Tag: professional development

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39 Ideas to Incorporate Teaching about Learning

So, I love metacognition. And teaching about learning. You know this if you’ve read more than a post or two here.

And, I love talking with teachers about teaching, and I know that many teachers are kind of daunted by this (“metacognition” sounds so Latin, or Greek, or something, and the to do list is already long). But it doesn’t have to be hard or super time consuming to incorporate.

(I have a keen sense of how long my teaching to-do list is, and little desire to extend it unnecessarily) 

So I put together a workshop to talk to other teachers about metacognition, and learning about learning, and fostering student independence, and keeping it all manageable. 

And I took it on the road. At least, I took it on the Zoom. (Silver linings of pandemics, it is easier to present at out of state conferences and events) 

But, the people who organize conferences have a lot to fit in. And the people going to conferences have a lot to get to, and also, zoom fatigue. So, I had 75 minutes. 

75 mins sounds like plenty of time. Except, I tried to make this presentation work three different times over 6 ish months, and I’ve learned a lot about delivering online PD, and let me tell you, it is not a lot of time. 

I have started over from scratch before each conference, trying to make it work the way I wanted it. And, after a very work-y weekend, I am happy to say,  the third version is so. much. better.   (Finally.) 

But, making it better meant acknowledging that 75 minutes was short, and I needed to focus, even if I have a million things I could  talk about. 

That old writing advice: “Kill your darlings”

Or, at least, relocate your darlings. 

So, here my friends is the darling that just doesn’t quite fit in the 75 minutes:

You can fit teaching about learning into any class. 

I fit it into my math class. 

I have a colleague with a whole unit in an ESOL. 

And, I know another teacher with ideas for a science class about brains. 

There’s definitely the intense, high-prep way to do this (see the phrase “a whole unit”) 

That’s cool, but not, actually my darling. 

I’m interested in the version you can manage on a random Wednesday, without a major curriculum design. 

The formula to teach about learning in any class:

Replace a text or prompt or topic with one that focuses on a learning process. 

You’re going to be looking for an article to read, or a topic to read about, or a video to watch or whatever anyways, so it’s not that  much more work to look for one that helps students learn about the learning process. 

“One that helps students learn about the learning process” might be study tips, or research on how memory works, or a profile of a student who has succeeded, or encouragement, or something about neuroplasticity (brains change!) that supports a growth mindset. 

And then, you do your thing.

Newsletter subscribers, I added a list of readings, videos and other materials to get you started to my free subscriber resources. Click here to access or sign up.

That seems like it should fit, even if 75 minutes is kind of short. And, it does, more or less. What doesn’t fit are the 39 examples I generated to show how in might work in math, ELA, ESOL, science, social Studies, ESOL, or digital literacy class.

Fortunately they fit here: 

39 Ideas to Incorporate Teaching about Learning

(1) Read articles about learning to practice vocab or (2) fluency with emerging readers. (3) Practice finding topic sentences and supporting details. (4) Use a passage from a learning article to practice punctuation in an ELA class. or (5) as comprehension or (6) dictation activity with ESOL. 

(7) Practice visual literacy by analyzing an infographic.

(8) Research and write guides for other adult learners with study tips. (9) Or write the guides for kids.  (10) Display your research as a bulletin board. (11) Or make a video to show at orientation or in classes. (12) Practice presenting or speaking skills by teaching peers. 

Read or watch profiles of successful students. (13) Write a summary, (14) map it out with a graphic organizer or (15) compare it to story arcs or other narrative structures. (16)  Read several and write a compare/contrast.

(17) Interview peers about what helps them learn for speaking and listening practice (18) Or, ask about challenges. Then (19) brainstorm with a mind map or other visual or (20) research solutions to common ones.

(21) Watch videos as a brain break. (22) Or make the video a listening comprehension exercise for ESOL. (23)Analyze it for persuasive techniques. 

