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Total physical response is a language teaching method. It coordinates language and physical movement. As a basic example lets consider using "turn around". The teacher will say "turn around" and the students will do the action, the next step would be for the students to say turn around as they are doing so. This technique is probably more applicable to beginner levels but can also be used in more advanced ways.
https://youtu.be/rIIVWLLFxEo
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/total-physical-response-tpr

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Teacher Toolkit: Total Physical Response

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A flipped classroom increases student participation and collaboration. Students are given information prior to the class, this then increases class time for activities and assessments. The teacher become more of an overseer. Essentially students are learning from each other. Some benefits of this approach are:
-students work at their own pace
-they make more choices on what they need to study
-they learn how to apply concepts in different ways-increases collaboration between students

https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/flipped-classrooms#:~:text=A%20flipped%20classroom%20is%20structured,that%20involve%20higher%20order%20thinking.

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For some the flipped classroom has become synonymous with active learning. There are many ways to incorporate active learning into your courses, and the flipped classroom is but one of those methods. A flipped classroom is structured around the idea that lecture or direct instruction is not the best use of class time. Instead students encounter information before class, freeing class time for activities that involve higher order thinking.

Although flipping classrooms has long been the practice within certain disciplines (even if it was not given that name), the concept took off as technological changes made it easier to access and create educational materials. This approach assumes that there is no difference between a student listening to a lecture individually and with other students in class. There are plenty of ways these activities differ, and there are benefits that lecture can provide, such as create a social experience, students pick up from other students' social cues. There are also strategies you can use to make lectures interactive (see our tipsheet on interactive lecture techniques).

Some of the benefits of a flipped classroom are:

it's flexible

students can learn at their own pace

students take responsibility for their learning

students learn rather than encounter material in class

there are more opportunities for higher level learning

it does not waste time transferring information to students when that information is available to them in books or online (Mazur 2009)

instructors and TFs work more closely with students, getting to know students better and providing better assistance

increased collaboration between students

Many teachers think that creating or finding sources for students to use outside of class is the most difficult part of implementing a flipped classroom. However, most of the benefits of a flipped classroom depend on what happens in the classroom instead of lecture. That makes it necessary to first plan how you will use class time before you begin to look for resources for students to use at home. A flipped classroom model involves a lot of work by students outside of class. Students will resent this work if they do not see how it frees class time to do things that help them learn.

You can chose to use this method in all or some of your classes. Either way, you'll want to follow these steps:

1. Decide how you will use your class time and design those activities. Again, if you do not have a reason to flip your course, you should consider other active learning strategies or wait until you have an idea for how you could better use your class time.

2. Find or create resources for students to use at home. These could be readings, audio files, websites, or videos. You do not need to create these sources, but you must make sure that all students have a way to access these materials. If you create the materials for students to use at home, use their feedback to revise it.

3. Teach students how to use the material at home. Unlike when they are in a lecture, students cannot ask question as they arise, making note taking especially important. Working on their own, students will likely have distractions. Although students engage with media all the time, they may not know how to use educational audio or video clips. Make sure students have an incentive for doing the work on their own.

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For some the flipped classroom has become synonymous with active learning. There are many ways to incorporate active learning into your courses, and the flipped classroom is but one of those methods. A flipped classroom is structured around the idea that lecture or direct instruction is not the best use of class time.

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Types of Physical Movement as a central element

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Types of Physical Movement as a central element

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Field Trips can be a significant physical movement for the students to learn effectively. As students love to go outside and spend time through physical activities (especially with younger kids), this is one of the best ways to develop the central elements in learning. The feedback of their days supports them to re-think the lesson they learned from the Movement. Physical Movement allows the students to recall the memories better, as it is connected to their thinking and following. It will enable them to experience "first-hand" the lesson they are learning about.

Stations are one of the most frequently used physical activities in classrooms. The teacher prepares the materials for this activity and has the students move around the classroom based on the questions written on the papers. This process allows them to add and recall knowledge. As the students move around the school, they will build social and physical interactions and develop their knowledge in learning. At the end of the game, reviewing the answers as a whole class together will also support them to understand the lesson more accessible and better.

https://ce.fresno.edu/media/3776/fpuce_the-benefits-of-physical-activity-and-exercise-in-the-classroom.jpg?width=500&height=365.14195583596216

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According to the article, it states that the more it is free for the students to choose their seatings, the higher significance of them succeeding. The flexibility will take control of their time at school and help them to be free with the controlled and strcit environment. Providing a comfort zone will allow the students to learn better. Also, their choices of seating support them in choosing their view and ways of learning which will build more substantial ownership of their knowledge and experiences at school.

https://www.onatlas.com/blog/21st-century-classrooms

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Translation: العربية

Rigor, data, growth, percentiles, and achievement are all educational terms used to describe the modern classroom. The term "21st century skills" generally refers to certain core competencies, such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving which most advocates agree are necessary to help students thrive in today's world. However, there is a need to visualize and make " 21st century classroom " more than buzz words. Below are four strategies to build a 21st century classroom.

1. Student Engagement

Schools are often guided by test scores. This sobering reality impacts teachers and students alike and we likely feel powerless to change this. Teacher and administrator frustration, in this case, is incredibly valid. After all, standardized testing is rarely a local decision and drains valuable resources and time.
However, student engagement remains a key component of any 21st century classroom.
The world around us is evolving at a rapid rate. Yet, our classrooms seem to be stuck in the past. We need to center our practice around student engagement. How often do students go home and tell their parents that they did "nothing" in school? This simply means that they didn't engage in anything meaningful or relevant to them. The answer to engagement is not creating classrooms that are fun. Instead, we should be designing lessons and explorations that allow students to be in charge of their learning.

Bonus resource: A teacher shares her process for designing student-led lessons >>

2. Flexible Seating

More and more classrooms are beginning to resemble a Starbucks, rather than something from 100 years ago. Through flexible seating, students are taking control of their time at school. Despite the initial challenges of setting up the expectations, students thrive in collaborative open spaces.

On a global level, students sit for an average of 8.5 hours a day. There is a small but enthusiastic group of teachers and administrators who believe that kids are destined to do more than just spend their school days sitting still with their knees tucked under a desk. The flexible seating movement allows students to choose their view and seating at school. Through choice and flexibility students take ownership of their learning and experiences at school.

Bonus Resource: A teacher shares her process for giving students ownership of their learning with an inductive teaching model >>

3. The Power of Talk

Novice teachers and many well-meaning administrators are convinced that quiet classrooms are the best classrooms. We admire educators that have silent classrooms that are glazed with order.

However, by limiting talk, we are also robbing students of the opportunity to converse on a deeper level with peers and adults at school. Workplaces and universities are loud and collaborative. None of us consider this to be offensive and yet classrooms that include talking are considered ineffective. Talk is powerful when it is intentional and allows students to explore and share their thinking.
Bonus Resource: Create authentic learning experiences that model real-world learning and develop future-oriented skills >>
4. Rethinking Reading

Reading guarantees, third grade retention, and billions of dollars of funding have not solved the reading crisis that has dominated education since the 1980s. Through well-intended reading instruction, we have created generations of people who are seemingly averse to reading.

Studies have shown that the majority of people have not read a book since college. We have reduced reading to worksheets, comprehension activities, Venn diagram circles, and standardized reading passages and tests. Is it any wonder that some students and adults hold negative perceptions about reading? Imagine being told that you cannot read a book which you are genuinely interested in because it's not your "reading level". Consider that scene playing out repeatedly.

In today's world, we need readers. We need people who love to read. We desperately need compassionate readers who can read books which challenge them to be a global citizen. The 21st century classroom needs to have rich libraries that do not restrict children due to a reading level. Students need to be exposed to diverse texts and characters to build empathy and courage. The 21st century demands it.

Bonus Resource: Increase student engagement with five strategies to improve reading >>

Contributing Author:

Huda Harajli is an educator and instructional coach based out of Michigan. She is passionate about literacy and teaching. She is currently a third grade teacher and also works to develop curriculum for school districts. Huda can be reached at: hudaharajli@gmail.com

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4 Strategies for Designing 21st Century Classrooms - Atlas

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Translation: العربية Rigor, data, growth, percentiles, and achievement are all educational terms used to describe the modern classroom. The term "21st century skills" generally refers to certain core competencies, such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving which most advocates agree are necessary to help students thrive in today's world.

