Partners in Learning
12/1/2018
It is a fact that we now live in the digital age where face-to-face contact is not necessarily required to communicate. You can now talk to people around the world using email, text message, Skype or even through blogs - as you are receiving information right at this very moment. Students, nowadays, live in a world of instant and constant messaging, and therefore their brains (reticular activating systems) have changed more than the older generations who grew up knowing telegrams and land phones as the fastest way to reach someone. The more our students are actively involved with technology, the more brains are changing. Susan Greeneld, a neuroscientist in U.K., warns people about the possible changes in the brain as a result of social networking, playing video games, and even watching some television programs. Her concern is about a lack of communication skills seen in some students, as well as shorter attention spans. She feels that until more studies are complete, students should be creating relationships with real people (Derbyshire, 2009). At PNA, although it is our mission for students to become independent thinkers, this does not mean students are always independent work. Collaboration is a skill we value and teach kids. In third grade, partnerships, and group activities play a critical role in educating the whole child. Every person needs to feel the sense of belongingness, a boost for self-esteem. A blog has been written to show how students are taught to collaborate in groups. Teams or groupings are not the only way students can develop relationships. In third grade, students work in partnerships to support and extend their work. Students are taught to turn to a partner as the first line of defense when trouble arises. For example, in reading workshop, each student has a co-detective a student can turn to when he or she encounters a tricky word. In writing workshop, a student reads his or her story to a partner so everyone gets a chance to be heard and given feedback. Lucy Calkins wrote "partner time is designed to give young readers a second wind, renewing their energy to continue on..." In a classroom where every child is important, these children know they can learn from each other. As they become a support system for each other, together, they become independent thinkers who persevere and think on their feet. The pictures below are taken during science, math, and reading workshop.
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Jessica GrahamMs. Graham graduated from the University of Alabama with a BS in Early Childhood/Elementary Education, and is currently working on her master's in reading. She enjoys hiking, traveling, arts & crafts, and playing the ukulele. Archives
April 2021
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