Social Studies: Reflection & Analysis of Student Learning
As planned, I taught my lesson while sitting with the students around a table in the school library. I sought to follow established classroom routines and procedures for behavior and participation, which I reviewed with the students at the beginning of the lesson. I also displayed the expectations in writing. As I had learned while teaching previous lessons, this approach provides a constant reminder to the students and, if necessary, allows me to reference the expectations subtly. This proved especially relevant as—unbeknownst to me—most of the library was being used for a book fair preview on the day of my lesson.
However, issues of management and logistics not withstanding, I was able to follow my lesson plan as written. I believe that both the content and structure were solid and effective.
During the lesson, the students examined two related questions:
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What does it mean to be homeless?
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What can we—as students and members of the community—do about it?
This lesson was designed to simultaneously supplement and compliment what the students are learning in class, in both social studies and literacy. I began the lesson by introducing and reading Eve Bunting’s Fly Away Home to the students. I read aloud, showing the pictures, and pausing periodically to provide time for the students to draw inferences from the text. Students also turned and talked with a partner on these occasions.
Each student recorded his/her personal observations/thinking on the provided graphic organizer. We then discussed the text as a group, highlighting the challenges the characters faced. I recorded student contributions on a sheet of chart paper. This list was used to develop a list of ways that students and other members of the community can help homeless individuals.
Lesson Video Analysis:
As shown in the video [right], the majority of "talk" was generated by the students.
I acted as a facilitator and scribe; my questions were intended to spur thought and discussion.
The students were willing and eager to share. They were also focused--remarkably so considering the level of activity in the library due to the book fair.
While I periodically aided the discussion by posing follow up questions, the students consistently revoiced and built on others' ideas.
The most active contribution I made [~11 minute mark] was to "build" on a student's suggestion that one way to help was to donate money to charity. At this point, I made a personal connection by explaining that I used to work at a food bank. I then briefly explained that food banks also accept food and clothing to help homeless individuals.
Following this contribution, the students picked up the discussion and completed their list.
Both lists and the students' graphic organizers are shown below.
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Observer's Notes:
As I discussed the lesson with my observer she expressed that:
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If I were to teach the lesson with a larger group, I should try to determine what they knew about the topic (background knowledge)
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She liked the service learning focus/deliverable
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connection to action
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She would not have had the students talk and turn
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Suggested that it would build more momentum to read the book uninterrupted
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Expressed her feeling that something may have been lost as a result of breaking it up
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She was not sure that the text had indicated how big an issue homelessness is
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She suggested that I get closer to the students with the text, to enable them to pick up more details
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Make sure the gravity of the issue is clear
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Liked the thumbs up routine for signaling readiness to contribute
I agreed with many of her observations, especially the suggestion that turning and talking may have detracted from the momentum of the lesson.
General Reflections:
While reflecting on my lesson, it occurred to me that my choice of a fiction text may have been more to my benefit than that of the students. The richest discussion undoubtedly occurred while the students were developing their list of ways to help the homeless.
The ultimate goal of my lesson was not to analyze or discuss a fiction text, but to generate a list of ways to help homeless people in the community.
I employed Fly Away Home as a tool to introduce the topic of homelessness and facilitate discussion. While it was only intended to introduce the topic (by providing a “neutral” view of homelessness), I am left wondering if a fiction text was the best option. In retrospect, I easily could have substituted a nonfiction source. To this end, perhaps a document addressing homelessness in Philadelphia would have been more effective and/or relevant.
That said, following my analysis of the students' written and verbal contributions to the lesson, I am confident that the lesson remained mindful of my essential question.
More importantly, I feel that the students provided a solid answer through their creation of a list of actionable ways that students and other members of the community can help homeless individuals.