Reading Response to Chapters 3-5 in Integrated Curriculum by Kayla Pohl

Reading Response to Chapters 3-5 in Integrated Curriculum by Kayla Pohl

The Know/Do/Be Bridge was the big key point that was constantly focused on in all three chapters of the reading this week. I like this principle because it makes it clear what the focus of the curriculum planning should be when we are creating lessons and mapping out our lesson plans. I especially liked the idea of the “Backward Design”. I think often when we are planning a lesson we think of an activity first and try to relate everything to the activity when in the “Background Design” they say to identify the results that you want to see the students gain from what you teach first. I think with this in mind we are more likely as educators to plan lessons based on what students need to learn and understand. For example, Drake and Burns stated, “Students may experience a series of enjoyable activities, but the learning had no greater purpose. When this occurs, students miss the “So What?” of the study (p 32.)” I think that is an extremely valuable point because often even if we as the educator know what the so what is, it doesn’t necessarily mean the student does. Often, I think it is valuable to make the students aware of the “So What?” behind the lesson, and explain to them the value in what they are learning.

One aspect that really stuck out to me in the reading that relates to theorist was the Blooms Taxonomy. I often feel that the students in my placement are not challenged with higher level thinking questions. Even though I am in a kindergarten placement I still believe that the students can be challenged on the higher level of thinking questions. My goal this year is to try to incorporate that into my lessons as much as possible with the kindergarteners. I also want to create an environment like Drake and Burns mentioned that “allows choice, creativity, and the use of the imagination to drive [the] program (p.49).” Having a classroom environment where students have choice and learn best when they are actually doing the work themselves is based on many of Piaget’s beliefs. According to Piaget, “when the students are creating their own learning they form and create their own under-standing of what is going on.” This is very important and vital to the “Do” part of the Know/Do/Be Bridge that I will be striving to try to bring out in my placement this year.

This reading has also opened my eyes to the different possibilities of assessment that I can use in my Teacher Work Sample. Assessment does not just have to be pen and paper or cover just one subject. Assessment can be a fun project that incorporates many standards the students need to be assessed and checked on to make sure they understand the concept. Being placed in a kindergarten classroom, I feel that assessing students without pencil and paper will be way more effective because they often do not feel as comfortable showing what they know through the use of a pencil and paper.