Teaching Strategies
Student Centered/Student Led instruction
It is important to allow students to be in the forefront of their learning. With engagement constantly challenged by technology and other attractions, the children should be allowed to have input, time for thoughtful analysis and discussion during learning sessions. By fostering students’ autonomy, they naturally become more engaged and motivated in their learning because it is interesting to them.38 As a best practice, teachers should be attentive to the learning styles of all of their students as well as what makes them successful when material is presented to them. Student-centered learning puts students at the center of their learning experiences by engaging them in decisions about what they learn and how they learn it.39
Socratic
Being a longtime follower of the Freirean philosophy and teaching style, it is my firm opinion that liberating my students and their choices in thinking, what they learn and where they’ll take it is important in education today. The Socratic method is a fantastic accompaniment to this philosophy. “It is a dialogue between teacher and student instigated by the continual probing questions of the teacher, in a concerted effort to explore the underlying beliefs that shape the students’ views and opinions.”40 Pushing students to think critically and exposing them to just a bit of developmentally appropriate “wondering” or experiencing a new and different train of thought helps build pathways that are valuable throughout their lives.
Accountable Talk
In the Pittsburgh Public School District, students are encouraged to use “Accountable Talk” which was derived from the work of Dr. Lauren Resnick through research at the Institute for Learning, University of Pittsburgh. Students lead their own thought-driven discussion on topics. They use language such as “I agree with your comment and I’d like to add to it…” or “I disagree because…” The children often become highly interested in their conversations and responses. They can even forget the teacher is there! In my experience, it is not uncommon to toss a drop of thought based upon what we are reading and step back to marvel how the students take hold and lead each other respectfully and in a manner that is fully engaging. Everyone can participate because everyone has ideas, including students who are not fluent in the language used in the classroom.41
Visualization and Technology
While we don’t want to overexpose students to screens, enhancing students’ visualization of what is being learned is imperative to their overall success, especially when venturing into areas of the unknown or material in which students have had little exposure. In an effort to create a well-rounded experience for the children in this particular curriculum unit, several tools to help with visualization will be helpful. Using a ClearTouch Smartboard for students’ examination of maps, sources with specific imagery, video and literary excerpts will intensify their intake of information without creating overload. The appropriate amount of video and even audio exposure will reinforce the themes they should be identifying. Furthermore, some assignments in class and at home will involve the use of websites and videos in order to assist in student retention of material. Being able to return to a website to view footage or other elements of learning in addition to reading from the assigned pages, books, articles, etc. will also elevate the experience while aiding in preparation for discussion, written responses or assessments.
Inquiry-Based
While quite similar to Socratic teaching methods, Inquiry-Based Instruction focuses on questioning and deep thought on the part of the learner. The instructor simply sets the tone with queries that will draw both verbal and written response. Students are not simply subjected to the lecture as a single component to what they’re learning at the moment but become more open to exploring the topic as a whole, which drives them to formulate organic questioning of their own. This is a preferred method when it comes to digging into touchy territory and the introduction of topics that revolve around the problems of life and the real world. For this particular curriculum unit, these students can benefit from the use of this strategy due not only to the material being presented, but also the environment immediately surrounding them. By using Inquiry-Based Instruction combined with strategies mentioned previously, all aspects of the unit can be satisfied, creating an all-around meshing of material, teaching, learning and outcomes. Inquiry-based learning prioritizes problems that require critical thinking so. Students can develop their abilities to ask questions, design investigations, interpret evidence, form explanations and arguments and communicate findings.42
Cooperative Learning
When students get out of their seats and circle the classroom, they experience an increase in not only the pleasure of learning but also the amount of the presented material that is retained. In addition to the physical repositioning, students are able to learn cooperatively by working in smaller groups. They can stir up their thinking through discussion and discover ideas that they may not have come up with had it not been through the educational communication with their classmates. Moreover, Cooperative Learning helps to build confidence when the children find out that thoughts and ideas they have constructed individually are matched by their peers. When other students reveal their thinking along with building upon those thoughts collaboratively, they are more willing to share out those revelations when the group comes back together. Popular activities using this strategy are tried and true in my own classroom on the intermediate elementary level. Activities in this context include small groups of choice, Think, Pair, Share; Round Robin, Jigsaw, Roles, and more.
