The Thoughtful Use of Time in the Classroom

1. The Thoughtful Use of Time in the Classroom PJEP, March 27th, 2014

2. To ponder… • “Effective instruction in language, literature and the content areas begins with thoughtful, artful organization and planning.” • Fountas and Pinnell, 2001

3. Integration • Students use language to learn in all subjects. Their overall language development in happening in all subjects, not just during the literacy block. Therefore, literacy instruction becomes a part of all subject areas. Once you are familiar with the language expectations for your grade level, you can plan ways in which reading, writing, media literacy and oral language are combined with content learning.

4. For example • During the literacy block, youngsters are learning to write complete paragraphs, these skills will be called upon when writing about a notable Canadian in Social Studies or a report in Science. Conversely, when delving into a Science topic the teacher may ask the youngsters to make inferences after reading a picture book or find key points after reading a non-fiction work.

5. Integrated Units and Cross-Subject Planning • We have addressed these ideas before but it is worth revisiting the topic • Integration is the only way to work with the curriculum expectations • Students don’t segregate subjects, so we need to support them in making connections among the big ideas and essential questions that we are asking

6. Asking Essential Questions • The focussing questions will frame the learning in the unit. • So we begin by generating questions that are important, interesting and relevant to the youngsters, open-ended, arguable, offering multiple perspectives and viewpoints, clearly stated and concise, lend themselves to research and thought and lead to new questions and explorations

7. Social Justice • What do people mean by social justice? • What are bias and prejudice? • How can you deal with bias and prejudice • How can we fight against injustice in our everyday lives? • How can literature impact social justice? • How can art help change societies?

8. Heroes and Heroines • What makes someone a hero or a heroine? • Can you define a hero • What mental images do you get when you hear the words; heroes and heroines? • How do present day heroes and heroines compare with those of the past?

9. Examples… • The Effective Guide to Instruction in Reading, Grades 4 to 6, Volume 3 offers many frameworks for making this happen in your classroom. • Let’s spend some time working our way through the planning samples and day plan samples • What do you notice, what questions do they raise?

10. Skills-based • This approach supports learning across the curriculum • Content is what we teach and learn • Process skills are what connects the grades and the curriculum areas • They move children towards enduring understandings • They are applicable in multiple contexts

11. Examining the day plans that you brought • How can we take our understanding about time and effective learning environments and make purposeful choices • Look closely at the plans that you brought, jot down your observations and areas of concern; • what decisions would you make if you were in a position to change how the day is structured? • what can we rethink and remove? • what should we continue?