October+26,+2009

Notes for class October 26, 2009

started with an observation raising the question "why"? why does what you see happen? implications for designing a lesson: Inquiry: Views on learning: Outliers: Learning as a Cultural Process:
 * Images of inquiry:**
 * ask a question that the kids can't answer right away but CAN answer eventually
 * guided observation--what do you notice? why?
 * teacher is posing the question/topic--what happens when the kid doesn't care about the topic or you?
 * the willingness to ask why--maybe comes from family practices?
 * at what level do you let them inquire?
 * a lot of setting the stage--giving it all away
 * what happens when kids don't want to ask questions
 * not everyone does the same thing (choice): helps with interest
 * question asking/searching for answers
 * base knowledge of scientific method/skills (control/experimental groups, etc)
 * democratic method: everyone decides what the whole group does
 * more questions to follow up the investigation
 * learning as you go--rather than a lecture beforehand
 * not told everything up front
 * fewer "facts", deeper learning
 * empowering kids to assert themselves
 * things done TO kids--how does this affect kids vs. kids with a sense of entitlement?
 * teachers can create a self-fulfilling prophesy: not giving certain kids more freedom (because of management issues)--different sets of expectations for different kids
 * differential access to experiences
 * labels that we give kids
 * impact of parents
 * language and cultural issues in communicating with parents
 * cultural views of roles of schools
 * "street smarts": charisma, advocating for yourself,
 * how do you measure intelligence? so many different types of intelligence
 * scaffolding:

Molecules in Motion vignette:
 * what does that mean?
 * culture: helps define what is important, you are part of that system as a participant
 * kids have strengths in certain areas--they come to school with these strengths, what are these?
 * repertoires: routines,
 * domains
 * expanding definitions of science:
 * daunted by knowing people's cultural practices
 * scaffolding learning:
 * presenting a familiar situation, asking the initial question
 * guessing what might happen (build suspense)--making predictions: showed her where they were in their thinking, collaboration around ideas through discussion, risk of public "failure"; answers don't have to be right; slightly more invested in the outcome because they made the prediction
 * it's not suction: not a good example of scaffolding--didn't explain the statement
 * scaffolded question asking: step by step question asking
 * brought in examples from their world (suitcase example)