The planning session, as usual with the Year 2 team, is passionate and thought-provoking. Everyone has opinions, there is questioning and probing and tension as we figure out what we want the learners to get out of the unit of inquiry. It’s based on one we have done before, so starting from what we do NOT want the unit to be about proves really helpful.
It’s an inquiry into the concept of story. Through exposure to and exploration of many and varied stories, we want the children to understand that stories can be told in different ways, that story is a powerful tool for conveying ideas, experiences and values. We want them to to reach a point where they are able to describe and explain their own connection to stories. We want to them to build the understandings and language to engage in conversation about their responses to stories. And we want them to be able to share their own experiences and ideas through different forms of story.
We discuss the possibility (yet again) of connecting with children in other places to share and discuss stories, via Twitter, blogs or Skype and I’m told that it’s difficult to do these things because there isn’t time. It’s a familiar story and my instinct tells me it’s an excuse. How hard can it be to find five minutes a day to check Twitter? What’s so difficult about signing into Skype to have a conversation?
Then I remember that my role is to interpret the story, to find the underlying message and respond to that…
Six times a year, my colleague Layla or I meet with each grade level team to collaborate on planning units of inquiry. Facilitating such sessions can range from exciting to frustrating, depending on the team, the unit, the time and, particularly, the ability to frame and agree on the desired conceptual understandings that will underpin the inquiry.
This week, I experimented with a different approach to tune teachers into the unit, establish common understanding and model good practice.
The unit of inquiry:
Year 2 – Central Idea: Public places are organised to meet the needs of community.
The opening task for teachers: (given one step at a time)
Write ten places you have been in the past week on separate post it notes.
Work collaboratively to sort them in any way you like.
What did you realise about the concept of place?
Tania’s role was to document the learning. She took photos of the group collaborating, observed the participants’ interactions and recorded the things they said.
Tania’s observations along the way:
‘Are there any the same?’
‘Can you explain to me?’
Grouping/ looking for similar places.
Debating and questioning each other.
Using language to clarify/ refine ideas.
Making connections between places and actions.
Sharing common vocabulary.
Completed a general sort, then refined this to sort again into bigger concepts (Is it recreational, business, infrastructure, wellbeing place, cultural place, an essential service? And from these more subsets were made.)
Statements about the concept of place:
Places can be used for different things.
Places have different meanings to different people.
Places connect people.
A place doesn’t have to be tangible, it can be in the mind.
There are public places and private places.
Places can isolate people eg remote rural places.
Places can unite and separate people eg religious places.
Places serve different purposes and needs.
There are natural and made-made places.
Places are organised in different ways.
What the teachers noticed about themselves as learners:
I made connections with others’ thinking.
Trying to understand what others were thinking about was valuable.
Listening to others points of view helped me clarify.
Trying to think outside the boundaries to push the thinking further.
Listening to others helped me formulate my thinking.
I really thought about the concept of place.
Discussion about how we could apply the above in the classroom:
The learners could do the same brainstorming and sorting activity to tune them into the idea of place.
We begin our Year 4 collaborative planning session with Audri… to generate thinking about the ways young learners own their learning, outside the classroom…
The teachers notice and name his confidence, persistence, belief in himself, resourcefulness, curiosity, commitment, ownership of learning, enthusiasm, excitement...
Layla wonders if Audri’s uniqueness and enthusiasm would be stifled in a traditional school setting.
Jina responds that she is excited by the possibilities of creating such authentic learning opportunities in her classroom.
He says the ‘The ability to learn is very learnable’…
Some key questions which he asks:
What habits or attitudes of mind do you invite and cultivate in your students?
What learning muscles are being stretched beyond mastering content?
Important learning dispositions that have value for our learners in the ‘real’ world (beyond passivity, remembering, note taking and regurgitating, even if these might be useful in some contexts):
Persistence – sticking with it in the face of challenges and difficulties
Resourcefulness – experimenting, taking initiative, having a range of strategies on which to draw
Collaboration – being willing to and knowing how to collaborate effectively
Thoughtfulness – standing back and thinking metacognatively, being able to think clearly and critically
Imagination – visualising new concepts, producing new ideas
Claxton says it is possible to strengthen all of these, even within the parameters of conventional classrooms. One of the major considerations is how we talk. Most teachers spend a great deal of time talking about ‘work’. Shifting the focus to the process of learning, makes a huge difference.
