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Teaching for Tomorrow: Creating Strategic Learners Through Challenging Work Linda Dorn, Professor, Director Center for Literacy University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Or !"

How can Schools Prepare Children With the

Knowledge, Skills, and Strategies They Will Need

to Make Informed and Wise Decisions as Adults? !

Texts Referenced in Presentation •! Ambrose, S., Bridges, M. W., Lovett, M. C., DiPietro, M., &

Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: Research-based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

•! Anderson, L. W. & Krathwohl, D. (Eds.). (2006). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy for educational objectives. 2nd ed. Pearson.

•! Dorn, L. & Jones, T. (2012). Apprenticeship in Literacy. 2nd edition. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

•! Dorn, L. & Soffos, C. (2005). Teaching for Deep Comprehension. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

•! Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.

Texts Referenced in Presentation •! Johnston, P. (2004). Choice words. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. •! Meichenbaum, D. & A. Biemiller. (1998). Nurturing Independent

Learners: Helping Students Take Charge of their Learning. Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.

•! Sternberg, R. 2008. The Balance Theory of Wisdom. In Jossey-Bass Reader (Eds). The Brain and Learning. Jossey-Bass & Sons. pp. 133-150.

•! Wood, D. (2002). The Why? What? When? And How? Of Tutoring: The Development of Helping and Tutoring Skills in Children. Literacy, Teaching, and Learning 7(1,2), 2-30.

•! Zull, J. (2002). The art of changing the brain. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Goals of Education are Shaped by the Demands of a Changing Society

The challenges of 21st century learning will require students to: 1.! Transfer knowledge across

multiple disciplines and develop conceptual understandings!

2.! Apply flexible strategies to solve diverse problems and enhance decision-making abilities!

3.! Make mistakes and learn from them!

4.! Work collaboratively with others on innovative projects!

5.! Create and produce new knowledge!

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Thinking and Decision-Making

•! Reflecting before acting is central to good decision-making.

•! This cognitive process relates to self-regulation.

What does self-regulation have to do with future academic success? !!!

Self-Regulation is a Decision-Making Process

Self-regulation is defined as the ability to represent a problem, set a goal, create a strategy to reach the goal, and monitor the process of working toward the goal.

It’s the way we regulate our thinking to

accomplish a goal!

Searching!

Planning!

Linking!

Redirecting!Checking!

Monitoring!

Monitoring!

Planning!

Deciding!

Predicting!

Searching!

Rejecting!

Confirming!

Questioning!

Planning!Questioning!

Questioning!Revisiting!

Revising!

Connecting!

Monitoring!

Systematic Process for Making Decisions

1.! Knowing a problem is a problem when you meet one

2.! Previewing the outcome (planning ahead)

3.! Assessing the feasibility 4.! Mobilizing the resources 5.! Thinking logically 6.! Considering different

strategies and picking the best one

7.! Starting and pacing 8.! Self-monitoring 9.! Dealing with impasses 10.!Arriving at the solution

Just a quick distinction between problem solving and decision-making

•! Problem-Solving –! Identify and evaluate

possible solutions to solving a problem

•! Decision-Making –! Weigh and evaluate

the wisdom of each solution and select the best choice for the current situation

Let’s look at an example.!

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Self-regulation requires an ability to think critically about decisions and to control particular actions while initiating others in order to achieve a more desirable outcome.

What are the behaviors of self-regulated readers?!!How can teachers prompt children to develop problem-solving attitudes and positive mindsets?!!

First, think about the good and poor readers in your classroom.

What reading behaviors do they exhibit?

Compare the Behaviors Self-Regulated Readers

•! Systematic problem-solving

•! Persistent and motivated •! Intentional and purposeful •! Monitoring and self-

correcting strategies •! Active and self-directed

Struggling Readers •! Haphazard guessing •! Give up easily and seek

help •! No clear goals or

purposes •! Weak monitoring

systems, poor self-correcting

•! Passive and dependent on others

Two Important Facts

•! When children are successful with solving problems, they develop a positive mindset about their capabilities.

