The incorporation of STEM (Blog # 3)

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) are here to stay. Regardless of the subject I or many others teach STEM must be implemented in our class. The first step I plan to do is teach the students the 9 step process through visual aids and memory pegs so that they remember. The 9 step process are the following:

1) Define the problem.
2) Brainstorm
3) Research
4) Develop Ideas
5) Choose the Best Ideas.
6) Model the Prototype
7) Test and Evaluate
8) Improve Design
9) Communicate Results.

Next, the students are going to apply these steps when we read the novel I-Robot after ther AZ Merit tests. With another teacher we were going to co-teach in designing and building robots. Students are going to work in groups of four. Before I make this a reality I want to do more research on STEM and embrace this.

The implementation of engagment strategies (Blog #4)

Although at this time I do plenty of different active engagment strategies, there is always room for many other new ways and ideas to implement other strategies. First, I have to do what my college supervisor/cadre leader Dr. Crudder strongly advocated and that's to spend fifteen minutes a day watching and studying engagment strategies during my prep time in school. Also, I plan to look at the websites on active engagment that he presented two weeks ago during our last webinar.

Second, I will need to implement new strategies and habits. For example, I need to increase wait time when it comes to questioning. Lately my wait time has been increasing from 2 to about 4.5 seconds.
Also, the questioning I'm now starting to use derives from the Bloom's Taxonomy higher levels such analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing particular concepts.

Third,  research has shown that posing questions before reading and studying material is effective for older students such as the ones that I teach. Currently, I utilize Dr. Rich Allen's U-Turn strategy/game of Review/Preview when it comes to reading chapters within a novel.

Lastly, I think I want to implement response cards and wheels especially when we are reading argumentative articles and essays. This can elicit debate. My middle school students will have to use their evaluation skills to prove their argument and make counter claims from their opponents. This is where their higher ordered thinking skills comes into place.

Although I have only scratched the surface, I will continue to search for ways to actively engage my students in the topics that I am reviewing within whatever subject that I'm teaching. Whether it's math, science, language arts, or even philosophy---it doesn't matter. Active engagment strategies is definitely beyond the shadow of a doubt a must.

students who are older, high ability, and/or known to be interested in the

subject matter.

* Very young children and poor readers tend to focus only on material that

will help them answer questions if these are posed before the lesson is

presented.