https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune A place for Spotlight Classroom teachers to think about these ideas and the impact they might have on our instruction. en-us 2020-05-11 17:52:51 UTC 2020-08-14 15:47:55 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f3d6.png andrea_thune https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/567746463  I just read the example of the bread aisle when the book was talking about how thinking outside the box can be exhausting. I'm connecting that to lifestyle changes such as choosing (or medically needing) to eat low carb or low sodium when you have never really considered the amount of each ingredient in everything you normally buy. Going to the grocery store the first few weeks while making a change like that is exhausting because you have to think outside the box and, apparently, our brains don't like to think!]]> 2020-05-12 14:46:45 UTC https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/567746463 jennifer_merry https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/578406041 Many people do not like change. When I am faced with change, I feel overwhelmed for a day or so and then embrace the new and let it settle in. After reading the section "Thinking is Slow", it makes more sense to me. What separates humans from robots is that we can see and use what we see to solve problems or complete tasks. What we see helps us to use our prior knowledge and make connections in order to complete that task. 
So I may be jumping ahead of myself here, but this might be THE reason why our students need mentor texts for writing, direct instruction examples for math, models for sciences, etc. We can think when we have something to help us think. 
Other connection I made it from Brene Brown's podcast Unlocking Us: Episode 1 with Dr. Vivek. Dr. Vivek mentions that mental health is a new field of study because doctors and scientist usually study what they know. I thought that was super interesting. We have some much to learn about how the brain works, and so many people need the help now. ]]> 2020-05-17 20:16:28 UTC https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/578406041 kevin_stott https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/583372706 Page 16 and Page 17:
I was struck by the two quotes:
"Being told an answer doesn't do anything for you."
"It is self-defeating to give all of you students the same work."
With the my mindset around PBL as a vehicle for students to 'like school', I found these two quotes to reinforce the idea of presenting a 'unique' problem that the teacher does not have the answer for. And then breaking the 'unique' problem down into smaller skills based on students' needs so that they can then solve the problem using their unique skill set (information from the environment). As I read this book, I wonder what aspects of PBL are embedded in the writer's research and what aspects need to be 'coached/taught' so that at the end of day students 'like' school.]]> 2020-05-19 19:36:07 UTC https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/583372706 jennifer_merry https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/594943714 Ah ha- "Working on a problem with no sense  that you're making progress is not pleasurable. In fact, it's frustrating... Think how much more fun it would have been if you had solved it yourself (the candle and tack problem)."  This paragraph made me think about starting a lesson with inquiry instead diving into the notes is so much more powerful. It gives our students the chance to think they are solving something and being an active participant in their learning rather than just listening and being a passive participant. 

Wonder- "Working on problems that are the right level of difficulty is rewarding, but working on problems that are too difficult is unpleasant." So how do we figure out what the right level is for each student? ]]> 2020-05-26 14:45:46 UTC https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/594943714 andrea_thune https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/599434400 I LOVE tasking myself with problems to solve. I approach household chores as a problem to solve (ie. what cleaning product will get this shower door the cleanest AND keep the water spots away?). Right now I'm working on the most efficient use of our patio to do all the tasks I want it too (current curiosity, being able to sit outside all year-around, hosting 8-10 people and everyone having a place to sit and set their drink down BUT! seats close enough so that we all feel "together") I've always got some problem going on in my head. 
And now I'm thinking about this idea of thinking not being a very efficient task and I'm connecting it to myself. I've never been an "efficient" person. I use way to many words, I'm a super messy cook, and I tend to drag tasks out. I love the mess! I now I read on pg 10 about the little doses of dopamine reward and it totally makes sense! 
As a classroom teacher, I think I need to pay closer attention and make sure my students are getting lots of those dopamine rewards! It's FUN!

]]> 2020-05-28 15:35:41 UTC https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/599434400 jennifer_merry https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/617021725 Information from the environment +  facts in long-term memory + procedures in long term memory + amount of space in working memory = SUCCESSFUL thinking. Note- if one of these factors is inadequate thinking will likely fail. 

This equation made me realize again how fragile and different thinking is for everyone. It hones in why students have a harder time concentrating when it's raining hard,  there's a holiday coming up, they have something going on at home or with a friend, etc. Seeing this helped me to think about how I can engage my students in learning on days when distractions are high. Also reminded me how important activating prior knowledge is for our EL and/or struggling students. ]]> 2020-06-08 14:44:07 UTC https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/617021725 nancy_vargas https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/617346869 When I read that human beings prefer to use memory over thinking I was shocked. But then I thought about the amount of work that thinking requires and it made sense. 
This made me think of the importance of scaffolding. This minimizes the amount of time our students have at their frustration level. Like it states it on page 10, successful thinking leads to satisfaction and fulfillment. A lot of our lower performing students probably spend most of their time at this frustration level, where they experience little to no learning satisfaction. I'm sure this quickly discourages students from learning or from enjoying going to school.  It's up to us as educators to scaffold without giving the answer away,  allowing our students to experience the benefits of thinking. This would encourage them to learn and possibly enjoying school some more. 
 ]]> 2020-06-08 17:20:45 UTC https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/617346869 ri241541 https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/674734311 when im reading a book i think of what there teaching means so if im reading a book of teaching you something or a lessen to know i think of how they made the words they use to tell you the teaching of the story or the lessen and it helps me make a story of my own ]]> 2020-08-10 19:16:08 UTC https://padlet.com/andrea_thune/Thune/wish/674734311