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This allows the students to interact and engage with the other students. It will enable them to learn a lot more from their peers and better understand the concept of the content and the materials.
These interactive lessons provide an opportunity for the students to control the class and study to lead creatively.

https://www.onatlas.com/blog/student-centered-learning

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Rachelle Dene Poth, teacher Riverview School District, writes: "When students have choices in how to show what they have learned, they are more likely to be engaged and excited for learning. They will feel valued​, ​ and the lesson and learning will be more meaningful because it has been made person​​al to them." Read her full article here.

There are a multitude of ways to apply student-centered learning in the classroom, and all these approaches can be mixed and matched. Peruse the library below and uncover learning tactics for hands-on and student-centered learning.

Blended Learning

Blended learning means that student s don't necessarily have to be taught in the traditional setting based on their grade level or age. When basing instruction on mastery of standards, such as in standards-referenced grading, if a student has proven mastery on a particular standard, they are encouraged and challenged to move on, and student s who need extra time to master a standard are given just that... more time.

Make blended learning a reality in your classroom >>

Concpet-Based Curriculum

Concept-based curriculum(CBC) is an approach to curriculum design that moves away from subject-specific content and instead emphasizes "big ideas" that span multiple subject areas or disciplines. For example, in a CBC classroom, student s may study the big idea of "change" in a variety of areas, from patterns in mathematics, to civilizations in social studies, to life cycles in science.
Learn how one school fostered a hands-on concept-based curriculum >>

Flexible Seating

More and more classrooms are beginning to resemble Starbucks, rather than something from 100 years ago. Through flexible seating, students are taking control of their time at school. Despite the initial challenges of setting up the expectations, students thrive in collaborative open spaces. On a global level, student s sit for an average of 8.5 hours a day.

There is a small but enthusiastic group of teachers and administrators who believe that kids are destined to do more than just spend their school days sitting still with their knees tucked under a desk. The flexible seating movement allows students to choose their view and seating at school. Through choice and flexibility student s take ownership of their learning and experiences at school.
Read more about flexible seating and other classroom strategies >>

Interactive Lessons

In developing student-led classroom lesson, a teacher explains: "I stepped back and had the students lead our classroom. It was a really good way to learn a lot more about the students, to better understand what their needs were in terms of the content material, and for the students to learn about each other. Giving student s the control and the opportunity to become the creators and leaders in the class has tremendous benefits and it has been something that we have enjoyed."
Buildstudent-led lessons >>

Maker Movement

With the help of the school and larger community, Mount Lebanon School District built Makerspaces to revamp libraries and boost student engagement and hands-on learning. Their Principal writes:
What began as a challenge to reimagine our elementary school libraries has evolved into the establishment of a collaborative, creative makerspace in each of our seven elementary schools. This initiative was a natural response to the changes in how libraries are used and how research is done. School libraries are no longer quiet places to warehouse print materials or an area where students read articles and books. Libraries are lively hubs of activity where students meet to collaborate on many interdisciplinary projects and to use the amazing resources and technology available there to create and innovate. Read how a district built makerspaces across its schools >>

Multiple Intelligences

Each studentcomes to a classroom as an individual who has developed a different type of intelligence. This means that each studenthas their own intelligence superiorities and weaknesses. Called a learning style, these intelligence domains determine how easily or difficultly a student can learn through a specific teaching method.

There can be more than one learning style present in a classroom. To balance learning styles and subject matter, a teacher should show student s how to understand a subject which addresses one of their weak intelligence domains by applying their most developed intelligence domain.

Moreover, student s who apply their strong fields of intelligences in learning activities can learn a subject that they used to hate with joy and without pressure.
Learn more about the Multiple Intelligences Theory and how to integrate it into instruction >>

Place-Based Learning

Place-based learning (sometimes referred to as "PBE," "Place-Based Education") focuses the opportunity for learning on the cultural, economic, environmental, geographical, and community aspects derived from a specific location. Focused on anthropological and field-based studies, student s immerse themselves completely in the "web" of what it means to address issues specific to a particular location. While place-based learning can focus on solving a community problem or proposing a solution, it can also be used to achieve a deeper understanding of our people.
Integrate place-based learning in your classroom >>

Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning("PBL") involves designing student learning around a sustained, real-world project. This usually includes an interdisciplinary approach, one that might involve research, mathematical computation, scientific exploration, writing, multimedia production, and other mediums of learning and expression. Potentially the most confusing part about PBL is that Project-Based Learning is different from "Projects."
Use project-based learning to increasestudentengagement >>

Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning("PBL") involves designing student learning around a sustained, real-world project. This usually includes an interdisciplinary approach, one that might involve research, mathematical computation, scientific exploration, writing, multimedia production, and other mediums of learning and expression. Potentially the most confusing part about PBL is that Project-Based Learning is different from "Projects."
Use project-based learning to increasestudentengagement >>

Relational Teaching

Relational learning provides opportunities for authentic connection between studentand teacher and uses the knowledge gained from those relationships to push individual understanding. Examples used in the classroom revolve around studentinterests or maybe funny stories that happened to the teacher. Classes provide opportunities for student s to share about themselves and the teacher to share their experiences as well.
Guidestudent-centered learning with the relational teaching framework >>

RTI & MTSS

Response to Intervention is a personalized learning approach that provides supplemental instruction for students who don't grasp material when it's initially taught. Interventions are targeted based on the student 's need.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) relate to RtI and reflect the systems of supports built in to intervention approaches.
Personalize teaching with RtI to MTSS >>

Station Learning

Station Learning provides student s the opportunity to work with peers at similar academic levels or with similar learning needs while rotating through different stations.

A school in California is taking station rotationmodel for differentiated and personalized instruction. In this model, the teacher uses three to four stations that are rotated on a fixed schedule. One station is a teacher directed-instruction group; another station is a technology station that utilizes adaptive software such as IXL; and the other two stations can be independent work, task cards, or collaborative group work. The station rotation model of HET can allow the teacher to differentiate groups and tailor activities according to student needs.
A great resource for station is learning is StemJobs "A Beginner's-Guide to Station-Based Learning" >>

Tiered-Assignments

"Much like flexible grouping-or differentiated instruction as a whole, really-tiered assignments do not lock students into ability boxes. Instead, particular student clusters are assigned specific tasks within each group according to their readiness and comprehension-without making them feel completely compartmentalized away from peers at different achievement levels."
Read more in this Teach Hub article >>

Universal Design for Learning

UDL is an approach to designing curriculum and instruction that prioritizes accessibility and inclusivity. At the heart of UDL is a belief that a classroom designed for students at the margins is better for all student s. As opposed to what we typically see with differentiated instruction-with curriculum being retro-fitted to accommodate learners as their needs arise-UDL takes all learners' needs and abilities into consideration from the beginning.

The first thing we have to do is look at studentproduct. Do the choices we give student s truly represent different ways to interpret what you've learned to build a product, or are we asking them to create one of a few versions of essentially the same thing?

We also need to go all the way back to, "What did the instructor, the educator, what did they intentionally design? How did they consciously examine and deliberately design for the known facets that are going to come up, whether it be resource, curricular, technological, accessibility, or language issues?"
Create the ultimate personalized learning environment with Universal Design for Learning >>

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15 Approaches to Student-Centered Learning - Atlas

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There are a multitude of ways to apply student-centered learning in the classroom, and all these approaches can be mixed and matched.

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Student-Centered learning approaches with physical movement and techniques

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Student-Centered learning approaches with physical movement and techniques

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I teach 3rd grade elementary students and they love to move a lot. Their developmental age have less self-control; and therefore, they need to be refocused in various ways throughout the school day. An easy way of doing that is to incorporate movement and fun activities into their daily routine (Davies, 2017).

A physical movement activity I implemented into my class for student centered learning is the "Shark Game". I will name a stroke, kick or skill and student will demonstrate the movement from the pool deck. If any student is displaying the wrong technique I (Shark) would assist student.

Reference
https://travelinginasia.company/2018/03/03/how-can-i-incorporate-physical-activity-into-student-centered-learning-module-3-unit-2-activity/

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Tips and benefits on Physical Activity into Student-Centered Learning

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I examined and created a wiki page on this topic by myself for a student-centered teaching collaboration project.
When you think of students at school, what do you think of?
Got it? Did you conjure up desks in your mind? What about chairs?

Most people imagine students sitting studiously at their desks frantically taking notes while listening to a lecture... but is this really in our students' best interests?

One really important component of student-centered learning is incorporating movement into our lessons. Why, you might ask?

