I many times find myself guilty of complaining that there is such a wide range in my classroom. I have readers that range from levels H to Z. This seems overwhelming at first, but Ballenger is correct, EVERY student can bring greatness to a discussion. Students can learn a lot from one another, and this is something that can be extremely valued. I utilize turn and talks many times in my classroom because I like students to hear other students' ideas and interpret them and use them to grow even bigger ideas. I have also started to practice stopping time so that I can understand the full value of what students are bringing to the classroom conversations.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
How Students are Represented in Puzzling Moments
In Puzzling Moments, Cynthia Ballenger depicts students as possessing a wealth of knowledge. She believes that all students are capable of learning and that every idea that they have is worthy of sharing. Ballenger believes that the issue is not with the student, but with the way that the teacher responds to the student. Teachers need to study what their students are saying through different lenses and value every thought. I loved her chapter called Who Gets to Feel Scientific? The chapter title is deceiving or idiomatic because it implies that certain people do not get to feel scientific, however, Ballenger surprises the reader and shares the idea that ALL students can feel scientific if we take the time to value what they are bringing to the classroom. The part of the text that I most closely related to was when Ballenger wrote, "Initially in any class there are some children whose ideas just stun us because they seem so powerful. Wow, we may think, let everyone hear that. And there are others who seem to be on a different planet. It is a very common complaint of teachers that we can't teach to such a range" (69). The author goes on to discuss how we can take this range and use it to our advantage.
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Yes, Ballenger points out that it's hard for teachers to see that all students are capable learners and thinkers because there are so many moments when students' articulation of their thinking and ideas seem to make no sense. When students say things that don't meet our expectations or our line of thinking, we tend to dismiss their contributions. Ballenger, however, views these moments as crucial to teachers' learning about their students and how they are making sense of the world and the curricula:
ReplyDelete"I knew that their ideas were serious and that they more puzzling they were to me, even the more naive they sounded, the more respect and attention I had to give them. I kept a record of them, imperfect and partial and often almost illegible, but something to help me continue to think about what they had in mind."
We need to train ourselves to pay more attention to these odd, puzzling moments because they are the gateways to students' wealth of knowledge. Nothing children say is truly by accident or irrelevant.
After reading this chapter, I thought about what goes on in the classroom I am in now, and what I do to hear all the students. Like Stephanie, I make sure I do about 2 or 3 turn and talks throughout the mini lessons for a number of reasons. First it allows the students to hear their classmates responses and thinking, two it allows those students who struggle with an idea of what to say hear their classmates and get ideas, and three turn and talks allow students of different levels share what they know.
ReplyDeleteSomething else that I do at the end of the workshops is I allow 3 people to share at the end to the whole class. By the end of the week each student has had a chance to share his or her writing or reading. This highlights the different range of learners. To be honest there are times that I am puzzled with what a student shares and says, but after reading this book I have stepped back and been more reflective, and I analyze what it is the student says. There is a reason for everything, if I just take the time to look more closely at it.
I agree - I know that with such a variety of leveled learners in my classroom, my students can still learn from each other. This heterogenous group of students each come with their own experiences and have something to share during each lesson. Students are always filled with ideas; they simply need the time and place to share them all. There is truly a value in their thoughts and shares. Beyond some of our greatest expectations, even our most "reluctant" students are contributing a wealth of learning and ideas for others when given a special opportunity.
ReplyDeleteBallenger definitely values this and has a heart for children's thoughts and it was eye-opening, and at the very least challenging for sure.