Comments on: Educating With “The Big Three”: Critical Thinking, Interdisciplinary Thought, & the Transfer of Knowledge http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/2010/01/13/educating-with-the-big-three-critical-thinking-interdisciplinary-thought-the-transfer-of-knowledge/ Working to Integrate the Past, Present, Future of Education Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:40:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Teaching as Learning | Reflections of the TZSTeacher http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/2010/01/13/educating-with-the-big-three-critical-thinking-interdisciplinary-thought-the-transfer-of-knowledge/comment-page-1/#comment-290 Teaching as Learning | Reflections of the TZSTeacher Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:35:20 +0000 http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/?p=196#comment-290 [...] our students for real learning, and where REALLY are the opportunities for students to engage in critical thinking, interdisciplinary thought and transfer of knowledge? When do they engage and how can we leverage that for more sustainable learning? addthis_url = [...] [...] our students for real learning, and where REALLY are the opportunities for students to engage in critical thinking, interdisciplinary thought and transfer of knowledge? When do they engage and how can we leverage that for more sustainable learning? addthis_url = [...]

]]> By: Zahir Robb http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/2010/01/13/educating-with-the-big-three-critical-thinking-interdisciplinary-thought-the-transfer-of-knowledge/comment-page-1/#comment-247 Zahir Robb Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:32:10 +0000 http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/?p=196#comment-247 STAR Prep Academy middle and high school is now working on collaborative benchmarks that will incorporate at least 3 and in some cases 4 of the core content areas along with an artistic element. As a small school we have always used collaboration between teachers to help connect the curriculum, but this year we decided to take it a step further and formalize the process. As an example, the 6th grade will examine early river valley civilizations based on their history/culture; how earth science/geography played a role in their settlement; and use tools gained in English to research and write about these concepts. We also encourage outreach and as such, these students will be involved in a river restoration project in the Los Angeles Area. In the end, the students will create a visual representation and present the information to the school, thereby using all of the major concepts learned in 6th grade. In larger schools this is a challenging task as teachers do not share the same core group of students and are overwhelmed with the scheduling conflicts that make team planning virtually impossible. By scheduling shared planning time amongst its faculty, STAR Prep Academy has been able to avoid this issue. We have already seen increased interest amongst students and in past projects we have seen greater engagement and increased understanding of the material. STAR Prep Academy middle and high school is now working on collaborative benchmarks that will incorporate at least 3 and in some cases 4 of the core content areas along with an artistic element. As a small school we have always used collaboration between teachers to help connect the curriculum, but this year we decided to take it a step further and formalize the process. As an example, the 6th grade will examine early river valley civilizations based on their history/culture; how earth science/geography played a role in their settlement; and use tools gained in English to research and write about these concepts. We also encourage outreach and as such, these students will be involved in a river restoration project in the Los Angeles Area. In the end, the students will create a visual representation and present the information to the school, thereby using all of the major concepts learned in 6th grade. In larger schools this is a challenging task as teachers do not share the same core group of students and are overwhelmed with the scheduling conflicts that make team planning virtually impossible. By scheduling shared planning time amongst its faculty, STAR Prep Academy has been able to avoid this issue. We have already seen increased interest amongst students and in past projects we have seen greater engagement and increased understanding of the material.

]]> By: Are Students Allowed To Learn? | Reflections of the TZSTeacher http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/2010/01/13/educating-with-the-big-three-critical-thinking-interdisciplinary-thought-the-transfer-of-knowledge/comment-page-1/#comment-216 Are Students Allowed To Learn? | Reflections of the TZSTeacher Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:10:16 +0000 http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/?p=196#comment-216 [...] how can we ensure that EVERY teacher thinks about meaningful learning? addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Ftzstchr.edublogs.org%2F2010%2F01%2F18%2Fallowedtolearn%2F'; [...] [...] how can we ensure that EVERY teacher thinks about meaningful learning? addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Ftzstchr.edublogs.org%2F2010%2F01%2F18%2Fallowedtolearn%2F'; [...]

]]> By: Remembering and Reflecting | Reflections of the TZSTeacher http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/2010/01/13/educating-with-the-big-three-critical-thinking-interdisciplinary-thought-the-transfer-of-knowledge/comment-page-1/#comment-215 Remembering and Reflecting | Reflections of the TZSTeacher Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:07:20 +0000 http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/?p=196#comment-215 [...] how can we ensure that EVERY teacher thinks about meaningful learning? addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Ftzstchr.edublogs.org%2F2010%2F01%2F18%2Frememberingreflecting%2F'; [...] [...] how can we ensure that EVERY teacher thinks about meaningful learning? addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Ftzstchr.edublogs.org%2F2010%2F01%2F18%2Frememberingreflecting%2F'; [...]

