Creating Culture Of Thinking Analysis

In the twenty first century, teachers have to collaborate with other professionals to promote student learning and establish a learning environment where students interact positively and share their knowledge. There are many different activities that teachers have to implement in the classroom so students can maximize their learning. In order for students to learn and achieve their goals in the classroom, teachers have to implement effective strategies and meaningful activities that motivate students to work collaboratively with other students. Communication skills are necessary for collaboration in the classroom and listening techniques must be modeled by the teacher implementing effective questioning strategies (Friend & Bursuck, 2009). In

The title of this assignment is managing thinking and learning across the Curriculum. This is important as teachers are responsible for teaching a diverse range of subjects using creative approaches that raise standards (Ofsted, 2010). This assignment is divided into three main sections. Firstly, this assignment will evaluate a variety of creative approaches to the teaching of thinking and learning across the Curriculum. Secondly, the advantages and disadvantages of teaching strategies which can support and enhance the thinking and learning of children in a Year 3 classroom will be analysed. The third aspect of this assignment will discuss the creation and usage of resources to support the Medium – Term Plan (MTP) which have some

Effective teachers are aware of different learning theories that influence classroom practice on a daily basis. According to Pritchard (2014), teachers must have an understanding

In the growing global society of the 21st century we must prepare our students for a team oriented approach to learning. Cooperative learning allows the development of many different skills in the classroom. As many educators know every student is at different intellectual levels when they enter their classrooms. Cooperative learning allows small groups of students with different abilities to learn from their peers. Through teamwork students learn to appropriately commend others when a task is accomplished. Although, students will be working together for a common goal, each individual student will be responsible for their own work. There are several positive outcomes for students through the use of cooperative learning. In particular, it promotes positive interaction between members of different cultures and socio-economic groups. Additionally, it motivates students to learn new material ensuring student metacognition. To sum up my thoughts about cooperative learning I feel this learning technique offers many benefit’s to students and should be evident in daily learning.

While the individual teaching styles of the team were very different, it became apparent that commonality existed in terms of supporting the growth of our students. After team collaboration, we adopted the following vision statement: “We will provide a classroom climate that fosters thoughtful and respectful consideration of alternative viewpoints and ideas, personal ownership of learning, and individual construction of personally meaningful knowledge.”

Students will be able to engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, on grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing

When you think of a typical day in any classroom, you probably imagine students sitting in a desk taking notes with the teacher talking non stop. It’s like our minds are empty and it’s up to the teacher to fill us up with the required information for the course. The next day and the day after that, it’s the same process over and over again. I just explained the banking system which Freire describes as the flaws in the teaching-learning space for students and teachers. In his book he states, “the teacher talks about reality as if it were motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable”. This in return causes students to have a lack of creativity and not understanding the significance of what’s being taught. He turns this around by bringing up a new problem-posing education which emphasizes a better atmosphere in a classroom by asking questions, being open minded, and keeping a mindset for

students in relation to teaching and learning. First, I discovered their love and need of hands-on experiences. Every day that my students participated in a learning experiment, every student was involved and excited to see the results of the experiment. They constantly wanted to be the, “lucky volunteer”, and in their culminating project, I had students name their favorite part of the entire unit, and all 22 students mentioned one of the six experiments they participated in. Second, I discovered the power of student directed learning. Half way through the unit I began placing students who showed great understanding of the topics with students who had more difficulty understanding the topics of the unit. On these days, based on the conversations I observed between students, the students really enjoyed this opportunity of, “being the teacher” and their classmates enjoyed the experience of learning from a classmate. According to Adam Fletcher, an author with a focus in K-12 literature, states, “When students prepare to teach other students, learning suddenly involves active thinking about material, analysis and selection of main ideas, and processing the concepts into one’s own thoughts and words” (2016). Third, I discovered who they are as learners and what best suites them as individuals. Based on the formal and informal formative assessments the students took throughout the unit,

Restructuring to promote learning in America's schools, videoconference #2: The thinking curriculum. (1990). Oak Brook, IL: North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.

As instructional leaders, we are responsible for the academic growth of our students. It is my duty to foster a culture of learning. This is best accomplished by being a lifelong learner. Rather than focusing on the instruction of the teacher to the student, an instructional leader within a culture for learning focuses on the students by asking questions such as, “What was learned? What is the evidence that my students learned?” (DuFour, Richard and Robert J. Marzano. “High-Leverage Strategies for Principal Leadership.” How Teachers Learn 66.5. (2009): 62-68) Rather than the principal observing a teacher on instructional style, within a culture of learning, that school leader is directing her observations on ascertaining what the students learned, how they learned it and how they know what to do if they have not yet learned it. In looking at the traditional method of teacher observation, if a principal finds the instruction of a teacher is lacking and helps him improve this instruction, this does not guarantee that the learning will also improve. (DuFour, Richard and Robert J. Marzano. “High-Leverage Strategies for Principal Leadership.” How Teachers Learn 66.5. (2009): 62-68) Rather, the instructional leader of the school should be asking such questions as, “What are the students doing? Are they engaged in their learning

Landmark Collegiate has recently introduced project-based learning as a critical component of the school's pedagogical structure, purposefully incorporating project-based learning into student timetables. As a teacher, one of my primary professional goals is to encourage the intellectual engagement of my students and to develop their learning processes. I would like to balance periods of instruction, and a structured classroom, with inquiry based discussions that promote collaborative thinking and lead to independent projects, thereby making Landmark Collegiate relevant and important to my students in the 21st

Challenging and encouraging students to think? I believe the best approach is to recognize how students justify their learning and embrace their aptitude for knowledge.

Collaborative learning stems from the theory of Vygotsky’s conception of Zone of proximal development. The thought is that children learn best with “help and guidance” (Ormrod, 2012). In transitioning this zone to a collaborative learning experience, children work with their peers in broadening their learning experience, allowing small groups of students to work together to share knowledge, exchange ideas, problem solve, and more. These classroom environments help to create durable abilities in students and aid in producing a “smoother integration into adult society when the activities resemble real-world tasks” (Ormrod, 2012). As students work with peers and adults, they adopt some of the learning strategies demonstrated and develop more skills in problem solving. This scaffolding creates a trickle-down effect of knowledge construction. In collaborative learning, students are afforded a myriad of enriching opportunities to explore perspectives that may differ from their own. These activities serve to create a self-awareness in the student of their responsibilities to a group, requiring them to self-monitor their activity (Lee, Tsai, Chai, & Koh, 2014).

My philosophy of teaching is deeply rooted in nurturing the potential each and every student in my classes. Providing a creative environment that allows self assessment, growth, group interaction and mentorship are at its very core. Having taught in Higher Education for many years, and as an instructor of Media Arts and Animation, and Game Design, I have had the amazing opportunity to work with some of the brightest and creative young professionals. Teaching has not only broadened my love of art and exploration, but my determination to help students that do not have the confidence to persevere through their education, yet have the passion to follow their dreams.

My vision of collaborative learning is a learning strategy that affords the students enormous opportunities and advantages not available through traditional learning processes. I believe that students in a collaborative team tend to attain