Well, there are a couple of reasons:

1. Some students learn best with kinesthetic methods of instructions. If you eliminate movement from your English classroom for example, when are they ever getting their needs met?

(TEDx Talks, 2015)

2. For learning purposes, it's better to have multiple modes of instructions at once. This way our neurons are able to form multiple connections to a concept (Kelly, 2012)

For instance if you hear about a concept using auditory, visual, and kinesthetic methods, that's at least three different connection to one concept that will make recall of the concept much easier because you have multiple connections that can trigger recall.

3. Your memory better encodes and separates memories when there's a physical location change. So, if you have a 40 minute lecture, you should change locations every 20 minutes to both re-focus students and to allow better memory encoding which lets the students` learn more (Kelly, 2012).

This isn't always possible. For instance during a standardized test, you are allowed quick breaks but no location change. So students' should practice sitting in one location periodically, but if a concept is particularly hard or broad, your students might benefit from changing location since this should allow better memory formation/recall.
But what are some examples of movement activities in the classroom?
Every classroom is different, but I'm going to provide you with some strategies that will hopefully help your class.

First, let's focus on the challenges for different learners. Preschool-Elementary learners should move a lot. These learners because of their developmental age have less self-control; and therefore, they need to be refocused in various ways throughout the school day. An easy way of doing that is to incorporate movement and fun activities into their daily routine (Davies, 2017).
But what about middle school and high school learners?
With the more intensive curriculum and the pressure being much higher in middle school and high school. It's no wonder many teachers axe movement activities from their curriculum. There's just no time. Or...is there?

Let's discuss some awesome movement activities below.
1. You can have students create things with their bodies like phonics letters or shapes (Staff, 2017). Example activity: Learning your shapes!

1. First, you introduce the concept of shapes to students making sure to discuss each shape name and what it looks like.

2. Second, model how you can create a shape or phonics letter with your body using volunteers from the classroom.

3. Provide students a picture reference and ask them to create a shape like a triangle or a letter like c. Make sure the first shape created is easy, so they don't get frustrated. This provides them an opportunity to collaborate with one another.

4. Bonus: You can snap a picture of them creating the shape or letter and then post it on your wall. They'll have so much fun looking at the shapes they created with their bodies. And because most of us are ego-centric, they'll want to look at the shapes because they're in them. This might even motivate some of your reluctant learners.

*** If you teach really young learners like (1-3 years old), I would recommend using tape to sketch out the outline of the shape or phonics letter. Because of their developmental age, some of these students won`t be able to imagine making a shape and will get quickly frustrated resulting in a general divide in understanding throughout the class. Don`t let them get frustrated, think ahead. Bonus Round Activity: For middle school and high school, you can still take the opportunity to model things with your body. For instance, population density can be modeled by having the students get super close to each other, and then they move apart to indicate a shift from a densely populated area to a more rural area. 2. Students can sculpt with modelling clay or write problems on the whiteboard (Staff, 2017)

This activity provides an interesting movement challenge to what could be a boring rote memorization task like learning your times tables. Plus, it's fun, and we learn more when having fun.

Many students who might be frustrated by math or spelling exercises actually become motivated because the physical task of modeling something from clay or writing from a white board is exciting to them.

High school and middle school learners can use these whiteboards to do investigation tasks, where they're given a question and the data to solve it such as a math word problem. They work together practicing collaboration a valuable skill in the student-centered environment before presenting their work to the room.

3. Use tools like a child tunnel or bounce and catch ball games to give students a quick physical reward for answering a question (Shawley, 2014).

Sometimes, you need to quiz your students. Using an activity with a kinesthetic reward will help keep them from building up too much energy and becoming restless. Restlessness is the downfall of many a young learner particularly male learners who learn better when movement is incorporated anyway.

This type of activity is also quick and requires little explanation. There's just not always enough time to do certain really cool kinesthetic activities. But adding just a little bit of movement might motivate some of your more reluctant learners

4. Using learning stations

Learning stations involve changing location and are therefore an easy way to re-focus student's lack attention (McKee, 2017)/

Also, you can use different modes of learning from one station to the next. For example:

The first station has you read a short passage and write down your thoughts.

At the second station, you listen to a recording of the passage and write down your thoughts.

At the third station, practice underling and highlighting different words and what you know and don't know

Each of these stations provides a unique experience plus the student is moving during this time, so there is a kinesthetic component to this.

The stations can also relieve issues with boredom due to necessary rote-memorization practice like division problems or spelling practice.

Also, learners that might not learn well at one station about a concept might learn better at another station because the concept is the same but the mode they're receiving the information in is different.
For example, some students do better when given auditory instruction but others do better with visuals and still others do better by simulating the process. Learning stations involve movement also simultaneously allow you to teach to many different types of learners.

(Stock, 2011)
Bonus Activity: You can use this same activity with high school learners. These aren`t age specific techniques after all. A really interesting amendation for this lesson is having them scan QR codes to access new activities digitally like programs that model what they`re studying (climate change for example) as well as videos or interactive info-grams. Not only are they learning more, but they`re also learning about technology and how to use it- a necessary skill for the future (McKee, 2017). 5. North and South Pole (Mckee, 2017)

This is actually a quick movement assessment task. The students get to move for a second, but you learn something important. An example would be:

1. You ask your students, "Do you think you understood this poem?"

2. Students move to the North Pole if they did.

3. Students move to the South Pole if they didn`t.

This activity lets you know whether you might need to review the activity in a different way to ensure understanding perhaps setting clearer goals for understanding the passage

And/or you learn who might struggle with the new task that will build on their analysis of the poem. Since you know what learners will probably struggle, you can make sure your next lesson uses some methods of instruction that will help clarify/ motivate them to participate in something that they feel rather unconfident in.

*** Caveat: Some students will think they understand the poem, but they actually have the wrong idea about it. That`s okay, but it will quickly become apparent during the next activity whether this is the case. 6. Take a brain break!
After explaining a new concept or vocabulary to your students, you can set up a brain break

For a brain break, you can use an activity like dancing to music or throwing a ball for a set amount of time like 2 minutes. When you stop the activity, you ask a quick question. After the question is answered, the activity resumes.

Do this again about 3-4 more times. After 4 times, it`s advisable to end the activity. Students begin to lose focus after about 3-4 repetitions (Davies, 2017).

Bonus Round Activity: Instead of you quizzing the students, you can have them talk or debate with each other about a question- letting them build their ideas off one another via collaboration (McKee, 2017).
These are just some of many movement strategies you can use to create a student-centered learning atmosphere in your classroom. To learn about other strategies to promote student-centered learning, click the link Student-Centered Learning.

References

Davies, Leah M. (2017) 20 Movement activities and games for elementary classrooms. Retrieved from https://gazette.teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/leah-davies/movement-games/

Griss, Susan. (2013) The power of movement in teaching and learning. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/03/19/fp_griss.html

Kelly, J. (2012) Learning theories. Retrieved from http://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/learning/theories/

McKee, K. (2017, July 23). Five movement strategies in the high school classroom. Retrieved September 25, 2017 from http://kennycmckee.com/five-movement-strategies-in-the-high-school-classroom

Shawley, Jessica. (2014) Increasing differentiation & choice in physical education. Retrieved September 24, 2014 from http://www.gophersport.com/blogentry/increasing-differentiation-choice-in-physical-education

Staff, T. (2015, November 05). 5 Movement strategies that get students thinking. Retrieved September 25, 2017, from http://www.teachthought.com/technology/much-sitting-five-movement-strategies-get-students-thinking/

Stock, Jeremy. (2011, April 17). Stations (kinesthetic learning) - A real class example. Retrieved February 13, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

TEDx Talks. (2015, April 22)The Kinesthetic Classroom: Teaching and Learning through Movement | Michael Kuczala | TEDxAshburn. Retrieved February 13, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41gtxgDfY4s

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How Can I Incorporate Physical Activity into Student-Centered Learning Module 3 Unit 2 Activity

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What student-centered approaches or techniques include physical movement as a central element? I examined and created a wiki page on this topic by myself for a student-centered teaching collaboration project. When you think of students at school, what do you think of? Got it? Did you conjure up desks in your mind?

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Physical Activities into student center learning

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Physical Activities into student center learning

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I teach 3rd grade elementary students and they love to move a lot. Their developmental age have less self-control; and therefore, they need to be refocused in various ways throughout the school day. An easy way of doing that is to incorporate movement and fun activities into their daily routine (Davies, 2017).

