Creating a Significant Learning Environment
Creating a Significant Learning Environment
The learning environment sets up the entire teaching and learning experience for both the educator and learner. When creating my innovation plan the environment was the first hurdle I needed to tackle. I only see my learners once a week for around 45 minutes. Thats a total of 24 hours a year! Their homeroom teachers see them that long after the first week of school. I still have the same number of TEKS to teach. How can I effectively teach them with such a short amount of time? How can I still help my learners develop a love of music that they can carry with them for years and years?
As I create and fine tune my blended learning classroom, as part of my innovation plan, I definitely need to keep in mind the New Culture of Learning that is becoming more and more prevalent in our world today. I must continue to expand my horizons and not be afraid to try new things in my classroom. Opening up my room for conversations with my learners and accepting their ideas could open new doors from my learners and myself. In my innovation plan, I am hoping to introduce our recorder lessons in a blended/online classroom that gives my learners the freedom and choice they crave and also allows them to collaborate with their peers from not only their homeroom classes but also peers from other classes and eventually across our district. By taking the big part of recorder lessons out of our main class time, we will have more time to have fun making music. Learning music should be fun after all.
Since the beginning of time, children have not liked to study. They would much rather play, and if you have their interests at heart, you will let them learn while they play; they will find that what they have mastered is child's play. - Carl Orff
As I stated in my learning philosophy, I need to continue working on designing lessons that reflect my belief that music class should be full of creating music, movement, games, and making
memories that will stand the test of time. Since I was brought up in a very different style of education, this is sometimes difficult for me. I want to build relationships with my learners so that we ALL are will to take risks and try new things. This is a challenge, but I know it is possible if I will just take the risk myself. I have to do a better job setting classroom goals and planning lessons with the end goals in mind.
In beginning to make concrete plans to go with my 4th Grade Blended/Online classroom, I have now looked at two very different styles of lesson design. Both Fink's Three Column Table and the Understanding by Design plans had their strengths and weaknesses. I loved the details and specificities that the UbD plan calls for. I like my plans to include100% of the lesson. This way, as I teach 4 different classes, I don't accidentally leave anything out. This does not allow for a lot of student choice though. I can always plan choices, but that is not always authentic for the learners. The UbD plan also makes it a little difficult to plan for the music room. In planning a unit, a music unit might last an entire year. Each activity could take several weeks to complete. And on top of it all, I might be teaching 3 different units during the same class period. That's A LOT of plans!
Using Fink's 3 Column Table began as a larger struggle for me. It was new and different. It allowed for a lot more freedom to explore ideas and learner input. However, after giving it a try, I think it could be a great solution to planning in the unique setting of a music room. Creating a Big Harry Audacious Goal is never a challenge in the music room. Whether its an upcoming performance or a music literacy goal, there are plenty of goals to choose from. I also felt that setting up my lessons according to the six significant areas of learning that Finks suggests: Foundational, Application, Integration, Human Dimension/Caring and Learning-How-to-Learn made a lot of sense. I was able to create plans that addressed all of my learner's needs, but not constrict us so much that musical authenticity couldn't be found. The new challenge will be convincing my administration to let me use this type of plan within a UbD district.
A Fresh Look at Growth Mindset
Taking a look back at my original post about Growth Mindset really helps me to see that my beliefs are still the same, but i do still have a long way to go before my students and I fully adopt the ideas presented in a growth mindset.
I do believe I have some a long way in the Power of Yet. It is one of my new favorite words to use both with my children and my students. My daughter has adopted it when discussing her work in gymnastics. She used to be quite frustrated that she could not do all of the same things that the older kids on her team could do. She begged us to let her quit on a weekly basis. Instead of giving in, we started using YET with her. She now says it on her own. "Mommy, I almost did my bridge kick over today. I didn't get it yet, but I'm getting closer." She is not worried about the color of her competition ribbons anymore. She just looks to see that she gets something new in her routine each time.
My learners have begun to say YET during class as well. Recorder tests have been much less stressful for all parties. They understand that their growth is what is most important. We look at what we can do to improve individually after each test. They aren't as worried about where their classmates are and know that hard work and perseverance will help them reach their goals, even if they don't have the skills just yet.
Resources:
Constructivist Theory (Jerome Bruner). (n.d.). Retrieved December 03, 2017, from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/constructivist.html
Dwayne Harapnuik, D. (2016, March 11). Four keys to understanding learning theories. Retrieved December 03, 2017, from http://www.harapnuik.org/?p=634
Dweck, Carol S.. (2008) Mindset :the new psychology of success New York : Ballantine Books
Fink, L.D. (2003) A Self-Directed Guide to Designing Courses for Significant Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Mims, C. (2003). Authentic Learning: A Practical Introduction & Guide for Implementation. Retrieved December 03, 2017, from https://projects.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2003/authentic_learning/
TED. (2010, May 24). Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9LelXa3U_I&feature=youtu.be
Thomas, D., & Brown J. S. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. (Vol 219) Lexington, KY:
Wiggins G. P. & J. McTighe. (2005). Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition. Pearson. ISBN 0131950843