Higher Order thinking

Higher Order thinking

• Berliner makes excellent points, "Mathematics, then, like reading, can be turned from a subject that is a rich source of discourse and debate... when taught correctly, into a drill oriented, teacher dominated subject in which the increased time spent results in increased boredom and dislike of the subject" (117).

Incompatibility of High-Stakes Testing

• This drill-oriented, teacher-dominated teaching technique has been a huge mistake in American education, with extreme consequences on present and future generations. Where is the fun in listening to the teacher lecture all day? How are students supposed to make a connection with the subject matter/content if they aren't allowed to explore it on their own?

Incompatibility of High-Stakes Testing

• I am a firm believer that there are times when school can be fun, but others when it's time to be serious and focused, hence the saying "School is not always fun." Call me old-fashioned, but that's just what I think and possibly how I was brought up.

Incompatibility of High-Stakes Testing

• However, that's not to say that there doesn't need to be a balance of lessons being teacher-oriented, like when teaching the elements of an essay, and times when it should be student-centered, like exploring the internet for research and/or images to support their work.

Incompatibility of High-stakes testing

• The text goes on to mention, "Increases in allocated time ought to result in increased learning. But if the increased time for learning reading and mathematics results in a less interesting curriculum for teachers to teach and students to learn, then the results make sense" (Marzano, Berliner 118).

Incompatibility of High-Stakes Testing

• With that being said, if teachers are "training-for-tests," students will catch on to that. The majority of them will not find it interesting OR will lose interest over time. The goal of teaching is for students to LEARN the material, and not to be trained for a test.

So what's the Plan?

• This past 2016-2017 school year was my first year teaching and the first year that the new curriculum—myPerspectives—was adapted.
• For me personally, it was challenging to balance both.

SO what's the Plan?

• The first unit that we covered was titled, "Inside the Nightmare," with the essential question being, "What is the allure of fear?"

So what's the plan?

• The first story that we read was one that I had never read, but only heard about, "The Fall of the House of Usher," by Edgar Allan Poe. Students were excited to read the story because they had enjoyed reading, "The Cask of Amontillado" in junior high. Because of this, some students already had some background knowledge on dark Poe's life.

So what's the Plan?

• "The Fall of the House of Usher" was the anchor text of the Whole-Class Learning section of the unit.
• Therefore, the explanatory essay they were to write later in the semester would heavily rely on this reading selection.

So what's the Plan?

• Students thought the story was long and boring, didn't understand it, and therefore found it difficult to answer the explanatory essay prompt: How and when does imagination overcome reason?

So what's the PLan?

• In order to help the next generation of sophomores better understand and adapt to this story and theme of the unit, I'm going to assign them to work with a partner and research the life of Poe, his style of writing, and the reading selection itself.

SO what's the Plan?

• Another project I had considered is assigning students to create a Facebook profile of Poe or perhaps a Twitter post.
• By doing so, students will make a connection to the author and understand him a little better before jumping into the story.

So What's the plan?

• I'd also like for this project to help them develop critical thinking skills (Berliner 132).
• In this project, students would need to "use evidence skillfully and impartially," something they'll have to do later on in their essay (132).

So what's the plan?

• They'd be provided with guidelines from which they'd be required to "organize thoughts and articulate them concisely and coherently," another characteristic needed for their essay (Berliner 133).
• All of the information they provide would need to be presented in an organized and logical manner (133).

So what's the Plan?

• As we begin to read the story, I'll make a better point of pausing the audio and allowing students to make inferences on what is happening in the reading; hence, support in "distinguishing between logically valid and invalid reference" (Berliner 133).

So what's the Plan?

• In other parts of the reading, I'll provide visuals to allow students to visualize what is happening in the story.

SO what's the Plan?

• By focusing on this activities to help students make a better connection to the story will then result in them making a better connection to the prompt.
• If they understand the anchor text, then they will make a deeper connection to the prompt.
• If they understand the prompt, then they will be able to write an explanatory essay answering the prompt.

SO what's the Plan?

• If students understand the prompt, then they will be able to write an explanatory essay answering the prompt.
• When answering the prompt, they should be able to, "Use evidence skillfully and impartially" (Berliner 133).

So what's the plan?

• One of the main goals in having students write an explanatory essay is to "Organize thoughts and articulate them concisely and coherently" (Berliner 133).

So what's the Plan?

• With everything said and done, if students find a connection to the anchor text, they should and WILL be able to understand the prompt and answer it while supporting it with evidence that they will have analyzed and explained in their own words.