Joy, as I'm reading this over, I think it's dawning me on what you're asking, at least what I think maybe you were trying to ask us. Are you maybe thinking of a "slogan" such as librarians, etc. put on cute bulletin boards? Like at the beginning of the year when people put things by their door so kids can recognize their room easily? Like Hop into our Pad, only not that silly? I've now confused myself amazingly well. I'm with whomever said to please tell us more about what you were asking. There's something about the word "theme" that we are all defining according to our own schema, and maybe you weren't even asking anything about as deep as we're (I'm) thinking. Are you thinking of a specific use for why you'd want to name a theme one thing or another? Please clear up my fuzz! Bev
On Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 9:28 AM, thomas <sally.thom...@verizon.net> wrote: > Hi Joy, Beverlee, etc. > > I got some of my ideas about developing inquiry yes from Harste, Burke and > Barbara Flores and others from that wonderful connected group of educators > many of whom are directly connected to the Goodmans and each other(thinking > here there were some great articles in the Whole Language Catalog)...But I > also got ideas from Coalition of Essential Schools and maybe they were > influenced also by the above. Whatever, a useful way to think about > themes....especially those that lead to an inquiry stance is to ask > "essential questions." Find the overarching question (or several > interrelated questions) that is rich and authentic, keeping in mind the > interests and developmental levels of your children and yes, sometimes, > even > the expected "curriculum" at your grade level. In other words you gain > little by working against the science or social studies focus of your grade > level per your particular state. (Some would differ with me here and its > not like sometimes I didn't ignore that as well) > > It would sometimes take me weeks to figure out what the big question was, > one that would include the concepts and strategies and knowledge that I > wanted to cover. Phrasing it as a question I think automatically turns it > to a sentence rather than a simple topic. Even if you start with a topic, > if you turn into a question it pushes you on that inquiry journey and to > deeper thinking about the topic. For example, your students would like to > study horses. Ask why do horses play such a central role in the life of > some Native American nations? Remember our Mosaic work and how learning to > ask good questions is more important than giving right answers?? > > Next I think through the concepts(deeper understandings) I expect children > to learn through this inquiry. Then I figure out the critical knowledge > that they'll work with. Yes, knowing "some" stuff, some facts is > important. > But this forces me to narrow this down to pivotal knowledge, not just > collections of facts, dates etc. that could be tested on a multiple choice > test! > > Then I think through the skills and strategies they'll use to accomplish > their inquiry - group and individual. > > Then and possibly throughout I consider the underlying values and > assumptions underlying my plan and consider how they might emerge in the > children's work. I always ask myself the social justice, fairness kind of > questions here. How will different perspectives be privileged in this > work? > How will I respect the diverse children in my class and so on? > > Then I figure out how I will assess how we are accomplishing, whether we > did > accomplish (formative and summative assessment) and I run that back through > All of the above to add, delete, refine etc. > > Then I begin work on resources and particular ways to begin the unit and so > on. In some ways, this last step is where I used to start my planning. > But > doing all the other thinking above results in much better teaching and > learning I think. It is open to emerging understandings and information > because I start with the stance that the question is a real one for me, not > just the children. > > Gosh, sorry if I've gone on to long. It just always help to think through > what we're doing and I love it that the whole question > of themes has emerged here. > > Sally > > > > > On 6/19/09 3:50 AM, "Joy" <jwidm...@rocketmail.com> wrote: > > > > > Beverlee, > > If there is a group that can help me push my thinking, this is it. I'm > > pondering your suggestion that sentences are needed to describe themes. > That > > is an interesting idea. Does the sentence narrow the concept, or does it > > broaden it? > > > > I wonder if I struggle with this because our standards are given to us in > bits > > or because I am not thinking globally? I always thought I was a big > picture > > kind of person, maybe I'm mistaken. I can see how things tie together, > and > > have developed projects that are integrated, but struggle with the label. > > > > > > > > Joy/NC/4 > > > > How children learn is as important as what they learn: process and > content go > > hand in hand. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Mosaic mailing list > > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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