[regional_school] Fw: What is Constructivism?
- From: Dan Drmacich <dandrmacich@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Denise Bartalo <denisebartalo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Bill Bendschneider <bamboo789@xxxxxxx>, Carolyn Bennett <cwriter85@xxxxxxx>, Mary Berger <mpresber@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Wasa Bouphavong <daboupha@xxxxxxxxx>, G Brown <gjb0145@xxxxxxxxx>, Amy Brown <scottvbrown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Pat Cavanaugh <cavanaughpat22@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Jason Charno <jasoncharno42@xxxxxxxxxxx>, A Colon <aacolon@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, Rochelle Corey <archer14611@xxxxxxx>, Kelly Damick <kelli2478@xxxxxxxxx>, Deana Darling <jddarling@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Deana Darling <darlin3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Brian Erway <brian_erway@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Tracey Farmer <Tracey.Farmer@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Karen Fisher <fishekh@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Dennis Francione <d.francione@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Shalanda Garfield <Shalonda_Garfield1@xxxxxxxxx>, Lynn Gatto <lynn.gatto@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Nancy Gersh <nancygersh@xxxxxxx>, RJ Glomboski <parallax@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Synthia Green <sng4979@xxxxxxxx>, Richard Greene <richard_greene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Gretchen Haag <gretchenhaag@xxxxxxxxx>, Shawn Haarer <drhaarer@xxxxxxxxx>, Kate Hathaway <kaytea@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Kyra Hawn <khawn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Joseph Henderson <jhenderson11@xxxxxxxxx>, Sara Hughes <sara@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, Julia Kantor <julia.kantor@xxxxxxxxx>, Doug Klick <douglasklick@xxxxxxxxx>, Jack Langerak <jlanger0@xxxxxxx>, Barb Lemcke <b_lemcke@xxxxxxxxx>, Joan LoCurto <locurto135@xxxxxxxxx>, Tom Mackey <tmackey@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Jennifer Malinchak <jenjenfuller@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Katheryn McCullough <katmccullough@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Gena Merliss <merliss@xxxxxxxxx>, Jessica Metras <jessicametras@xxxxxxxxx>, Nancy Monachino <nmonachino@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Gwynne Mosch <Gwynne.mosch@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Barbara Moynihan <barbara.moynihan@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Kevin Murray <kmurray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Jessie Nimeh <jgnimeh@xxxxxxxxx>, Maureen Nupp <Maureennupp@xxxxxxxxx>, Rich Ognibene <richard_ognibene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Tom Pappas <tjp18@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Sheila Pearlman <yspearlman@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Norreen Pelusio <njpelusio@xxxxxxx>, Todd Pschierer <psch811@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Kari Ritter <kritter84@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Rosemary Rivera <rrivera@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Emily Roberts <emilymarkelle@xxxxxxx>, Peter Rosenthal <prosenthal@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Scott Schaefer <mister_schaefer@xxxxxxxxx>, Chojy Schroeder <chojy.schroeder@xxxxxxxxx>, Sharon Silvio <ssilvio@xxxxxxx>, Steve Skidmore <steve.skidmore@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Pete Smith <petersmith71@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Ralph Spezio <rspezio@xxxxxxxxx>, Gail Stoddart <stoddart.g@xxxxxxxxx>, Mathew Taber <sundevil108@xxxxxxxx>, Leslie Vermeulen <ldvermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Jennifer Wheeler <jennifer_wheeler@xxxxxxxx>, Mary Wilkins <mtkwilkins@xxxxxxxxx>, Ruth Young-Card <cardjrb@xxxxxxx>, Lee Zelazny <lee.zelazny@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:15:09 -0700 (PDT)
We often state that SWW is a "constructivist" school. Please take a look at
this short reading. It gives one use descrition of what it is & can be a lens
that we use to evaluate ourselves.
The Institute for Learning Centered Education NEWSLETTER
TOPIC: WHAT IS CONSTRUCTIVISM?
