Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Constructivist Learning
Throughout chapter six, Weaver talks about the importance of breaking down grammar into mini-lessons for the help of teaching children to retain more information. The constructivist model for teaching grammar and studies done on this method have shown that the teaching of grammar to be more effective in the context of writing than in isolation. This video shows children in a 4th and 5th grade class working on a social studies project that they got to choose the topic. The students are working in partners and taking the notes and doing the research to make a quality project. The students really seem to enjoy this project and gain a lot of out it. Do you think that children should have a choice in the topics of projects? Do you think it’s beneficial to sometimes work in groups? Also, if this is an effective way of learning, how do you think you can incorporate the constructivist model in your classroom?
By: Megan Tharp
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I found that the idea of a constructivist model in the classroom is very beneficial to all students because everyone is involved. If all the students are participating and engaged, everyone learns and has a good time. It seems as though this project really involves all the students because each can learn different aspects of California history. If everyone is researching and learning about something new they are interested in, then everyone is going to really try their best.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of breaking up a project is a great way to engage everyone and make sure everyone is on the same page. Having mini-lessons focused on some aspect of grammar engages all students to participate and learn something new at their own pace.
The constructivist model is beneficial to all students because it makes grammar relatable to them and their own writing. Creating projects like this one about California history is a great way to incorporate the constructivist model in the classroom.
This video is a great reminder to teachers about their success. Every student interviewed stated a valued and important benefit to the project they were participating in. First, a student commented on the satisfaction of having choice by picking the topic the student wanted to present on and was thus interested in. Secondly, another student commented on the benefits of presenting information vs. reading from the text and answering checkpoint questions. She than stated this concept perfectly by saying presenting was “interactive” (girl student, video). I was so glad to hear these students talk about the project in such a passionate and interested way, because it shows they all took their assignment, became interested in putting lots of work into it, and were engaged in the learning process. Lastly, the students spoke about the benefits of student interaction from the project. The students were more likely to communicate with others outside of their main group of friends, because of their experience doing this project and working in assigned groups. In addition, students will learn to communicate with others and this was also supported in the peer evaluation sheets, by providing their peers with valuable and supportive feedback. These are lessons that an individual will use for the rest of his or her life. I think allowing the students to have choice in every project they engage in makes a huge difference in the attitude of the student and the product of their work. Students will be more engaged if they enjoy what they are doing, and will learn how to become more independent and responsible. In addition, I think at every age group students should work in groups at various times throughout the year, because they will most likely work in groups throughout the rest of their life at some point or another. Group work also helps students exercise their right to voice opinion and to be an effective collaborator. This supports the constructivist approach, because it allows students to make concepts out of learning by themselves and “naturally” (Weaver, 1996, ch.6).
ReplyDeleteShe then* correction from above :)
ReplyDeleteThis is such a precious video. I always loved working on projects like this when I was younger. It is a great way for students to have fun while learning, and helps them with social skills as well.
ReplyDeleteI think that giving the students a choice in the project is a great idea. If they all have to do the same thing, then it might get boring. The students will also feel like its something they HAVE to do. By giving them the choice, the students are doing something that they are actually interested in. Working in groups is very beneficial for the students. It helps them learn to work with others which will prepare them for later in life.
I would try incorporate the constructivist model in my classroom like the projects shown in this video. It is obvious that the students are getting a lot out of this porject because they are learning what they have to, but they are also having fun. These kinds of projects were always my favorite so I would try to incoporate them in my teaching as much as possible.
This is a great video that reflects the impact of using the constructivist approach in our classroom. I think that students should be given the opportunity to apply the scientific method of forming a Question, research, construct a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, analyze the data and draw a conclusion, and communicate the results. Maybe this method could be applied to one major project the students will complete or small mini projects. If teachers are seen as guides who guide students to draw their own conclusions about different subjects (writing, math, science, etc.) than students will be able to develop a connection between what they are learning and how it is important. I definitely want to include the constructivist approach in my classroom in all aspects. It’s important in math for children to understand why we have these certain rules instead of putting an equation on the board and learning in a systematic order. Therefore, writing is no different in helping the students derive conclusions about grammar. The Behavioral model has been the dominate model in education and should be re-evaluated to fit the research.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of mini lessons. They are used when needed to a whole class, small groups, and one-on-one conferences. The mini lessons are quick and straight to the point and don’t involve writing a formal lesson plan.