]]> By: Aaron Eyler http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/2010/01/13/educating-with-the-big-three-critical-thinking-interdisciplinary-thought-the-transfer-of-knowledge/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Aaron Eyler Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:16:11 +0000 http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/?p=196#comment-187 Candace, Thanks for the thoughts. I have the same problem as you do with regards to "teaming" at the high school. Fortunately, my district is taking steps to solve the problem and create "teams" so that students have a common group of teachers to work with. Not only has it stimulated the academic environment, but the social environment has flourished as well. I do encourage you to experience the middle level collegiality. I was in a middle school for one year and found it to be a great set-up though the age was not to my liking. Thanks again! Candace,

Thanks for the thoughts. I have the same problem as you do with regards to “teaming” at the high school. Fortunately, my district is taking steps to solve the problem and create “teams” so that students have a common group of teachers to work with. Not only has it stimulated the academic environment, but the social environment has flourished as well. I do encourage you to experience the middle level collegiality. I was in a middle school for one year and found it to be a great set-up though the age was not to my liking.

Thanks again!

]]> By: Candace http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/2010/01/13/educating-with-the-big-three-critical-thinking-interdisciplinary-thought-the-transfer-of-knowledge/comment-page-1/#comment-185 Candace Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:52:37 +0000 http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/?p=196#comment-185 I agree, I think these are the skills ALL educators should be teaching. I believe that these are frequently ignored because the projects must be so complex and the assessment on our traditional grading scales are similarly problematic. I do my best to grade fairly but when we are talking about the level of subjectivity involved in assessing quality of critical thinking, etc, it becomes a bit of a sticky mess. Similarly at the high school level, I have found it nearly impossible (despite a strong desire) to connect to other teachers because not ALL of my students are in the same other classes. I think it's good that students are able to pursue their interests and strengths in high school by choosing which science, math, and electives courses, but I cannot require students to do work connecting to science classes which some are not enrolled in. I am hoping to find a place at a middle school level to experience a stronger interdisciplinary environment and if that happens, I will spend more time thinking of how high schools could find opportunities to implement this type of collaboration. Regarding skills that transfer, I could not agree more. Since I teach English, I feel that *everything* they do in my class should benefit them elsewhere in their lives some how. If it doesn't, I don't do it. Of course, reading and writing effectively are pretty universally useful skills, so that helps. Thanks for posting this. Well said! I agree, I think these are the skills ALL educators should be teaching. I believe that these are frequently ignored because the projects must be so complex and the assessment on our traditional grading scales are similarly problematic. I do my best to grade fairly but when we are talking about the level of subjectivity involved in assessing quality of critical thinking, etc, it becomes a bit of a sticky mess. Similarly at the high school level, I have found it nearly impossible (despite a strong desire) to connect to other teachers because not ALL of my students are in the same other classes. I think it’s good that students are able to pursue their interests and strengths in high school by choosing which science, math, and electives courses, but I cannot require students to do work connecting to science classes which some are not enrolled in.

I am hoping to find a place at a middle school level to experience a stronger interdisciplinary environment and if that happens, I will spend more time thinking of how high schools could find opportunities to implement this type of collaboration.

Regarding skills that transfer, I could not agree more. Since I teach English, I feel that *everything* they do in my class should benefit them elsewhere in their lives some how. If it doesn’t, I don’t do it. Of course, reading and writing effectively are pretty universally useful skills, so that helps.

Thanks for posting this. Well said!

]]> By: Chad@classroots.org http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/2010/01/13/educating-with-the-big-three-critical-thinking-interdisciplinary-thought-the-transfer-of-knowledge/comment-page-1/#comment-178 Chad@classroots.org Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:39:55 +0000 http://synthesizingeducation.com/blog/?p=196#comment-178 Aaron, well said. You identify essential skills we can't let slip by the wayside in teaching and learning. I would push us further to think about the difference betwee hard/rigorous work that is still closed-door, and authentic work, which finds an audience in the families, communities, and worlds that hold personal meaning for students. You can be interdisciplinary and transfer skills between assignments without ever leaving the classroom or the confines of a project that goes no further than the gradebook. I love the idea of inviting in other education professionals into our classrooms, as well. Conversations amongst educators dedicated to improvement never fail to spark ideas that help students. However, again, I would push us to think about inviting professionals from other fields into our classrooms to guage our students' work against the habits of mind they practice and the project-oriented tasks in which they engage. Collaborations between our classrooms and communities will help us and our students gain practice with facing and solving the world's messy, interdisciplinary problems. Such collaborations will help us learn with students and trasnfer what we learn back and forth between school and not-school, bridging the relevance gap and creating relationships between our students, their learning, and the future that they and their learning will serve. Aaron, well said. You identify essential skills we can’t let slip by the wayside in teaching and learning.

I would push us further to think about the difference betwee hard/rigorous work that is still closed-door, and authentic work, which finds an audience in the families, communities, and worlds that hold personal meaning for students. You can be interdisciplinary and transfer skills between assignments without ever leaving the classroom or the confines of a project that goes no further than the gradebook.

I love the idea of inviting in other education professionals into our classrooms, as well. Conversations amongst educators dedicated to improvement never fail to spark ideas that help students. However, again, I would push us to think about inviting professionals from other fields into our classrooms to guage our students’ work against the habits of mind they practice and the project-oriented tasks in which they engage.

Collaborations between our classrooms and communities will help us and our students gain practice with facing and solving the world’s messy, interdisciplinary problems. Such collaborations will help us learn with students and trasnfer what we learn back and forth between school and not-school, bridging the relevance gap and creating relationships between our students, their learning, and the future that they and their learning will serve.

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