Chapter 6a & 6b

Chapter 6a

I found that this chapter was particularly helpful because it dealt with instruction planning, something that nearly every first year teacher worries about and often struggles with. The chapter specifically covered instructional units which according to the book is “ a major subdivision of a course and is comprised of learning activities that are planned around a central theme, topic, issue, or problem, organizing the content of the semester or year into units makes the teaching process more manageable than when the teacher has no plan or makes only random choices.” I chose to use the direct quote from the book because it shows the importance of planning as well as how planning makes ones teaching more cohesive. The most common type of instructional unit is a standard unit, also known as a traditional unit, which consists of a series of lessons that are planned around a topic, theme, concept, etc. These can be known as thematic units, which many of us have already planned while getting our education degree. I feel that when I become a teacher I will plan many thematic units for my students. I will do this for several different reasons, not only are thematic units fun and exciting, they help show students how their learning is relevant to their lives which further motivate and excite students about learning. If students cannot see why they are learning something, they will not stay engaged. Planning thematic units also help the lessons stay cohesive. It prevents the teacher from selecting random material and pushes them to stay theme oriented and plan ahead for their lessons in order for the learning to fit the theme. This planning ahead often seems like it may take more time and energy at first but once lessons are planned they can be used again in the future. Planning ahead allows the teacher to ensure they are selecting useful activities that will benefit the students.

The chapter also discussed directness. Once you have your theme chosen it is now up to you to decide what types of strategies you want to use to teach your students. I think that many different strategies should be used to help mold different skills of the students. For instance, students need to be able to learn how to learn in a teacher-focused environment where they listen to a mine-lecture or demonstration and can still receive and understand information. Students also need to be able to investigate on their own and in groups to discover information. I think both levels of instruction are important as long as the teacher-centered instruction is not overused. I also think it is very important for a teacher to keep the lectures no longer than ten minutes (ten minutes may even be too long).

Chapter 6b

When planning an integrative thematic unit, Kellough emphasized that teachers want to make sure to follow certain guidelines. These guidelines are written below.

• ·      Agree on the nature or source of the unit
• ·      Discuss subject-specific standards, goals and objectives, curriculum guidelines, textbooks and supplemental materials and units already in place for the school year.
• ·      Choose a theme topic and develop a time line
• ·      Establish two time lines
• ·      Develop the scope and sequence for content and instruction
• ·      Share goals and objectives
• ·      Give the unit a name
• ·      Share subject-specific units, lesson plan a printed and non-printed materials
• ·      Field-test the unit
• ·      Reflect, assess and perhaps adjust and revise the unit

When developing the learning activities there are three parts that create the make up of the thematic units. These are initiating activities, ongoing developmental activities and there are culminating activities. These all play a huge part when it comes planning and conducting a successful thematic integrative unit. Initiating activities are ones that introduce the thematic unit. Ongoing activities are what make up the majority of the unit. These are activities that will take the longest time but have the deepest learning levels. Lastly there is culminating activities. These are the activities that will help close the unit. This may be the students’ reflections on what they learned, questions they still have, etc.

When I have my future classroom I will ensure to use these guidelines to help create a successful thematic unit. I think reflecting on ones thematic unit right after it is completed is a great way educators can grow and adjust their thematic unit. It would be smart for teachers to write down notes about what they did and didn’t like about the unit and place those notes along with the materials they use for the thematic unit that way if they use it next year they do not forget what they wanted to change.