A physical activity I implemented into my class for student centered learning is the "Shark Game". I will name a stroke, kick or skill and student will demonstrate the movement from one end of the pool to the other. If any student is displaying the wrong technique the teacher (Shark) would assist student.

Reference
https://travelinginasia.company/2018/03/03/how-can-i-incorporate-physical-activity-into-student-centered-learning-module-3-unit-2-activity/

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The purpose of self-assessment is to identify areas of strength and weakness in one’s work in order to make improvements and promote learning, achievement, and self-regulation.

In the beginning of all new sessions (classes) I go down a list of swim skills and allow students to perform them with a 2-3 minutes time frame on each skill. Some students accomplish the challenges and others may not. After, I peer students for sharing and feedback, this allows myself and student to set realistic goals.

Research suggests that self regulation and student achievement are closely related.
Students who set goals, make flexible plans to meet them, and monitor their progress tend to learn more and do better in school than students who do not (Zimmerman & Schunk 2011).

Reference
https://www.moe.edu.kw/teacher/Documents/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%BA%D8%A9%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AC%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%A9/learner%20centered%20teaching/5-Assessment%20in%20LCT%20.pdf

Effective self-assessment involves at least three steps:

1. Articulate performance targets. The teacher, the students,   or, preferably, both clearly articulate the expectations for
the task or performance.

2.  Checking progress toward the targets. Students take a first attempt at their assignment, be it an essay, lab report, choral performance, or speech.

3.  Revision. Students use feedback from their self assessments to guide revision. This step is crucial.

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Self-Assessment: Reflections from Students and Teachers

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Peer Assessment : Reflections from students and teachers

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Peer Assessment : Reflections from students and teachers

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This video describes one way to implement effective peer assessment in the classroom. Watch as teachers and students from IS 223 (Brooklyn, NY) discuss peer assessment and reflect on its benefits.

https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/resource/assessment/

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Peer Assessment: Reflections from Students and Teachers

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Three contestants tackle questions on the particulars of self- and peer assessment. This animation is a great introduction for teachers and students alike.

https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/resource/assessment/

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- Choice boards allow students to select activities they will complete to practice a skill or demonstrate understanding. In this approach to learning, students are given ownership and empowerment opportunities while teachers differentiate their instruction. Choice boards can be utilized not just for assessment purposes, but also to introduce new material, for supplemental practice, or as a combination of multiple parts of a lesson or unit.

https://wakelet.com/wake/7Qb4X_6onIKViqksmn_wJ

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Student centered approaches to address differentiation

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Student centered approaches to address differentiation

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Teach Up

‘Teaching at a level that’s too easily accessible to each student can harm your differentiated instruction efforts, according to Tomlinson. Instead, she recommends “teaching up.” This eliminates the pitfall of being stuck on low-level ideas, seldom reaching advanced concepts:

We do much better if we start with what we consider to be high-end curriculum and expectations -- and then differentiate to provide scaffolding, to lift the kids up.

The usual tendency is to start with what we perceive to be grade-level material and then dumb it down for some and raise it up for others. But we don’t usually raise it up very much from that starting point, and dumbing down just sets lower expectations for some kids.

Keeping this concept in mind should focus your differentiated teaching strategy, helping you bring each student up to “high-end curriculum and expectations.”

As Elizabeth S. LeBlanc, Co-Founder of the Institute for Teaching and Learning, writes for EdSurge: "Accelerated learning approaches give a lower priority to repetition or 'skill-and-drill' uses of instructional technology. In other words, it’s not about memorizing everything you should have learned, it’s about moving you forward so you pick things up along the way."

Interview Students

Asking questions about learning and studying styles can help you pinpoint the kinds of content that will meet your class’s needs.

While running learning stations or a large-group activity, pull each student aside for a few minutes. Ask about:

-Their favourite types of lessons

-Their favourite in-class activities

-Which projects they’re most proud of

-Which kinds of exercises help them remember key lesson points

-Track your results to identify themes and students with uncommon preferences, helping you determine which methods of instruction suit their abilities.

Target Different Senses Within Lessons

A lesson should resonate with more students if it targets visual, tactile, auditory and kinesthetic senses, instead of only one.

When applicable, appeal to a range of learning styles by:

-Playing videos

-Using infographics

-Providing audiobooks

-Getting students to act out a scene

-Incorporating charts and illustrations within texts

-Giving both spoken and written directions to tasks

Not only will these tactics help more students grasp the core concepts of lessons, but make class more engaging.

Create Learning Stations

Provide different types of content by setting up learning stations — divided sections of your classroom through which groups of students rotate. You can facilitate this with a flexible seating plan. Each station should use a unique method of teaching a skill or concept related to your lesson

Reference:

https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/differentiated-instruction-strategies-examples-download/

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Implementing assessment to enhance student-centered learning

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Implementing assessment to enhance student-centered learning

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Defintion:

Student-centered assessment involves the active engagement of students in setting goals for their learning and growth, monitoring their progress toward those goals, and determining how to address any gaps.

Reference:

https://www.moe.edu.kw/teacher/Documents/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%BA%D8%A9%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AC%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%A9/learner%20centered%20teaching/5-Assessment%20in%20LCT%20.pdf

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1. Students are engaged, challenged and motivated.

Students are highly engaged due to the multisensory nature of the learning environment.  Lessons are adjusted constantly based on student assets and needs. Learning experiences are scaffolded.

2. Lessons can be done individually, in small groups, or whole group.

Students can go through their own lessons and develop their independent skills. The training that teachers receive allows them to prepare and implement lesson plans to introduce skills in whole group settings, and/or reinforce skills in small group rotational models. Students work at their own pace, constantly being challenged at their own levels.

3 . Multiple forms of assessment are used.

Initial diagnostic assessments provide a good overview of the knowledge and skills students possess and what they need to work on. Students are tested through formative and summative assessments, to determine if they are ready to move on and to inform instruction.

4. Students receive targeted feedback in order to help them make progress.

Student feedback is tailored to inspire student opportunities for growth. Whether feedback is received through conferencing, written notes or questions, or through a rubric, feedback is provided to all students frequently.

5. Resources must be provided and shared between staff.

Teachers use student data to make informed decisions. Teachers refine strategies based on observed results and plan improvements whenever data suggests the need for change.

6. Family engagement is a must

Family engagement is prioritized so that learning extends beyond the classroom into homes and communities where rich, culturally-responsive learning opportunities abound.

To ensure student-centered learning is successful in a school, we need to focus on equity, engage educators as learners and leaders, and develop goals for our students that align both with academic standards and community needs. With this shared vision in mind, the staff, parents and community will have built a school that is centered around students and their passions, assets and goals.

Reference:

https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/resource/implemented-6-student-centered-learning-goals-advance-equity/

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Using Technology, such as IXL. - Jan Kuzmik

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Using Technology, such as IXL. - Jan Kuzmik

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IXL (ixl.com) is a flexible platform. It delivers a personalized set of tasks and goals for each student based on their progress. Source: https://blog.ixl.com/2021/08/11/how-ixl-delivers-a-truly-personalized-learning-experience/

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IXL reimagines traditional learning by making it possible for teachers to prioritize students' individual needs. By applying technology in innovative ways, IXL is able to help unlock students' potential and give them the tools they need to excel.

And, IXL offers more than just a great learning platform. It's trusted by schools in all of the top 100 U.S. school districts because it offers teachers and administrators the support they need to boost classroom efficiency and maximize collective success. Here are some of the top reasons schools and districts choose IXL:
Expertly crafted curriculum
IXL's curriculum is designed by educational experts to make learning on IXL the best possible experience for students. Eighty-five percent of the curriculum development team holds a master's degree or higher in their subject area, and many of them are also former educators with real classroom experience.

So, producing quality material in a digestible format is the top priority of our content experts. You can rest assured that students are receiving cutting-edge curriculum in a researched-backed format that is proven to accelerate learning.
Hands-on support whenever you need it
IXL is a deeply committed support system, too. When you sign up for a school or district account with IXL, or even as an individual teacher, we become your trusted partner, offering top-notch onboarding, support, and implementation support from our customer success and professional learning teams.

Your dedicated account manager acts as an extension of your own team, providing you with everything you need to drive an effective IXL implementation. Regular check-ins, data reviews, customized action plans, and more, ensure that you'll always be able to personalize learning and prioritize your students' education.

