Teaching Theme of the Week

by Cara Bafile, Education World®

When seventh grade science and technology teacher Warren Phillips was invited to teach the "gifted and talented" class at Plymouth (Massachusetts) Community Intermediate School three years ago, he politely declined, noting that he didn't really like seeing the best students pulled aside to do extra work. He added that he thought those students should be treated as a valuable resource, performing service to the school, community, and beyond. To his surprise, the administration came back to him a week later and told him to give his idea a try.

"I agreed and researched all summer, finding many great high school and college service-learning classes, but nothing for middle school. So, I created Helping Others While Learning (HOWL) with our advanced seventh grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) students," recalls Phillips. "It took a while for teachers in the buildings to buy in, but once they understood what a valuable service the students were, they allowed a very flexible schedule."

Phillips tells his students that he will lead them for the first have of the school year, and then he expects the students to lead him for the second half. He asks them to consider the needs of the building, the community, and the world, and decide what they would like to address. Next, they brainstorm about those needs and about possible projects.

"A good service-learning project is one that has a great impact both on the people serviced and on the HOWL students," Phillips explained. "I do not teach technology -- we use technology. We need to learn whatever the task requires. For example, Excel databases need to be set up if we produce and graph a climate survey for the principal. We need to learn how to use everything in the television studio -- from audio, video, and cameras, to editing on Adobe Premier -- when we produce TV shows for a cable education channel. We also invite guests based on school and community needs."

Phillips' class has produced Public Service Announcements for television and the Web to promote its causes. They have planted flowers with students who have special needs, created Jeopardy games that focus on curriculum topics, and presented school-wide initiatives such as the Heifer Project. Although all the projects have been enjoyable for Phillips, his favorites involve the students teaching other kids.

During the program's first year, the Forefather's Monument Society asked for help with its restoration efforts. HOWL students, working with the organization, decided to hold a walk-a-thon to raise funds. One month from the scheduled event, the society called and said it planned to cancel the event because a primary fundraiser had an ill family member. Two students took the lead and chose to move forward on their own, with the support of the 23 other HOWL students. The event was a huge success.

"This year, HOWL student Madison B. wanted to help other students with their MCAS tests, because many were stressed out and frustrated. She came up with the idea of Homework Buddies, a mentoring program that takes place after school," shared Phillips. "She proposed it to the administration herself, with my guidance, and was approved to elicit her peers to form a mentoring group. She recruited 25 students! Then, she went to each fifth grade classroom and did a presentation to encourage them to come after school. It was, and is, a great success."

For Madison, the mentoring program fulfilled a desire to help other kids. "Homework Buddies not only helps fifth graders, but also helps older students who want to make a difference," she told Education World. "You get two for the price of one -- a friend and a learning experience. For after school help, it's a more comfortable environment working with a Homework Buddy than with a teacher."

The level of commitment and effort that the students invest in their HOWL activities continues to amaze Phillips. He often actually has to limit the time students put into their projects because their parents report that the students want to stay up late and keep working. Anyone can and should conduct service learning as a part of teaching, says Phillips.

"We should be educating the whole child," he added. "If you include service learning, no child will ever ask, 'Why are we doing this?' This is purposeful learning and emotional learning. With my HOWL students, I emphasize that it's not how smart you are; it's how you use your smarts."

Related NEA Resources

• What It Takes to Build a Service Learning Project
• Making the Connection
• Learning, In Deed
• Service Projects Can Help Students Find Their Voice

Copyright © 2008, EducationWorld.com, used by permission

Teaching Theme of the Week

by Brenda Dyck, Education World®

Author and educator Rick Wormeli notes in his book, Fair Isn't Always Equal that differentiated instruction is more than dividing students into groups -- the key is putting them into groups based on what you know about them.

In the book, Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom, author/educator Rick Wormeli has given middle and high school teachers the book he wishes he had had when he began teaching.

Recognizing that most educators struggle with moving differentiation from theory to practice, Wormeli's newest book takes teachers behind the scenes of preparing a differentiated lesson, pulling together the research from a variety of differentiation experts, and offering practical advice gleaned from his own experiences teaching in a differentiated classroom.