•! This attitude is self-empowering, allowing children to approach the challenges of tomorrow’s learning with confidence and success.

•! People with fixed mindsets will only tackle tasks they already know how to do. !

•! People with growth mindsets will tackle challenging tasks. !

Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House. !

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What are the consequences of having a fixed or

growth mindset in learning to read?!

!How can teachers’

interactions shape their students’ mindsets? !

Let’s look at a few examples and apply to students you know.

How do student perceptions of their abilities relate the development of

self-regulation?

The “Fixed” Mindset

Behaviors

•! I don’t want anyone to know I can’t do this.

•! I need successes to feel good about myself.

•! Even if I’m doing well on this, I won’t be able to do it somewhere else.

Outcomes

•! I stop working when the task gets too hard.

•! Challenges are a threat to my self-esteem, so I avoid them.

•! I will withdraw from learning opportunities if I think the task is too hard.

The “Growth” Mindset

Behaviors

•! I love to learn something new.

•! I am excited by a challenge!

•! I believe I can get smarter through my own efforts.

Outcomes

•! I will avoid easy tasks in favor of learning something new.

•! I will throw myself into difficult tasks and I’ll stick with them. I set myself goals and make sure I have strategies to reach them.

•! I am fully engaged with a new task, stretching my skills to learn something new.

A Video Example See Handout of Transcript

Keep in mind that self-regulation in reading requires a growth mindset! Fostering Self-Regulation Through

Scaffolding of Critical Behaviors

Where are critical behaviors? How do they relate to transfer? Why is it important for scaffolding to focus on critical behaviors?

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Critical Behaviors are Memorable Attempts

•! Student knows a problem is a problem when he sees it.

•! Student applies a strategy that depends on one or more sources of information.

•! Student attempts to transfer some valid form of information to the problem.

•! Student demonstrates independence and persistence.

An Example of Critical Behaviors

Child: Makes two attempts based on first letter and structure (for, from) Teacher Prompt: Not helpful Child: Makes another attempt using the same information as before (for) Teacher Prompt: Helpful Child: Attends to the missing information and integrates all cues.

The role of teaching is to find out what the child already knows and provide scaffolds to help the student learn something new. Scaffolds are adjustable scales of help that put the learner in charge of the thinking.

What are levels of help? !!How can I adjust my language to promote the child’s ability to solve the problem?!!

Levels of Scaffolding

Based on Wood, D. (2002). The Why? What? When? And How? Of Tutoring: The Development of Helping and Tutoring Skills in Children. Literacy, Teaching, and Learning 7(1,2), 2-30.

Level Degree of Assistance Example of Prompt

Level 1 General Verbal Provides no assistance, “You do it.’

Level 2 Specific Verbal Directs child’s attention to needed source of information. “Read that part more closely to find out what caused that to happen.”

Level 3 Specific Verbal Plus Directs child’s attention to needed source of information by using verbal prompt, “Search through the word to the ending” – plus use a sliding card to direct the child’s ending to the problem.

Level 4 Prepares for next action. Supplies correct word and asks child to confirm, “Could that word be take? Try it again and see if it works.”

Level 5 Demonstrates (models) next action.

Thinks aloud and models the action: “When I don’t know a word, I can look at the larger chunks to help me.”

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Two Questions to Keep in Mind

•! What source of information does the child need to attend to?

•! What is the least amount of support I can give the child to ensure that she will accomplish the task?

Dorn, L. & Jones, T. (2012). Apprenticeship in Literacy. 2nd ed. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, p. 24.

give the child to ensure that she will

A Closer Look at Teacher Scaffolding

A Video Example From First Grade Intervention Group

See Transcript for Interaction

Three Interrelated Concepts

1.! Growth mindset –! I have confidence in myself!

2.! Self-Regulation –! I have the strategies and skills to solve

problems and good good decisions.

3.! Transfer –! I know how to apply what I know to new

contexts and for different purposes.

What is transfer and why does it matter?

