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
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 *
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.”
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…
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”
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.
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