engage all students through this guided conversation?  One way is to move from general to specific.  Begin the conversation with a general comment.  "Tell me something about...."  By starting general, students have a wider range for participation.  They also can activate their thinking and have the chance to call up stored information.  Students who do not typically participate in conversation have more opportunities to get involved. 

Here's a brief conversation that moves students from general to specific. 

Teacher:  We have been learning about the most important document in our country, the US Consititution.  What can you tell me about this document?
Student:  It was written a long time ago.
Teacher:  Yes, that's correct.  What else can you tell me about the Constitution?
Student 2:  It is sort of the "rule book" for the United States.  It tells us what the national government can do and what the states can do?
Teacher:  That's a very interesting thought?  What "rules" can you think of?" (Beginning to move the disucssion to more specific information).
Student 3:  How about the rules for the 3 branches of government? 
Teacher:  I am glad you brought those up because we are going to be spending the next few days on learning how the 3 branches of government work together.  We are actually going to form those 3 branches in the classroom.  Who remembers what those 3 branches are? 
The conversation continues with the teacher guiding students deeper into the foundation of the US democracy. 

How do we differentiate instruction through conversation?  Let's think about our students who have already breezed past the beginning concepts of the US Constitution and are already thinking about its application.  While guiding the conversation, the teacher may want to bring up such questions as, "If the Constitution were written today how would the use of technology shaped the development of the Constitution?"  Or, we have some countries in the world today that are developing their own Constitution for the first time.  How could our Constitution be an example for them?  So, we can exapand our questions to include students who are ready to apply their knowledge.  As we move in this direction, we can promote additional participation, by asking students to discuss the question with a partner first. 

How can we promote conversation with students who are hesitant or who have a limited understanding?  Jumpstarting that conversation with partners is always helpful.  Pictures and other visual images are very helpful to sparking ideas for discussion.  Take the time to review some new vocabulary that may have been used the day before.  Or, for individual students, have a private conversation with them as they enter the room.  Let them know the class will be discussing the branches of government and you are counting on the student to share that the Executive Branch includes the President of the United States. 

Classroom discussion is an important way to enhance the thinking and learning of all students.   Skillful teachers who use this technique will increase student participation.  One thought for you, how does the use of technology enhance our ability to guide discussion and learning? 

Planning for Differentiation: Focus Student Planning

Students who are gifted.  Students whose native language is not English.  Learning through different modalities.  How can teachers accommodate all of the different learners in their classrooms?  Try focus student planning.  This very simple process will greatly enhance the engagement of all students.  The purpose of focus student planning is to increase the success of all students. 

Speaking of engagement.  First of all, we need to plan for active engagement of students as a foundation.  Students need to be busy working in groups, manipulating, speculating on how to solve a problem, researching answers and engaged in any type of action which sparks thinking. 

Plan for this active environment by selecting four to eight students who are representative of the learning continuum in your classes.  For elementary teachers, your learning continuum will mostlikely be confined to the students in your class.  Secondary teachers can think of the learning contiuum in individual classes or they can choose a selection of students from across their classes.  The student chosen should include learners who are gifted, typical students, and students who have academic challenges.  Depending upon your students, you may want to select one or two second langauge learners, a student with limited attention, or a student with behavior challenges.

Plan your unit or your lesson.  Think about the activities that you are going to do as well as other assignments.  Now, think about your focus students.  Will they be successful with your instructional plan?  If your answer is "yes".  You are all set.  Begin the instruction.  But, if you conclude that one student or more students will not be successful, then either restructure a segment of the assignement or try to identify an accommodation. 

For example, the students are reading a piece of literature.  One of the focus students you have chosen, will not be able to do the reading.  Look for ways to increase the success of this student.  Is it the reading that is the main purpose for the lesson?  Or, is the main purpose of the analysis of the text?  Look online for auido books.  Many of them are available for free and have an audio and interactive componenet.  Or, look for the book on CD at your local library.  If the reading component is not an option, then plan literature that is available in a video format. 

Right about now, you may be saying, "Okay, I have these five focus students covered.  What about the other thirty students?  The main concept of this planning process is that every class has similar learners.  If you can plan for success for a small group of students who represent the continuum of learners in your classes, you will be able to engage most of your students. 

You have reviewed your lesson and conclude that most of the students will not be successful.  It's back to the drawing board.  The lesson will need to be restructured.  I always recommend increasing active engagement, and change the instructional grouping. If the students are working in small groups, have them work with a partner.  If your plan is to do an introductory lecture, then plan to build background knowledge first by watching a video clip and having a discussion. 

