Booting up for the New School Year

Though a new pair of boots are essential for the school year, that’s not what I’m talking about here!

 

Aren’t words fun!! I led a three-day workshop this week that started out being called “boot camp”– but after some discussion, the week-long session was retitled with the words Professional Development–a decision which better described the educational thoughts that were being shared there and the need of teachers to take part in training. That got me to thinking about words, of course, and the multiplicity of meaning…for words, for realities, for actions. Anyway, I digress….read on as digress in yet another direction….booting up for the new school year…and I don’t mean putting on my fatigues….I hope no teacher feels that way!

This week’s seminars and workshops shared classroom strategies with 4 -12 teachers that offer collaborative learning experiences and enhance students’ sense of independence. Moving away from direct instruction, we were developing stations that would allow the students to work independent of the teacher on various aspects of their content knowledge and skill building.

We also addressed reading and writing strategies…and I was emphasizing the need for mental models that allowed students to construct their thoughts in ways that reflected the individual nature of their connections and inferences. There are numerous ways to introduce and develop mental models. The easiest with the least technology demands are teacher created masters, but those just aren’t much fun for kids, nor do they allow students to be constructivists about their own way of knowing. Using technology, Word offers easy incorporation of hierarchy charts…just click on insert and there you go…change box shapes, change colors, redirect arrows, all kinds of opportunities for making and remaking connections.

And better yet, if you can, use online technologies for engaging mind maps. Traci Gardner of NCTE blogged about this very subject this week, so rather than me reiterate her fine work, go ahead and read Traci’s blog. She provides a variety of web sites that can fill your specific classroom and student needs.

I don’t know about you, but I always looked towards late summer with torn emotions: excited to get back into the classroom but sorrowful that the summer break was coming to an end. Even now, as a professional development provider, I feel that same sense of duality. Rested from a Door County Vacation and energized through summer classes and new reading, I look forward to sharing ideas and experiences with a new set of teachers. But I must confess, I will miss lazy mornings and long lunches sitting on my porch with the Golden Retriever at my feet and Joe, my black tom, curled up in my lap.