Wormeli talked about his newest book and how the principles of differentiation not only result in sound teaching practices but lead to the professional "aha" moments or mini-epiphanies that fuel teachers to keep going.

Education World: What is (and what isn't) differentiation?

Rick Wormeli: The first thing that comes to mind when defining differentiated instruction is understanding that it is maximizing the learning that can happen over what traditionally happens with "one size fits all" lessons. At any point when you're choosing to maximize what students learn, as opposed to settling for what they can learn, that is indicative of a differentiated class.

In the book I use the phrases finessing the students for the curriculum and finessing the curriculum for students. I think it has to go back and forth -- so for example, you would teach the students to advocate for themselves by asking them which of the multiple intelligences best works for them or what their learning style is. Now I'll encourage students to advocate for those things in my classroom and in other people's classrooms. That would be a sign of a differentiated class.

A big part of a differentiation is flexible grouping, but not individualized instruction -- that is a bit of a myth. No one is asking everyone to do independent programs for every single child. We're talking about flexible grouping within the class and making sure that you're adjusting your instruction based on assessment that means in a differentiated class there is a heavy emphasis on formative assessment over summative assessment Emphasis on summative assessment is a sign of a non-differentiated class.

In a differentiated class, the principal should be able to walk down the hallway and happen to see you -- with no pre-planning, no advanced warning -- and ask you, "How did assessment inform one of your decisions this week regarding any student or group of students?" Your answers to that should trickle off your tongue right away; it should be very easy to answer.

There are some people who think differentiating is just putting kids in groups. That's only part of it; differentiation is putting them into groups based on something you know about them. So just putting them into groups is not differentiation. But putting them into groups that are purposeful, based on their individual needs -- now we're talking a differentiated class.

EW: Does scaffolding fit into differentiation?

Wormeli: Scaffolding is huge in the differentiated classroom. Scaffolding has a variety of different definitions. I'm looking at it in terms of providing lots and lots of direct instruction early on -- a template perhaps that students follow word-by-word -- lots of support, lots of direct instruction, and then slowly removing those platforms over time so that eventually the student or groups of students can fly solo and be autonomous to the teacher in performing the task as described by the standard.

EW: What are some of the tools that are needed to manage differentiation in the classroom?

Wormeli: There are lots and lots of tools. One would be that you'd get to know the students so well you'd know what buttons to push with them and you'd then push those buttons. That's a very important part of differentiate instruction.

You're going to be required to be flexible. You need to consider, "Am I giving them more work or less work?" as opposed to -- and the preferred way -- "Am I giving them different work?" Change the nature of the task, not so much the quantity of the task.

You need to think about:

• Am I going to modify the content? (which is your legally mandated curriculum)
• Am I going to modify the process by which they learn the content?
• Am I going to modify the product where they prove what they learned?
• Am I going to modify the emotional atmosphere (or the affect) of the room?
• Am I going to change the learning environment? (whether it be self-contained or different groups or using adaptive technology)

I might use constructivism at one time, but another time Bernice McCarthy's format model sounds good. You don't want to be in a rut -- in fact, a really good differentiated teacher is vigilant against being in a rut.

Additional Resources

• Preparing Teachers for Differentiated Instruction
• Paving the Way for Differentiated Instruction
• Standards-Based Teaching and Differentiation
• Readiness Differentiation
• School Issues Glossary: Differentiated Instruction
• Ways to Engage, Nurture Middle Schoolers

Copyright © 2008, EducationWorld.com, used by permission

Homework

NEA Teacher Quality and Research Departments provide this online venue highlighting professional research on best practices in educational issues.

Some researchers are urging schools to take a fresh look at homework and its potential for engaging students and improving student performance. The key, they say, is to take into account grade-specific and developmental factors when determining the amount and kind of homework. So, what's appropriate? What benefits can be expected? What makes for good homework policies? Research doesn't have all the answers, but a review of some existing data yields some helpful observations and guidance.

