Active Learning
Let's actively learn!
Hi everyone! This week's focus is active learning. Active learning involves students interacting throughout the lesson and not just listening to a lecture and copying notes. As mentioned in previous posts, my elementary school was limited in technology. I cannot express to you how often I watched a PowerPoint and rapidly wrote Cornell notes as my teacher spoke. Unfortunately, some teachers still do this as a form of teaching and many students are bored, confused, or not engaged. Active learning does not have to include technology, however it could be beneficial to create interaction.
In my classroom, I create active learning by the use of gallery walks to incorporating technology within lessons. I love incorporating Kagan strategies! One of my favorite strategies to engage my 1st graders is think-pair-share. Through this strategy, students are asked think about what they know about the question being posed, they then pair themselves with a friend in the classroom where they will then share their findings. Through this strategy, students are able to collaborate and share what they know. Different opinions are expressed and it gives them the opportunity to talk and walk around the classroom (incorporating movement). My 1st graders dislike sitting for long periods of time. So, when it is time to share, we do gallery walks where students have the opportunity to walk around the class and observe the work of other classmates. Throughout this walk, students may also talk to one another and ask them questions about their artwork or the information being presented.
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As mentioned, I love technology and love incorporating it in my lessons any time possible! I do believe teachers should keep in mind active learning when developing lessons. As a first grade teacher, I know my students love when they have to do something other than write in their notebook. iPads go home next week and I cannot express how happy I am over this because I am asked daily about this by my students! For our English time this week, we are learning and discussing nouns. If the weather permits, I plan to incorporate active learning by going on a nature walk with my students to the park across the street from our school. Students will draw and write nouns found throughout their nature walk. Back in the classroom, they will then use their iPads and create a Flipgrid to explain their nouns found. This activity not only incorporates technology, but it incorporates engagement. What's more is it helps my students practice their retelling and sumarizing skills!
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As we continue to explore how to integrate technology in the classroom, two teammates and I created a Padlet. Within this Padlet we shared ideas and commentary about a project a 3rd grade class did for social studies. For this project, students created their own Thinglinks and websites about the regions of the U.S. I think this project was appropriate for the grade level because it gives students a challenge to be expressive in a way they probably never had before. Instead of just creating a graphic organizer to lay out the information, students used technology, thus, creating interactive learning in the classroom! By researching each region, students made a Thinglink and created a website to express their knowledge about the geography, economy, culture, and history of each region. Students also mentioned their dream vacation within each region. By reviewing this project with my classmates, I started to think about ways I can incorporate more technology in my classroom. I hope to continue to integrate technology in my classroom.
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Resources
Article that discusses the benefits of active learning.
Examples of different Kagan strategies you can incorporate in your classroom!
Hi, Jennifer. I love that you use Think-Pair-Share with your students. I use this on a daily basis in my high school English classes because I will ask them some deep questions and want to give them time to process before they try to answer. Often if I don't give them time to think and share with a buddy, it will always be the same few people raising their hands because some students thinking more quickly than others or don't put in as much time to think and just want to be the first to respond. Think-Pair-Share makes them take time on their own to process through the information at their own speed. Then the pairing part makes them see what others are thinking so they can see if they are on the right track or can just get more ideas. This step also helps them become more confident to participate in the large group share out because they won't be so self-conscious about their ideas if they hear others have similar thoughts or approaches.
ReplyDeleteI see you also mention gallery walks, which is great. I would also suggest trying a jigsaw format so that students can actually be teachers and be put in charge of conveying information to different groups as well as their own. This could really be a great way to get active learning in by students taking ownership of their learning. For students to teach others, they really need to know the concepts well, and teaching just helps them process it even more by having to explain the concept or skill to others. Check out this source to learn more about jigsaw as well as other active learning strategies for large groups: https://cei.umn.edu/sites/cei.umn.edu/files/active_learning_-_larger_classes.pdf
Hi Jennifer. Great post! I also use think/pair/share in my classroom (though we call it turn and talk) and I think it's one of the easiest and most effective strategies to include in our lessons. It's so important to get those brains awake and thinking and interacting with others. It's also a really important time for some social learning as well. Facing the person you are talking to, taking turns speaking and listening, looking someone in the eye when you talk, speaking at an appropriate voice level. There is so much to it for young children! I also love you gallery walk idea, though I don't use them often in my classroom. I'm going to start thinking of how I can use this idea... I'm thinking I might start during writer's workshop.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer! I hope your first year is going well! You already have so many wonderful teaching practices in place that I'm sure it is:)
ReplyDeleteYour idea for doing outdoors noun learning is a great example of active learning! Students are in the real world, choosing what they want to document, applying what they know in an authentic and engaging way, and then reflecting on what they learn by sharing it with others. Plus, they get to practice writing. You should continue doing more activities like this! Perhaps to increase the opportunity for reflection you could have them use a rubric. I love rubrics and have used them with all ages.
You are correct when you say active learning doesn't have to involve technology, but technology can sometimes help with engagement and creativity. I appreciated seeing that you engage your first graders with active learning experiences! Great job on the shared team Padlet, too.
ReplyDeleteVery easy to read blog. It sounds like your first graders are having a blast with you since you sound like a very fun teacher. It is awesome how you are aware of the limited attention span of the little ones and find ways to keep them involved with active learning strategies. I also enjoyed reading your padlet blog. It was very well organized and resourceful.
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