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Example of Constructivist Approach to Elementary Math

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Example of Constructivist Approach to Elementary Math

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I think this is a really cool way for the teacher to start a learning unit on standard units of measure. Since she took the time to let students inquire and explore before jumping into the math lesson specifically, students will have had a shared experience that they can refer back to when developing an understanding for WHY we need standard units of measure. With this experience, they are more likely to own the learning and feel motivated to try the math work when it is presented to them RATHER than a teacher handing out some worksheets, and saying, "go measure stuff". Students also engaged in the real-life problem-solving opportunity  (what do we tell the tailor) that led them to standardized measurement as a solution (we need a universal unit of measure). This is the crux of constructivist teaching, it is an exploratory, discovery-based, and empowering method of learning that we can provide for our students.

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In this example of Constructivism, the teacher asks the students, "what would you do with these if I said go ahead and sort them?" and she let the students decipher what "sorting" meant to them. She didn't tell them how to sort them -- instead, she allowed the students to work together in a group and decide how their items should have been sorted. The different groups sorted by shape, color, size or texture. Then, the teacher wrote down all of the key words she was hearing throughout the lesson. Allowing the students to choose their category of sorting was allowing them to build their own understanding with no specific rules or instructions. Here, the teacher allows the students to be the creators of their own learning which kept them engaged and challenged.

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In this example of Constructivism, the teacher asks the students, "what would you do with these if I said go ahead and sort them?" and she let the students decipher what "sorting" meant to them.  She didn't tell them how to sort them -- instead, she allowed the students to work together in a group and decide how their items should have been sorted. The different groups sorted by shape, color, size or texture.  Then, the teacher wrote down all of the key words she was hearing throughout the lesson.  Allowing the students to choose their category of sorting was allowing them to build their own understanding with no specific rules or instructions.  Here, the teacher allows the students to be the creators of their own learning which kept them engaged and challenged.

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In this example of constructivism, the teacher provided the students with a quick briefing about coastal regions. The students were asked to read a few paragraphs and take notes regarding what they read. The students were then able to work in groups with their peers in order to apply what they learned about the regions. The students in the video talk about how they were able to choose their own topics and talk with their peers about what information should be included within their projects. One of the students said that they liked this activity because they got to do their "own thing". This type of assignment allows each student to take an active role in their learning and share what they have learned with their classmates. They were able to use their own skills in order to learn about the topic they chose to research. After their projects were complete, the students were able to walk around the classroom and learn about their classmates' projects. This type of learning prompts students to evaluate each others' work and interact with each other on a more personal level

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Classroom Observation: Social Studies Lesson Grades 4/5

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Jacqui V: Example of constructivist learning  

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Jacqui V: Example of constructivist learning  

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This video conveys the importance of children learning from experience rather than being told. There is an example of children playing in the sand and learning on their own how many scoops of sand fills a bucket. This allows children to think for themselves and learn from their mistakes. When a child is told what to do they do not learn the reason behind what they are doing, they are simply told what is right and what it wrong. This method of teaching however, does not benefit the student and does not allow them to explore on their own. Children learn best through trial and error. Traditionally, children are taught to answer correctly and that there is just one right answer. In contrast, a constructivist approach would differ and allow students to explore their own thoughts and come up with their own personal ideas and theories.

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Rebecca F. Constructivism in Literature 

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Rebecca F. Constructivism in Literature 

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This teacher utilized breaking students up into groups and giving them each specific roles in oder to engage them in what they were reading about and make it easier to comprehend. The teacher let them have their own discussions without her so that they could really comprehend the book by themselves first and take a more active role in how they were reading their assigned novel. By using literature circles, in which each student had a specific role that they contributed to the group, the teacher stated that her students were learning the value of their contributions and knowledge to their groups. By giving students individual and important roles in their groups, as well as allowing them to have discussions without the presence of a teacher, this allowed these students to be active learners and play a role in how they absorbed the information being presented to them.

