Relinquishing control: Presenting (orderly) student-centered

discussion/debate activities

Steven KushnerBremen High School District 228

2013 October Institute

Discussions: Preparation/Purpose

ENGAGE/ MOTIVATE EMPOWER

ADVANCE CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Learning becomes dialogicLearning becomes student-centeredLearning becomes enjoyable

Noise meaningful learning

Set the rules…

Language matters No free passes

What is a “thingy?”Emphasize Academic Language.

Don’t’ let our students get away with “bad” language. This is not a grammar exercise, but a knowledge comprehension exercise. Ask students to clarify if, while explaining a concept, they use the terms…

“thing” “thingy”“these” “those”

“whatcha-ma-call-it”“somethin”

“ya know what I mean”

No Free Passes: “Phone a Friend” Don’t let our students get away with “I don’t know...”

1. If a student does not know an answer, don’t be so quick to look for someone else… Have them “phone a friend” who knows the answer2. Then, return to the original student who has to repeat back the answer

* Students are forced to be attentive because they know I will always come back to them for the correct answer *

(1) Discussion to engage/motivate

Post-it: Live Data Chart

1 2 3 4 5

1 2

3 4

5

6

7

8

9

10

On a scale of 1-5 (1=uncertain; 5=certain), howconvinced are you in the theory of evolution?

1. Begin with a (controversial)statement on the board2. Create a frequency graph asseen on the right3. The X-axis can be scales, names, data, agree-disagree…etc..4. Each student receives a post- itnote and comes to the board toexpress their opinion5. Both the teacher and students analyze the data to spark discussionon the topic and student attitudes

Cross-disciplinary Examples

Math – What is the most effective way to reach this solution? (A. 25+25+25+25= 100, B. 2 X 50= 100, C. 102 =100…etc.)

History – On a scale of 1-5 (1=unjustified, 10=justified), how warranted was the U.S. in dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in WWII?

Science- To solve the world’s energy crisis, which technology would you invest in? (A. wind power, B. solar power, C. Ethanol fuel…etc.)

English – Which character do you identify with the most in Lord of The Flies (A. Ralph, B. Piggy, C. Jack, D. Roger)

***We must do something “emotionally relevant” every 10 minutes to reset our attention

How the Brain Works (Medina, J. 2009)

Turn-and-teach.After 10-15 minutes of lecturing, pause, and underscore one topic you just covered (e.g. sleep cycle, REM vs. NREM). Ask students to “turn-and-teach” – this becomes a verbal command for students to turn to a neighbor and verbally re-teach what they just learned. Then, ask who has mastered the material and “TEACH ME BACK.”

(2) Discussion to empower

Gallery Walk. Turn your classroom into an art gallery

1. Images/text/data are placed on the walls around the room 2. In groups of 3-4, students walk and stop at each location 3. Students carry a notepad and answer specific questions provided by the teacher4. After 3-5 minutes of analysis, rotate to the next “canvas”

4-Corners.STRONGLY AGREE

AGREE

STRONGLY DISAGREE

DISAGREE

1. Begin with a controversial statement 2. Students pick a side of the room based on their beliefs (strongly agree, agree, strongly disagree, disagree)3. Students shake hands with one person in their corner4. They are given 30 sec. to discuss with that person their opinion regarding the statement5. Teacher brings class back together. One or two representatives from each side are chosen to speak. Attitudes are debated6. Repeat with another statement…

4 Corners

“The current dysfunction in Washington D.C. is primary caused by the Republicans”

Cross-disciplinary Examples

Math – “Mathematics is a language”

History – “The 2nd Amendment should be abolished”

Science- “Global warming is a myth”

English – “The Great Gatsby is a reflection of today’s society”

(3) Discussion to advance content knowledge

No Recycling.

Why should stem-

cell research be

funded?

Where does racismstill exists in the U.S.?

Group 1: College enrollment

Group 2: Access to healthcare

Group 3: Voter restriction laws

Group 4: ???

EASY

DIFFICULT

1. Write questions on butcher block paper and tape them to the walls around the room 2. Divide class into groups of 3-4 students3. Each group is assigned to a poster to analyze question/statement4. After 2-3 minutes, teacher yells “rotate” and students move to the next question***Twist: Students CANNOT write the same answer as the previous group. Group members must brainstorm and come up with a different, original answer/line of reasoning.

Motivating the Unmotivated