Critical Thinking

To what extent do you teach, model, and have students engage in critical thinking? Is it important? What do you need to learn to feel comfortable with critical thinking?

I'm posting my blog entry after I've read everyone else's this week. I just have to say it's been interesting and inspiring to read how everyone else is incorporating such an important skill in their work environments. If you've read my comments, you might think I'm a little cynical about this whole topic... and you might be right. I am just struggling as a classroom teacher right now. This year, more than any other in the past, I feel I'm under an extreme amount of pressure to get my kids to perform well on tests. Our school, which is a full Title I school in Gwinnett County, barely made AYP last year. Because of this, our principal has taken over much of the decision making in our classrooms, which has pushed many of us back into the skill-and-drill mode. I've even found myself telling my kids (in a nice way, of course- they're in 3rd grade) that the information is being provided... and that if they're not paying attention, it's their fault and problem. I've been flying through lessons... delivering content from the front of the room... talking at the students, not with them. I'm ready to slow down and provide the opportunities for critical thinking that we've been discussing. I'm ready to start making the time to inspire learning through activities that demand these higher order skills. I just need to take what I'm learning... about finding the little moments of the day (thanks Lisa) to ask my students to use these skills... about turning a unit chalk-full of curriculum and turning it into an opportunity for students to use available resources to drive their thoughts to find their own solutions to problems. In stressful times, it's easy to take back control of things. I need to go back to believing that it is the students that can find the best answers for themselves. Critical thinking is a key to constructivist thinking, and it needs to re-become a key for my focus in the classroom, despite the demands being put on us. I know I can get back to it... I just need to shake the jitters and go back to what I know works.

I've rambled a lot today. I'll see you in class Tuesday!

Mark

Of all the resources in your Resource Collection, which one do you think you'll use/integrate the most? Why?

I would have to say there are two I am very interested in using and would love to implement, given the proper time and circumstances. They are both interactive, digital story-telling programs where students are encouraged to be expressive and creative. In both programs, students design online profiles of themselves to interact in a read/write (Web 2.0) type environment where they share ideas and grow as learners. Here are the descriptions from my Diigo Bookmarks:

Scratch (http://www.scratch.mit.edu) is a Web 2.0 programming environment for beginners, where kids can use a simple programming syntax to create their own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art, and share their creations on the web. Students use built-in sprites or they can draw their own. Once the student finishes the game or animation, they can publish it online.

Kerpoof (http://www.kerpoof.com) turns your students into cartoon artists. They can doodle, create a movie, build their own greeting card, or draw a comic strip using predesigned elements in this free multimedia software. Students can also build Avatars to use in the program. The "For Teachers" link provides additional help and digital story telling lesson plans for use in the classroom.

Like I mentioned above, if given the right opportunity, I would love to incorporate one or both of these programs into my Literacy (Language Arts) block. The programs would align with GPS standards and would work nicely in the later stages of the writing process (final draft and publishing). You could also use them during Reader's Workshop.

I look forward to looking into both of these sites. The future is in programs such as these, and I'd like to make sure my students are a part of it.

What I'm thinking about...

I've had a lot to think about regarding this class over the past week. Although I've been very busy completing assignments for this and my other class, I have had a few minutes here and there to think about my project. After collaborating with my fellow grade level teachers, I have a few new ideas/changes I might implement... not sure yet, though. I met with my LSTC to schedule sessions in the new SMART Board lab that will be opening for use in a couple of weeks. I also did some preliminary interactive board training with a few teachers this morning (today was a work day in Gwinnett).

On a different note, and after reading Lenrose's posting, I've given a little more thought to our upcoming joint effort on the Digital Citizenship assignment. I'm glad we've gone with the topic of Internet safety. It is a pretty hot issue at our school right now, with our technology retrofit coming soon, and with that, new technologies (and therefore opportunities for misuse). Lenrose had a good point in saying that children might actually be over-protected these days. Without the ability to defend themselves through experience (within reason), we might be shortchanging our students. This might be an interesting angle to take.

Well, that's it for this week. I'll see you all in class!

What small change might I make to increase creativity and innovation?

I think I might open up the part of my lesson where the students draw and design their structure using Microsoft Paint or similar program. I was thinking they could use the interactive interface, canvas, and tools built into KidPix to further develop their creativity. In this program, kids can use traditional art tools like chalk, paint, pencils, and crayons. They can also use spray paint, and they can manipulate whole scenes to create desired effects. I'm not sure how this will exactly play out in my lesson/unit, but I do know that by adding an element of creativity like this (just by using a different program and approach) students will have more control over their end product. To answer the other part of this week's question, I do believe adding in another layer of creativity and innovation would be an ideal improvement to this lesson/unit. Why wait for a future project when it could improve this one? I will keep you updated on how it all comes together.