Scaffolding
For most of my career in education, I have found that balancing the responsibilities of teaching and learning is a key element to student success and achievement. At the intermediate grade levels, students are emerging from their primary years and foundational learning. Many teachers instructing students at the third-grade level may see students asking questions that are strictly based on one answer that the student is hoping the teacher will provide. As the students continue, a pattern of growth should occur that lessons that habit leading to a higher level of independent processing. Scaffolding is a great way to assist students. It is the act of putting processes in place that can eventually be removed (like training wheels) as the children begin to understand the materials being taught. There are several descriptions of this practice such as Gradual Release or “I Do,” “We Do, “You Do.” Providing information and examples, completing assignments or tasks together and then giving students time to show their comprehension and thought processes is the desired outcome for students and their instructors. My fourth and fifth grade students have small tent-like indicators on their desks that allow them to send a “silent signal” to the teacher. A green card states “I’m working comfortably,” while a simple flip reveals a yellow card that says “I have questions but can keep working,” and a final flip shows a red card that alerts the teacher that a student “can’t continue without assistance.”
Robust Vocabulary
Dr. Isabel Beck and Dr. Margaret McKeown of the University of Pittsburgh have implemented a system for teaching vocabulary to students. One of the five components of reading, vocabulary has a major influence in the development and expansion of each of the other parts when learning foundational skills that lead to teaching children to read. Vocabulary plays an important role in students’ comprehension of complex text and language development while also impacting students’ writing.43 Using activities such as word association, example/non-example, explanations and others it is an approach to learning that encompasses all reading components. There are systematic reasons outside of school that contribute to students of different SES having different levels of vocabulary, so it is critical that we make time for vocabulary instruction that provides all students’ experiences to be exposed to and interact with rich vocabulary.44
Reading List
The following is a reading list to draw upon for the implementation of lessons in the unit as well as to scaffold opportunities to show understanding and the ability to analyze text by the students. While some of the items will be shared as excerpts, the vast majority will be read as a whole during class as well as at home with family members for homework and reflection. Each book, poem and excerpt is pertinent to the students’ learning as a part of this curriculum unit. The lessons will encompass several PA/Common Core standards across multiple subjects adding to the cross-curricular nature of the unit as well. Students will use these items to synthesize, identify themes, discuss content and respond for the purpose of demonstrating comprehension.
- Lupe Wong Won’t Dance Donna Barbara Higuera
- Mango Moon Diane DeAnda
- Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene Emma Otheguy
- Dreamers Yuyi Morales
- Undocumented: A Worker’s Fight Duncan Tonatiah
- Solito (excerpts) Javier Zamora
- The Poet X (excerpts) Elizabeth Acevedo
- My Shoes and I: Crossing Three Borders. Rene’ Colato Lainez
- The Only Road Alexandra Diaz
- Someone Like Me Julissa Arce
- From the Fields to the Fight Angela Quezada Padron
- My Diary From Here to There Amara Irma Perez
- A Movie in My Pillow Jorge Argueta
- Under the Feet of Jesus (excerpts) Helena Maria Viramontes
- Mi Casa is My Home Laurenne Sala
- Fiona’s Lace Patricia Polacco
- Thundercake Patricia Polacco
- Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 Michelle Markel
- Their Great Gift: Courage, Sacrifice and Hope in a New Land John Coy
- Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale Duncan Tonatiuh
- They Call Me Guero: A Border Kid’s Poems David Bowles
- Call Me Roberto: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos Nathalie Alonzo and Rudy Gutierrez
Music List
The following list highlights selections that will be used in order to teach a multitude of Latin music genres such as salsa, samba, mariachi, plena, reggaeton and more. Each piece will highlight musical history, traditional instrumentation, as well as various cultural aspects that are specific to the country of origin. Moreover, listening sessions will connect with the ongoing themes of love, longing and struggle. Students will show growth by listening, identifying, questioning and applying the pieces to geographical location as they satisfy social studies standards making this particular curriculum unit experiential and integrative.
Bad Bunny
“Debi Tirar Mas Fotos”
“Baile Inolvidable”
“Nuevo Yol”
Marc Anthony
“Vivir Mi Vida”
Celia Cruz
“Cuando Sali de Cuba”
“Guantanamera”
Gloria Estefan
“Mi Tierra”
Puerto ico
“Lamento Borincano” (Rafael Hernande Marin)
“La Adelita”
Puerto Rico Plena
“Que Bonita Bandera”
“Temporal”
“Rayo De Sol”
Mariachi
“Cielito Lindo”
Samba and Bossa Nova
“Mas Que Nada” (Jose Ben covered by Sergio Mendes) Salsa
“The Girl From Ipanema” (Antonio Carlos Jobim and Venicius de Moraes)
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