Transfer requires deeper understanding of relationships among big ideas and the ability to apply important information for solving new problems in diverse situations and for constructing new meanings. The challenge is to make transfer more likely by design rather than by luck or nature. (More on this later!)

Transfer involves figuring out which knowledge and skill applies to a particular situation and how this prior information can be modified, adapted, and accommodated to address the current problem. !! !Transfer is all about higher level thinking– applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and creating.!!

Transfer Process in Developing Deeper Understanding

Concrete Experience

Reflective Observation

Abstract Hypothesis

Active Testing

Background and Prior Knowledge (Long-term memory)!

Analyzing, applying, testing, examining, confirming, rejecting!

Questioning, describing, reflecting, checking, wondering!

Predicting, inferring, synthesizing, arguing, hypothesizing, consolidating !

Transfer begins here !

Producing, transforming, creating, inventing, constructing!

Successful Transfer!

Synthesized from Zull and Bloom!

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Types of Transfer

•! Successful Transfer –Transfer is based on a good understanding of concepts or strategies, resulting in a successful connection that enhances comprehension.

•! Unsuccessful Transfer –Transfer occurs, but it is based on limited background or inadequate prior knowledge, resulting in a confusion or misunderstanding of the concept to be learned.

Understanding is shaped by background (world) experiences and prior (content) knowledge.!!If either is lacking, a misunderstanding can occur.!!What can we learn from a child’s misunderstanding? !!!

•! Misunderstanding is an attempt to transfer. You have to have knowledge and the ability to transfer in order to misunderstand things! !

•! Misunderstanding indicates a reasonable and valid attempt (based on existing knowledge) to transfer information. !

•! In order to build a bridge between misunderstanding and understanding, teachers must be able to interpret the child’s response from his/her perspective. !

Understanding the Misunderstanding!

What if transfer doesn’t happen?

Here are some questions to ask yourself.

Dorn, L. & T. Jones. (2012) Apprenticeship in Literacy. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. p 114.!

What if transfer doesn’t happen?

•! Were my examples (models) in the assisted situation clear and memorable?

•! Did I focus the student’s attention on learning a principle or a strategy, or was my teaching focused on remembering isolated items?

•! Was the task in the assisted situation challenging enough to engage the student’s mind?

What if transfer doesn’t happen?

•! Were my prompts at the appropriate level for scaffolding the student’s strategic activity?

•! Was the literacy task in the independent situation so dissimilar to the task in the assisted situation that the student failed to see the relationship?

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What if transfer doesn’t happen?

•! Did I intervene appropriately in the child’s misunderstanding and provide the right amount of scaffolding to clear up the confusion?

•! Did I teach intentionally for transfer, or did I expect it to occur by chance?

Based on a synthesis of research/theories on transfer. See Apprenticeship in Literacy (2nd ed), p. 115.!

Language Workshop

Listening and Speaking

Comprehension

Reading Workshop Reading

Comprehension

Language Workshop

Listening and

Comprehension

Writing Workshop

Written Expression Language

Workshop Listening and

Comprehension

Content Workshop Scientific Inquiry

Integrated Framework to Promote Deep Knowledge !Through Relationships and Transfer!

To build deep knowledge, students must be able to integrate information and transfer concepts across multiple contexts in order to solve problems and to construct new knowledge. !

Scaffolding !

Teachers provide explicit instruction and scaffolding to build bridges.!

Teaching !Leads Development!!

Source: Dorn, L. & Soffos, C. (2013). Reversing the Reading Failure of Adolescent Readers. Allyn & Bacon. !

!

Build background knowledge and

vocabulary through interactive read alouds with complex texts, then create opportunities for children to strengthen

and extend this knowledge during guided reading and literature discussion groups.

Building Background Knowledge Through Scaffolded Instruction in Integrated Workshops

Building Background Knowledge Through Listening and Talking

Expanding Background Knowledge Through Reading and Writing

Text Complexity !Read Aloud, Modeling, & Collaborative Discussions!

Language Workshop!