The latter highlights the influence our language has on student learning. I particularly like examples like this one, which demonstrate the effect of a few well-chosen words…
“What have you learned most recently as a reader?” …the teacher begins with ‘given’ information that is not up for discussion: a) the student is a reader, and b) readers learn things. The only question is, what has this particular reader learned? For a student to respond to this question, he or she has to review recent learnings. The opening question requires an answer that begins, “I learned. . . .” It insists on an agentive identity statement about reading and learning. At the same time, it creates a learning history, which is an antidote for students who think they are not good and have always been not good.”
As I’ve frequently said in this space –
We have learned that it’s more valuable to spend time building a deep understanding of what a unit of inquiry is about and deciding on conceptual understandings than on planning activities.
A valuable tip we gleaned from Sam Sherratt is to agree on one word that sums up the conceptual essence of the unit. In this case it is ‘ownership.’
Central idea – Taking ownership of learning empowers us.
Conceptual understanding rubric –
Beginning
Developing
Established
Learning is meaningful when we take responsibility for it.
Responsibility
I see the teacher as the one who knows what to do, how to do it and if it’s good.
I expect the teacher to tell me what to do and how to do it.
Sometimes I make decisions about my own learning, without asking the teacher.
I can describe some ways I am becoming more responsible for my own learning.
I make decisions that support and promote my learning.
I can explain the reasons behind my choices and decisions.
Reflection and metacognition lead to ownership of learning.
Reflection
I don’t think much about my learning.
I can’t explain why I am doing specific tasks.
I don’t understand the difference between ‘work’ and ‘learning’.
I am beginning to think about how I learn.
I can explain why I am doing specific tasks.
I can identify the skills and attitudes I need or am using.
I can decide which strategies to use in my learning and explain my choice.
I think about myself as a learner and can identify my strengths and challenges.
I reflect on my learning, set learning goals based on my reflections, and act on them.
I can explain how I could use my learning in different contexts.
I can explain what I gained from a learning experience, what I contributed, what could have made it better.
Does every meeting connect to ongoing work and goals?
Do you come out of every meeting with a plan for action or a sense of where to go next?
To be honest, we often used to go round in circles in our meetings, talk at the same time, interrupt each other… We are a passionate bunch, and it was never through disrespect, rather a result of caring a great deal, having lots of ideas, wanting our opinions heard..
Since introducing Meeting Wise agendas, our meetings have become much more focused.
The Meeting Wise authors highlight four aspects for careful consideration when planning successful meetings:
Purpose
Process
Preparation
Pacing
Today in our meetings:
The objectives are clear
Participants come prepared
Everyone has a voice
We have clear, expected norms
The content of the meeting relates directly to the stated objectives
Participants have turns to take on roles of facilitator, timekeeper, note taker, so…
Everyone has a sense of ownership
There is a sense of true collaboration within groups
We use effective protocols to ensure all the above
Participants leave with a clear sense of the next steps
I took most of these statements from the plus /delta we do at the end of meetings, in which participants share what went well and what could be improved. This is usually addressed at the start of the next meeting of the particular group.
Learning Team Leaders have received a copy of Meeting Wise and all teams are gradually improving their meetings by implementing the suggested procedures and protocols and adapting them to our needs.
Highly recommended!
(See my earlier post in which I applied the Meeting Wise questions to classroom learning.)
Today’s collaborative planning session with the Year 5 team is both challenging and invigorating. There are 7 of us in the room and one digital participant. The conversation is impassioned and (mostly) focused as we debate, disagree and eventually reach some common understandings.
It takes over an hour to ensure our conceptual understandings are sound and to consider the evidence that will demonstrate these understandings in our learners. This part is the crux.
It doesn’t bother us that most of the planner is still blank and we have barely thought about the learning engagements. We know (now) that if this part is established, we only need a few good provocations, then (almost) sit back and see how the learning unfolds.
Observing and listening to the learning, will determine what happens… that’s how inquiry works, so how can you plan it in advance?
The unit is about digital citizenship, which could easily fit into any of the PYP trans disciplinary themes and end up looking quite different. We want ours to be in ‘How We Express Ourselves’, because, as Silvia Tolisano says, ‘We are preparing students for a time when what they know is not as important as what they can do with what they know…’
It quickly becomes apparent that
we can never rehash an old unit, because we are always learning.
some of the understandings from last year are no longer relevant and we need to shift the focus from consumption to creation.
having 1:1 iPads has changed the way students do things and teachers see things.
our approaches to teaching literacy and literature require some radical new thinking, as might our definitions of both.
we need to ensure our students are learning ‘now literacies‘, (Silvia Tolisano) so they can engage effectively in a world very different from when their parents and teachers went to school. (So why does so much of school still look the same?)
there is endless potential for global collaboration to enhance authentic learning within this unit and the teachers are finally ready. (See my first ever blog post FIVE years ago! We have been chipping away, but there is so much more we can do…)
the teachers will need to pursue their own inquiries if this unit of inquiry is to be a success… but then, that is what inquiry teachers do.
