The Heart Of Teaching
5E Model
One instructional model I plan to use is the 5E model. In recent years, my district has adopted this instructional model to teach science at every grade level. This methodology has been utilized because the district recognized the need for students to be instructed using an inquiry-based model in which they would be actively engaged and have the opportunity to truly “do science”. Before this, there was a reliance on memorizing facts and teaching that focused on using worksheets.
The 5E Model involves 5 basic components: engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate.
This approach to science starts with a phenomenon and allows students to ask questions and conduct explorations to find answers to some of their questions. The teacher brings in scientific conclusions and “facts” later in the unit. The belief is that this progression gives students meaningful experiences to align with their conclusions and the teacher-provided information[33].
The engagement part of the lesson allows the teacher to provide a hook, ignite students' interest, understand their misconceptions, and get them thinking. The explore phase gives students a cooperative learning experience in which they begin to investigate some of the phenomena they explored. During this phase, teachers are not lecturing or providing direct instruction. Instead, the teacher serves as a facilitator of learning. The explain stage allows students to communicate some of the conclusions they have reached during the explore stage. This is when the teacher pulls in concrete notes and/or scientific information to provide formal explanations. The students can also engage in their own independent or cooperative research during this phase. During the elaborate phase, students can engage in more activities to test and, if possible, disseminate what they have learned. The final phase includes an evaluation. This type of evaluation does not have to be standardized. It can include a product, an open-ended assignment, and/or self- and/or peer assessment. It is important to note that this is a cycle and does not usually occur in a day. This model can happen over the course of several days or even weeks. Teachers may find they go back and forth between exploration and explanation before reaching elaboration and evaluation[34].
Cognitively Guided Math Instruction
Cognitively guided math instruction is the overarching instructional strategy used by all math interventionists in my district. As a collective group, we read Children's Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction. This book study helped us understand how students approach math and what it says about whether their understanding is still concrete or more abstract. The book also explores how students think mathematically at different developmental levels. The book also outlines strategies that teachers can use to advance students' mathematical reasoning. Cognitively guided math instruction encourages teachers to embrace student-generated solutions to math problems that may not align with traditional methods. In this way, teachers can understand where students are in their mathematical development, and students feel their knowledge is valued. There is also a strong emphasis in this book on pushing students to make their thinking visual and on using questioning to get and keep them thinking when teaching math[35].
The Math Behind the Beat
Heart Rate Detectives at Work
Solving the Case
Evidence from the Investigation
The Final Diagnosis
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