Test Prep: Are we asking the right questions?

If you look though my blog posts around critical thinking, you will note that I have maintained that getting kids to think strategically is all about asking the right questions.  Even better, teaching them the right questions to help them develop their own arguments and justifications and learn to make inferences, apply and adapt. 

Run a mile to train for a 50 m race

I just watched an interesting video from Grant Wiggins on “Real Test Preparation:  Better Teaching not Worse” which validated my practices. The bottom line in improving student performance is to ask better questions.  Better questions are harder questions.  Comparing preparing for a rigorous test to preparing for a specific event in a track meet, Wiggins points out that practices are often more rigorous than the actual race you will run.  He suggests preparation for high stakes testing should be the same. Schools that traditionally do better on state testing, “simply don’t worry about them” because their students are regularly taking tests that are harder than the state tests.  He suggests removing the multiple choices, hints and reminders from our tests.  We need to prepare students so that they can make inferences and think strategically rather than prepare them for a specific test format.

Looking at the data

Looking at specific test items that have been scored and shared, it becomes obvious that our students, despite knowing the content, lack the ability to apply and adapt.  A clear example of this comes from a test item on the Pythagorean theory which a majority of students, despite having the content, were unable to answer correctly.  The problem did not mention the word triangle or right angle; it showed a ladder leaning on a house.  Students had to make inferences, apply and adapt in order to answer the question. The majority could not.

There were also many examples of students not being able to make inferences in their reading.  They were unable to get the main idea of a reading passage or make inferences about the mood or character.  One example found that a majority of students mistakenly eliminated the choice “c. Essay” as the type of writing on an essay about color blindness because it was not 5 paragraphs!  Yikes. 

So how do we improve our teaching?

 Can we improve our teaching by improving our assessments?  Does increasing the rigor of student work help them improve by giving students the opportunity to face rigor more often?  I just saw this tweet from Esther Wojcicki @EsterWojcicki “Life is a series of projects, not a series of multiple choice tests.  We should train students for life.”  Providing projects that require students to apply, adapt, argue and justify is a great start.  Wiggins recommends that we give students new reading passages frequently and have them practice strategic thinking.  What was the author’s purpose?  Point of view?  Ask questions that require an argument and justification. 

I know a number of teachers that use the SCAN tool at TregoED to help get students comfortable in reading and understanding complex situations.  The tool provides great reading passages on all sorts of relevant and authentic situations.  A great way to get students to practice strategic thinking, with the SCAN critical thinking strategy built right in.  Newspapers and magazines are also a great source of reading passages.  Do you have a great resource for complex reading passages that you can share?

Can All Kids Learn to Think Critically?

There is no doubt in my mind that there is a special place for all teachers who adapt class activities so that their students can achieve and learn about complex topics.  I am not talking about dumbing down the work, or giving them the answers so they can pass the test, but actually adapting content or delivery, not to lower the bar, but to raise the bar.

Raising the bar goes both ways

There was an interesting discussion on the AASA discussion group on linkedin….”We talk about raising the bar for kids, do you do the same for your staff?” linked to the TregoED leadership blog.   A lot of the points brought out in this blog on staff performance also apply to our students.  Are we creating an environment of support?  Are our expectations clear?  What feedback do we give them?  The blog stated that in the workplace “Only 15% of the time is the problem (poor performance) due to an individual not having the skills, knowledge or capacity to do the job.”  Could that percentage also be applied to the students in our classrooms?

All children can think critically

I do a lot of workshops for middle and high school teachers, there is always an elementary teacher who sneaks in and asks if I think that her kids can use SCAN (a critical thinking strategy embedded in an online tool at TregoED) or other internet tools.  I have to say, if there is a will there is a way!  Many of these teachers take the time to build an environment of support and do amazing critical thinking activities with their students by altering the content, delivery and assessments.  I have written about some of their work in past blogs – The students who did a SCAN session on graffiti in her 5^th grade class, the NYC 4^th and 5^th graders who wrote PSA’s on child labor, or the special ED class in NC that did a full Situation Appraisal on bullying. 

Ask the right questions

Each of those groups tackled very complex topics by looking at the different perspectives that could be viewed on the topic and the particular issues that each point of view might be concerned with.  Being able to identify, explore and appreciate different perspectives is a great way to get kids thinking critically.  They can do it, you just have to ask them the right questions!

