Three of Fair Lawn's world language teachers participated in an IDE workshop this past August to re-design their classrooms. Here are their thoughts on problem-based learning in their Learner-Active, Technology-Infused Classrooms:
What led you to become a Spanish teacher?
Annamaria:
I have been teaching for 7 years. I decided to teach Spanish during my study abroad experience my junior year in college. I loved learning about the culture, using the language and sharing it with others (Americans who were studying in my program or tourists visiting for a brief time). My mother and aunt are teachers; it just seemed like a profession that fit me and my personality.
Claudia:
This is my fifth year teaching. I started at the HS level and I loved that because of the interactions with the kids, but I see more of a need at the middle school. At the middle school level, it's not even about Spanish as much as it's about building up students' self esteem.
Jennifer:
This is my second year of teaching. I have a huge interest in Spanish culture. My mother is Cuban and I have such a love for the culture. I was a native speaker, so my Spanish teachers always sat me in the back of the room and gave me work to do. My goal is to get kids excited about language and culture.
What do you like best about teaching in a Learner-Active classroom?
Annamaria:
I like that the instruction and activities are student centered as opposed to teacher centered. Students can work at their own pace but are more accountable for their work and their progress. The students take more responsibility for their learning, see greater relevance, and feel a need to learn the material and connect with it.
Claudia:
I like the responsibility they have and the time I am able to spend with each one. Most of their work is no longer "corrected" because I can spend the time with them before they hand in assignments. I can come to class and facilitate. I can really sit with the kids and interact with them. This is my fourth unit, and already, the planning is so much easier. I now know which mini-lessons to plan and I know what they will need.
To read the letter Claudia designed to educate parents about the new look of her classroom, click here.
Jennifer:
I like the fact that the students use one other as resources much more than they use me. I believe that you definitely learn much more from teaching a concept or skill, and students get the opportunity to do that.
What's best about it for your students?
Annamaria:
The students are more engaged; they have become active participants, not passive observers. The students can learn at their own pace and receive more individualized attention.
Claudia:
Students' time is more valuable to them. They know what the final product will be up front and they know they need to pay attention. Even their test scores are higher. Now they know why they need all of the skills and content, so they learn it.
Jennifer:
It teaches them responsibility, which is the biggest benefit - definitely.
Which of the ten principles is most important to you in your classroom and why?
Annamaria:
Learning from a felt need: Students need to understand why they should put forth effort in understanding a concept or idea.
Taking responsibility for learning: I feel that I would spoon-feed the students too much and would not allow them to take an active role in their learning. In the learner-active approach, just the opposite occurs.
Working well collaboratively: Students need to understand the importance of relying on others, assisting others and being relied upon.
Individual learning path: Students need to feel confident in who they are and in their own learning styles as opposed to feeling inadequate as compared to stronger students. This is especially true during the teen years.
Global citizenship: language learning extends beyond the verb conjugations and fun activities; each of us is responsible for helping the world to become more tolerant and respectful of others.
Claudia:
Felt need is really important to me. I want them to know why they are learning something, and I love that they now want to learn it.
Jennifer:
Connected learning is most important to me. If they can connect Spanish to their lives, they'll see a reason to learn it and to be excited about it. I like to do a lot of cross-disciplinary units. In social studies they are learning about cultures, so I teach them the terms in Spanish. In math they did graphs and surveys, so I brought those into the unit we were doing at the same time.
What's your favorite problem-based unit so far?
Annamaria:
"The Car of My Dreams!" (Check out the link!)
Claudia:
The family unit is my favorite because it's very personal - that's what makes it so authentic. The things I have learned about my students through this unit have really enabled me to connect with them on a whole different level.
Click here to see one of the rubrics for a unit on sports that Claudia and Jennifer designed!
To view a sample scaffold for a unit on school, click here!
Jennifer:
The school unit - they are re-designing the school. The kids are excited about it. Being excited means they are doing it. They're into it and that makes them use the language.
In addition, the teachers also spoke about the importance of Global Citizenship, one of the ten principles of successful classrooms, in their world language classrooms.
Claudia's thoughts...
Why do you feel it is important for students to have a sense of the world around them?