Date: March 1, 2010 Newsletter Edition: Volume 11, Issue 9
I cringe when I hear someone say “I think constructivism is good some of the
time, but there are times it’s not appropriate.”
I cringe because this demonstrates that the person is thinking of
“constructivism” as a set of practices, which IT IS NOT.
Constructivism is a theory, it is not a set of classroom practices. Classroom
practices such as group work, project-based learning, student movement, and
student-inquiry are often reflections of a teacher who believes in
constructivist theory just as lecture-based lessons often are not. However, it
is not whether students are working in groups or taking notes during a lecture
that determines whether something is constructivist-based. It is whether the
classroom lesson aligns with the tenets of constructivist theory that is the
litmus test for whether the teacher is traditional or constructivist-based.
Usually when someone claims that “You can’t be constructivist all the time” it
is because they are thinking that when they lecture or individualize
instruction they are not being constructivist. Actually, lectures and
individualized instruction are as much a part of a constructivist lesson as
group work IF they are part of a lesson that aligns with the following tenets
of constructivist theory:
CONSTRUCTIVISM:
a theory about how people learn
· Learning occurs when people construct their own knowledge by
connecting new information with prior knowledge
· Learners are offered cognitively challenging tasks
· Learning grows out of social interaction
· Constructivist learning is essentially experiential
· Constructivist learners are actively engaged with information
· The touchstone of constructivism is critical thinking
CONSTRUCTIVISM - A constructivist classroom often reflects a high level of
student activity. Nevertheless, lectures, worksheets and other forms of
information can be part of a constructivist process. It IS NOT correct to say
that anything interactive is “constructivist” and anything that resembles
traditional teaching is not.
Constructivism is apparent in the classroom environment and in the strategies
utilized by the teacher. A constructivist environment is one in which every
person - student, teacher, or otherwise - is regarded as a continuous learner.
A constructivist environment views the entire community and all its resources
as the classroom.
A constructivist environment requires that students are challenged to think, to
understand, and to demonstrate competence. This is the litmus test for whether
an activity or an environment is constructivist (not whether it is interactive
or lecture-based): Are the students forced to think, to understand, and to
demonstrate competence?
For students to understand information, they MUST actively engage with it.
Without engagement there will not be understanding, nor will there be the
ability to apply.
Here are some ways teachers traditionally impart information:
§ Lecture
§ Work sheet
§ Text book
§ Reading assignment
§ Guest presentation
Here are some ways teachers actively engage students with information:
§ Think, pair, share
§ Create a product
§ Engage in a process (i.e. debate, mock mediation session, etc.)
§ Articulate and defend a point of view
Note that lecture is a legitimate method of dispensing information. If
information is dispensed in a manner likely to motivate students to listen and
in a way that requires student engagement with the information, then lecture is
part of a constructivist process. When we think of a constructivist classroom,
we tend to focus on the student engagement that is often evident. However,
students must engage with something and that something is information. In a
traditional classroom, too often we dispense information without engaging
students with it. But let’s not go overboard the other way. Let’s not ignore
the need for information – this is what students engage with.
In short, information and engagement go together like a horse and carriage – a
constructivist environment can’t have one without the other. Student
involvement in an authentic task often provides a vehicle for motivating
students to engage themselves with new information while the teacher acts as
coach (guide on the side).
--- 30 ---
Please know that your work in the field of education is as meaningful to our
society as anything anyone can possibly do. Thank you for caring about the
future of our children!!!!
Feel welcome to forward this message to a friend or colleague. If you know
someone who would like to be put on the list, please send a message to Don
Mesibov at dmesibov@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Requests to be dropped from this list will
also be honored.
Copyright (c) 2010, Institute for Learning Centered Education. All rights
reserved.
The Institute is currently registering teams for the 2010 summer constructivist
conference, July 19-23, at St. Lawrence University, Canton , New York . Don’t
miss the opportunity for this unique conference that models the constructivist
behaviors that teachers are using increasingly in the classroom. Check out the
website of The Institute for Learning Centered Education:
www.learnercentereded.org or, e-mail a request for information.
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