And, your feedback matters! We are actively listening to your suggestions and are constantly adding content and features to meet your evolving needs.
Flexible design principles
IXL strives to foster independent thought and a love of learning by giving students the tools they need to take control of their education and thrive. Our engaging interface and interactive skills encourage students to push their learning limits and explore new topics and levels at their own pace. Plus, personalized data helps students understand themselves as learners and make informed decisions about what learning strategies will best help them grow.

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How IXL delivers a truly personalized learning experience - IXL Official Blog

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IXL reimagines traditional learning by making it possible for teachers to prioritize students' individual needs. By applying technology in innovative ways, IXL is able to help unlock students' potential and give them the tools they need to excel. And, IXL offers more than just a great learning platform.

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Students must often master the concepts, ideas, and themes that are present in a novel. One of the best ways to teach students to do this is by using the "fishbowl" technique.

Begin by splitting your class into groups of 4-5. These students will work together to create a fishbowl.

Assign each group a separate theme from the novel. Do not overlap themes.

Have the students individually read the novel and flag every instance in which the theme is mentioned or alluded to. Students should do this on their own time. Allow a week for students to do this.

Schedule a class period in which each group can meet to share what they found.

The next day, each group will get 5-7 minutes to present. Arrange the classroom so there are 4 chairs in the middle, while every other chair is spread in a circle around them. You should sit in the circle as well.

Pose 3-4 questions about the theme and have the students discuss each. Be sure they cite evidence from the text.

The fishbowl technique provides for a collaborative project where each student can be graded individually. As they watch other groups, students will also learn more about the novel they are studying. Source: https://www.how-to-study.com/teaching-tips/teaching-tip.asp?tid=217

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Teaching Tip: Fishbowl Reading Technique

Students must often master the concepts, ideas, and themes that are present in a novel. One of the best ways to teach students to do this is by using the "fishbowl" technique.

Begin by splitting your class into groups of 4-5. These students will work together to create a fishbowl.

Assign each group a separate theme from the novel. Do not overlap themes.

Have the students individually read the novel and flag every instance in which the theme is mentioned or alluded to. Students should do this on their own time. Allow a week for students to do this.

Schedule a class period in which each group can meet to share what they found.

The next day, each group will get 5-7 minutes to present. Arrange the classroom so there are 4 chairs in the middle, while every other chair is spread in a circle around them. You should sit in the circle as well.

Pose 3-4 questions about the theme and have the students discuss each. Be sure they cite evidence from the text.

The fishbowl technique provides for a collaborative project where each student can be graded individually. As they watch other groups, students will also learn more about the novel they are studying.

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Teaching Tip: Fishbowl Reading Technique Students must often master the concepts, ideas, and themes that are present in a novel. One of the best ways to teach students to do this is by using the "fishbowl" technique. Begin by splitting your class into groups of 4-5.

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One activity that I sometimes use is "fishing". I write letters on "fish" cards and put them at the back of the classroom. Students are divided into different groups, they see the words shown on the board and go fishing one by one to collect the certain cards. It is also helpful with their teamwork and spelling.

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Four corners is a fun and easy game that is suitable for many grades. It can be used for checking understanding, learning about the students opinions or moods and so on. It can also help to develop decision making abilities.

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The purpose of exhibition "is to support sustained, personalized learning while assuring commitment, engagement, and high-level intellectual achievement aligned with established standards. Exhibitions ensure continuity between formative classroom assessments and high-stakes summative assessments by employing teaching, learning, and assessment practices in classroom settings to rehearse, emphasize, and otherwise reinforce progress toward successful final exhibitions."
It needs a long time and effort to prepare, and would be suggested to be school-wide.

(https://www.moe.edu.kw/teacher/Documents/اللغة%20الانجليزية/learner%20centered%20teaching/5-Assessment%20in%20LCT%20.pdf)
(https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/wp-content/uploads/1_SATC_AssessTools_Exhibitions_042913.pdf)

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"One key way to create a more student-centered classroom is by assessing students for their passions and interests. Tools like learning profile cards can allow us to differentiate appropriately, leverage our students' strengths, and push them to learn in different ways. Assessing for passions and interests can also push us to know our students more deeply and create a classroom designed for them."

(https://www.edutopia.org/blog/assessment-create-student-centered-learning-andrew-miller)
(https://openingpaths.org/blog/2014/01/learning-profile-cards/)

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This is to start with a quiz, then ask students questions like "how do you feel about the quiz" to help themselves and the teacher know about where the students are at. At the same time, teachers need to help students to build up their confidence and set up the next goals.
Suggested tools:
Kahoot!
Formative
Quizlet

(https://www.commonsense.org/education/sites/default/files/tlr-asset/document-twt-cheat-sheet-checks-for-understanding-081916.pdf)

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To Boost Learning, Just Add Movement - Cult of Pedagogy

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To Boost Learning, Just Add Movement - Cult of Pedagogy

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Sponsored by Pear Deck and NewseumED

This page contains Amazon Affiliate and Bookshop.org links. When you make a purchase through these links, Cult of Pedagogy gets a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. What's the difference between Amazon and Bookshop.org?

If you were to start singing "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" right now, I bet you'd have a hard time keeping your hands still. That's because most of us who know the song learned it with gestures, and things we learn with physical movement tend to stick.

We can apply that same principle to classroom learning, using movement to enhance learning from preschool all the way through college. Let's take a look at what the research says about movement-based learning, then explore six different ways you can add more movement to your instruction.

The Research on Movement

The concept of "learning styles" has overwhelmingly been labeled a myth by researchers, so attempting to determine which of your students are kinesthetic learners will not be a good use of your time. What is worth your time is using movement when working with all learners, because plenty of research backs that up.

In general, people learn better when information is presented in more than one way (Sankey, Birch, & Gardiner, 2010). In other words, if we take in information through more than one sense, we're more likely to encode it in long-term memory. This would include visual, verbal, and kinesthetic modes of learning.

Specifically, the use of gestures results in more enduring learning than learning without gestures (Cook, Yip, & Goldin-Meadow, S, 2010). So even the addition of a few small hand gestures can have an impact on how well students remember material.

Study after study shows that physical activity activates the brain, improves cognitive function, and is correlated with improved academic performance (Donnelly & Lambourne, 2011). This means any kind of physical activity, not just movement associated with the material we're learning, can benefit students academically.

Six Ways to Add Movement to Instruction

1. Total Physical Response

Developed for use with second-language learners in the 1960's ( Asher, 1966), Total Physical Response simply has students act out physical gestures to represent vocabulary words. Shown to be highly effective with both children (Singh, 2011) and adults ( Carruthers, 2010), TPR can also be used to help learners remember new vocabulary terms in their native language. In other words, it can be used in any content area, with any student.

This video from the Teacher Toolkit shows Texas teacher Michael Rowland using TPR with his third grade students, who are English learners.

And here is Craig Gaslow, another Texas teacher who teaches AP Human Geography, demonstrating how he uses TPR to teach three different models of diffusion:

https://youtu.be/9HtrVh2Dzzs

Finally, here are Scott Causer's high school students demonstrating a few earth science processes using TPR:

What strategies support learning? Here's high school science using TPR to recall processes in Earth Science -thanks Mr. Causer and team for modeling! @ESMSchoolDist @cultofpedagogy pic.twitter.com/njoAaVdBB9
- Naomi Trivison (@NaomiTrivison) March 30, 2019

2. Tableau/Snapshot

In this strategy, students create a physical "snapshot" with their bodies, a still picture that represents an idea.

This example, demonstrated by 4th grade teacher Stefannie Cundiff, comes from Teacher Toolkit:

Another example is explained in this Slides presentation by Tyler Jacobs, an Idaho-based high school ELA and social studies teacher. Click the image below to view the slideshow in a new window:

3. Simulations

In these, students demonstrate a concept with some kind of motion or interactivity. They could represent non-human components, like in the examples below, or they might actually take on the role of humans in a re-enactment of an event.

The first example comes from the University of British Columbia, where electrical engineering professor Matthew Yedlin has students simulate the difference between linear growth and exponential growth:

The second example, a simulation of the circulatory system, comes from Michelle Cliche, who teaches grades 4 and 5 in London, Ontario, Canada.

Ss learned about the complexity of the circulatory system by acting out delivery of blood through red & blue bean bags. S in middle is ❤️ directing blood flow to different organs. Later, we did this on playground climbers because heart has to pump 'up'. pic.twitter.com/dhzTqRTEOp
- Michelle Cliche (@Clicheteach) March 29, 2019

Finally, here's a different kind of simulation demonstrated by Amy Tepperman, where participants show fractions by placing different body parts on the floor, Twister-style:

An important note about simulations: If you are doing simulations about historical periods or events, proceed with caution. Many, many teachers have ended up traumatizing students with these types of simulations. This article from Learning for Justice explores the topic in depth.

