Comments by Dr. Jennifer Van Allen Most recent public comments by Dr. Jennifer Van Allen https://nowcomment.com/users/26842 Interdisciplinary https://nowcomment.com/documents/350202?scroll_to=3087404 https://nowcomment.com/documents/350202?scroll_to=3087404 These projects really take a whole team of teachers in different subject areas. Students not only develop design thinking, but are also developing reading skills, writing skills, presentation skills, and more as they engage in projects like this. Plus, they seem so motivated. I love problem-based learning units. =) Mon, 10 Jul 2023 16:37:20 -0500 Sketchnoting https://nowcomment.com/documents/320783?scroll_to=2851826 https://nowcomment.com/documents/320783?scroll_to=2851826 These links that you are posting, Marina, remind me of sketchnoting. For those unfamiliar, check out this website: https://www.verbaltovisual.com/what-is-sketchnoting/ <iframe width="891" height="501" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4ItcHag3agE" title="What is sketchnoting?" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> Tue, 26 Jul 2022 10:51:52 -0500 Multiple Modes https://nowcomment.com/documents/320783?scroll_to=2851807 https://nowcomment.com/documents/320783?scroll_to=2851807 I totally agree, Brittney. But with the added perk that creating an image, video, audio, etc. text with multiple modes is really writing! I think that some in education have not really considered this idea quite yet, but the way and what we (and our future students) read in today's world is beyond printed text. =) Mon, 25 Jul 2022 16:39:27 -0500 Seems like George has never truly processed his father's death or grieved. Perhaps a school counselor could help him. https://nowcomment.com/documents/204570?scroll_to=2849876 https://nowcomment.com/documents/204570?scroll_to=2849876 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:42:39 -0500 Was this the reason he was held back so many times? https://nowcomment.com/documents/204570?scroll_to=2849875 https://nowcomment.com/documents/204570?scroll_to=2849875 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:41:19 -0500 Sketchnoting https://nowcomment.com/documents/204570?scroll_to=2849874 https://nowcomment.com/documents/204570?scroll_to=2849874 This makes me think of sketchnotes and how that could be a good tool for him. https://www.verbaltovisual.com/what-is-sketchnoting/ Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:40:01 -0500 Mandatory Grade Retention Policies https://nowcomment.com/documents/204570?scroll_to=2849873 https://nowcomment.com/documents/204570?scroll_to=2849873 There are many states who have mandatory grade retention policies if a child doesn't pass a state assessment in certain grades. I taught in FL for many years as an elementary teacher and literacy coach. We once had a 5th grade student who had been retained 3 times in elementary school, once in Kindergarten and twice in 3rd grade. That means he took 3rd grade 3 times and still didn't pass the state test. When he was in 5th grade, he was old enough to get his learner's permit for driving and was developmentally well beyond his peers leading to many inappropriate situations. I agree that school members, school board members, and politicians need to be mindful of the consequences of mandatory policies like this. Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:39:01 -0500 Yes! Great noticing. https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849872 https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849872 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:32:51 -0500 Is communication a focus in the classroom? In my experience, language use like this is taught. Great that he's applying it! https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849871 https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849871 Sun, 24 Jul 2022 10:08:50 -0500 =( https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849870 https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849870 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:29:42 -0500 I was thinking the same thing about attention-seeking. If he does have that many siblings, perhaps he is craving individualized attention. https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849869 https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849869 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:28:04 -0500 I love how this question already builds on a strength! https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849868 https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849868 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:26:19 -0500 Perhaps he has language delays and can't fully communicate what he knows. Also, I know many 6 year olds who don't know the ages of their siblings. =) https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849867 https://nowcomment.com/documents/208696?scroll_to=2849867 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:25:21 -0500 Interesting Connecction https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849866 https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849866 That's a really interesting connection, Marlen. In what ways do you see the similarities? Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:16:25 -0500 Most valuable step is discussion https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849865 https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849865 While I think all of these steps hold much value, I think the most valuable step is the discussion and recommendations. This is the "action" part of the protocol in which a plan is designed that considers the whole child. Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:11:52 -0500 Response to Intervention (RtI) https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849864 https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849864 I can relate this process to the response to intervention process many schools use to support students. In this process, all students participate in screening and interim assessment to check their progress. For those that aren't performing to the benchmarks, more work is done to understand why and supports are provided. For those students who are not make sufficient progress given targeted supports, a problem-solving committee may convene that examines the student from different perspectives. All stakeholders involved, including the child if they are old enough, should be invited to these meetings. Diagnostic assessments are often performed, along with close evaluation of student work and student characteristics to understand the child more fully. I think that this descriptive child process would actually fit really