One size fits all

Douglass Green asked in the AASA discussion, if the bar was “one size fits all” – suggesting that it should not be for either staff or students (acknowledging of course that high stakes testing is in fact “one size fits all.”)  Does raising the bar mean everyone has to reach the same height? How do you ask your students to stretch their thinking?  

Give Your Teachers a Hall Pass

I had the opportunity to sit in on some great leadership development workshops last week.  They were taught by a master and the room was filled with bright, engaged administrators.  I could not help but think about how wonderful it was that their district had invested in this time for them to train and work together.  It was a great experience to watch them all, both presenter and participants,  at work.

It got me thinking (here I go again) that there are also great benefits of watching our colleagues at work in the classroom.  I thought about the times that I had sat in on other teacher’s classes (usually because I was fixing their printers) and marveled at some of the techniques they used, how the kids reacted and what they were teaching.  It was eye opening and I was amazed at what went on in other teachers’ classes.

Observation Open Houses

I mentioned this potential value in a twitter chat last night (#NJED) on PD (which someone pointed out should be just called learning and not be relegated to just a time period) and Dan Layton (@danlayton2) mentioned “Observation Open Houses.”  How cool does that sound?  He tweeted that you “gather teachers with similar goals, get subs for them, let them watch each other, have lunch and discuss the way to implement” (another great example of a 120 character tweet that can change a practice in a school).  That sounds like a powerful  idea on two levels:
1.  Besides the teaching pedagogy and the content (both very important), you get to see the other teacher’s routines and structures, set up, transitions, etc.
2.  You may get to see some of your students in a different light – different teacher, different peers and different subject area may allow you to get some insights as to what sparks that child.

      Get a Hall Pass!

There is no doubt that you can learn something just walking across the hall in your school.  Imagine if that learning was focused and intentional?  I have certainly learned from many teachers, administrators and presenters over the years.  Some have had immediate impact on what I do and how I do it. 

What has your experience been?  Are you given the opportunity to observe your peers at work?

Students' Rights: Great Cases to Get Them Thinking

Want them to write?  Find their passion.

I was recently involved in a #njed twitter chat on BYOD.  A large group of people enthusiastically contributed their experiences and points of view on how a successful BYOD program might look and run and some of the benefits and disadvantages of having students bring in their own devices.  I noticed that there was a student involved in the discussion (how cool is that!) and when asked how she felt about students bringing in their own devices, she responded that”…students who have the devices should have the right to bring their own devices…”

There were two things that were very cool about this whole discussion and her being involved - # 1 she was participating in a great real life authentic critical thinking activity as an equal with adults (how cool is that?) and #2 she was passionate enough to write what she believed to be students’ rights.

That is what I love about young people.  They are very clear and very passionate about their rights!  As we all are!

Try to see it my way…

This passion is something that we as teachers can harness to get kids thinking and writing.  Isn't that what we are trying to do with the CCSS focus on argumentative writing-get students reading nonfiction material from several reliable sources to put together a coherent argument?  This becomes a much easier task when you have (or they have) selected a topic that they care about – whether it be their privacy, rights, or their cell phones! 

Do you own your phone?

The Bill of Rights Institute has a great lesson, Unlocking your Cell Phone – Property Rights in the Digital Age,  complete with downloadable student pages that sets up the issue, gives resources from different perspectives and great critical thinking questions surrounding the recent court decision that makes it against the law to unlock your cell phone so you can utilize another carrier.  Check out these resources that they provide:

A Right to Unlock Cellphones Fades Away
Date: 1/25/13
Source: NY Times

FCC To Investigate Cell Phone Unlocking Ban
Date: 2/28/13
Source: TechCrunch

Point/Counter-Point:

The Most Ridiculous Law of 2013 (So Far): It Is Now a Crime to Unlock Your Smartphone
Date: 1/27/13
Source: The Atlantic

What’s really happening with unlocked devices
Date: 1/26/13
Source: CTIA Blog

Beyond the Cell Phone

 It turns out there are a lot of good cases, past and present, that our students may be interested in.  Why not have them select one, do a little research and develop an argument for or against the rulings?