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Kayla Jarry Constructivist Lesson Example

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Kayla Jarry Constructivist Lesson Example

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This simple 3 minute video is a great example of constructivist teaching! The video is easy to follow along and understand. It was created by a teacher who uses constructivist learning in her classroom. The teacher got her students out of the classroom for this lesson. Not only is that super fun, but it also gives the students a break from sitting down and allows them to be active. While on the nature walk, the teacher didn't ask for the students to look for a specific plant, but rather bring something to her that they are interested in learning more about. She didn't closely follow the students on the walk either. The students were free to roam and discover plants. The teacher ends the lesson with a wonderful conclusion that I believe the students would understand well and connect it to the exploring that got to do. I admire this style of teaching and would love to use it in my own classroom!

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This video gives prime examples of how a teacher can incorporate constructivist methods of teaching in the classroom. Although there is more reading than talking in this short almost three-minute video, it is extremely easy to comprehend. I like that the video has music going in the background to keep the attention of its audience. The video is broken down into different constructivist techniques and under those techniques are bullet points. These bullet points provide easy "directions" that can help teachers use the constructivist method on the students. One example is that teachers should do in the classroom is to integrate collaborative teaching. The teacher could make the students share their goals before the lesson, structure the lesson so the students should come up with a group goal, and provide clear and concise directions. This is only one of the many techniques a teacher can use in the classroom to create a constructivist environment.

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This video does a great job of explaining why constructivism is beneficial in the classroom. For example, Susan was having a difficult time understanding her physics lesson. Rather than lecturing her and trying to throw complex concepts at her, the teacher should have related a real life scenario to the lesson, like pushing the gas pedal to get your car up a hill. Connecting your lessons to real life scenarios can allow students to better grasp a concept and use it in their everyday lives. Students also benefit more when they realize concepts on their own without the teacher directly telling them. Abstract thinking leads to creating different solutions to problems which promotes creativity and independence.

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This video shows a teacher using the constructivism method of teaching with her class. This illustrates constructivism because we never see the teacher giving out information. She always asks for the students input and for them to create their own answers. Additionally, while the students are working within their own groups she goes around to ask them why they are doing what their doing to see how they respond. Specifically one group is filming their story and the teacher comes over to ask why they are including a problem and solution in their story. (problems and solutions seem to be the unit they are currently covering) having the students answer this shows their understanding of the material.

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The video itself is not super imperative to watch, however, I found a website that showed an example of constructivism with Kindergarteners. The link to the whole explanation is: https://constructivistthinking.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/hello-world/. In this example is explained how much you can do with learning about where rainbows come from, light, and reflection just from seeing a rainbow outside after it rains. First is the inquiry process and exploration, which in this case is the children being outside after it rains where they see a rainbow, puddles, and their reflection. From here the teacher could include rainbows, light, and reflection to form a lesson about science. To make this lesson interactive this blog suggests the use of old CDs, flashlights, aluminum foil, etc to demonstrate reflection in other ways. This is the investigation stage. All in all, this is a great example of constructivism because it started with the students being engaged and start inquiring on their own. It was a lesson that related very well to life and also science. To me, kindergarten seems young to be learning about light and the rain cycle, but I think it is awesome for them to take interest on their own and to make a lesson out of it.

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This is a video about a group of 3rd graders in North Carolina that spend time learning a lesson, here on multiplication, and then they work to reteach that material themselves. I think this is a great example of constructivist learning because no only are the children relearning the material again by reteaching, but they are teaching each other in a way that they as 3rd graders understand. This represents interactive learning that builds on what the students already know and it is also a great way for them to be creative and active during the day. The inclusion of the review of the videos by the class and filling out the rubric help students construct their own idea of what constitutes good work and how they can improve their own and each others. This also creates a dialogue between the teacher and the students as opposed to just the teacher drilling information.

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When Students Become Teachers - Rigor, Assessment & Accountability - Dr. Lodge McCammon

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Matti Colavolpe - Example of Constructivism

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Matti Colavolpe - Example of Constructivism

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My aunt is a second grade teacher in Massachussets and does everything she can to use constructivism in her online Google Classroom during COVID to keep the students as engaged and successful in their learning as possible.  One thing she did was set up a Disney week in which she related all of her materials to visiting the Disney parks.  In this lesson, to get students working on telling time, she would ask them to use the clock in relation to a problem about the amount of time spent at a particular ride.  After they filled out the clock, they got to take a virtual ride on that particular ride.  This example is great because it allows the students to relate their school work to something interesting to them.  Students had to opportunity to pick rides that seemed most amusing to them to do extra activities with, which they then discussed over Zoom.  For students living in this new world, this excited them about their learning.  My aunt said she received great feedback from the students and parents about how this got them so excited to tell time and made them continue to use this skill.  I know that I would be excited to talk about Disney while learning about telling time much more than I would be if I was simply just looking at a teacher demonstrate how to do so.