4. Songs with Movement

Songs are another powerful way to teach concepts to students, and if the songs also incorporate movement, even better.

Dan Adler, a 6th grade science teacher in Lawrence, MA, regularly uses songs with physical movements to help his students remember challenging concepts. In this video, students demonstrate "Bodak Particles," a song about phase change sung to an instrumental version of Cardi B's song "Bodak Yellow." (Get a copy of the lyrics here.)

Check out our science scholars rapping about phase changes! pic.twitter.com/uO3sJQubgw
- UP Academy Leonard (@up_leonard) November 8, 2018

5. Virtual and Augmented Reality

The experiences offered by virtual and augmented reality allow students to move around in and interact with virtual objects and spaces in ways that would be difficult if not impossible to pull off in the real world.

Augmented Reality layers digital enhancements on top of objects in the real, physical world. Using a device, like a smartphone, loaded with AR software, users point it at a picture or physical object, and the software brings up some kind of digital element like a 3D animation, text, or a video. ( Pokémon Go is an example of an AR game.)

One set of AR tools that have tremendous learning potential comes from a company called Merge. Their Merge Cube is a handheld cube that can "become" a variety of objects when paired with the Merge Goggles, as shown below:

Virtual Reality immerses the user in a 360-degree environment, a computer-generated simulation, viewable through a VR headset, and allows them to move through and interact with that environment.

One outstanding source for VR experiences is Google Expeditions, which offers tours to over 500 different locations: historical landmarks, national and state parks, underwater sites, and up-close studies of scientific phenomena.

And if you don't find the exact tour you want, you and your students can even create your own expeditions with Google Tour Creator.

6. Brain Breaks

I left this one for the end because it's the easiest to implement. This brain breaks guide from the University of Texas summarizes the research on the connection between movement and academic achievement and offers dozens of ideas for brain breaks that can be put into action immediately.

Brain break videos are super easy to find on YouTube, especially for younger kids. My daughter came home from first grade years ago excited to demonstrate this one for me:

But what about older kids? High school math teacher David Sladkey has written a a book, Energizing Brain Breaks ( Amazon | Bookshop.org), that has ideas for all ages, even middle and high school kids who may not be as comfortable with the Tooty Ta. in this video, students demonstrate a simple toe-tapping brain break:

Tips for Getting Started

Don't overdo it. Attempting to add a movement component to every concept students learn would not only be too time-consuming, it could also get old, shifting from a fun novelty to something that causes students to slump over in their seats and say, Not THAT again!!

Get input from students. When coming up with gestures or movements, you don't have to rely solely on your own brain. Ask students to help you come up with ideas. Involving students in the process will help them remember concepts better and will increase the likelihood that you'll end up with really effective movements.

Know what works for your students. Some of your students may not be comfortable with or physically able to do certain movements, so keep that in mind and make modifications based on ability and need.

Use movement for retrieval practice. Rather than using movement in a single lesson, apply the principles of retrieval practice by repeating the movements in short practice sessions, spacing them out over time, and interleaving concepts with one another.

For younger students, meaningful gestures matter more. While adults learn from both iconic gestures (those that have some meaning in relation to the concept they are connected to) and beat gestures (those that have no inherent meaning but are just tied to particular "beats" in a sentence or phrase), younger children learned more from iconic gestures (So, Sim Chen-Hui, & Low Wei-Shan, 2012). So when working with younger students, try to make the gestures match the concepts in some way.

References

Asher, J. J. (1969). The total physical response approach to second language learning. The modern language journal, 53(1), 3-17.

Carruthers, S. W. (2010). The total physical response method and its compatibility to adult ESL-learners. Retrieved from http://tesolteachers.net/t.pdf

Cook, S. W., Yip, T. K., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2010). Gesturing makes memories that last. Journal of memory and language, 63(4), 465-475.

Donnelly, J. E., & Lambourne, K. (2011). Classroom-based physical activity, cognition, and academic achievement. Preventive medicine, 52, S36-S42.

Sankey, M., Birch, D., & Gardiner, M. (2010). Engaging students through multimodal learning environments: The journey continues. In Proceedings ASCILITE 2010: 27th annual conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education: Curriculum, technology and transformation for an unknown future (pp. 852-863). University of Queensland.

Singh, J. P. (2011). Effectiveness of total physical response. Academic Voices: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 1, 20-22.

So, W. C., Sim Chen-Hui, C., & Low Wei-Shan, J. (2012). Mnemonic effect of iconic gesture and beat gesture in adults and children: Is meaning in gesture important for memory recall?. Language and Cognitive Processes, 27(5), 665-681.

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Physical movement makes learning stick better, and today we're exploring six ways you can add more movement to your classroom.

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"Collaborative learning theory is rooted in Lev Vygotsky’s idea, Zone of Proximal Development. Here, learners rely on one another to accomplish tasks that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to complete individually. Collaborative learning is key for developing critical thinking skills, with it suggested that students retain more information when working in groups.

Collaborative learning theory involves peer-to-peer learning that fosters deeper thinking in the classroom. Collaborative learning theory suggests that group learning helps students develop their higher-level thinking, oral communication, self-management and leadership skills. Students also have the opportunity to build upon their leadership and organizational skills."

(https://tophat.com/glossary/c/collaborative-learning-theory/#:~:text=Collaborative%20learning%20theory%20involves%20peer,self%2Dmanagement%20and%20leadership%20skills.)

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Collaborative Learning Theory Definition and Meaning | Top Hat

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Collaborative Learning Theory meaning and definition, learn what Collaborative Learning Theory means and browse hundreds of other educational terms for higher learning on Top Hat's education glossary

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For young learners, playing board games where students work together to achieve a goal is a great way to teach the skills necessary for later collaboration in the classroom.

(My kids love Count Your Chickens)

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Use distance learning or postcards to share work, do projects, or have discussions with other classes in the school, or even around the world!

(https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-authentic-multimodal-projects-young-writers)

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Another kinesthetic activity that can be adapted for any purpose and any age. Half of the students stand in an inner circle, and half of the students stand in an outer circle facing them. Students can answer a question or discuss a topic (one outer-circle student paired up with the inner-circle student) and then one of the circles "turns", assigning students a new partner to discuss with.

I even use this activity with my 4-year-olds when we practice reading. For younger kids though, arrange chairs for this activity so they do not get confused about where to stand.

(https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/concentric-circles)

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Display texts or images around the classroom (can be instructional or student-created) and have students walk around the room to interact with them.

You could have your students take notes or fill out a worksheet as they move around the room, or discuss in small groups. This activity really can be tailored to suit your lesson's needs, but it is really great for adding a kinesthetic element to the lesson.

(https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/gallery-walk)

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If your school requires group assembly or "morning exercise", or even warm-ups for P.E. class, let students lead these activities. It makes it more interesting for them and allows for more student-to-student interaction.

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GoNoodle is a website full of videos for several topics and age groups that encourage movement.

Good for TPR, energizers, or team-building, the videos on this platform range from mindfulness activities, to sing-along songs, to P.E. workouts!

In the past I incorporated at least one GoNoodle video into each lesson, and I would give my students a choice on which video to do within a topic.

The platform also has a reward system, giving you points for completing videos- it's a great way to motivate the students to get excited.

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Get Your Kids Moving & Practicing Mindfulness with GoNoodle®. Start Watching Now & Get Access to Hundreds of Videos! Active Learning. Healthy Kids. Active Kids. Boost Learning.

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Group work is probably the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about ways to get students to collaborate, but assigning responsibilities within the groups will encourage more active participation and teach students to think about their discussion/topic from a new perspective and develop skills for that role.

Examples of roles are facilitator, coordinator, timekeeper, or artist, but they can be adjusted to suit the activity.

This can be suited to any age level. Preschool and lower elementary may only have a leader and a timekeeper, and roles can be added as students are able to work effectively in a group and handle the new responsibilities.

(https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/assigning-roles-group-work)

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Some students discuss a topic in the center of the class while the other students listen to the discussion from the outside. Students then switch roles.

This is good for allowing students to listen to new ideas, while also learning good discussion strategies by observing.

I like this activity for elementary school, because it does allow students to learn from each other on how to have a proper discussion, so that later on there can be more student-led discussions in the class.