Can the principal search the texts and pictures in your cell phone?  And punish you for what they find?

I think that students would find the article on this case relevant and interesting to them.

Or

Have them look at one of these lists and choose which case interests:

Landmark Supreme Court Cases about Students

Or

Have them look at some of these older cases with some of these interesting examples :

Can a student wear medieval garb for his yearbook picture?

Distribute an alternative newspaper?

Have a grade reduced due to an unexpected absence?

Or

Have them look into some cases focused on students’ rights to free speech.

Using court cases involving their peers can make work relevant, stir their passions, allow them to develop arguments, see different perspectives and learn about their own civil rights.  Seems like a great way to get kids thinking!

Simple Reading Sparks Critical Thinking

I love when all the Cat in the Hat hats come out for Read Across America!  I find myself reciting those Dr. Seuss books….”One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish, this one has a little star, this one has a little car, my what a lot of fish there are!”  “I do not like them Sam I am, I do not like green eggs and ham.”  Funny how those words stick in my brain, while so many others seem to just bounce off!  Dr. Seuss wrote great books to help get kids reading AND they often had a message to get kids thinking.  Why not use those books as a springboard for some great critical thinking?

Here are some resources and ideas:

Developing Questions

As usual, Read,Write Think.org has a great 4 day lesson, Seuss and Silverstein:  Posing Questions, Presenting Points, which has students developing their own critical thinking questions and leading class discussion on stories from those authors.   They point out that simple books from Dr. Seuss may address complex themes.

Teaching Philosophy

In my never ending quest not to re-invent the wheel, I found some great philosophical questions about the nature of pride and the nature of compromise for “The Zax”, in this wiki about teaching children philosophy.  There are also some critical thinking discussion questions for “The Sneetches”, about   the nature of prejudice and the nature of differences.   Seussville.com includes some great critical thinking questions based on The Lorax which deals with environmental issues.

Writing with Deeper Meanings

Older students might like to take a look at “The Political Dr. Seuss” to see how he started his career in political cartoons and wrote most of his books with a political agenda.  From there  they can pick a political issue and sketch out a children’s story that would illustrate that issue.  They might also find interesting (I did) “10 Stories behind Dr. Seuss Stories” – Did you know that the story “Yertle the Tertle” was about Hitler and that it was controversial, not because of the Hitler connection, but because the turtle burped in the story!  Or that Green Eggs and Ham was written with just fifty words?  Sounds like a great challenge to give any student! (You might want to have them look at some of these 6 Word Stories or have them write their own!

Simple stories can have complex meanings, stimulate critical thinking and be used as reading and writing springboards.  

Do you use simple stories in your classroom?  Please share!

You Don't Have to Re-Invent the Wheel to Ignite your Classroom

I think that teachers are a lot like pilot lights….we always have a little flame flickering waiting for something to ignite us so we can heat up our classrooms.   I have had some great professional development opportunities lately and I am lit.  I have been an imagineer in the Magic Kingdom of PD at FETC, found golden nuggets of wisdom at TCEA in Texas and got some sweet tips and tricks at PETE-C in Hershey, PA. 

I keep a Google doc called “Aha moments”  to record the highlights of my journeys.   I learn just as much presenting as I do being a participant. As I am one of those people that has to be reminded that I even have the world at my fingertips with a camera and Google in my pocket, my aha moments might be a bit less of a splash for you.

Don't re-invent the wheel!

One thing that I always think is eye opening is that we don’t have to invent everything ourselves. Back in the olden days, you may have had a colleague that would share that test or activity that they made up or maybe they wouldn't.   The thing is that technology has made it very easy to share with the world,  and not just for those people who are willing to stand up in front of the crowd and present.   With web 2.0 sites, everyone has the opportunity to easily share what they do in the classroom…so you don’t have to “reinvent the wheel.”

Use Web 2.0 Libraries and Galleries

A lot of the popular web 2.0 tools that are out there give people the opportunity to make their work public.  Before you use one of those tools, take a look in the “libraries” or galleries that already exist in a lot of these tools.  At best, you will find something you can use tomorrow, at the very least; you will find a model or example you can build off of.

