Let the Kids Talk!
Recently I had a very enlightening
conversation with a professor of mine from my graduate studies at Frostburg
State University. He is still teaching early childhood development classes at
the university and though he has many years in he said he has no desire to
retire as long as he is still teaching and helping children. He said something
to me I would like to share with all educators. He said, “If a child is really
learning you will see their speech pattern change because they will begin to
ask you the questions. If the child is being compliant they will let you ask
all the questions and not say a word. “ I was very inspired by his statement.
It made me think that we should never act as scripted robots when we teach. It
is so easy to slip into that scripted teaching mode because with all the new
national standards and curriculum guides everything is scripted and thought out
for us. We need to remember why we became teachers it is not to read from a
script or teach to tests, but it is to create well-rounded children who can
think for themselves, problem solve, and communicate their ideas. My professor
told me he has a great concern about the direction early childhood education is
heading. He said he sees less of children being creative and expressing
themselves through conversation skills and more of a teacher directed approach
with less time for children to talk. He also mentioned his concern for
“think-time” for the children. He said he sees many teachers hurrying children
along in their responses or not letting then respond at all during a lesson
because the teacher feels they need to “get it all in.” I know as teachers we
feel all the demands of standards, curriculum guides, and tests but we must
remember we are teaching children not robots and that we all teach all
different kinds of children will multiple learning styles. Do you find it hard
to let kids have think time? Do you feel the pressures of standards and pacing
guides? Do you feel like we are focusing more on what we are to say to the kids
than what the kids are saying to us?
Two references I would like to share are
listed below. The first is a link to a PDF article that addresses the Reggio
Emilia Approach. The second is a book my professor recommended and said should
be on every educator’s bookshelf.
The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio
Emilia Approach Advanced Reflections- can be found on amazon.com
I completely agree with your thoughts in this area. I have to say that I am very lucky where I work. We have adopted a balanced literacy program, so we have no textbooks. We go by the standards to develop our teaching based on our given curriculum. For example, we have to teach various units in our science curriculum, but we are free to go about it in any manner we see fit (as long as we are targeting the standards). I have dabbled in the Reggio Emilia approach, better known as the Project Approach in the U.S. I have also tried out the Bank Street approach and love both of these methods; they both center around the children's interests and where they want the lessons to go. They are highly student directed and constructivist in nature. I absolutely love being able to create the environment for learning, rather than the environment being created and given to me. I would hate having to read scripted lessons.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, in the undergraduate course in which I teach, we just finished learning about Direct Instruction (DI). It has scripted lessons, and the students in the early childhood grades become little robots, answering in unison. There is no thinking and there is no socializing. My students commented on how militant it was and how they would never send their child to a school that proposed using such a program. If you have never seen or heard about DI, please view the links below and let me know what your thoughts are on it. I even joined a blog, which I am including the link for, so that you may express your thoughts on it as well. The man whom I was conversing with thinks DI is the best approach to learning, yet he could not provide me with evidence of how children develop across the domains when using it.
https://pragmaticreform.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/direct-instruction/comment-page-1/#comment-330 (link to the DI blog)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVXOXPtZAVE
(video on DI in EC classroom)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_LUgjcdS4U
(another video on DI in classroom...from EC up to 8th grade)
HI Dixie,
DeleteI have used DI. I've used Reading Mastery for multiple years. This program teaches the students reading through scripted lessons. Yes, it does require the students to answer on signal but the program is effective in teaching letter sounds and building reading. I was hesitant at first but as an intervention program it does work. Reading mastery develops fluency of sound knowledge working in cognitive domain.
I also use a program called Language for Learning. This program helps build vocabulary through signal response. The students participate in actions, follow pictures, and problem solve using pictures. It is also an effective intervention meant for short periods of time. Language for learning develops vocabulary literacy and problem solving skills in cognitive domain. The student's physical domain is also activated through action games.
Direct Instruction has its place in the curriculum but should not be used as the sole instruction. In my opinion it does serve well as an intervention.
Dixie thank you for reading my blog post! I do agree with Sharon that Direct Instruction does a place in the the curriculum however, I do think it should be a SMALL place because we are using DI for almost all instruction in my school and my students are like robots. I do the best I can with finding time for other types of creative thinking approaches, but with pacing guides and standards to meet I find it difficult to get around DI. I also find it difficult for my lower level thinking students. My high flyers can roll with the DI approach and do well with it. They are the students who are always responding to questions that are asked. My lower level thinkers are sinking!
DeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteThat was a very interesting and appropriate post. You are absolutely right, we don't give children enough "think time" because we're trying to "get it all in." I have to be careful of this myself. I find myself cueing children and giving them options for the correct answer without giving them enough time to think of the answer on their own. I agree, the creativity is lacking and everything around the child is killing all chances of creativity ( Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, ipad apps). As educators we must encourage our children to think out of the box by being models and thinking out of the box ourselves!
Melissa thank you for reading my post. I too am a "cue giver." I find it hard at times to not be and I do try to think about it and do it less. I like what you said about us as teachers having to be models. You know and I know students watch your every move and some model everything you do because they look up to you. We need to use that leverage to teach them to be outside the box creative thinkers!
DeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteI am fascinated by your professor's quote. “If a child is really learning you will see their speech pattern change because they will begin to ask you the questions." I haven't thought about it like that but see where his statement is true. Students will only start to ask those questions is think time is allocated. As professionals we do need to adjust the curriculum to the students and not to the guides provided by district personnel that are far removed from the classroom. Thank you for your inspiring post.
Sharon Lloyd
I am so happy I could share my professor's quote with others. He is an amazing man with much knowledge to give. I am truly blessed to have him as a resource in my career. I too had not thought about children asking questions verses me asking all the questions. I can honestly say since talking with my professor I do give my students more think time and I encourage them to ask questions more and be deeply involved in our classroom conversation. The kids love it! They want to be involved and they need to know we want them to be involved!
DeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the quote from your professor. It made me think about what goes on in many schools today. As a couple of people have mentioned in their posts, the existence of direct instruction is more prevalent in many classes than we would like to admit. As you stated, it is used because of the standards that have to be taught. Like you, I also agree that it should have a small place in our schools because children simply do not get enough time to think.
I have a friend who had her children in a school where there was only direct instruction. Everything was so dictated to them that even in their social life they did not know what to do unless someone told them. Something so simple as having free time is still difficult for them. These children are now 12 and 14 years of age and have difficulty with creativity and thinking on their own. How do we change this when teachers are so pressured by standards?