Strategy comparison chart to help me brainstorm for new strategies in my job setting
|
Critical thinking 1 |
Creative thinking 2 |
Motivational techniques 3 |
Cooperative learning 4 |
|
++critique ++ review + debates +++W questions +ranking ++reflection/evaluation +summarize/rank ++flowcharts/trees +trials +classify/taxonomies ++identify main points +++compare & contrast ++find patterns ++semantic feature analysis ++discover relationships ++form hypothesis ++finding errors ++considering implications ++recounting ++critique |
+++brainstorming +++creative writing +story telling ++How might we ? ++stream of consciousness writing ++checkerboarding +++ analogies/metaphors +synectics +++webbing ++free association ++role playing ++second best answer +diaries/journals +++just suppose… +creative dramatics ++fantasizing ++make familiar unfamiliar ++what is most fantastical solution? most outrageous? most desired? +attribute listing ... |
+rewards ++novelty, variety ++++choice ++++responsibility +++interest +++intensity ++++personal contact +++pos. before neg. comments +++flexibility +++involvement +++icebreakers +++goals +++volunteers ++self-eval. +++celebrations +++democratic voting +change roles ++reduce hierarchy +++minimize comparisons +++include minorities in examples |
++work c partners ++student contrib. +++group discuss. ++team tourn. +gallery tours ++problem b. learning +symposiums +++debates +++face to face interaction +team goals +++divide tasks +++develop sense of team +++accountability ++interdepend. +group eval. +++mixed groups
|
++++extremely likely to use
+++ very likely to use
++likely to use
+may use
Numbers represent the particular strategies involved in each idea:
Critical thinking = 1
Creative thinking=2
Motivational techniques=3
Cooperative learning=4
3 -note cards with interests, hobbies, favorite cities, etc. as ice breaker at the beginning to the semester
2 -What are possible topics for compositions? Have students brainstorm.
1,2 -What vocabulary words might students use for comps? Have them brainstorm and then classify words according to topics
1,4 -divide students into teams to do work; give each group task, have them summarize material & rank according to importance
3,4 -have student lead class, symposium
1,4 -have students summarize class in groups, ask to recount
1,3 -have students bring in current topic articles, have them summarize, state main idea, how relates to class
1,3,4 -have students debate topic in class, rebuttals, summaries
1,2,3,4 -peer editing in groups, pos. comments before constructive crit. comments, summaries of peers' work (eg. with comps.)
1,2,3,4 -do exercise on metaphorical thinking, have students read a short poem and have them point out metaphors and then explain or elaborate on them, comment on images that come to mind, describe them or draw them (can work in groups or alone)
1,2,3,4 -debate environmental issues, major corp. on trial, corp must justify actions, jury decides whether guilty or not
2,3 -have students create own poem, free verse, they pick one topic from list or make up own, encourage metaphorical thinking
3 -assign one student each day to organize groups. Teacher gives numbers, student decides how to divide groups (student assigned previous day)
2,3,4 -read poem and role play, one or two students can be the poetic voice of the poem, another person can play role of nature, or objects in poem, act out poem
1,3,4 -at end of chpt. have students summarize material covered, each student is responsible for a section of unit, compare and contrast ideas and topics, rank themes according to class interest
3 -middle of semester note cards, what are current interest, joys, stressors, have students share in groups
2,3 -at beginning of semester have students think of word that best describes them and have them match it with their first name. For example, Joe party, Lisa library, etc. Praise for most creative nick names
1,2,3 -give students choices in the topics they choose for an assignment, or they can come up with their own. Have them rank topics according to preference or interest
1,2,4 -role playing-one student plays museum tour guide & must present and discuss paintings, aesthetic features, feelings paintings evoke, etc.
3,4 -pass out student and teacher evals. At mid-semester, keep teacher evals anonymous so students feel free to speak their minds
2,3 -at the beginning of year ask students what ideal semester of Spanish for them would be, goals, expectations, fears, worries, etc.
3,4 -make four conscious celebrations each day, have students join in praise
3 -when grading papers don't grade in red, use other colors-purple, off colored blues, orange, etc. Celebrate best point of student's work, give constructive feedback on the weakest point, make some personal comments when appropriate
3 -encourage students to discuss grades, be flexible
3 -be enthusiastic when teaching, be honest about the way I feel on a particular day
3 -move around room, speak with individual students, groups, give each student attention
3 -when setting time limits for students to do activity, always ask them if they need more time
3 -greet students as they come in, ask how classes are going, etc.
3 -show top three compositions to class, say why good, what can be improved
Strategies that I might use for a graduate student reading course in Spanish that I will be teaching second summer session.
3 -note cards with interests, hobbies, favorite cities, etc. as ice breaker at the beginning of semester
1,2,3 -give students choices in the topics they choose for an assignment, or they can come up with heir own. Have them rank topics according to preference or interest
3,4 -make four conscious celebrations each day, have students join in praise
3 -when grading papers don't grade in red, use other colors-purple, off colored blues, orange, etc. Celebrate best point of student's work, give constructive feedback on the weakest point, make some personal comments when appropriate
3 -be enthusiastic when teaching, be honest about the way I feel on a particular day
3 -move around room, speak with individual students, groups, give each student attention
3 -greet students as they come in, ask how classes are going, etc.
