This week I explored pedagogy a little deeper. Two pedagogical strategies that I explored in depth were modeling and think-pair-share. In a future creation I am going to be using these two pedagogical strategies to facilitate a professional development session for teachers, teaching them a few different pedagogical approaches for teaching fractions (that’s a lot of ‘teaching’ and ‘pedagogy’!). If you need an intro (or refresher) to pedagogy, this video by Team Satchel is a wonderful place to start! The first pedagogical approach I explored was modeling. The University of Louisville’s College of Education describes modeling as “the teacher [engaging] students by showing them how to perform a skill while describing each step with a rationale”. Modeling is a very common pedagogical strategy that can be used with almost any content and in any classroom. In my future PD session I am going to be teaching my learners how to use a different pedagogical strategy for teaching fractions by modeling the strategy for them. A very common example of modeling can be found in math classrooms- the teacher explains an operation, models the operation, and students follow suit. While this is a very basic (and somewhat boring) example of modeling, it can be spiced up and reformatted for more learner engagement! One constraint of the modeling approach, specifically for a PD session, is that it has the possibility of fading into more of a ‘lecture’ style pedagogical approach. With a proper plan and strategic execution, modeling can be very engaging for learners and facilitate active learning. My goal in incorporating this pedagogical approach in my future PD session is that I facilitate it in a way that places the focus on the learners instead of the teacher.
The next pedagogical approach which I will use in my future PD session is think-pair-share. I have seen this specific approach grow increasingly popular throughout my education, and can count on it to be used in every classroom I am in. Because of the ease of this approach, it can be incorporated into almost any lesson or learning experience. The think-pair-share method gives students time to think about a prompt, pair up with a partner, and share their ideas with their partner. It can be taken a step further and students can share their pair’s ideas to the whole group. While this pedagogical approach works well for older students, it may not have the same benefits when working with a younger group of students. Because this approach involved some student-led discussion, teachers of early elementary aged students may need to structure this a bit more. With these approaches in mind, it is important to note that “many curriculum decisions are made at the school or district level and lie outside the province of the classroom teacher” (Kilpatrick et al. 2001). There is a limitless list of different pedagogical strategies, each with their own benefits and constraints. It is the job of teachers to understand their learners, know the content well, and incorporate the pedagogies that serve their students best. References: “Modeling- Elementary School.” Modeling - Elementary School - College of Education and Human Development. The University of Louisville. Kilpatrick, J., Swafford, J., & Findell, B. (Eds.) (2001). Chapter 9: Teaching for mathematical proficiency. Adding it up: Helping children learn mathematics. National Academy Press. Team Satchel (2020, Feb 13). What is Pedagogy? 4 Essential Learning Theories [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/QcpwEoW1uY8
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