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Allie Tricarico- Constructivist Learning in 2nd Grade

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Allie Tricarico- Constructivist Learning in 2nd Grade

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This video illustrates a classroom of second graders doing a project as a part of their science lesson. This is an example of constructivist learning because in the video, the teacher never tells the students how to do the project. In the beginning of the video, some of the students are going up the teacher and asking her multiple questions about the project. Instead of outright telling them what to do and how to do it, she tells them that it is up to them. This allows the students to be actively involved in their learning and allows them to be creative with their drawing. Some of the students drew video game characters that they knew in their science project, which allows them to relate their lesson and work to something that they enjoy outside of school.  The teacher never once corrects a student, or tells them they are doing something wrong, she simply just walks around the classroom and interacts with the children.

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In this video, an art teacher briefly discusses how she has utilized constructive approach of "Think, Pair, Shares" where students think on their own about topics, discuss with one another, and eventually share with the class their thoughts and ideas. This allows students a chance to reflect and relate back to their own experiences, and discuss what they personally understand from the lesson. It also helps them practice group communication skills on their own terms, as they have the job to discuss what is the topic on hand. In this video, the teacher also makes a point that this is a great way for students to provide affirmative feedback to one another. This raises their confidence to eventually share their responses with the class and feeling that they have their own strong understanding of topics of discussion. Because so much of the work that they do in this activity is based on their active choices of listening to their partners and creating/discussing their personal views and understandings, this would be a constructive classroom activity - students are playing an active role in their education.

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Interview Series - How Constructivism Helped My Classroom Community

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Emily Tobias- Examples of Constructivism

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Emily Tobias- Examples of Constructivism

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The video I found states five different examples of constructive learning. The ones that stood out to me the most that could be used at the Elementary level are role playing, workshops, and field trips. All examples are not the typical learning style where kids are listening to a teacher lecture about a certain topic. Each allow students to be engaged with others, experience new concepts, and explore learning through a different preceptive. What really connects all examples is working with your peers and not having the teacher necessarily be involved. This also allows students to bounce ideas off of one another and really advance their communication skills.

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I think that this short video shows a great way to incorporate constructivism into the classroom. It mentions an activity where for every new topic, the students create a chart. The first thing they enter into the chart is the knowledge that they already know about the topic. They then enter what they learn about the topic once the lesson has begun followed by applications and reflection. Constructivism is so important to incorporate into the classroom because so many people are very stuck in their way of thinking. I have had many conversations with people where they are so closed minded where I feel that no matter what I say, they are not going to change their opinion. Changing your opinion on something once you are presented with new information is a very important skill to have that many people lack. Teaching kids to be able to learn and let that affect their thought process is very beneficial to them in the long run.

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Heather Hartline- example of constructivist lesson plan

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Heather Hartline- example of constructivist lesson plan

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I think this example of a lesson plan shows constructivism. This lesson plan is an introduction to the food chain. It allows students to use pervious knowledge and construct their own understanding. This lesson plan ask students think about their own dinner and categorize the food into plant or animal and then further classify the different types of consumers. When the students are able to conceptualize their own food and the chain around their food, they can take this knowledge into understanding how food chains work and the energy flow in ecosystems. This lesson plan then moves into students working in groups to create their own ecosystem. This lesson plan requires students to use their own experience and create a new understand of how food chains work in an ecosystem.

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Emily Tanzi - "Education Reimagined Through Constructivism"

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Emily Tanzi - "Education Reimagined Through Constructivism"

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It has been proven in many studies that students tend to learn and remember more when they have directly experienced or connect the materials to their own life, than if they were simply asked to memorize. Michelle Thompson explains throughout her TEDTalk that understanding the individual child and what they need is the core of the constructivist approach. In the constructivism approach, the classroom environment is set up for the students to learn how to learn - coming up with their own questions and answers, through hands-on experiences. She suggests different ways a teacher can implement constructivism in their classroom and explains the reasons why it is so effective.