(https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/fishbowl)

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If students are working on a piece of writing, pair them up with a partner to read it aloud to. Partners will then give each other feedback on what they've heard.

This allows students to share their writing in a safe setting, improve that writing, and practice giving and receiving constructive criticism.

I feel this could be adapted for all levels starting at around upper elementary school, though the quality of the feedback will obviously improve at higher levels.

(https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/read-aloud-peer-review)

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A student-led discussion in which students help each other to analyze and understand a text.

Students practice listening to others and finding common ground in a conversation.

This is an activity that could be done as early as elementary school as long as the teacher is there to help guide the conversation. Middle and high schoolers could definitely run this themselves.

(https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/socratic-seminar)

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Reciprocal Teaching - Reciprocal teaching puts students into groups of four and each student has their own role. For example, “(1) predictor, (2) questioner, (3) clarifier, or (4) summarizer” While the students are reading the text, they stop at intervals to teach, share ideas, and discuss. They do this by “predicting upcoming information, asking questions, clarifying confusing information, and summarizing as a means of self-review.” This practice allows students to either choose or be assigned a role or skill they would like to practice. This displays differentiation on confidence & ability, improving on weaker areas, student preference…. etc. The teacher will also be free to visit groups and listen in on what the groups are discussing which then allows him to get a better idea of how well students are comprehending the text or subject matter. A teacher will then be able to further personalize the learning to students based on this casual bit of formative assessment.

Reciprocal Teaching could look like this: (I copy and pasted this transcript directly from the source)

“Predictor: I think this section of the chapter will talk about how the people in the towns worked in different jobs. The picture on this page shows one person baking and one person making shoes.

Questioner: I wonder how much they got paid in those days.

Summarizer: Let’s read and see what it says and if we’re correct.

(Students read the section on Medieval Europe and the towns.)

Questioner: I was right. It does say that people worked as bakers and made shoes. The shoes were made out of leather.

Summarizer: Yes, this section was about how people in the Middle Ages worked in many jobs. One other job was farming, and the methods they used for farming weren’t efficient.

Questioner: What’s that mean? Efficient?

Clarifier: Doesn’t it mean that the ways they used to farm weren’t that good?

Summarizer and Predictor: YES!

Summarizer: So many people worked as farmers until the farming methods became efficient. Then they didn’t need so many farmers, so, some of the people became bakers, shoemakers, and weavers.

Clarifier: So, the townspeople weren’t farmers for a very long time . . .just until the land got better. Then many more jobs were available for these people.

Predictor: I bet the next section of this chapter will tell about how people traded the things they made. “

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321336458_If_You_Want_Students_to_Read_Widely_and_Well-Eliminate_Round-Robin_Reading/link/5a1d92a3aca2726120b307dc/download

Further Differentiation: You could provide sentence stems to help students organize their thoughts and take notes while reading. Take the "clarifier" by example. They could be given sentence stems such as:

- Oh I get it.......
-Now that makes sense.......
- This part is really saying......

https://sites.google.com/a/esu4.net/esu4strategies/all-strategies/say-something

Alternatives: If you want to give students time to work independently (and/or practice writing skills), you could give students lets say 6 minutes to read as much of a text or chunk they can, and then have them write a response using the sentence stems.

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Use a wireless presenter controller –

Teacher led instruction is still needed in a student-centred classroom “Sometimes the best delivery method at the moment is demonstration through direct instruction. That's okay — I just hope that's not where teachers stay all the time." (Kruegar, 2014) A teacher could even make this more student centered by offering the control of a slideshow, ppt or video clip to a student, and at times where the teacher must retain this control they don’t necessarily have to do this from the front of the class. They can be among the students perhaps monitoring or participating in the lesson whilst controlling the stimuli using a wireless presenter controller.

https://www.iste.org/explore/ISTE-blog/4-myths-about-student-centered-learning?articleid=47

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ClassDojo - An APP to help connect teachers, students, and guardians to build a positive classroom environment. 

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ClassDojo - An APP to help connect teachers, students, and guardians to build a positive classroom environment. 

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I believe that having good classroom management is a crucial player when building a good classroom environment. I used ClassDojo a few years back as a classroom management tool and have heard that many of my teacher friends are currently using it.

ClassDojo “connects teachers with students and parents to build amazing classroom communities”. “Teachers can encourage students for any skill or value — whether it's working hard, being kind, helping others or something else.” to build a positive classroom environment. Classdojo also provides a platform where students “can showcase and share their learning by adding photos and videos to their own portfolios.” It is also a way for parents to engage with their children and teachers by sharing photos, documents, videos, and fun classroom moments.

It is also user-friendly and visually appealing and has a number of features to help make the classroom environment run smoothly; group maker, noise control, point trackers, and video content to develop social skills and mindfulness. It is a great digital tool to help build a stronger connection with teachers, students, and guardians.

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ClassDojo helps teachers, parents, and students build amazing classroom communities.

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I interviewed a teacher friend who works at an international school in my city. She shared three digital reading services that really peaked my interest: Razkids, EPIC, and NewsELA.

RazKids - “Raz-Kids is an award-winning teaching product that provides comprehensive leveled reading resources for students. With hundreds of eBooks offered at 29 different levels of reading difficulty, it's easy to put the right content in every student's hands.

Kids access their leveled text through an interactive learning portal designed to keep them motivated and engaged. Every eBook is available in online and mobile formats, and allows students to listen to, read at their own pace, and record themselves reading. Students then take a corresponding eQuiz complete with an extended answer response to test comprehension and determine future instruction needs. Once a child has read ten or more of the leveled eBooks and passed each of the corresponding eQuizzes, they advance on to the next reading level where they have access to lengthier and more difficult text.”
https://www.raz-kids.com/

This is an amazing resource for helping meet students where they are. This is an excellent example of student centered learning. It meets all four principles: personalized, competency based, anytime/anywhere (all you need is your tablet/electronic device), and Ss take ownership by selecting what books they want to read to complete their level. It is a subscription service, but there is a free trial available.

EPIC is similar to Razkids in the sense that it provides instant and unlimited access to thousands of e-books, videos, and quizzes from leading publishers to help kids everywhere read, learn, and grow. It is only available as a subscription (free trial available) so, it is only accessible to those who are financially able to pay, just like Razkids. It has features where teachers can assign books and track student’s progress.

https://www.getepic.com

NewsELA is a “platform that provides common core reading content. It not only engages students with relevant topics they care about, it also helps build a background knowledge in vocabulary they need to become active, engaged readers.”

“Every text comes with a quiz that's aligned to ELA standards for informational reading or literature, so teachers can focus on each student's individual skill development.” Furthermore, it has multiple levels. This means that students approach rigorous texts confidently. Real-time differentiation means teachers can include all students in every lesson, and no one ever feels left out of a discussion.” Content is updated daily so teachers can engage their students with relevant information.

https://newsela.com/

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Once a month I have a station based afternoon in my classroom. I create 4 different stations for my students to break into. These students are seperated by their literacy levels so that they work with others on their same level.

Station 1 - I sit with students as we all read the same book outloud. Students practive reading the words together. I change books levels depending on what group I am sitting with.

Station 2 - Students practice making words out of clay from a word list. They must sound out the letters as they create the words. Great for lower literacy learners who need to work on one letter at a time.

Station 3 - Picture and word matching game. Students work together to match all the pictures with the designated word.

Station 4 - Computer corner. Students are logged into educationcity.com. They may choose between 3 different online reading games. The computer says the words out loud and they must spell it. A very easy way to incorporate simple technology for my younger learners who have little experience with computers.

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4 Strategies For Implementing Learning Stations In Your Classroom by Dan Henderson, Author of That's Special: A Survival Guide To Teaching
What is a center or station? Desks or tables are grouped according to a particular skill or participants academic level in a group. Each group or table is differentiated to meet the learner where they are at academically. Here are a few tips for creating centers or stations.
A Story From My Classroom

Grouping your students: After the first four to six weeks of school you should have some diagnostic data on where you children are academically. Maybe you are further along in the year, but you need to place your groups in similar academic levels via beginning of year formal assessments data. The idea is each academic group comes to the teacher in groups of four to six students for direct instruction. In the other centers activities are planned out for groups to do independent work.

Differentiate the work in your centers and stations: Take each station and think of it as a common core or state standard. Make levels of difficulty A-D of each standard for your groups and neatly organize your packets A-D. "A" being the foundational skill and "D" being mastery. You can come up with your own system, but there needs to be levels of increasing comprehension they can access independently. Sometimes it's best to have different levels or learners in a center around the same activity. The more advanced children can help the students that are struggling on their A or B level packets. The key is the center is differentiated for all learners at the table for each learner at their level.