(22) Do a survey about learning. Use the data to (24) make graphs.  (25) Analyze it with percents, (26) ratios, (27) fractions or (28) central tendency. (29) Ask survey questions on a number line with(30) fractions, (31) decimals or (32) signed numbers.

(33) Make the survey with GoogleForms, or (34)practice formatting in Word. (35) Or compile data and make graphs with Excel to practice digital literacy. 

(36) Use the survey to talk about representative and biased samples, (37) or about sample and population, (38) or about research methods. (39) Make a hypothesis and discuss whether the data confirms it. 

39-Ideas-to-Incorporate-Teaching-about-Learning-in-Any-Class

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High quality teacher professional development (PD)

I am in a season where I am spending a lot of time in PD. (or I was, before we all started practicing social distancing, more on that below)

I’ve been (and will be) a participant in some, lead some and planned a few more, talked with colleagues, friends, family about it all. 

And, the good and the less-good of it has got me thinking about what makes good teacher PD good.

Short answer: Pretty much the same things that make for good teaching with our students: belief in them, flexibility, engagement, a holistic approach.

The long answer (or at least, my long answer)

Good PD believes in teachers:

Coming from frustration about what teachers aren’t doing, even if you’re right that the X you want is better than the Y they are doing? That shows. And it makes people not want to come to PD and/or check out once they’re there. I believe teachers want to do well by their students, and they’re doing the best they can with what they’ve got, and it’s my job as a facilitator to encourage and inspire and provide resources until the best they can is better. 

Good PD is reality based

Evidence based and research based get a lot of play. They’re important, and probably deserve their own bullet, but it hardly seems necessary since its on so many other lists. But I would argue for reality based, too. If I’m going to deliver something that is helpful, I need to have accounted for the reality that teachers and students are working in. Can this idea adapt and flex if students are frequently absent, and the supply budget has been spent, and class hours are limited (and prep hours even more so)? If not, I’m not ready to share it, because that’s the reality where teachers will be trying to implement it. 

Good PD engages teachers as learners and professionals

Partly, this is basic active-learning pedagogy. Lets not spend 3 hours with a powerpoint and a passive audience. But even if we spend 3 hours in small groups and pair-shares and poster sessions, but the point is merely to deliver the answers that someone has already figured out… I’m missing out. A room full of teachers is a powerful problem-solving resource: lets engage them.   My job is to ask good questions, to bring new resources, ideas and information, to share what I know and move the conversation forward; not to make pronouncements

Good PD supports the whole-person

I’m pretty businesslike, by default. But, I know that when I go to PD, I definitely want the information — but I might also want a break from the minutia and stress of the day to day, and a chance to stretch my brain and feel like I’m growing, and to connect with colleagues.  This is why face to face still beats a webinar or a series of online modules. As a facilitator, it’s helpful for me to remember that it’s not all about me, and it’s not even all about my content.

4 Elements of High Quality Teacher Professional Development Believes in teachers Is reality based Engages teachers Is holistic

And, yet.

As I write, events and institutions all around are declaring temporary closures for public health reasons and we’re all trying to figure out digital. ASAP. (myself included)

And, so, I’m looking at my list with a different focus. How can I translate these?

The first two, I’ve got. I still believe in teachers, I still want to share reality-based solutions. Engagement, I’m working on. A chat box is not as rich as a pair-share, but there are tools, and we can figure out how to use them.

It’s the last one that’s got me stumped. (And that makes me hope we’re all healthy and able to gather again soon.) I’ve had webinars that were informative, or interesting, or useful. But screen time, even informative, interesting screen time, is rarely refreshing or rejuvenating. (I think the folks doing extended online learning might have more tools than one-time events…?)

I’m pondering and googling (it’s what I do).

Also, seeking suggestions, if anyone has cracked the code.

Also, wishing everyone good health and a quick return to normalcy.

Also, sharing a few links to ideas I’m finding helpful in crafting human-scale digital professional development