2009-2010 MTL Meetings
Research-Based Instructional Techniques, Strategies, and Tools!
At each MTL meeting this year, we will use one or more “learning-focused strategies” which support thinking! This template can help with recording thoughts as you reflect on the strategies and their connections to classroom usage.
Learning is a reciprocal process: the individual influences the group and the group influences the individual. Let’s expand our repertoire of instructional strategies together…
October MTL Meeting
Leadership: “Post-It Note Debriefing”
What is it?
Post-It Note Debriefing offers teachers a structured approach to debrief student learning. During group work, teachers should circulate among the groups, listening for certain key responses, multiple strategies for approaching a prompt, or insightful comments that would add value to a whole-group discussion. The teacher simply gives that group a post-it note with the number/name of the prompt that they will share during the debriefing period.
Example as used today:
There are 8 key points about relationships that need to be debriefed. There were therefore, 8 post-it notes prepared with the numbers #1-8 printed on them. Facilitators listened for insightful responses that they specifically wanted brought out in the whole-group debrief. Groups were then given the appropriate post-it note. It would not have been time effective to have every group report out their discussion on every key point, nor did the facilitators want to randomly assign groups to key points. Hopefully, using this strategy created a richer whole-group discussion.
How might teachers use this strategy with their classes?
CR Session: “Sentence Strips”
What is it?
Sentence Strips offer a structured approach for recording an individual’s or group’s response to a prompt succinctly and legibly. After students have an opportunity to work through a prompt or have a discussion, have them record their response on a “sentence strip” and post it where everyone can see. These sentences can then guide the whole-group discussion.
Example as used today:
Each group had a different conversation about the value of Benchmark CR items. Each group then had to succinctly record their best response for sharing with the whole-group. Facilitators then had the advantage of seeing the posted responses, and strategically decided how to use them in the whole-group debrief.
How might teachers use this strategy with their classes?
Assessment: “3-2-1”
What is it?
3-2-1 offers a structured approach to students’ learning logs and journaling. At the end of class, ask students to respond in writing with a 3-2-1 structure. Structured responses are a scaffold for success in writing in mathematics. Asking learners for 6 pieces of information makes the task achievable and gives students a sense of accomplishment.
Example:
3 -interesting facts
2- big ideas
1 -question I still have
Example as used today:
This strategy was used to synthesize the MTLs’ learning and give an expectation for next steps.
How might teachers use this strategy with their classes?
The Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership (MMP), an initiative of the Milwaukee Partnership Academy (MPA), is supported with funding from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EHR-0314898.