Managing the flow of movement: Model, model, model how the flow of movement will look like going from center to center. Get a timer, live by it. Expect 100% participation and do not let any kid slow down the movements of the group.

How to re-evaluate your groups: Students will inevitable advance to more difficult levels towards mastery. Each Friday I do a quick exit quiz to see if a student should advance to a harder level. Then I write on the board the updated list of who can participate at what independent activity at a center. If you want to keep this information private you can have students carry around folders indicating their level. However, giving students access to all the levels is not harmful. In fact many argue that this access to levels A-D or all levels in a center is necessary for a child to advance at the speed they are learning.

Bingo.

A game played by aging senior citizens and in your child's elementary classroom. There has been increasing scientific support stating children need to experience joy in order to learn. With joy comes retention of knowledge and the chemicals in our brain want to trigger that reward response again. Viewing kids play games inside a classroom can either resemble a precision portrait or modern art. The modern art visual being a seating arrangement designed by Picasso. If there is game in the classroom while students learn does it matter? I let a student who loved to win play games at centers, but he would not lose gracefully. Would we all be experiencing joy when Tyrell lost bingo?

As adults we often try to tell kids that winning does not always matter. Situations of small fights or small disputes on the playground are easily forgotten as we grow older. In the moment, telling a child a game is not important is not the best strategy. It would be better to acknowledge the child's feelings before trying to give them advice. After acknowledging their feelings give them two choices. Children often get stuck in a feeling and do not consider the alternatives. This is how I set up centers and stations to play bingo in my classroom.

I had set up my stations around the classroom in groups of five desks. After 20 minutes the students would rotate to another group of five desks. At each center there were different activities. I had bags labeled A-D at each desk. On the board there where names that corresponded to the letter each child was in at the corresponding center. For example, during our math rotation students were working on fractions. Some students were on a level D and some on a C in a group of five desks. Each child can play a game with someone at their level or by themselves. In the end the idea is that kids are having fun playing the game while learning.

Tyrell and Ben were in the same group playing fraction bingo. The goal was to add fractions on your card. For example, in a square it would list 1/8 + 3/8. Then someone would pick a separate set of equations from a stack. You had to solve the equation on your bingo card once someone called out the fraction. If someone called out 4/8 or 1/2 you would mark your square. Then all the normal rules of bingo applied. Ben had a successful streak of bingo's this week, yelling loudly to announce his victory.

"Bingo, haha I won again. You suck." Said Ben mockingly.

"I don't suck I won last week. You just got lucky." Tyrell yells back.

"Nah you suck bro." All eyes in the classroom turn on Tyrell and Ben.

"Shut up." Tyrell picks his game board and throws it at Ben scattering plastic chips all over the room.

"Hey, stop throwing the game." I yell from across the room. Tyrell stands up making a fist aggressively over his chair. I get upset and stand to see the potential fight.

"If you don't sit down you will never play bingo again." In the moment the words felt righteous, but shouldn't I help Tryrell through this situation by offering him a choice, so he could reason with his feelings? I don not make it a priority and separate the two bingo bandits. I move about my day rotating kids through centers.

The next day I tell the children to rotate to their next center and warn Tyrell and Ben about their previous bingo shenanigans.

"If you lose today Tyrell, it's no big deal. Just say good job." This leave it to beaver advice bounced off his ears like telling teenages to eat one plate of food at the all you can eat Chinese buffet. You will regret it later, but at the time that General Tso's chicken tastes so good. The same pleasure receptors are going off in the child brain. Winning is good, winning is all I care about.

"Bingo!" Ben yells again winning two days in a row.

"Shut up" Tyrell yells.

"Listen don't be a baby about it. Baby."

"You such an *sshole." Tyrell yells.

The whole class goes. "Ohhh" We enjoy an awkward few seconds of silence. I ring my bell to silence the classroom. Worried eyes look in my direction and the plastic pen I hold is unnaturally bending. I spent all this time creating games and they fight over bingo. B12 you said, what a coincidence. That is the same classroom for your detention.

"That's it. Ben and Tyrell no more bingo. You are not playing this game again."

"What what!" Tyrell starts breathing heavily, his chance at bingo redemption, the holy trinity of horizontal and diagonal lines is suddenly dashed. Would Tyrell's quest to greatness be ousted by this tyrant teacher. Tyrell faces grows defiant.

"Haha I guess you will always be a loser." Ben points triumphantly.

"Ahhh." With a quick sprint Tyrell scatters the game on the floor. Then finds a crayon box, breaking 1-2 crayons at a time and throwing them against the wall. Books start flying off the shelf. I sigh. Then wonder, did I remember to switch to Geico?

"Tyrell, Tyrell, calm down, calm down. We do not always get our way or win." I say urgently.

"You got your way, I can't play bingo. It's not fair I just want to play again. I want to play again." Tyrell is literally screaming the solution at me. By taking away his joy and his opportunity at redemption, I took away his motivation to behave. Was bingo so bad or was it just how Tyrell responded to losing. Yes, you need to give consequences, but was this the best consequence. The point is to teach our children how to respond to losing, correct?

I start off by acknowledging his feelings and then offer a choice. "I know losing is hard. You must be really tired of losing." He slows down breaking crayons. The magenta is spared.

"Alright Tyrell you have a choice. You can continue to make a mess that will ultimately lead to you seeing the principal or you could stop, clean up the mess and have a conference with me on how you will play bingo again." He holds up the Jitterbug Jade still breathing heavily. It was 128 crayon set people, I did not name these colors! Think of the Jade! I try to telepathically relay to spare my crayon box set.

He slowly puts down the Crayola. "Fine, I will have a conference with you." Tyrell says relaxing his shoulders. I breathe deeply, but lower my voice.

"Clean up this mess and class get back to work." Students slowly move to start their work back up again.

I call a conference with Tyrell to talk through a new strategy of losing. We come up with some immediate strategies like forecasting if he would lose to ward off a tantrum or picking other partners other than Ben. Then we model Tyrell losing again and I asked him what he would say, he said. "Let's play again and good game." To some degree I think he was just saying the words teachers want to hear.

"You can try playing again tomorrow, but not with Ben."

"He is a jerk right." He says deadpanned.

"There will always be jerks you play against, but what matters is that you don't let jerks mock or tease you. That's how you really lose." Tyrell nods as I give this sage advice.

"So I can tell everyone you think he is a jerk." Oh the joy of what kids find important for their teacher's to acknowledge.

Centers and stations work to help differentiate group work, but don't be discouraged if you have a few bingo bullies.

If you enjoyed these teaching mishaps and want to read similar stories visit my blog at http://danhendersonthatsspecial.blogspot.com. You can find out more about Dan's book at That's Special: A Survival Guide To Teaching or go on Dan's website on thatspecial.co

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4 Strategies For Implementing Learning Stations In Your Classroom -

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4 Strategies For Implementing Learning Stations In Your Classroom by Dan Henderson, Author of That's Special: A Survival Guide To Teaching What is a center or station? Desks or tables are grouped according to a particular skill or participants academic level in a group. Each group or table is differentiated to meet the learner where ...

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Computers On Wheels (COWS) are laptops made portable by being placed in a movable container.
Using COWS in class can allow students to participate in online bulletin boards or digital project-based learning. They also enable student to have a more personalized learning experience by providing access to differentiated education programs, such as Razkids, Science4Us, and MathReflex. Students can also do a plethra of projects to prove mastery of a concept.

Reference:
Computers in the Classroom: Benefits & Disadvantages. (2015, December 30). Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/computers-in-the-classroom-benefits-disadvantages.html.

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Comprised of 4 stages, the gradual release of responsibility is a differentiation tool to provide a framework of support to students requiring extra support and systematically challenging them to take on a more responsibility a little at a time.
References:
Gradual Release of Responsibility.

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Next week my first grade class is partnering with a fourth grade reading class to begin a "Reading Buddy" program for the first time in school history! The goal of the program is to empower older students to excite and help build confidence in younger students.

We are letting the kids decide what media (picture books, chapter books, comics) they would like to read to their partner. The students will be paired into 3 groups: high, standard, and lower levels of reading. We will partner 1 fourth grader with 1 first grader. The students will be taken to the library and allowed to sit wherever they want.

Students are taking ownership and personalizing the lesson by what they are reading, where they are sitting, and how they want to trade off reading times.