Reading, Writing, & Content ! Workshops!

Guided Reading, Discussion Groups, Reading About Writing !

Dorn, L. & Soffos, C. (2013, in process). Reversing the Reading Failure of Adolescent Readers. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. !

Groups, Reading About Writing

Teachers should create multiple contexts across the school day that

provide children with varied opportunities to build problem-

solving power and enhance decision-making abilities.

To do so, teachers must be able to:

•! Observe the knowledge, skills, and strategies used by their students when they read and write;

•! Use supportive and interesting texts that enable students to activate their background knowledge and practice effective strategies across a range of reading and writing events;

•! Use language prompts that direct students’ attention to the processing activity rather than to the accuracy of the word.

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!!

Three Questions to Keep in Mind

1.! What knowledge sources are

needed to make good and wise decisions?

2.! What strategies and skills are needed to make good and wise decisions?

3.! What is the role of the curriculum in shaping these knowledge, skills, and strategies? !

!

The Knowledge of Good Decision-Making

•! Rich Factual Knowledge (general and specific information)

•! Rich Procedural Knowledge (strategies for solving problems)

•! Rich Communicative Knowledge (language competencies for collaborating with others on common goals)

Teaching for Decision-Making

•! Decision-making strategies at multiple levels: –! About Words: Applying flexible strategies to discover word

meanings within text –! About Literature and History: Judging the impact of

people’s decisions on others and weighing them in terms of wise or unwise choices

–! About Communication: Collaborating with others to solve problems and make decisions for the common good of the group

Decision-Making Strategy 1:

Solving Unknown Words Within Text

A Video Example from a third grade literature discussion group

See Handout of Transcript

!

Strategies for Solving Unknown Words

•! How do the children use strategies to learn unknown words within context?

•! What behaviors indicate a ‘growth’ mindset?

•! What is the teacher’s role in promoting problem solving activity?

Constructing New Knowledge!!

!!

Background Knowledge Plus!!

Strategic Knowledge!Equals!!

New Knowledge!!

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Decision-Making Strategy 2:

Judging the impact of people’s decisions on others and weighing them in terms of

wise or unwise choices

Teaching for Decision-Making

•! Decision-making strategies at multiple levels: 1) About Words: Applying flexible strategies to discover word meanings within text 2) About Literature and History: Judging the impact of people’s decisions on others and weighing them in terms of wise or unwise choices 3) About Communication: Collaborating with others to solve problems and make decisions for the common good of the group

!So, what do we mean by wise choices? !!!How can schools teach for wisdom? !

First, a Definition of Wisdom

A deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply judgments and actions

in keeping with this understanding.

Keep this in mind!

If people do not have rich factual knowledge, they will not have the resources they need to make wise decisions. !

Sternberg, R. 2008. The Balance Theory of Wisdom. In Jossey-Bass Reader (Eds). The Brain and Learning. Jossey-Bass & Sons. pp. 133-150.

!

Three Things to Consider!

1.! Knowledge does not guarantee wisdom.!

2.! Wisdom is found in the space between the stimulus and the response! !

!3.! Teaching children to think

before they act is teaching wisdom. !

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Behaviors of Wise Thinkers

•! Demonstrate deep factual knowledge of the world and the discipline

•! Understand how to apply strategies in flexible ways to solve problems

•! Display a willingness to make mistakes and learn from them

•! Hold a tentative theory and a growth mindset

•! Reflect before acting •! Make rational (not

emotional) decisions based on evidence and logic

•! Display effective communicative skills

Why Teach Wisdom in Schools?

If adults do not make wise decisions, then much of the blame can be traced

back to the schools.

Sternberg, R. 2008. The Balance Theory of Wisdom. In Jossey-Bass Reader (Eds). The Brain and Learning. Jossey-Bass & Sons. pp. 133-150.!!

How Can Schools Teach for Wisdom?

•! Teach children to think before they act and to value the need to slow down and reflect.

•! Teach children to generate multiple plans for solving problems, weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each plan, and determine the wisest solution for the common good.