I love this video! Even students know what works and what is more fun to do. They know that reading a paragraph and filling out questions in a notebook isn't very fun, but giving them a project that has them apply what is in the reading and questions makes it more fun. Children are creative and they should be allowed to let it out. There needs to be more creativity in the world, it would be far more fascinating place to live. Just like the interviewer asked what the student thought if all the projects were the same, the students response was that it would be interesting. Everyone is different, so why do we make students try to conform and be the same? I like having uniqueness and diversity in lessons and I know I will want it from my students too. I want school to be fun.
ReplyDeleteThis video is very interesting. I think that mini lessons are a great way to teach children grammar. I think that breaking down grammar into smaller parts makes grammar more accessible to children who can get overwhelmed by grammar instruction. I think that having children work and groups to apply these mini lessons is a wonderful way to transfer knowledge on to actual paper. Working in groups also allows children to use their own learning style to complete projects rather than working under just one structure. The constructivist model is a great way to teach students, because students cannot learn as a whole. It would be appropriate to present the whole project to the students and then have the students break up the project or assignment into parts. This will allow them to build on their writing skills to complete their assignment
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Liz said about the idea of a constructivist model in the classroom is very beneficial to all students because everyone is involved. If all the students are participating and engaged, everyone learns and has a good time. This statement could not be more true! I also liked that the class was intergrating reading and note taking.
ReplyDeleteI believe that students should always be given a choice of what projects they do. When you have the freedom to choose you are more likely to put more effort into the project and it really shows.
I also think that it is a good idea to work in small groups. This is a way for students to work not only on social skills but learning to be part of a team and work towards a common goal. School should be fun for students and when you can do projects such as these you are getting the most out of your class time because your students are learning to enjoy learning!
I do believe that children should have a choice in the topics of projects. I feel that it will be more beneficial for students if they are able to participate in the decision process. Though, there should be boundaries as to what can be chosen as a project topic, I believe that students should have a choice within the boundaries. If they have a choice in the decision, they are more likely to choose a topic that they are interested in; therefore causing them to have a greater motivation to do a good job on the project and really put forth their best effort. I think it is sometimes beneficial for students to work in groups. By working with their peers, students can learn about other perspectives which can broaden their own learning. This method is effective and can be incorporated into any classroom. I hope to use this constructivist model in my own classroom. I can do this by having some group projects where students are able to choose their own project topic.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really great video! I think it is extememly important to give students some freedom in choosing the topics they write about. This is an essential first step to get students interested in writing and see it as a form of art and expression, not another dislikeable academic subject. As we discussed in class I really think we are losing the "art" aspect of reading, writing, and language today. Giving students the freedom to choose their own topics however, really brings back that individulization aspect of art. This allows students to express themselves through their writing by sharing their interests and various styles/approachs to the assignments.
ReplyDeleteI really likes how this video showed how constructivist model is enjoyable for children. The children were able to choose a topic. Most likely if a student is able to pick a topic they like, they will be more inclined to do the work. When presenting projects of choice, students are more likely to learn and be enthusiastic about learning. In the end, when all the projects are shared, the students are able to receive a wide range of information. The information is coming from students who are passionate about their certain topic, which therefore would most likely transfer to the rest of the class. Overall, this is an effective way of learning and can definitely be incorporated into classrooms. The teacher just needs to be able to but the effort in to coming up with project ideas that can be split up into various categories.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the opinion which states that children learn grammar better in the context of writing than in isolation. When children are given worksheets they tend to despise grammar. They do not really see its purpose. However in their writing, they can see the purpose of grammar being applied to their voice. When students are able to express themselves in writing, they can become successful by applying all that they have learned into that writing assignment. This also helps them to see the purpose of grammar.
ReplyDeleteRelating back to this video, I thought that it was great! It is important to give kids in the classroom a choice to pick a topic that they are passionate about. This keeps their writing fresh and exciting. It causes them to put more effort into their assignment and see writing as being something fun, and not a chore. In addition to that, seeing them work in groups together is awesome. It can be beneficial to work in groups at that age in order to bounce ideas off of each other. The contructivist writing model is something that I think all teachers can use in a classroom effectively.