Reflecting on Learning

1. Reflecting on Learning SESSION 4

2. Overview Becoming an Independent Reader is a professional learning resource with four sessions: Engaging Early Learners Making Thinking Visible Supporting Student Inquiry Reflecting on Learning Overview

3. Key Messages The purposeful integration of the four roles of the literate learner supports higher-order thinking and student independence in early primary classrooms. An inquiry approach to teaching and learning leads to student and teacher efficacy and supports the development of independence in reading. Ongoing reflection on research findings and classroom practices deepens the professional knowledge of educators and informs their teaching practices. Ministry resources (e.g., monographs, webcasts and curriculum documents) support early primary teachers in planning effective literacy instruction. Overview

4. “In adopting an inquiry stance, we push our beliefs out of their resting positions and engage in a cycle where new knowledge provokes new questions and where new questions generate new knowledge.” – MitziLewison, Christine Leland, Jerome HarsteCreating critical classrooms: K –8 Reading and Writing with an Edge (2008, page 17)

5. Setting the Purpose This session probes the following questions: • How does metacognition support early primary students in reflecting on their learning and talking about it independently? • How can listening and questioning strategies support students in making their thinking and learning visible? • How does the integration of the four roles support students in becoming reflective, independent literate learners?

6. AskingEffectiveQuestions “There is a fine line between a question that encourages the student to think and one that provides the student with too much information or inadvertently solves the problem for the student. Being able to straddle this fine line comes with reflective practice.” – Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction Grades 4-6 Volume 1, 2006, Ontario Ministry of Education

7. A Student-Teacher Reading Conference in Grade 1 View a video on the web: Student Teacher Reading Conference Grade 1

8. PrimaryAssessment “If we attend to individual children as they work, and if we focus on the progressions in learning that occur over time, our detailed observations can provide feedback to our instruction.” – Marie Clay (2005)

9. Questioning and Listeningin Grade 1 View a video on the web: Questioning and Listening Grade 1

10. Connecting the Documents…Asking Effective Questions and Let’s Talk about Listening “Students who engage in focused discussions of their reading tend to read more.” – Gambrell & AlmasiLively Discussions: Fostering Engaged Reading, 1966

11. Consolidating the Learningin Grade 2 View a video on the web: Consolidating the Learning Grade 2

12. Thinking about The Four Roles of the Literate Learner Click here to connect Click here to connect Click here to connect Click here to connect Adapted from Literacy for Learning: The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario (2004). For discussion purposes only.

13. Thinking about Inquiry What are the learning needs of our students? What do they already know? What do they need to learn and do? How do we build on what they know? • What was the impact of: • the learning tasks/experiences? • our teaching actions? What are our learning needs? What do we already know that we can use to support student learning needs? What do we need to learn to do to support student learning needs? What sources of evidence/knowledge can we utilize to learn this? What teaching actions will support student learning within the tasks and experiences? What learning tasks and experiences can we design to support student needs?

14. Collaborative Teacher Inquiry reciprocal relevant adaptive collaborative reasoned reflective iterative

15. Moving Thinking Forward “Confirmation bias” is the tendency to seek confirmation of what we already think, believe, know and do. When we read professionally, our natural inclination is to focus on the things that confirm what we already think, believe, know and do. Katz and Dack suggest that in order to “intentionally interrupt” the confirmation bias, we should highlight the things we don’t agree with and create an opportunity to make our tacit knowledge explicit – to create the conditions for possible real, new learning.” – Adapted from Steven Katz and Lisa DackIntentional Interruption (in press)

16. Connecting Theory and Practice “With such wide and varied bodies of knowledge to explore, and limited time to act on the specific needs of students, it is important that the use of expert knowledge is strategic and purposeful.” – Collaborative Teacher Inquiry, Capacity Building Series, 2010, page 4 Research articles to support ongoing professional learning are available to all members of the Ontario College of Teachers in the Members Area/ Margaret Wilson Library. Click here to connect

17. Research Reflections on Session Four Launching Self-Directed Learners (Costa & Kallick, 2004) Talking in Class: Remembering What Is Important about Classroom Talk (Johnston, Ivey, & Faulkner, 2010) Children’s Self-assessment of Their School Work in Elementary School (Elder, 2010) Using Self-assessment in Elementary Classroom (Bingham, Holbrook & Meyers, 2010) Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Answer (Aukerman, 2006)

18. Curriculum DocumentsSessions 1 – 4 All resource and curriculum documents used in Thinking about Thinking sessions are available online in PDF – click to download file to desktop. • The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Language, 2006 (revised) • The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Science and Technology, 2007 (revised) • The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Mathematics, 2005 (revised) • The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: The Arts, 2009 (revised) • The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Health and Physical Education, 2010 (revised/interim edition) • A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4 to 6 – Volume One, Foundations of Literacy Instruction for the Junior Learner, 2006 Part 1 & Part 2 • The Full-Day Early Learning – Kindergarten Program, 2010–2011 (draft version) Resources