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Education Reimagined Through Constructivism | Michelle Thompson | TEDxBethanyGlobalUniversity

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Laura Mocciola - Constructivism in Elementary Math

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Laura Mocciola - Constructivism in Elementary Math

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In this video, an elementary math teacher uses a constructivist approach when it comes to correcting students’ homework problems. Rather than gathering students’ papers and correcting them on her own or simply announcing the correct answers to the entire class, the teacher has each student pair up with a classmate in a “swap and correct” process and discuss how they arrived at their answers and why they think their work is correct. This allows the students to direct their own learning rather than having the answers or specific step-by-step processes be given to them as they each think about the operations of addition, multiplication, and subtraction in their own way. For example, one student thinks about the number 60 in terms of the 60 minutes in one hour and then explains to a classmate that since there are 120 minutes in 2 hours, 60 multiplied by 2 must equal 120. This video also provides a constructivist method for grading math problems by having students apply basic math operations to real-world concepts, such as counting money when thinking about how many dimes would equal 90 cents, and, thus, having them think about why they are learning about these math operations in the first place. In addition, the “swap and correct” process shown in this video illustrates the constructivist theory through embracing collaboration in the classroom as students must explain their reasoning for their work out loud to a fellow classmate in order to compare their ideas and reach a consensus regarding what they think the answer to the given problem should be.

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Antonietta Di Matteo- Using Constructivism in the classroom

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Antonietta Di Matteo- Using Constructivism in the classroom

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Throughout the video shown below about constructivism it shows the definition of this learning theory as well as ways to achieve this theory in the classroom and how it will affect the students and how they learn within the classroom. Constructivism makes learning more meaningful to students when they are able to interact with a concept. It helps students take on a more active role in the learning process. It also helps students construct knowledge based on their own learning experiences. Some ways to help students learn using the constructivism learning way is to role play to remember a specific event in history and how it occurred, debating controversial topics, make learning groups, allow students to take be in real world activities, and etc. Within the video it also shows how the teacher proposes a question and the steps a teacher can take to help their students figure out the answer to the question without straight out giving them the answer. These students in the different groups will each demonstrate how they got their answer/ solution to the question. Constructivism is a learning theory that is demonstrated by most teachers in our community and it gives students the chance to expand their boundaries while learning!

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Jenna Straube - Constructivism in the Classroom

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Jenna Straube - Constructivism in the Classroom

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In my example of contstructivism in the classroom, I found an example from two different episodes of The Simpsons. The first clip is from Season 1 Episode 2, where Bart and his parents are brought into the principals office with an educational psychiatrist who claims that Bart is a genius, and the reason he lashes out is because he is forced to learn at a slower pace then he should be. Bart is then brought to a school for gifted children, where he is given a different learning approach that involved more freedom and more of a self-based learning environment. In the second example, from Season 22 Episode 5, Lisa is in a classroom with her teacher, Ms. Marcia, who says she is solely Lisa's teacher. Ms. Marcia sits down with Lisa to talk about her assignment she handed in. These are both examples of constructivism because constructivism is defined as the way people learn, and "people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences." Both Bart and Lisa are taught in unconventional ways that are more beneficial to their personal learning style.

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Rianna Doolaramani - Constructivism in the Classroom 

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Rianna Doolaramani - Constructivism in the Classroom 

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I chose this scene from the movie - Mr.Hollands Opus. Mr. Holland was a music teacher. Watching this movie was one of the reasons I wanted to be a teacher, specifically this scene. Not only does he go above and beyond to meet the student's (Lou) needs but he relates it in a way he can understand. He teaches interactively and with passion. Mr. Holland would point out mistakes in a caring and constructive sense, and then allows you to fix it on your own. Eventually that main student (Russ) goes on to make it into a band. I think this shows in the face of discouragement, teachers have the power to open a student's potential. When students feel like they are the key driving factor and are active in the learning process they are more engaged and willing. I think an important quote from this scene is " If you can't teach a willing kid who wants to learn then you're a lousy teacher."