•! Teach children to distinguish between fact and opinion and how to use evidence in making decisions.

•! Teach children to think critically about people and events from literature and history and the consequences of their actions on others.

Based on Sternberg, R. 2008. The Balance Theory of Wisdom. In Jossey-Bass Reader (Eds). The Brain and Learning. Jossey-Bass & Sons !

Decision-Making Strategy 2: Judging Characters by the Choices They Make

A Video Example from a Third Grade Intervention Group

See Handout of Transcript

•! A Study in Character Analysis –!What are the

choices a character makes?

–!What do these choices tell you about a character’s theory of life and the world?

•Character Traits and Influences

1.! Who would like to start our discussion? 2.! What can we infer about this character? 3.! Does anybody have any questions or

anything they would like to discuss before we close down our discussion?

4.! Would you like to be this little boy’s friend?

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1.! How do character studies shape children’s perceptions of life and responsibility? !

2.! How can teachers prompt students to analyze characters and their impact on others and the world?!

!

First, let’s look at a few examples of prompts for scaffolding

character analysis (p 23).

Examples of Prompts for Character Study

•! How do the characters in the story feel about each other? What is their theory of life and the world?

•! How do you feel about the characters? Do you like them? Would you want to have them for a friend?

•! Is the time or place in the story important to the characters’ actions? Would it make a difference if the time and place were different?

And a Few More Examples

•! What are the problems faced by the characters, and how do they solve their problems?

•! Are the characters wise? Why do you think so? •! Why did the characters act the way they did?

Was it right or wrong for the characters to act this way? What would you have done in the same situation?

And a Few More

•! Would you have solved the problems the characters faced in the same way as the characters did? What other solutions might there be to solving the problem? Would these solutions work better? Why do you think so?

•! What lessons did you learn from the character’s actions? How can you apply this message to similar situations in your life?

Analyzing Character Traits

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Here are a few examples of how children are learning from the

characters in their books.

Literature Discussion Groups and Writing about Reading help readers to think more deeply about the relationship

between character traits and subsequent actions.

Character Study Prompts How do the characters in the story feel about

each other? What is their theory of life and the world? What lessons did you learn from the

characters’ actions?

Reading Log From 3rd Grade Student !

The Hickory Chair!!The characters in this story are all kind and supportive of each other. For example, when Louis couldn’t find his note from Gran, they were all supportive and all pitched in to try to help him find his note. None of them just ran away and forgot about Louis. It was important to them that they helped Louis find his note from Gran and his special thing. !!!

The Hickory Chair!!The characters’ theory of life and the world is to love and support each other. They demonstrated that when Louis was the only one that couldn’t find his note. Dad especially demonstrated compassion towards him.!!This book reminds me of how important it is in life to consider other people’s feelings and always put yourself last.!!

Character Study Prompts What do you think the author’s message might be? How can you apply this message to similar

situations in your life?

Reading Log from 4th Grade Intervention Student !

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Character Study Prompts Justify how Percy’s feelings about his life

changed from the beginning of the story to now. Support your response with proof from

the story.

Reading Logs From 4th Grade Students!

Using Graphic Organizer to Compare Character Traits at Two Points in Time

and Reading Log to Write About Thinking

Two Examples: Grade Level Group in 4th Grade Classroom and Supplemental

Intervention Group in Guided Reading Plus

Reading Log: Justify how Percy’s feelings

about himself changed from the beginning of the story to the end.

Support your response with

evidence from the text.

The reading log of a 4th

grade student in a literature

group discussion in

the classroom. !

Writing About Reading – Response Log

In the beginning of the book at Yancy Academy Percy felt very sad. He was a nobody who never fit in because of his ADHD and dyslexia. Percy barely had any friend, just Grover. He felt horrible and stressed abut his grades. In the book, it says Percy felt like ants were crawling up his shirt because he was so nervous. He felt lucky about his ADHD because he could read Greek correctly. Now, in the book it talks about Percy feeling important because his dad is Poseidon, one of the big three and because Poseidon claimed Percy as his son. Percy feels confident about his quest because he’s going to save his mom. He also feels confident because he has his friends Grover and Annabeth to help him on his quest to get the lightning bolt. Percy feels strong about his quest.

