reading reflection 7

Description of the levels of classroom discussions.

It is important to have discussions in the classroom throughout a project.  The book argues three levels of classroom discussions. The first is Teacher to Teacher. Teachers should be communicating with each other at all times during a project.  They should be talking about knowing what the project is about, how to better the project, and the student’s success.  But those are only a few examples, there are so many more. The second level is Student to Student. Students should be communicating as much, if not more than the teachers.  We want them telling each other what they are learning, their experiences, and how to better other students for a better way of learning.  The last level is Teacher to Student.  To me this is the most important level of them all.  We have to meet with our students individually as much as we can when we teach.  We have to let each student know our expectations, but also LISTEN to our students thoughts about how to make a project better.  

Discussion on the questions for “checking in” on students during a project.

We will find as teachers that each group/student is going to be working at different paces throughout a project.  It is important that teachers “check-in” to ask students questions that will guide them to a better learning experience. The book gives four check- in questions:

- Procedural: Where they are in relation to milestones and deadlines

·         -Teamwork: Team Dynamics and how they are working together

·         -Understanding: Give suggestions for further inquiry

·         -Self-Assessment: Give them a chance to reflect on challenges or things they went through throughout the project.

Discussion on the benefits to students when optimizing the use of technology.

Technology can be used in projects to expand the minds of students and open their world to something they have never seen before.  Technology will prepare students for the future.  We, as a society, are technology addicts and everything is pretty much run by technology now a days.  Giving them an education on technology will only benefit them in the future.

Discussion on the 21st-century skills that can make or break a project.

Technology is great, but it also comes with frustrations.  We have to educate our students on what can go wrong with technology and how we can fix it.  Students need to know how to know the best ways to not let technology get the best of them, because sometimes it gets the best of us.  It will only help them be more successful in the future.

Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

This chapter relates to our project because we need to have the relationships with everyone that is going to be dealing with our project.  Creating the proper communication throughout our project will not only benefit the students, but us as teachers as well.  Weather is something that we have to deal with every day so educating our students about all the technology that deals with weather, is going to help our students.  We want to explain to the students why weather is so important and we can do that with the help of technology.