My question for the week is specifically related to Science notebooking. How can I implement the research based strategies on notebooking into my classroom, and still satisfy the the districts recomendations and influence in an effective way? The first way to address this is to compare the information in the article on notebooking and the strategies for noteooking that we're learning from our district mentor, to what I am actually doing in the classroom, in order to identify which adaptations I can make to provide the best resource for the students. In Campbell and Fulton's article, Science Notebooks: Writing About Inquiry, it is stated that " In order to consider authentic implementation of science notebooks in the classroom, it is important to understand how scientists use notebooks in their line of work." I have noticed, after reflecting on the lessons I have participated in, that I usually do make a connection between the information the students are putting in their notebooks and the information that scientists put in theirs. In fact, I usually chime in with an example of what type of scientist might record the information they are recording in their notebooks I do believe that making these connections for students is important for their learning and for their motivation and engagement. What I would like to improve on though, to make note-booking and science in general more authentic for my students, is being very aware of the language I use with them in the classroom, and be more careful to make sure that my language is not only appropriate for the scenario, but consistent throughout. For example, I love how my CT refers to the students as scientists consistently throughout our science lessons. She makes it very clear that they ARE scientists and that they are researching the same way that real scientists do. I am not as good at this, probably from lack of practice or experience, but would like to more often refer to the students as such and make sure that I do this consistently. Ensuring the students that they are in fact scientists seems to give them a sense of confidence, but also seems to make an authentic connection between what they're doing and what scientists do in the field. By doing this, they are more motivated to make meaningful entries into their science notebooks, therefore making it an effective resource. To help myself be more aware of my language, I'm going to try to write in my plans, opportunities for me to use the language in a consistent manner. Because I have not had as much experience as my CT, I often find that I refer back to my plans several times during a lesson, and by writing in these reminders to call my students scientists and use appropriate language on my plan, I'm sure to see it and more likely to use it consistently.
Another thing that I've been mulling over in my head about science note-booking is the organization of the notebook, and how it can be made into an effective resource for the students. This is where I'm finding a gap between our course practice and the district recommended way of organization. I find that I agree with certain aspects of both, which is why it's hard for me to make a definite decision about how I would like to use science notebooks in my own classroom next year. From our course, we are learning how important it is for notebooks to be a portfolio of student work, a resource for students to study from and look back on often, and for each students notebook to be very different and individualized. It is true that every scientists notebook looks different, and the student's notebooks should reflect this. I have had the absolute privilege to work with a district mentor this year, and she has provided some amazing ideas and suggestions about note-booking, based on the trainings that are offered by the district. They do agree with everything that I stated above, but are advocates for having a table of contents in the science notebook so that students can easily refer back to information from previous entries. They believe that if students are shown how to organize their notebooks with a table of contents, page number, and essential question for each entry, that the students can get better use of their notebooks as a resource, and can easily find the information that they're looking for. It was mentioned to me during our last science class meeting that the structure of the notebook that the district is recommending is too strict, and that restricting the way that students make entries in their notebook should be completely their own. They should not be told to date, or keep a table of contents, or label pages and essential questions. The notebook should be filled with the things that the students consider important enough to document. I agree that students responses and entries should be their own and should be reflective of what they think is important, but I also agree that keeping notebooks organized in some fashion, allows students to easily and quickly access information. This is where I'm torn. What is too organized? What is not organized enough? How do we know that the information the students are document is relevant to what we're doing in the classroom? These are the questions I find that I'm asking myself.
After considering all of this, the only conclusion I can come to is how important it is to know my students. At the end of the day, it is a resource for the students. Also I must keep in mind that I am limited to what I can do for the simple fact that I am a guest in someone else's classroom. When I have my own classroom, I will base my decisions about note-booking specifically on the needs of my students. I could probably survey them to see how they feel about a table of contents, or any specific form of organization. Or, maybe I will let them set it up any way they want for a few weeks and observe how well they are able to use it, and find what they need in it. If they can maintain it on their own, they can have free reign of the note-book; if they cannot, then I can introduce one organizational strategy at a time. As a professional, my goal is always to modify classroom practices based on the diverse learning needs of my students. So whatever they need, I will do!
This blog post contributes to the achievement of FEAP(s) goal (b)Continuous Improvement, Responsibility, and Ethics. 5.a. : Continuous Professional Improvement. The effective educator consistently: Designs purposeful professional goals to strengthen the effectiveness of instruction based on students' needs.