I believe it's important for students to have a sense of the world around them because the world they live in is not the only "world" out there. Many can see this by just looking around in their classrooms and seeing how different and unique the person next to, behind or in front of them are. By students understanding the "world" around them, including their classmates, they will become a little more understanding and patient to situations that are not familiar to them. They will learn to understand the "whys" of people's behaviors and be ok with it, I hope.
How does a world language classroom enable students to become better global citizens?
A world language class enables students to become better global citizens by helping them understand different behaviors, actions, feelings, looks and even smell by learning and realizing that Americans are not the only individuals in this world and neither is their life style--and that's okay.
How do you design units to enable students to see their role as contributors to a global society?
My "Professions" unit enabled my students to see their role as contributors to a global society because they realize, by looking for facts on the Internet, the importance of knowing more than one language and understanding what other countries see as being "acceptable" and "unacceptable". They realize that the way they deal with people and their versatility are the keys to being successful.
Is there anything in particular in your classroom that you are doing to help students become better global citizens?
Now that I have started immersion and some of them make constant mistakes when speaking, I have to constantly remind them that I'm not perfect, neither are they nor the person sitting next to them ... and it's ok. Just keep trying and never give up, not for the person who's laughing or making fun, but for themselves.
Annamaria's thoughts...
Why do you feel it is important for students to have a sense of the world around them?
The world around us constantly affects every aspect of our lives; our family life, our professional life and our personal life are influenced by positive and negative events occurring throughout the world. Therefore, it is important to teach students that they are part of a larger community beyond FLHS, beyond Bergen County, NJ and beyond the United States. It is our responsibility as educators to model behavior that welcomes the differences we share with people of different cultures, races, backgrounds and beliefs. We need to celebrate these differences and, through that celebration, find common threads that demonstrate how similar we are as well.
How does a world language class enable students to become better global citizens?
In a World Language Class, students have the opportunity to learn the importance of communication. They become more in tune with the similarities that exist among people of different cultures and the differences that make each culture unique. Students learn to tolerate others by learning more about them, becoming familiar with their customs, their beliefs, their lifestyles and their language.
How does one of the units you designed enable students to see their role as contributors to a global society?
In the initial review unit presented to my Level II class (Study Abroad Opportunity), students are studying abroad in a Spanish speaking city made possible by a scholarship through the FL Board of Ed. They will begin the project as if they have already studied for a semester at this school and are trying to convince the Board to allow them to stay another semester. They have to demonstrate that they have allowed themselves to be immersed in the culture, reporting on specific details about the country and then researching information about the country and the people that interests them. The last part of the assignment is for the student to convince the Board that he/she has made a positive contribution to the University or to the city and should stay another semester to further enhance the community. The assignment allows students the chance to expand their interests and realize their ability to leave a positive mark on the world.
Is there anything in particular in your classroom that you are doing to help students become better global citizens?
Students are encouraged to help one another. Before handing in any written work, they are to find a partner and exchange papers. They fill out a proofreading paper relating to their partner's material. They then return the proofreading sheet with suggestions and the rough draft to the author. The author reviews the suggestions made and re-writes it. The final copy and the proofreading sheet (filled out by the partner) are turned in. The student who wrote the paper receives his/her grade and also a second grade (the average of his final draft and that of his proofreading partner). In this way, students realize their responsibility to assist others. In helping others, they in turn help themselves. I encourage students to go to one another for help and to assist one another where possible. I try to model through my teaching and my behavior that we are here to help one another.
Jennifer's thoughts...
Why do you feel it is important for students to have a sense of the world around them?
Although each student is an individual and unique in his or her own way, it is how each interacts with his/her surroundings that has the greatest influence on their future. The more informed an individual is, the greater positive impact they can attain.
How does a world language class enable students to become better global citizens?
World language classes teach not only one language but also acceptance, understanding and tolerance of the cultural differences our world encompasses.
How does one of the units you designed enable students to see their role as contributors to a global society?
Students are spreading their learned knowledge of the culture through other students in the school. For example, facts of Hispanics and Latin American events were/are posted around the school by students.
Is there anything in particular in your classroom that you are doing to help students become better global citizens?
We currently completed mini projects of Hispanics and Hispanic Americans where they had to research a person of their choice and explain why and how this person made an impact on the Hispanic world, as well as, ours. We are starting Hispanic current events. Here the students will teach the class about a recent happening in the Hispanic world. We will discuss its impact on Hispanics and compare it to our encounters here in the US.