Here are some prime examples:

Livebinders are a great way to organize links, pictures, and information on a topic that kids can use in class or at home.   There is a vast library of Livebinders that teachers have made and shared in their library.  Check out this timely one on US Presidents for kids or  Web 2.0 Tools for Reluctant Writers, Common Core Middle Grades Math which features a great tab for students!  Click on the featured binders tab and go through the list of topics on the right hand side to find a binder that suits you. 

Edcanvas is another way to present pdfs, photos and text, videos, etc. on a canvas – again that students can use in class and have access to at home.  Check out some of the featured canvases in the gallery in each subject area:  Photosynthesis, Physical Geography, How Big is Infinity?

Interested in flipping your classroom?  Get your students registered into Collaborize Classroom (it’s free!) and check out the great library of critical thinking questions based on short videos, photos, literature, science social studies, etc.   Register here for your own private classroom.

Ed.ted.com is another way to flip your classroom – great short videos are accompanied by simple questions and critical thinking prompts.  Once again, there is a library of videos and a quick and easy format so that you can make them your own.  Take a look at the Case to extinguish the words Good and Bad or the 3 Minute Guide to the Bill of Rights.  You can even get professional animators to visualize your concepts. 

The SCAN tool at TregoED, which helps students learn how to see different perspectives and a write argumentatively, has a library of scenarios with built in problems to solve based on historical or current events for online discussions using the SCAN critical thinking strategy.   A great way to get them thinking and writing on hot topics.

Bottom line is that web 2.0 tools are by nature tools that we add content to and share!  Take advantage of the collaborative nature of these tools, read, revise and reshare!  It is a great way for all of us to ignite our classrooms.

How old is too old? Writing and Resources on Term Limits

Today’s headlines touted that Senator Lautenberg, 89, the oldest member of the US Senate has decided not to run for reelection.  Really, at 89?  The Pope stepped down last week, at age 85, because he thought he might not have the stamina to do the job.   Suffice it to say that neither Congress nor the Vatican have term limits.  Should they?  I remember the minute I stepped into my classroom at the Middle School at the ripe old age of 23, the kids look at me as if I was old!  Now, the staff does.  I know that when budget time calls for RIF’s, some of our younger teachers would love to see term limits!  I have to say that the latter half of your career is prime time for learning and implementing new ideas.  There is something to be said for knowing the nuts and bolts of the job so you can spend your time finessing your skills and learning new ones.  But I digress….

The Term Limit Debate

When our Constitution was first written, there was no mention of term limits.  The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, restricted Presidential terms to a maximum of two terms.   Only one President, Roosevelt, served more than two terms.  

History, Civics, Language Arts and the Common Core

President’s Day is a great time to look at the debate on term limits.  The Common Core standards call for students to examine multiple perspectives and analyze points of view.  Why not have students analyze evidence (pros and cons) from multiple texts and synthesize their own thoughts on term limits?  Seems like a great way to integrate social studies and language arts while developing key critical thinking skills.

Start your students with this recent Gallop Poll  or article from USA Today that states that most Americans would like see term limits.  Have your students read about the pros and cons of term limits from various sources, write an argumentative essay, blog or speech and then finish by having them take a poll using one of several simple polling tools available online.  

Resources:

Your students can look at some of these resources for different perspectives:

Pros and Cons of term limits by debate.org

 Do you believe in Term Limits? Political Debates and Polls

Debate:  Term Limits for Elected Representatives  from Debatepedia

The Term Limit Debate from About.com

Give them a strategy

Just like a graphic organizer helps your students organize their writing, critical thinking strategies can help them organize their thinking.  Looking at term limits from different perspectives gives students the opportunity to practice SCAN:

See the issues:  What are the important issues, both pro and con from your perspective?

Clarify the issues:  What do you mean by…..?

Ask what’s most important:  Which issues are most important in terms of seriousness or urgency?

Now, what should be done? :  What do you think is the best solution to resolve the issues?  Remind students that solutions do not always have to be pro or con, they can be hybrids of the best ideas suggested.  The SCAN tool and resources at TregoED.org can help you get them started.

Extensions

As we celebrate President’s Day having students practice good citizenship by participating in civil discourse around an authentic issue is a great way to get integrate civics and argumentative writing.  Check out Teachers’ Hub to find more Presidential Writing Prompts and Top 12 President Day Activities