Let's talk about higher levels of learning. The new teacher evaluation instrument is based on the revised Bloom's taxonomy (click on the links to see examples - take a look at the Bloom's Taxonomy activity for lesson ideas - look at the active verbs that are used).
How do you think we can use this information with our learning teams to improve student learning?
How can you structure lessons you are teaching now to move students to higher levels of thinking/understanding/learning?
Talk about what you have read and discussed so far to make connections and extend your thinking.
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From the fabulous fourth graders: We are on board with the verbs used in Bloom's taxonomy. Questions should be used applying these verbs across the curriculum. This ensures that critical thinking skills are being used, multiple intelligences and diverse learners are being addressed.
(Even for those new that are forced out of their boxes!)
First Grade says we think the levels in the Blooms Taxonomy are important to all students in their learning process. However, we wonder if we are trying to cover all the levels at once. Therefore, we are not becoming proficient at the higher levels. Vocabulary and prior experiences play a vital role in a student's success on the higher levels of the taxonomy.
As a learning team we will use Bloom's Taxanonmy to construct lessons based on what the students know and what they will learn throughout the year. We will continue to do formative assessments to drive our instruction and identify students who are not accomplishing goals by making adjustments to our instruction. These adjustments will be made by our collaborative learning team.
Support personnel says:
We think it would be a great idea to have a physical reminder of the levels and verbs, maybe flashcards (SWAT haha) or a ring of cards.
Seriously, we need to reference the taxonomy often to make sure we are insuring high levels of student learning.
As our book says on page 111, the process of school reculturing is to make LEARNING rather than TEACHING the fundamental purpose of our school, which leads us back to Dr. Benfield's 4 questions from the beginning of school.
Using Bloom's Taxonmoy in our PLC's would give teachers a tool to use for reflection and evaluation of our lesons. As teachers we need to focus on the significance of lessons and how they directly affect student achievement. Using critical thinking skills when creating our lessons will then ensure we are using these same skills in teaching those lessons.
First Grade found this website link helpful
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/Dalton.htm
The questioning techniques, stems, vocabulary and activities will help us create our lessons.
Preschool is already incorporating Bloom's Taxonomy throughout our daily curriculum. In circle time with stories we are labeling, asking children about the events of a story, making predictions about what will happen, discussing problems/situations and what the characters might need to change, etc. We try to encourage the children to use higher level thinking skills each day.
Literacy Broads and Company - Ms. Jones and I were just talking about ways to help support teachers use of Bloom's. One of the things Ms. Jones mentioned was a ring with those flash cards on them. Great minds think alike (scary but true).
As a third grade PLC, we have decided to continue using the Bloom's Taxonomy pyramid to help create common formative assessments. On ClassScape, the assessments allow us to see what percentage of questions are analysis, evaluation, etc.
We plan to focus instruction over the next few weeks on higher order thinking and at our next PLC meeting, we will discuss results....what worked and what did not.
As we discussed in my PEP session last week, Bloom's lends itself more easily to lower grades than to higher grades. Do you think that is true? Why or why not?
ECPLC Team feels that learning teams are good places to share strategies and ideas. We are able to discuss individual student needs and brainstorm ideas about how to better help them to learn. We reflect on our practices, and then modify our instruction based on student achievement. We can take into account best practices and current research.
In order to move students to higher levels of thinking, we need to make certain that we include all levels of the Bloom's Taxonomy model in our question format. We also need to include different types of questions, such as short answer and essay, rather than just true-false and multiple choice.
5th grade says: Although we are still waiting on our books, we have discussed the postings and feel that Blooms' taxonomy is very important in children's learning. We know that children within each clasroom will be at different levels on the pyrmid. Therefore we need to practice using all the levels while teaching the curriculum daily.
3rd grade, Excellent idea! Would it be valuable to look at a released copy of the EOG in comparison to Bloom's Taxonomy? Jas
The taxonomy question stems, vocabulary, and activities are in index card form on the website we mentioned earlier in the blog.
We find using (or beginning to use) the question stem cards very helpful. This helps to ensure that we are applying all the verbage necessary for excellence!!!
As visionaries, we could only imagine what it would be like to be in a "true" PLC group that teach the same curriculum.
It is important to use the same types of questions within each of the content areas taught. That way students will better master the concept of higher orders of thinking.
The principal should make a colored copy of Bloom's Taxonomy Pyramid to post in our rooms. This would allow our students to see the levels of questions they are answering.
I also like the site first grade suggested. I think using the higher level questioning stems can assess student application of knowledge rather than just memorizing for the test and not really internalizing the information. Once again might I add, teach to the highest and others will rise to the challenge.
I agree with Ireland. We as teachers have to start formulating our daily questions and test questions using the Bloom's terminology. That is the only way our students are going to reach high thinking.
That picture was taken in downtown Yadkinville. It is Tom, Steve and DB in the aftermath of the recession we are currently experiencing. I thought Bloom's taxonomy would relate well to social studies on any grade level. The students would have to rely on history, economics, culture, a variety of social studies disciplines to evaluate the picture. The one in the middle is Tom.
I think we can structure lessons to move students to higher levels of thinking/ understanding/ and learning by requiring them to think more and struggle with their own learning instead of making it "easy" for them by "telling/showing" them exactly what to do. This is not a popular idea with the students, struggling is not something that they enjoy as a general rule. Many want to give up at the first sign of a challenge or struggle. We need to be actively teaching perseverance.
Hey everyone, I am late in posting (imagine that) but at least I made it. I really like Bloom's, but the newest edition(not really new maybe revised around 2001) Blooms Taxonomy Revised really works well in science. I think it would in all subjects as well. There are now six areas with the highest level being CREATING - generating new ideas, products or ways of viewing things. Verbs would be designing, constructing, planning, producing, inventing. This is a large part of the our science standard course of study.
Either way revised or not if we are attempting to get children along this course of thought bravo!!!!
Dana' cohort:Our groups have been discussing the various verbs related to the taxonomy and how they apply to the work the students are doing. Not only have they been discussed in this manner, but as students complete projects or other work we are having discussion about how they have used the verbs on Bloom's to reach their objective. There seems to be a small light beginning to shine!
As I am working on my data collection for classroom walkthroughs and ask questions, how is this making you think about what you are teaching? Is the analysis I am asking you to make a useful exercise. If not, provide some feedback on what would help more.
Again, questioning what is see is in classrooms should not be taken as negative. I just want to know we are reflecting on what is happening in classrooms.
We ask students to reflect on their learning. I think that learning about reflection has made me a better teacher. I think about how the lesson went and how the learning objectives were presented to the students. Sometimes when they don't get it, it is not them but me. I try to think and reflect from where they are to plan my next move.
I know for me this year I have adopted the question, "Is this a meaningful assignment?" Does this assignment push my students to higher-levels of thinking? Is this assignment useful in meeting SCS goals or is it just busy work?
I guess asking these questions everytime I create an assignment helps me to stay focused on creating meaningful lessons. Having this mindset has made it easy to answer any questions anyone has about my lessons.
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