So how do I tag this post? Is it about planning? Digital citizenship? Inquiry? Concept driven learning?
Headphones on, each member of the group watches their assigned video and considers how it fits into the PYP trans disciplinary theme ‘How the World Works’…
Inquiry into the natural world and its laws, the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
Sharing back with the group provokes discussion about what excites us, connections we see, problems solved and issues raised and the varied aspects each of us might find interesting to explore further. We look at the ways people apply scientific knowledge to solve problems, meet needs, create art…
We check which of the science strands are addressed by the videos and highlight the relevant concepts in each.
This is not a classroom, it’s a collaborative planning session.
The goals are as follows-
To get the teachers excited about what’s possible
To highlight the fact that science is everywhere
To encourage us to observe and notice science around us
To provoke thinking about the ways humans apply scientific knowledge
To create a context in which to plan for student learning and inquiry.
We’re planning for our PYP exhibition* unit and it’s the first time we’re exploring it in the theme of ‘How the World Works’.
The teachers are already excited about…
provoking our learners’ curiosity
inquiry that is real, relevant and engaging
opportunities for exploring passions
the possibilities for creativity and innovation
observing and really noticing the world
the potential to change perspectives
opportunities for learners to use a broad range of skills
scope for hands-on making and doing
bringing all the learning from previous years together
the potential to include the natural world, art, technology, ethics…
And concerned about…
ensuring it goes beyond being ‘just a science fair’
opportunities for action as a result of the learning
We’re keen to hear from other PYP practitioners who have explored ‘How the World Works’ for their exhibition units, in particular if it was a dynamic, student centred, passion driven, authentic learning experience for all.
* I hope in the IB PYP review, they decide to replace the term ‘exhibition’. It makes it sound as if the focus is on the product, when the most important aspect should be the process of meaningful, in-depth, personal and collaborative inquiry, drawing together all the skills and attitudes they have developed over time – Learners taking responsibility for their own learning.
In aconcept driven, inquiry based learning environment, we do NOT plan a series of activities to ensure coverage of the requirements of our national curriculum.
Instead we spend our planning time reflecting collaboratively, exploring which conceptual lenses will produce the deepest learning and designing a few powerful provocations to generate student thinking and inquiry.
The Australian curriculum expects us to ‘cover’ a large amount of geographical knowledge in Year 6 including, among other things –
The location of the major countries of the Asia region in relation to Australia and the geographical diversity within the region.
Differences in the economic, demographic and social characteristics between countries across the world.
The various connections Australia has with other countries and how these connections change people and places.
The effects that people’s connections with, and proximity to, places throughout the world have on shaping their awareness and opinion of those places.
We start our planning session by revisiting the reflections at the end of last year’s planner. Some of the teachers who taught the unit last year share what went well and what can be improved. Joc is concerned by the lack of depth and we realise that we had too many different lines of inquiry. Michelle feels the students had many misconceptions and generalisations…
There’s no point in trying to include too many aspects of the Australian Curriculum if the learning is superficial as a result. As Cristina suggests in her post, we need to ask ourselves ‘To what end?’
We revisit the big ideas and consider which conceptual lenses will help our learners break down misconceptions and result in deeper learning.
As we develop the rubric for conceptual understandings, we go back and forth, change our own and each others’ minds and realise that we need to change one of the concepts to better achieve the desired end. This part of the planning takes time, but it’s well worth the investment. Planning learning engagements will be simple once we know where we are heading and why.
Using ‘reflection‘ (How do we know?) as one of our conceptual lenses will provide opportunities for our learners to reflect on preconceived generalisations and stereotypes. At the start of the unit of inquiry they will be able to say what they THINK they know about different countries and HOW they know. By the end, we hope they can explain how some of their preconceptions have changed as a result of acquiring new knowledge and developing understanding.
Once we are satisfied with that, the central idea needs rewriting …
‘Deepening our knowledge about the world takes us beyond generalisations and stereotypes’
With this big idea as the through-line, learners will have a clear sense of purpose, as they interact with people in other countries, find out more about the factors that influence how they live (causation) and explore how countries are interconnected (connection).
They will have opportunities to focus on their own areas of interest, to question and wonder, read, view and talk to primary sources… all the while increasing their knowledge, deepening their understandings and making sure they go beyond stereotypes and generalisations.
(At the time of facilitating the collaborative planning session, this seems like a good direction, but I’m never certain. Feedback, questions and challenges welcomed…)
Once upon a time (in what seems like a faraway land, in another lifetime) students went to the computer room and the library for isolated weekly lessons.