1,4 -divide students into teams to do work; give each group task, have them summarize material
& rank according to importance
3 -encourage students to discuss grades, be flexible
Strategies that I can use when teaching lower level courses in Spanish during the year.
3 -note cards with interests, hobbies, favorite cities, etc. as ice breaker at the beginning of the semester
2 -What are possible topics for compositions? Have students brainstorm.
1,2 -What vocabulary words might students use for comps? Have them brainstorm and then classify words according to topics
1,4 -divide students into teams to do work; give each student task; summarize material & rank according to importance
1,4 -have students summarize class in groups, ask to recount
1,2,3,4 -peer editing in groups, pos. comments before constructive crit. comments, summaries of peers' work (eg. with comps.)
2,3 -have students create own poem, free verse, they pick one topic from list or make up own, encourage metaphorical thinking
3 -assign one student each day to organize groups. Teacher gives numbers, student decides how to divide groups (student assigned previous day)
1,3,4 -at end of chpt. have students summarize material covered, each student is responsible for a section of unit, compare and contrast ideas and topics, rank themes according to class interest
3 -middle of semester note cards, what are current interest, joys, stressors, have students share in groups
1,2,3 -give students choices in the topics they choose for an assignment, or they can come up with their own. Have them rank topics according to preference
3,4 -pass out student and teacher evals. At mid-semester, keep teacher evals anonymous so students feel free to speak their minds
2,3 -at the beginning of year ask students what ideal semester of Spanish for them would be, goals, expectations, fears, worries, etc.
3,4 -make four conscious celebrations each day, have students join in praise
3 -when grading papers don't grade in red, use other colors-purple, off colored blues, orange, etc. Celebrate best point of student's work, give constructive feedback on the weakest point, make some personal comments when appropriate
3 -be enthusiastic when teaching, be honest about the way I feel on a particular day
3 -when setting time limits for students to do activity, always ask them if they need more time
3 -greet students as they come in, ask how classes are going, etc.
3 -show top three compositions to class, say why good, what can be improved
Strategies I intend to use when teaching outside of the Spanish and Portuguese Department
3,4 -have student lead class, symposium
1,3 -have students bring in current topic articles, have them summarize, state main idea, how relates to class
1,3,4 -have students debate topic in class, rebuttals, summaries
1,2,3,4 -do exercise on metaphorical thinking, have students read a short poem and have them point
out metaphors and then explain or elaborate on them, comment on images that come to mind, describe them or draw them (can work in groups or alone)
1,2,3,4 -debate environmental issues, major corp. on trial, corp must justify actions, jury decides whether guilty or not
2,3,4 -read poem and role play, one or two students can be the poetic voice of the poem, another person can play role of nature, or objects in poem, act out poem
2,3 -at beginning of semester have students think of word that best describes them and have them match it with their first name. For example, Joe party, Lisa library, etc. Praise for most creative nick names
1,2,4 -role playing-one student plays museum tour guide & must present and discuss paintings, aesthetic features, feelings paintings evoke, etc.
3 -encourage students to discuss grades, be flexible
1,2,3,4 -Problem-based learning, have students contribute to a Web page throughout the semester that outlines a particular genre or period of literature being studied. Students would work in groups and be responsible for adding to or editing the Web page. Students would choose section of Web page they were interested in-historical information of the period, biographical information of authors, summaries of literary criticism relevant to period or genre, etc.
After having reviewed the various categories of strategies that came out of the initial brainstorming that I did, I have realized that I would be more likely to use more of the strategies that fostered creative thinking on the part of the students when outside of the Spanish and Portuguese Department. Many of the critical thinking and cooperative learning strategies would fit nicely into the course that I already teach within the department. Many times I feel that I do not have the leeway to explore more creative strategies such as role playing, creative writing, creative dramatics, journals, flexibility, etc. The methodology for lower-level language instruction used in our department employs cooperative learning through group activities, share-pair groups, etc., as well as critical thinking strategies such as summarizing and ranking, comparing and contrasting, classifying, etc. However, we are not encouraged to be overly creative in our instruction, at least not in an overt way. I certainly would not feel comfortable using role playing in any of the lower-level courses I teach or have taught. I realize that my department is seeking consistency and cohesion within its instructional methods and among its AIs, but I truly believe we are also squelching the motivation and creative potential of many students.
So, I have decided to try to incorporate as many creative strategies as I can while remaining within the instructional guidelines of the department. Meanwhile, I can continue to develop creative strategies and ideas about strategies while taking courses within the School of Education. Furthermore, I hope to tutor Hispanics from the Bloomington community through the Public Library's Vital program, and I'm sure I can employ and develop more of the creative strategies in this setting. I do not mean to paint such a bleak and dreary picture of the Spanish and Portuguese Department, but as someone truly interested in students and their education, I find the limitations placed on me a bit frustrating.
One way in which this exercise has been extremely helpful to me is that is has helped me sort out the various strategies that we have covered in this course (creative and critical thinking strategies and cooperative and motivational strategies), and begin thinking about how I can employ some in my current setting as well as the future setting in which I hope to teach. This exercise has also helped me realize just how many critical thinking and cooperative learning strategies I already employ through my department's instructional methodology. Being able to name the strategies and understanding the dynamics of the strategies themselves as well as the goals behind them, I believe I will be able to correctly employ them, and let the students know what the benefits are to using such strategies. In short, I think having taken this course has benefitted me as an instructor and will benefit the students I teach.