Reflect after reading Chapters 2-4:
How do we form collaborative groups and where will these groups work? Why does room arrangement matter?
Consider the following questions:
- What is resonating with you from the reading?
- What caused you to pause and think during this section?
Respond and Interact
After reading these chapters, please post your response to one {or more} of the prompts above. Read our colleagues' reflections. Feel free to respond to someone by sharing a comment, insight or interesting possibility.
These chapters got me thinking of how we already arrange our teaching/learning areas. Being a small group instructor adds a different element to the mix than a regular classroom with 25-30 students. Some of our smaller groups may only consist of 2-3 students, in which there is little to no wiggle room as far as how they are grouped together. One thing that did have me reflecting on how I currently run my groups is that depending on the day and what we have planned I am frequently moving the desks around to support that. I do, however, often find myself positioning students to face the front of the room so they can easily see what is written on the whiteboard. I will be considering the configuration of our workspace a lot more now.
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear what ideas you and Angie have for your new space, and how the ideas in this chapter may or may not work for your groups. :)
DeleteWhile reading chapter 2, I kept thinking about the ways that I organized groups while teaching and the methods I would use for dividing students. I would frequently pair students together based on their learning levels or who they did/didn't work well with. When doing that, I was truly only thinking about what I thought would be best for the students. Chapter 2 opened my eyes to the fact that while I might think I'm doing the right things, I could be harming students and creating a classroom environment non-conducive to learning. Next year, I am going to get creative with the ways that I organize my groups. I liked the idea of using a deck of cards, but I think I could figure out something simpler for my first graders. In terms of the learning location, I had the opportunity to observe a first grade classroom teaching the new curriculum and I think that the centers do a great job of getting students up and moving, participating in a variety of activities, and moving the classroom away from the idea of a "notebook".
ReplyDeleteI've had so many mixed feelings about my classroom this year. While the introduction of a flat panel to my classroom has been nice, I've also found it to be clunky and caused me to do more talking and being at the front more than before. Reading chapters 2-4 caused me to think about the current set up of my classroom - fronted but set up for some collaboration with table groups. I've wondered what to do with generous whiteboard space - one big board in the front of the room and one at the back. This year, I used it for anchoring learning with charts versus active learning space. So..I immediately began thinking about how I can turn those whiteboards into active learning spaces. Sectioning off those spaces with bulletin board borders and labeling them for at least 3-4 groups per large board (adding in some boundaries/structure) and finding some wall space for VNPS for a few more groups. As far as random grouping, I used Class Dojo this year, but I also like the simple (non-techie) idea of just using a deck of cards. I'm still thinking about the set up of desks. Small groups of 2 work best for first graders. Should I set up my furniture to accommodate that or put them in groups of 4? I love the idea of storing students' supplies elsewhere like a cubby instead of their desk to allow for random seating/grouping as well. So much to consider, but I am looking forward to the change in student thinking and increased engagement!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of random grouping and use this strategy in my classroom quite often. It was interesting to me that the researcher found that students actually enjoy random groups instead of being placed with friends or choosing their own groups.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 3, I was not surprised by the research that students perform better when standing but it really made me think about all the tasks students do in a given day and how I can get them out of their seat and in a different location. My go-to is usually on the floor but this chapter made me think about how students could complete task in different parts of our classroom. I have a very small classroom and the idea of vertical whiteboards is something I would like to try. My students already write right on their desks, I wonder if the white board markers would erase from the cabinets. I also really like the idea of students being able to see what other groups have done on their task. If a group is stuck this might provide them with an idea to begin the task. Thinking back to last year, I was the one always holding the pen. In this coming year, I am going to strive to have the students be the ones holding the pen more often.
I was also surprised to read that students began to enjoy random groups and that it shifted their thinking about group work. What a cool idea to have students write on their desks, I bet they love that!
DeleteThese chapters really have me thinking about organization of both students and work space. I noticed this year that my first graders worked best in groups of two and that putting more in a group usually meant some didn't participate or it turned into multiple smaller groups. The idea of constantly assigning random groups seems like a great way to keep students engaged and to also build a strong community of learners within the classroom. My students loved random online generators and I would like to start using cards moving forward as well. The few times I set up math work around the room on flipchart paper, my students were very engaged and really enjoyed it. Moving forward I will remember the importance of creating a class where thinking is valued over the answer. I think the new math curriculum is going to get students moving a lot more and yield so much more opportunity for creating a thinking classroom.
ReplyDeleteChapter 2 made me think about how I form my groups, whether for educational purposes or for social purposes. I often do both and may change my method as I get to know my students better academically and socially as the year progresses. I will try the random grouping method going forward since the author found that students prefer this. I hope teachers will share an online version to use. Using cards is great, however, I prefer using an online version.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am eager to try is the vertical white boards, however, as I evaluate the space in my classroom, it could be difficult to try. I see the importance of it and need to figure out a way to implement it. The author gave suggestions that could work. I like Amy O’s idea of using white board markers on cabinets. In my past class, the idea of knowledge mobility was very apparent and was a vehicle to get the non-risk takers started. Vertical boards make this easier to accomplish.