How Much Homework Do Students Do? 
Survey data and anecdotal evidence show that some students spend hours nightly doing homework. Homework overload is the exception rather than the norm; however, according to research from the Brookings Institution and the Rand Corporation (see the Brown Center 2003 below). Their researchers analyzed data from a variety of sources and concluded that the majority of U.S. students spend less than an hour a day on homework, regardless of grade level, and this has held true for most of the past 50 years. In the last 20 years, homework has increased only in the lower grade levels, and this increase is associated with neutral (and sometimes negative) effects on student achievement.

How Much Is Appropriate? 
The National PTA recommendations fall in line with general guidelines suggested by researcher Harris Cooper: 10-20 minutes per night in the first grade, and an additional 10 minutes per grade level thereafter (e.g., 20 minutes for second grade, 120 minutes for twelfth). High school students may sometimes do more, depending on what classes they take (see Review of Educational Research, 2006).

What are the benefits? 
Homework usually falls into one of three categories: practice, preparation, or extension. The purpose usually varies by grade. Individualized assignments that tap into students' existing skills or interests can be motivating. At the elementary school level, homework can help students develop study skills and habits and can keep families informed about their child's learning. At the secondary school level, student homework is associated with greater academic achievement. (Review of Educational Research, 2006)

What’s good policy? 
Experts advise schools or districts to include teachers, parents, and students in any effort to set homework policies. Policies should address the purposes of homework; amount and frequency; school and teacher responsibilities; student responsibilities; and, the role of parents or others who assist students with homework.

References

The Brown Center on Education Policy. (2003). Do students have too much homework? The Brown Center Report on American Education. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution.

Harris Cooper, Jorgianne Civey Robinson, and Erika A. Patall. Does homework improve academic achievement? A synthesis of research, 1987-2003. Review of Educational Research 2006, vol.76: 1-62. Does homework improve academic achievement? (Abstract)

Other Resources

Gill, B. P., & Schlossman, S. L. (2003, Fall). A nation at rest: The American way of homework. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 25(3). For a summary and comments from the authors, see press release from Carnegie Mellon.

U.S. Department of Education. (2002). Helping your child with homework. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Report in NEA Series on Underserved Groups

A Report on the Status of Blacks in Education—Moving Beyond Barriers: Strategies for Black Student Success in the 21st Century (2008) is one in a series of reports that draw on proceedings of national summits (see more below) that bring together researchers, national leaders, and NEA members to discuss the problems experienced by underserved groups in education and promising strategies for change in policy and practice.

A Report on the Status of Blacks in Education (  PDF, 4098 KB, 78 pp) (Note: this file may take a long time to load) opens with a pictorial timeline on Black education and includes a comprehensive overview of each challenge area, pertinent statistics, NEA actions, and strategic recommendations from the experts.  

The report contains the following content:

Historical Milestones in Black Education
A timeline mapping the history of Blacks in the United States, simultaneously addressing the legacy of historical injustices that have led to the state of current education.

Focus Area: Closing the Achievement Gap
Current issues within the education system that contribute to the Black-White disparity that needs to undergo dire remedies.

Focus Area: Educating Black Males
Statistics and recommendations for educators, policy makers, parents/guardians, and community organizations about the importance of improving the status of Black males in society.

Focus Area: High School Dropout Prevention
Statistics and recommendations to put plans in place for dropout prevention.

Looking to the Future: Conclusion

Resources

Other Reports in the NEA Series

» A Report on the Status of Hispanics in Education  (2006) (  PDF, 635 KB, 90pp)

» Status of American Indians & Alaska Natives in Education (2005) (  PDF, 1,825 KB, 54pp)

» A Report on the Status of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Education (2005) (  PDF, 604 KB, 46pp)

National summits: In June 2007, National Education Association hosted its first "National Summit on the Status of Black Education." The Summit brought together over 100 key leaders from academia, communities, and industry - and NEA members - to discuss what can be done to address top issues facing today's Black students and youth. Through a series of moderated discussions, summit participants, special guests, and a panel of experts worked to outline policy recommendations and practical strategies for addressing three top challenges in the education of today's Black students: closing Black student achievement gaps, educating Black males, and high-school dropout prevention.

