The term 21st century skills has come to include the 4C's: communication,collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity as well as technology. Here I review 3 lessons...
Social Skills: support and inclusion
In this lesson PE students are coaching classmates about the correct way to perform various exercises. Sounds simple, right? What if your friend isn't doing the exercise correctly? How do you tell them? Here the teacher explicitly teaches students how to offer constructive criticism to classmates while still maintaining positive interactions.The students found it easy to say. "Good job!" or "Keep up the good work!" But had a much harder time correcting the way the exercise was being performed. After watching this lesson I know that this is something I would like to share with students. Peer coaching in the classroom is a great first step for many students on their way to a final product. However, many students don't feel right correcting their peers and then don't end up offering any real feedback. What the teacher found was that students didn't want to give the negative feedback face-to-face, but had an easier time when they could write it down first and then share out. This was an excellent lesson: 5
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nixqqRwquts
In the next classroom the teacher has the kids think of a topic for writing and share it with their partner. This is an excellent way to get buy in from students to start writing! You can tell from the students' responses that this is a mixed ability classroom. Some students has very detailed questions (more like a driving question) while others were more simplistic. The teacher then reminded students that while they were writing she would be coming around to help with the students who were next on the conference rotation. This was a great way to show collaboration. Students heard multiple ways to explore topics with good models as well as multiple topics and formats. I was reminded of the length of time it takes to get students to this place and how much modeling and practice it takes to be able to release your students to work in this fashion. This was a great place to have as a goal for writer's workshop in a classroom and one I would definitely strive for. Good model: 4
21st century skills ICT writing
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBlD-ZKQfEg
In the final classroom, a kindergarten teacher is teaching her students how to be self-directed learners. She models the systems she has in place for her center time. She has a system in place that ensures accountability: a week ending conference. She goes over the expectations for each of the centers and asks what the students think their grade should be (student rubrics.) Students enjoy the choice and voice they have in the classroom activities. There is collaboration with others as well as the teacher and they enjoy the freedom to direct their own learning. I was a kindergarten teacher for 13 years and used a similar model. This is an excellent way to help students become more independent and sets the stage for their future learning. As older students we want to see the independence and ability to problem solve and take ownership of their learning. I would definitely use this model in my classroom. Way to go Kindergarten!: 5
21st Century Skills:Self Direction: Kindergarten
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNaQAc5GabY
Social Skills: support and inclusion
In this lesson PE students are coaching classmates about the correct way to perform various exercises. Sounds simple, right? What if your friend isn't doing the exercise correctly? How do you tell them? Here the teacher explicitly teaches students how to offer constructive criticism to classmates while still maintaining positive interactions.The students found it easy to say. "Good job!" or "Keep up the good work!" But had a much harder time correcting the way the exercise was being performed. After watching this lesson I know that this is something I would like to share with students. Peer coaching in the classroom is a great first step for many students on their way to a final product. However, many students don't feel right correcting their peers and then don't end up offering any real feedback. What the teacher found was that students didn't want to give the negative feedback face-to-face, but had an easier time when they could write it down first and then share out. This was an excellent lesson: 5
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nixqqRwquts
In the next classroom the teacher has the kids think of a topic for writing and share it with their partner. This is an excellent way to get buy in from students to start writing! You can tell from the students' responses that this is a mixed ability classroom. Some students has very detailed questions (more like a driving question) while others were more simplistic. The teacher then reminded students that while they were writing she would be coming around to help with the students who were next on the conference rotation. This was a great way to show collaboration. Students heard multiple ways to explore topics with good models as well as multiple topics and formats. I was reminded of the length of time it takes to get students to this place and how much modeling and practice it takes to be able to release your students to work in this fashion. This was a great place to have as a goal for writer's workshop in a classroom and one I would definitely strive for. Good model: 4
21st century skills ICT writing
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBlD-ZKQfEg
In the final classroom, a kindergarten teacher is teaching her students how to be self-directed learners. She models the systems she has in place for her center time. She has a system in place that ensures accountability: a week ending conference. She goes over the expectations for each of the centers and asks what the students think their grade should be (student rubrics.) Students enjoy the choice and voice they have in the classroom activities. There is collaboration with others as well as the teacher and they enjoy the freedom to direct their own learning. I was a kindergarten teacher for 13 years and used a similar model. This is an excellent way to help students become more independent and sets the stage for their future learning. As older students we want to see the independence and ability to problem solve and take ownership of their learning. I would definitely use this model in my classroom. Way to go Kindergarten!: 5
21st Century Skills:Self Direction: Kindergarten
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNaQAc5GabY