Arpil 8th- Marzano chpts 6&7

CHAPTER 6
WHAT?- Most of my students are visual learners. I am a visual learner. Just like my students, I can make more sense out of concepts and ideas if I put facts into a graphic organizer. In history, it can be difficult for students to keep track of all the information, sequence of dates and time. Part of the TAKS test is knowing different types of government. I used the graphic organizer on page 78 in Marzano's book to teach Types of Government; specifically Totalitarian governments. Since I cannot create the actual graphic organizer on my blog, I will write out what the students wrote.

Concept: Totalitarian Government
Characteristics 1: Communism
Example 1: Soviet Union 1922-1990
Example 2: China
Example 3: North Korea
Example 4: North Vietnam
Characteristic 2: Run by a dictator
Example 1: Vladimir Lenin
Example 2: Josef Stalin
Example 3: Pol Pot
Characteristic 3: Civil Liberties removed
Example 1: Nuremberg laws
Example 2: Stalin's 5 year plan
Example 3: Collectivization

SO WHAT?- Graphic organizers of any sort help students grasp concepts better and quicker. Tyler had a hard time keeping all of the different types of government characteristics in order. He would confuse Communism with Nazism and fascism. So in his Cornell notes, I had him fill in the graphic organizers. Its not perfect, but he is better at associating dictators and characteristics with the correct government.

NOW WHAT?- I use graphic organizers with my CMC students. Tyler is not a CMC student. He is just an average kid who does not enjoy history and has a hard time remembering the information. I will continue to teach Tyler how to use graphic organizers in history as well as in other classes he struggles in.

Chapter 7:
What? Group work can be a good or bad thing! As I student I hated group work. My teachers would pair me in groups with students who were not as productive as I was. It was their way of "balancing" out the grades. Giving those who are not doing work an advantage and those such as myself a time to babysit. With that being said, group work really needs to be group work; all need to contribute to the activity. Games tend to get all students involved. My classes like to play "Battleship." The class is set up like the battleship board game. We play this game to review for chapter tests or to review vocabulary. It also helps to play during TAKS time to break up the monotony of review.

So What?- The game is fun to play. The kids love to "torpedo" each other. I start by asking one side a question. If they get it right, then they torpedo the other side. The goal is to torpedo all of the opposing ships. Certain desks are set up to simulate different ships. Some kids are in pairs; some are 6 to a table. The harder the question the bigger the ship the opposing side they can wipe out. The kids have to work together to answer the questions. I will group the kids. I put kids with the same achievement level together. In a gifted and talented training class I took this past Wednesday night I leaned to put all gifted kids in the same group. They work better and benefit the most. I can tell who needs more study time by the ability; or lack of ability; to answer the questions. It is a good motivation for them to be prepared on game day. I do give rewards for the winning team.

Now What? Group work will always be a struggle. Most teachers think that group work is easier for them; a time to relax. Really its more exhausting. You have to constantly monitor, make sure all are participating, and make sure all are absorbing the information. I will continue to use group work in class. It can be beneficial, but its important to remember that its not time off for me. That I need to continue to "teach" while they are in groups.