Using Argumentation as an Instructional StrategyBy Tyler Wedemeier, Student-Centered Instructional Coach A mentor introduced me to the frame of mind, "I used to think but now I think" early in my career. By keeping this frame of mind during instructional planning and assessment shifts, it allowed me the freedom to refine my practice and my philosophy. It encouraged me to try something new, analyze the outcome, and use the results to refine my craft. I used to think argumentation and explanation were means to the same end. What were students to argue when the science facts clearly support x, y, and z? Then I came across the following: The uncertainty would often lead me to stick with explanation over argumentation. The task of teaching students how to "argue" seemed daunting. What if students didn't get the right answer? How was I supposed to monitor learning and report out a grade? While my hesitations hold some merit, by focusing on them, I was holding my students back from exploring the topic and constructing their own understanding based on their experiences. As educators, it is important to remember that we have the ability and freedom to try something new: to continually evaluate our current practices. In the end, maybe you will find something better, or, with this new found knowledge, build confidence in your current strategies. What did you "used to think but now you think"? How has this change impacted your teaching and student learning?
4 Comments
Allysen Lovstuen
12/3/2019 06:50:18 am
I used to think that it was the job of the teacher to make complex things easy, I now think that it is the job of the teacher to make the students think about complex things. This has changed the entire structure, focus, and community of my classroom.
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Rachelle Branum
12/3/2019 07:09:45 am
Love this! I used to think about teaching my students about art. Now I think about how to support them as artists.
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Andrew Ellingsen
12/3/2019 10:29:24 am
I used to think of myself as a music teacher. Now I think of myself as someone who helps kids see beauty in the world and believe that they are capable of independently creating that beauty...and music happens to be the medium I get to work with most often.
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Cheryl Huebner
12/3/2019 11:04:43 am
I used to think reading is something a teacher could teach to children, now I know reading is far more complex and requires a lot of the child. It is a complex problem solving task requiring meaning making at every turn, and my job is to help children attend and notice so they can learn to read and develop brain pathways that allow them to continue to extend their reading into increasingly challenging texts. The work is really the child's--no teacher can force/teach a child read, or read faster. I can only support them as they develop and continue to develop.
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