When we acquired laptops, the roles of Linda and Fiona, eLearning Facilitator and Librarian respectively, changed. They shifted to flexible timetables, going into classrooms, as required, to deliver specific lessons, team teach or support teachers and students with resources or tech trouble shooting.
This year, every student in Year 4- 6 has their own iPad and it’s clear that the traditional Librarian and eLearning Facilitator roles are shifting again. Resources are at the learners’ fingertips, devices are easy to use and apps are intuitive. It’s evident that iPads, by their very nature, promote inquiry learning. As Linda points out, there’s no need for the e in eLearning any more. And the once distinct roles of librarian and technology teacher have blurred, resulting in a dynamic partnership of overlapping skills and ideas.
In this week’s meeting, I ask the Learning Team Leaders –
What’s the most obvious way to eat these biscuits (cookies)?
With that out of the way, everyone writes down as many other ways as they can think of to eat them. Once we’re past the obvious, the ideas get more creative and, the more time people have to think, the more unusual the ideas they come up with. I love this exercise, borrowed from Heidi Siwak’s recent blog post.
The group notes that-
creativity takes time
looking at things from different angles helps generate new ideas
we need to be prompted to think beyond obvious solutions
hearing others’ ideas can spark creative thinking
At this point I ask everyone to think creatively about Linda’s and Fiona’s roles.
Initiatives already in place
Active participation in collaborative planning sessions with teaching teams
Curation of online resources to support learning (Netvibes)
Working together to develop understanding of how to evaluate online resources
Establishment of e-book, audio-book and video-book libraries
Responding to teacher needs individually, in groups or whole school sessions as required
Leading whole grade level collaborations
Expanding the use of blogs to promote global interactions
Introduction of Twitter, supporting kids and teachers in developing global PLNs
Collaboration with the music teacher, using Garageband
Animation (collaboration with the art teacher) and film-making workshops for Y6 PYP exhibition groups
Once we’re ready to spend some time looking beyond the obvious, a range of new ideas are generated.
Suggestions
Dropping into classrooms and responding to learners at point of need
Introducing new projects for small groups of students
Becoming involved with learning in other contexts, such as the kitchen garden
Working with individual students on personal passion projects
Promoting trans-disciplinary learning by building connections with specialist teachers
Helping students define and refine inquiry questions
Integrating learning in ever more organic, authentic ways, not isolated out-of-context lessons
What’s next?
Fiona would like to collaborate with the Art and Music teachers on a unit of inquiry exploring multimodal texts and the way eBooks incorporate video and music.
Linda’s next project is to meet with the new Year 4 and 5 tech minions, see what needs they perceive and develop their program with them accordingly.
We’ve only begun to look at new possibilities and we’d love to hear about how these roles are developing and shifting at your school…
And, while we’re thinking creatively, who else in the school has knowledge and skills that can be drawn upon in new, different and innovative ways?
‘Language is a vehicle for communication and self expression.‘
It’s a starting point for a central idea for a new inquiry unit in How We Express Ourselves and no-one in the room is excited. The draft central idea seems like a statement of the obvious and teachers are concerned that it might not have the potential to invite student inquiry. We can see opportunities for the development of skills and outcomes in our English scope and sequence, exposure to Aboriginal culture, obvious links with second language learning and wonderful ways to incorporate the arts. If we can come up with possible directions and some great provocations, we’ll be happy to let the learners lead the way…
… Inquiry teachers are not afraid to let go.
It’s the pre-thinking stage and we have yet to explore the potential by investing some time in our own inquiries. An interesting way to provoke initial thinking is via google images. A quick search for ‘language’ generates pictures of different kinds of scripts, people communicating, sign language charts, ancient writing, translations, symbols and signs. We’re off on our own tangents, considering different perspectives, exploring in different directions. My personal inquiry has already taken me to Steven Pinker, Mark Pagel and the National Geographic Enduring Voices project…
… Inquiry teachers are inquirers themselves.
The range of questions teachers generate themselves is an indication of what’s possible… What is language? How can we communicate without language? How do writers use language effectively? How is spoken language different from written language? How would the world be different if everyone spoke the same language? How has language evolved over time? How does slang develop and evolve? How does body language impact on communication? How do gestures communicate meaning in different cultures? Why do some languages not have words for concepts we have in English? How does language shape culture? How does culture shape language? Why are many languages becoming extinct?
… Inquiry teachers are more interested in questions than answers.
We consider the conceptual focus. We might explore language through the lenses of function, connection and change. The big ideas (related concepts) might include communication, expression, culture, systems, relationships, adaptation, literature…
What Ed Said 