The reading log of a student in a

Guided Reading Plus Intervention

Group

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Writing About Reading –Response Log

Percy had felt like a nobody because he had no friends except Grover and Grover had CRUTCHES! He was poor and everyone else was rich. He had dyslexia and everybody laughed at him, and he had ADHD and they still laughed at him. He felt special in a bad way. At Camp-Half Blood, he felt special because he was the son of Poseidon. He feels important because Poseidon is one of the big three. He feels strong because he has WATER POWER!!!! Percy is going to try to save his mom in the UNDERWORLD. Percy has his own cabin because his dad Poseidon claimed him. On this quest Grover and Annabeth are with him because Grover is his PROTECTER.

Decision-Making Strategy 3: Working Collaboratively to Solve Problems for a

Common Goal

A Video Example of Third Grade Students Working on a Group Project

See Handout of Transcript

Collaborating and Making Decisions

•! Students have written a report and created a poster of the report.

•! Students meet to make decisions for aligning the poster with the report.

•! Problem solving in small group is a critical part of learning.

•! In the process, students develop communicative competencies for solving problems for a common goal.

Teachers should create multiple contexts across the school day that provide children with varied opportunities to build problem-solving power and enhance decision-making abilities.

Literacy Events that Build Community and Collaboration

Skills!!•! Literature Discussions!•! Collaborative Projects!•! Critical Thinking Activities !•! Book Clubs!•! Study Groups!•! Research Teams!•! Social Projects!!

Conversational Moves During Literature Discussion Groups

!! I agree with. . . !! I disagree with . . . !!You made me think

about . . . !!Where is your

evidence . . . !! I’d like to add . . . !!Yes, but have you

thought about . . . !!Can you say more

about what you mean . . .

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Teaching for Tomorrow: From Elementary to Career and College

Ten Principles for Promoting Deep Factual Knowledge, Efficient Problem-Solving Strategies, Wise Decision-Making, and Communicative Skills for Collaborating with Others !

Principle One!!!Implement an integrated curriculum that focuses on developing deep factual knowledge and facilitates the transfer of this knowledge across multiple contexts and for different purposes. !!

Principle Two!!!Build background knowledge, academic vocabulary, and linguistic competencies through interactive read aloud with complex texts, then create opportunities for children to strengthen and extend this knowledge during guided reading and literature discussion groups. !!

Principle Three!!!Provide degrees of scaffolding to foster students’ efficient problem solving, decision-making, and independence. Never do anything for the student that he/she can do alone. !

Principle Four!!!Teach with intentionality, while assisting students to see the relationships between ideas, themes, principles, and concepts. Guide students to think in abstraction. !

Principle Five!!!Select well-written literature, including historical fiction, that engages children’s minds in analyzing the choices that characters make and their impact on others and the world. Emphasize the importance of wisdom in decision-making.!

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Principle Six!!!Model a growth mindset by demonstrating risk-taking behavior, the willingness to make mistakes, and the motivation to tackle challenging tasks. !

Principle Seven!!!Implement a rigorous literacy curriculum with high standards for all students, while simultaneously providing interventions for students who need additional scaffolding.!

Principle Eight!!!Create an environment of inquiry; teach children to ask questions and seek answers from rich and varied sources!

Principle Nine!!!Teach children to evaluate the differences between fact and opinion and to provide rich factual evidence to support the wisdom of their decisions.!

Principle Ten!!!Build communication strategies and linguistic skills into all parts of the curriculum.!!

In closing, some questions to ask:

•! Is my teaching helping students to develop wisdom and responsibility?

•! Are my students learning how to collaborate with others toward common goals?

•! Am I prompting students for independence? •! Will my students be able to transfer their

knowledge across different contexts and for varied purposes?

•! Am I teaching for tomorrow?