MAX Teaching with Reading and Writing - Ects.org

The Way ItShouldn’t Be• Students have noconnection to whatthey are to learnbecause they did notread the homeworkassignment and theydo not connect to theirprior knowledge.• Teacher has studentscopy down 15-20vocabulary words andlook up definitions forthem.• Round-robinreading.• Students are told tocopy down notes theteacher has provided.• Students fill inspaces on worksheetscreated by textbookpublisher.• Students are told thatthis material will be onthe test on Friday.• Little or no verbalinteraction occurs, andno one learns verymuch.The Way ItSometimes Is• 10-20% of studentshave completed theassigned reading.• Most students haveno clue about theassignment or theconcepts they shouldhave learned fromthe text.• Teacher attemptsto teach concepts bylecture, questions,probes forunderstanding,video, notes, etc.• All students havesome level ofconceptualunderstanding.• None haveimproved theirlearning skills. Theteacher did all thework!• The hiddenmessage is thatstudents don’t haveto read – the teacherwill tell them all theyneed to know.The Way ItIs with MAX• Teacher helpsstudents link priorknowledge to theday’s lesson.• Students establishtheir purposes forlearning.• Students activelyprobe text in attemptto satisfy their needfor understanding.• Students help oneanother constructunderstanding ofsubject matter.• Intelligentdiscussion occurswith all studentshaving completeknowledge base withwhich to work.• All students usethe vocabulary of thediscipline.• Students performmeaningfulreflection forhomework.©2004 MAX Teaching with Reading & Writing, 6857 TR 215, Findlay, OH 45840, 404-441-7008 http://www.maxteaching.com29