Teaching Theme of the Week

by Brenda Dyck, Education World®

Don't throw the past away
You might need it some rainy day
Dreams can come true again
When ev'ry thing old is new again.

~ Hugh Jackman, from the song, Everything Old is New Again

You know you're getting older when the new fashion trends remind you of the styles you wore back in high school. I often wish I had kept a few of my 1970's clothes; those peasant shirts and bell-bottomed pants would fit right into today's fashion scene -- that is if I could still fit into them!

The same is true of education. Some of the pre-technology projects we've discarded could fit into today's classroom if we spent some time pondering how one of the Web 2.0 tools could be integrated to give it a facelift and bring it more in line with the preferences of 21st century learners. Following are a few suggestions you can use to update some of those dusty projects from the past.

Tele-Collaborative Projects

When Everything Old...
Some of my favorite teaching memories involve technology-supported projects that linked my students not only to the Internet, but to project work with learners across the city, country, and world. For many students, that was their first chance to collaborate internationally and to correspond with students from places like Inverness, Mississippi; Tel Aviv, Israel, and Boston, Massachusetts. Using e-mail, students corresponded with their international peers on important topics like homelessness, restorative justice, and children's rights. Publishing student work online opened up numerous possibilities to move students from being consumers of information to creators of new content.

Is New Again...
Web 2.0 tools have given teachers a new vision for telecollaborative projects. Easy to use wikis and blogs have put the creation of technology-supported projects within the reach of every classroom teacher -- particularly those don't have the technology skills needed to create a Web page to house their projects. The award-winning Flat Classroom Project demonstrates how telecollaborative projects can expand learning by incorporating free and easy-to-use Web 2.0 tools like Skype, podcasts, private social networking pages with audio and text and video uploading capacities, and teleconferencing.

Pen Pals

When Everything Old...
When I was in Grade 5, an exchange teacher came from England to teach at our school. During his one year stint at my school, he made a point of introducing us to English culture whenever he could. We were thrilled when he arranged for each student in our class to have an English pen pal for the year. We corresponded with our pen pals throughout the year via snail-mail (the only way to do it in 1964) and, for many of us, it was our first-ever experience with global collaboration. I vividly remember the day my best friend decided that writing was not enough and decided to phone her pen pal in England. Having a chance to actually talk to her English pen pal was heavenly and many of us wished we could do the same thing.

Is New Again...
Fast forward to today. You're studying about the Maritimes in Social Studies and you've registered on ePals for a pen pal from Newfoundland for each of your Grade 5 students. The students have sent a few e-mails back and forth, but like my 1960's friend, they've discovered that written correspondence has its limitations. Desiring to take this learning experience to another level, you take advantage of the opportunities that Skype presents and set up a time when your class can Skype the class in the St John's, Newfoundland. You've just provided a voice-to-voice learning experience that will expand the walls of your classroom and open up possibilities for your students to become global partners with students across the country or across the world.

Novel Studies

When Everything Old...
If you're a language arts teacher, you likely have a few novel studies gathering dust in your file cabinet. Let's face it, novel studies can be pretty boring if all students do is read and answer questions. How can you make those novel studies more engaging and in tune with 21st century learners?

Is New Again...
Jerome Berg's Google Lit Trips project transports the study of books like Make Way for Ducklings, By the Great Horned Spoon, and The Grapes of Wrath, to new heights by combining it with such digital mapping tools as Google Earth. Jerome's unique take on the novel study involves stories that include a trip of some sort. Google Earth's alluring 3-D terrain, along with pop-up windows containing images, video clips, and primary sources, challenges students to think deeply about the themes, characters, and settings found within the book. Digital mapping tools like CommunityWalk provide a somewhat simpler format to work with, so even the novice language arts teacher can try his or her hand at digitalizing a favorite novel study.

The list of ways you can update an older project is endless. Below are a few more Web 2.O tools worth exploring. They might be the very thing that will transport a favorite old project into the 21st century!

• From Teacher First: Safe Web 2.0 in the Classroom
• Back to School with Web 2.0
• Read, Write Tools for Educators

Copyright © 2008, EducationWorld.com, used by permission