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The BARRIERS/CHALLENGES I see to Constructivism is that not all teachers can set up their classrooms the way that they need to be set up in order to execute Guided Reading Groups in all areas as much as time allows. Procedures and Guidelines, Expectations, and Relationships all must be built before Guided Reading/Math/Writing/Science/ and Social Studies Groups can even take place.

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Dewey has a “preference for collaboration over competition that relates to the cooperative learning that I use in my classroom. I employ cooperative learning and encourage my students to work collaboratively on a daily basis and in every subject area. Based on my own experiences, collaboration is more effective that competition. Rather than competing for my approval or attention, my students work with each other to solve problems and they help each other to produce a final project. Collaboration provides my students with the opportunity to converse, which motivates them since they are naturally social. Working together and learning from each other also provides them with the opportunity to construct their own meaning rather than looking to me as the sole source of information.

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Schema Theory articulates three processes through which knowledge structures change (I also apply these to my guided reading groups):

1) Accretation: learners take in new information but have no need to change existing schemas- I apply this to my higher leveled learners. They can take in new information and use their existing knowledge to gain additional information or leave out unnecessary information. They have the skills to articulate assignments and solve problems when a new concept is introduced.

2) Tuning: an existing schema is modified to incorporate new information- I apply this schema to my “bubble kids” who are almost there but they just need a light bulb moment. These are the kids who will most typically say, “Oh, I get it now!”

3) Restructuring: a new schema must be created by the learner because the old one is no longer sufficient- These are my kiddos who have been stuck doing something a certain way and need to be taught a better or more efficient, logical way of doing things.

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Constructivism is a theory of learning that emphasizes the active construction of knowledge by individuals. It integrates new knowledge with existing knowledge. The learner is actively engaged in the learning process. This is exactly what I try to do during my guided reading rotations. I actually use guided reading groups for all subject areas whenever I can fit them in. The students get used to whole group and then hands on, engaged, structured activities that go along with the whole group lesson. They are more engaged during whole group because they know there will b e applications of the new skill learned during rotations. They also know that I take a formative grade of their notebooks that they are required to keep their notes in.