A quick note:  when selecting your focus students, don't select the outliers as your focus students.  These students are exceptionally gifted or they may have moderate to severe cognitve challenges.  The students who are at opposite extremes of our learning contiuum, require accommodations or total modifications to be successful. 

Focus student planning works for increasing the success of students in your classes.  Try it.  Let me know what happens.

Word Play with Wordle: Getting the Main Idea

I just started playing with Wordle, an artistic visual organizer for a collection of words otherwise known as word clouds.  Have you tried Wordle yet?  I have seen it used as a summary tool for groups who are describing their experiences, feelings, or impressions.  Each person creates a list of adjectives.  Then, one person enters all of the lists into a Wordle page.  The results are a beautiful "word cloud".  The words that were mentioned more frequently are depicted by color and size of the word.  The words mentioned once are much smaller. 

I see a lot of applications for Wordle in the classroom.  Here's an example.  You ask your students to develop a Wordle highlighting the main ideas in the book they are currently reading.  They record Themes and concepts five times.  They record main ideas three times, supporting details two times, and minor details such as the names of characters once.  They create the Wordle.  Then, they share their creation in person with their peers and  on the class Wiki or Blog.  If the whole class is reading the same text, the students can create a class Wordle.  They would create a list of adjectives describing the book or a selection from the book.  The list would be compiled and the Wordle created. 

Wordles are a great way of capturing ideas through a very fluid thinking process.  Plus, it's fun!  Check them out at wordle.net.  What are your experiences with Wordle?  Do you have other tools that are as equally engaging?  Do  you need more information about Wordle in the classroom?  Check out this link:  http://blog.simplek12.com/education/video-how-to-use-wordle-in-the-classroom/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzEmail&utm_content=648760&utm_campaign=0

To Do Lists: Simple Tasks Powerful Tools

In our busy lives, it is hard to remember all that we have to do.  A simple memory tool is the To Do List.  We jot them down on small slips of paper.  We tap our phones and create a memo.  Our calendars follow us where ever we go.  This very simple task helps us all accomplish a great deal during each day.

Students see their parents maintaining their calendars and creating their To Do Lists.  Many schools begin to teach this important organizational skill by asking students to maintain homework notebooks.  The To Do List is an important tool for helping students maintain attention.  It can be used in different ways to assist whole classes in maintaining the instructional focus.  It can be used with individual students who need more specific organizers to complete their assignments.

On a daily basis the teacher simply lists the tasks for the class.  As they are completed, they are crossed off.  Students with limited attention are able to persevere through a task when they know it will end soon.  Teachers can increase the effectiveness of this tool by adding a check-in time.  The students are given a specific time to work.  When that time is completed, the teacher checks-in with the students to see if additional time is needed. 

Students who require more structure and more specific direction can maintain a personal To Do List at their seat.  This list can be further modified by the teacher based upon the needs of the student.  Perhaps the student needs a single assignment broken down into smaller steps.  Instead of having a list detailing the morning schedule, the more individualized list would sequence the steps to completing one assignment.  The student would cross out the items on the list as they are completed. 

For example, the item on the class list is to begin persuasive essays.  An individual list may have these steps.  One, choose one topic from the list of four.  Two, make a list of what you know about the topic.  Three, make a list of the pros and the cons about the topic.  Four, choose a position (pro or con).  Five, begin writing the first paragraph that states your position. 

The To Do List is a powerful instructional tool because it is one that is used with adults.  The List helps to maintain attention, increase organization, and increase assignment completion.  It can be designed as a whole class organizer, a group organizer and an individual accommodation.  For teachers, the To Do List does not take a lot of time.  But, it does take a conscious effort to build the routine.  This simple tool will be a help to teachers and students alike!

What tools do you have that enhance organization and participation in the classroom? 

The Eighty Percent Rule

Teachers can expect and get high quality work from all students if they teach systematically, break learning down into understandable steps, and establish high standards with multiple ways for meeting those standards.  One way to obtain that is to establish a routine and a rule.  I have found the Eighty Percent Rule to be very effective.  Simply, say that work on key assignments or on all assignments will only be accepted at a minimum of eighty percent.  Students are given up to three opportunities to increase the quality of their work to that level.  This is an effective rule for those students who rush through their assignments just to finish and for those students who just need more time to practice and update. 

Yes, the Eighty Percent Rule does take additional time.  But it also gives more students an opportunity to achieve at a higher standard.  Once the students realize that poor quality work will not be accepted, they will increase the quality of their work. 

What rules, routines or tips do you have for expecting and getting high quality work from students?