And Our Purpose Is?

What does it mean to be free?  How have people struggled to be free?  How do beliefs influence actions?  These were the essential questions I posed to 8th grade students during a model lesson a few weeks ago.  The unit chapter was framed around the American Civil War; however, I contend there is a bigger picture, a larger focus, and one worthy of our attention, as we set the purpose for our study.  Why do we study the Civil War in the first place?  What is more important: to memorize the names and dates of the battles, to identify the major players in the Union and the Confederacy, to drown in pages and pages of discrete facts and recall knowledge, or to understand the greater concepts of social and economic beliefs and differences, as well as, the basic right of freedom? I think most of us would agree on the answer.

The problem is many standard statements and curriculum objectives are written around what students are doing, as opposed to what students should understand; therefore, we are failing to address a complete and rigorous purpose for the lesson. For instance, two of the standards in this case were, (1) Discuss struggles to gain rights for citizens… and (2) Create a timeline with significant events leading to the Civil War conflict...  My response is, “Why?”  We must keep asking ourselves as we design units of study, "Why is this important?  What do we want students to understand and be able to do?"  Creating a timeline and engaging in a discussion are fine strategies, but we must remember both are a means to a greater end.  They are just the "to do." 

Reflecting on the enduring understandings, the larger focus, the bigger picture, why a unit of study is important for learning…these concepts help us create the essential questions that will make curriculum relevant to students.  Essential questions such as “What does it mean to be free?” allow us to make connections beyond isolated facts and skills.  They create a larger focus and inquiry that connects learning to the student’s life beyond the classroom.

Back to the lesson, my favorite moments were when students made connections to other struggles for freedom in the world, past and present. They mentioned the Holocaust, the Civil Rights Movement, the American Revolution, and Syria; and when I asked for a thumbs up/thumbs down on whether the struggle was over, I'm sure you've predicted the response!  This is the kind of deep learning that can happen when the purpose for the learning is an enduring understanding, a concept, as opposed to a topic or the next chapter.

* My thanks to Dr. Judi Jenkins and the DeQueen School District in DeQueen, AR for inviting me into their classrooms and for the opportunity to engage with their exceptionally cooperative students.  Likewise, it was pleasure to engage with reflective and professional colleagues.

Explain/Defend/Justify

ExplainDefendJustify

These are Larry’s famous last words.  Mine are in the same ballpark.  Every time a student gives me a response, I follow-up with something like: “How did you know that?’  “Can you tell me more?” or “What makes you think so?”

If you’re thinking this sounds familiar, you’re right!  In my Questioning Strategies and Fear of Failure entries, I address this issue with suggestions.

In reality, if we do not create a culture where students can explain and support their responses, we cannot be certain they understand.  We cannot be sure students can explain their own thinking; thus, demonstrate how they know.

Furthermore, I’ve lost track of the number of times in recent months I’ve been told by a student, “I don’t know.”  My response is always, “Yes, you do.”  This usually needs followed-up with one or more prompting questions to activate prior knowledge and possibly further questioning on the student’s responses.  You see I am confident there is something going on inside that brain!  I want to find an entry point where I can establish some degree of understanding of both the student’s prior knowledge and the motivation behind the behavior (non-responsive.)  We cannot accept “I don’t know” and move on to the next student.  These responses may come from shyness, fear of failure, and yes, sometimes, lazy thinking, which we as educators have allowed.

Perhaps educators are guilty of lazy thinking, as well.  After all, this is not an easy process.  It is not for the weak minded.  It requires intentionality with questioning from the very start of the planning process.  It takes effort to design appropriate questions.   Then, once we are in the classroom and in that moment, it takes practice and thinking on our part to ask “the right question” when reacting to a student’s initial response.  Depending on the student’s response, what is my response?  What’s my next question?  My wheels are always spinning!

This I know for sure; the process is more proficient and much easier to implement when we begin by asking students questions like the ones I mentioned in the first paragraph after every response…when we intentionally require students to defend, explain and justify their responses!