well as an initial problem-solving meeting! I'm just not sure there would be enough time to conduct this type of meeting with all students who need this level of support. Here's a link to the problem-solving meeting protocol in case you are interested. https://www.interventioncentral.org/sites/default/files/workshop_files/allfiles/Companion_Guide_Tier_3_RTI_Team_Revised.pdf Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:14:49 -0500 What is a focusing question? https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849863 https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849863 I did a little bit more research as I had the same question as others who have read this protocol. What I found is that the focusing question is something you are wondering about the child that you can look at from various perspectives. Here are some examples I found: -How can I help Jason work more productively with other children in the classroom? (http://essentialschools.org/horace-issues/making-the-whole-student-visible-the-descriptive-review-of-a-child/) -Who is Aisha as a student and writer? How can I support her as a writer, particularly on her 12th grade senior thesis? (https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/591825) -What is behind Cassie's positive attitude? How can she share her good energy with other students and positively impact her own learning as well as the class community? (http://teachinglearninggrowing.weebly.com/descriptive-review---child-study.html) After reading more, I think the focusing question makes more sense since as the driver behind the confernece. Sat, 23 Jul 2022 01:22:28 -0500 Focus on parents https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849862 https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849862 I love this focus on including parents in the dialogue. As a literacy coach, I found that teachers often blame parents for "not reading enough" with their child at home or "not doing their homework", etc. Yet, they really don't give the parents the opportunity to be active partners in their child's education within the confines of what the parents are able to do. What I mean by that is that teachers often don't take the time to understand the context of the child's home life and work with the parents to find ways to enrich their child's education at home. It could be that parents don't attend conferences because of their work schedule, etc. I love how this protocol includes parents as a main stakeholder from the get-go. Tue, 19 Jul 2022 09:49:57 -0500 This school sounds amazing! https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849861 https://nowcomment.com/documents/207234?scroll_to=2849861 Wow, I want to be a teacher at this school! Learning how to observe and understand the whole child and focusing on their strengths to support them through challenges is key. Tue, 19 Jul 2022 09:44:42 -0500 Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847921 https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847921 All of this is very interesting work and there are so many connections that I can make. I previously read Stephen Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. What overlaps do you see? <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ktlTxC4QG8g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> Mon, 11 Jul 2022 17:10:13 -0500 Leads to asking questions https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847920 https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847920 To me, this habit of mind naturally leads to so many of the other habits discussed here, just as they discussed at the beginning of this article. Mon, 11 Jul 2022 17:07:48 -0500 Another Reading Connection https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847903 https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847903 And here again we have another strategy that effective readers use to comprehend text. Being able to recall important prior knowledge and use it to understand a text is another high impact reading strategy. Mon, 11 Jul 2022 17:05:36 -0500 Connection to Successful Readers https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847902 https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847902 As a literacy teacher, I was struck with this habit of mind since it is one of the strategies that successful readers use to comprehend text. It seems that it's not just about what you read, but being curious and wondering are habits of effective thinkers as well! Mon, 11 Jul 2022 17:03:56 -0500 Reading is Complex! https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847893 https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847893 I've seen students allow themselves to become easily distracted or avoid a task because they are frustrated as striving readers. Once they lose their motivation to persist, it becomes even harder to help them develop their skills. Persistence is key to life! Mon, 11 Jul 2022 16:55:36 -0500 I wonder how technology adds to these habits of mind? Does our reliance on technology expand the list or add new habits that we need to develop? https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847874 https://nowcomment.com/documents/247448?scroll_to=2847874 Mon, 11 Jul 2022 16:46:51 -0500 I find that I'm so impulsive when I'm in a rush. Oftentimes it takes even longer to complete the task because I'm jumping right in before thinking first. These strategies for managing impulsivity are really important! https://nowcomment.com/documents/316811?scroll_to=2847780 https://nowcomment.com/documents/316811?scroll_to=2847780 Have you ever been impulsive because you are working with someone who pushes you to make quick decisions? I find this challenging to slow down and think or apply some of these strategies. Any good ideas for combatting this type if impulsivity? Mon, 11 Jul 2022 13:20:45 -0500 Agree, but also think about your past https://nowcomment.com/documents/316811?scroll_to=2847779 https://nowcomment.com/documents/316811?scroll_to=2847779 I love this addition Jesse! I think it would also be powerful to ask "What have I done/faced in the past that is similar challenge/problem/solution? Someone else commented on reflection above and I think reflecting on our own past fosters metacognition as well. Mon, 11 Jul 2022 13:17:49 -0500 As a teacher, I know that I'm tasked with teaching to the state standards. However, are we tasked with also teaching these habits of mind? If they are so powerful and significant for our students' productivity and citizenship, then I think we should. https://nowcomment.com/documents/316811?scroll_to=2847777 https://nowcomment.com/documents/316811?scroll_to=2847777 Mon, 11 Jul 2022 13:15:01 -0500