My desk arrangement has always been groups of 4-5 students and chairs pointing in different directions. However, I have always had a front and back of the classroom. With our new flat panel boards, maybe this can be changed weekly to surprise students as they enter the classroom. I know that when I change desks monthly, it generates a buzz in the classroom full of excitement of who they will sit next to. Maybe this can be accomplished by changing the front of the classroom with the flat panel placement.
I like what they had to share about how to create collaborative groups in a classroom. In our small groups we are limited in how we can change who is in our groups at a given time, but we can think differently when applicable about who can partner together, and how students are working. We can offer various way to have student engage in their work and think about how we can use the space in new and engaging ways.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I read this book - defronting a classroom sounded completely crazy to someone who might be a little OCD {like maybe me 😂} But I like how Liljedahl pushes me to think. We can't expect different results if we always do the same thing. If we want a different/better outcome, then we have to change something. Sigh. Change is hard....but change can also be GOOD.
ReplyDeleteGroups have been a big topic in Kindergarten this year as the IM has been introduced and centers are the major topic of each lesson. These chapters gave me a little insight into how I can be a little more flexible in partners and how student grouping doesn't always need to be so structured.
ReplyDeleteDe-fronting the classroom and creating vertical working areas are concepts my mind is still processing given the oddities of my classroom layout (things I can't change like four doorways and built-in cabinets). I will be playing around with room arrangement in August to figure out what will work best and I should be gaining a white board area when the old smart board is taken down because it was covering up one. I have done groupings based on educational or social purposes. I do like the idea of doing more random groupings too and plan on using my popsicle sticks for grouping more often.
ReplyDeleteThese chapters really focused on how to run a defronted classroom and grouping. I have used random grouping in the past for sharing writing and playing math games but often grouped for social or educational purposes while actually teaching. I am looking forward to switching up to have truly random groups for learning. Defronting the classroom and using vertical surfaces all sound like they really increase student engagement. One struggle that I have is my actual space. I have very little wall space and I am struggling a little bit with the clunky nature of our new flat panels. My classroom is on the smaller side so organizing groups in partnerships and having adequate space for moving about the classroom is going to be tricky. I'm definitely going to start by trying the vertical wall spaces but I'm not sure that I will have room for potentially 10 groups (using partners).
ReplyDeleteThis is the perfect time of year to read these chapters, as I am thinking of how best to organize my classroom. When I got my flat panel this Spring I unintentionally defronted the classroom by putting my flat panel on what was traditionally the side of the room. I have an old science room with pipes and a shower on this side wall and wanted to use the flat panel to cover it up. Just like the student in the book, my students walked in and said "I guess this is how it is now" and we never looked back. It would be nice to see more photos of other classrooms to get ideas.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the chapter on how to form groups. I love the idea of assigning a group while also including the WHERE of the group. That is so smart. I plan to use that strategy this year. I also appreciate that we were given optimal group sizes. That is very helpful.
These two chapters really made me think! I switched to randomized grouping mid-year and saw the benefit immediately. Not only did it form new social connections, but they also formed awareness’s about one another that they may not have done otherwise. It seemed to help our classroom community and students starting noticing other’s strengths and making new friends. I usually used Classdojo for random groupings, but may go back to popsicles or cards at times, just to add variety. The benefit of using Classdojo is that the groups are numbered. Last year I didn't always tell my students where to go, which is one big change I plan to implement this year, the numbers will help, if I also number my workspaces! I’m eager to try VNPNs and move my groups closer together, in hopes to increase knowledge mobility. I love the idea of only having one dry-erase marker and making sure everyone writes, in reminds me of our GLAD strategy where everyone had a different color pen and needed to participate in at least part of the activity. Renae showed us an effective and simple strategy of stopping in to question a group and then handing the pen off to a new student who seems to be having a hard time jumping and participating. I think these small moves are extremely beneficial in becoming a skilled facilitator!
ReplyDeleteChapter 2 really got me thinking about how I organize groups and how this could be impacting students’ learning. Pairing students with different partners will help build community and help students to work with all types of learners. I want to work on some kind of way to randomize the pairing in my class so that it is better for the students. I don’t think the deck of cards would be my first pick for primary grades but having it visibly random for students seems to be important. Learning that two students is the ideal number for primary grades was interesting also. I feel I try to have my students moving around a lot and working in different spaces and I think this will be even easier with the new curriculum. I also thought the idea of de-fronting the classroom was interesting. In the spring when I got the flat panel, I thought about moving my rug and panel into a different area of the room which would change the front. After reading this chapter I might try it.
ReplyDelete