19. MonographsSessions 1 – 4 All monographs used in Thinking about Thinking sessions are available online in PDF – click to download file to desktop. • Asking Effective Questions in Mathematics – Capacity Building Series, 2011 • Collaborative Teacher Inquiry – Capacity Building Series, 2010 • Critical Literacy – Capacity Building Series, 2009 • Getting Started with Student Inquiry – Capacity Building Series, 2011 • Grand Conversations in Primary Classrooms – Capacity Building Series, 2011 • Integrated Curriculum – What Works? – Research into Practice, 2010 • Integrated Learning in the Classroom – Capacity Building Series, 2010 • Let’s Talk about Listening – Capacity Building Series, 2009 • Primary Assessment – Capacity Building Series, 2010 • Student Identity and Engagement in Elementary Schools – Capacity Building Series, 2011 Resources

20. Research ArticlesSessions 1 – 4 All research articles are available online in PDF to members of the Ontario College of Teachers. Click here to proceed. • Session 1 • The Ecology of Learning: Factors Contributing to Learner-centred Classroom Cultures (Crick, McCombs, Haddon, Broadfoot, & Tew, 2007) • The Classroom Environment First, Last and Always (Roskos & Neuman, 2011) • Philosophy in Primary Schools: Fostering Thinking Skills and Literacy (Fisher, 2001) • Organizing Literacy Classrooms for Effective Instruction (Reutzel & Clark, 2011) • Session 2 • Making Thinking Visible – How to Promote Engagement, Understanding and Independence in All Learners (Ritchhart, Church & Morrison, Karin, 2011) • Critical Literacy in Australia: A MatterofContext and Standpoint (Luke, 2000) • Using the Everyday to Engage in Critical Literacy with Young Children(Vasquez, 2009) • Teachers Talking to Young Children: Invitations to Negotiate Meaning in Everyday Conversations (Gjems, 2010) Resources

21. Research ArticlesSessions 1 – 4 • Session 2 (continued) • The Nature of Student Teacher Discourse in an Elementary Classroom (Dickson, 2005) • Orchestrating Discussions (Smith, Hughes & Engle, 2009) • Teachers Talking to Young Children: Invitations to Negotiate Meaning in Everyday Conversations (Gjems, 2010) • Session 3 • It’s a Mystery: A Case of Implementing Forensic Science in a Preschool Science Inquiry (Howett, Lewis & Upson, 2011) • Reading Through a Disciplinary Lens (Juel, Hebard, Haubner & Moran, 2010) • Inquiring Minds Learn to Read, Write and Think: Reaching all Learners Through Inquiry (Wilhelm & Wilhelm, 2010) • An Early Start on Thinking (Epstein, 2008) • New Horizons in Comprehension (Keene, 2010) Resources

22. Research ArticlesSessions 1 – 4 • Session 4 • Children’s Self-Assessment of Their Schoolwork in Elementary School (Elder, 2010) • Using Self-assessment in Elementary Classrooms (Bingham, Holbrook & Meyers, 2010) • Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Answer (Aukerman, 2006) • Launching Self-Directed Learners (Costa & Kallick, 2004) • Talking in Class: Remembering What is Important about Classroom Talk (Johnston, Ivey & Faulkner, 2010) Resources

23. HandoutsSessions 1 – 4 • Checklist for an Inclusive Classroom Community • Learning Environment Document Statements • Four Roles of the Literate Learner • Thinking about Inquiry • Making Thinking Visible Document Statements Resources

24. VideosSessions 1 – 4 • SESSION 1 • A Child’s Perspective on Reading 1.02 • Teaching with an Inquiry Stance Grade 1 / 2 Teacher 3:11 • Authentic Real-life Inquiry Kindergarten 4:27 • The Gradual Release of Responsibility 7:19 • Peer Conferencing in Grade 2 2:43 • SESSION 2 • Talking About Learning in Kindergarten 2:14 • Reading Different Texts Grade 2 4:03 • Play-Based Learning in Authentic, Real-Life Contexts Kindergarten 2:17 • Relevance and Authenticity: Articulating Values and Beliefs and Taking Action Grade 2 6:20 • Reading the World: Allan Luke 5:12 • SESSION 3 • It’s About a Repertoire: Allan Luke 0:44 • An Inquiry Approach to Learning Grade 1/2 Teacher 3:06 • Inquiry in Kindergarten 3:06 • Sharing Learning in Grade 1 2:11 • SESSION 4 • Student Teacher Reading Conference Grade 1 4:26 • Questioning and Listening Grade 1 3:14 • Consolidating the Learning Grade 2 5:55 Resources