Article 11: How Planning and Reflection Develop Young Children’s Thinking Skills

Read the following articles located in Required Studies:
Article 11: How Planning and Reflection Develop Young Children’s Thinking Skills
Article 13: Let’s SQUiNK about It! A Metacognitive Approach to Exploring Text in a Second Grade Classroom
Article 14: From High Chair to High School: Research –Based Principles for Teaching Complex Thinking
Learning through Academic Choice
While the articles may not use the term “constructivist” you will notice many principles and components of constructivism within these readings.
As you read, reflect on your personal teaching practices. What practices similar to those described in the articles are you currently implementing? What practices could easily be implemented within the next month? What practices would you like to implement with a little more planning?
Action Plan
Consider the various constructivist components described this week: displaying children’s work, building community, learning through play, and providing opportunities for authentic tasks, choice, decision making, and reflecting.

How might you incorporate constructivist principles and components into your classroom curriculum over the next year?
Write an action plan using the template provided in Required Studies. List and briefly describe 5 action steps you can take within the next month, 5 action steps you can take within the next six months, and 5 action steps you can take within the next year.

Readings
Read from text book: Growing Minds: Building Strong Cognitive Foundations in Early Childhood
Article 6: Chopsticks and Counting Chips: Do Play and Foundational Skills Need to Compete for the Teacher’s Attention in the Early Childhood Classroom?
Article 11: How Planning and Reflection Develop Young Children’s Thinking Skills
Article 13: Let’s SQUiNK about It! A Metacognitive Approach to Exploring Text in a Second Grade Classroom
Article 14: From High Chair to High School: Research –Based Principles for Teaching Complex Thinking
Read the documents below
Consider the Walls (PDF)
Read the following webpage(s)
The Responsive Classroom

Home

Tribes Learning Community
http://tribes.com/
Second Step (Early Learning):
http://www.cfchildren.org/second-step/early-learning.aspx
Second Step (K – 5):
http://www.cfchildren.org/second-step/kindergarten-grade-5.aspx
Conscious Discipline:
http://consciousdiscipline.com/about/conscious_discipline.asp
Watch the following video(s)
A Vygotskian Approach to Play WMV | MOV
Assignment Tools:
Common Core State Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards
Action Plan Template (RTF)
Libguides Link
Support Materials
Note: These resources have been provided to enhance your overall learning experience. You will want to review and archive them with your other references.
Read the documents below
Children’s Perceptions of the Learning Environment (PDF)
Watch the Following Video(s)
Academic Choice: Money 2 MOV | WMV
Read the following webpage
The Story of Fern Creek Elementary School
http://consciousdiscipline.com/about/ferncreek.asp
Attachments: