Sometimes as a teacher leads an activity, a student verbalizes all the observations and new questions that were hoped for, making one think, “Was this child coached to say these things, or am I really eliciting all this learning!?” I like to believe that the other children are also thinking what this one child is saying, but they are across the circle, or shyer, or faster to move on to the next thing, so I don’t get to hear their thoughts.
What I heard:
“When you shine it [the flashlight beam] over the light it disappears.” (The larger ceiling light is brighter than the flashlight beam and obscures it.)
“Move it close and it gets smaller, and then up and it gets bigger.” (Noticing the change in size of the circle of light as she moved the flashlight closer and farther away from the floor.)
“My hand got in the way.”
In one classroom the sun was conveniently shining in a window providing a very bright light to reflect around the classroom using mirrors.
“The light comes here [to the mirror’s surface] and then goes [gestures to the wall].”
How can I know what impact my teaching has on the students? I look to see if children are trying the materials one way and then another way, asking questions, speculating on what some new item can be used for, and telling me or the classroom teacher about their discoveries.
Children who are not engaged these ways often respond when a teacher sits near them and asks an open-ended question, such as, “What do you see?” or “Show me what you can do with the flashlight.” See the list of “Question Frames for Teachers” as well as the comments and questions by children in the comprehensive lesson plan on exploring shadows from a South Dakota teacher.
In the days following the activity the children asked to use the flashlight again during the morning circle time. Because it was not a new experience, the flashlight could be passed around the circle without disrupting the proceedings. As classroom teachers extend the exploration of the concept in the days following the activity with the science teacher, they make sure to hear the thoughts of all the children.
What are your students’ discoveries?
Peggy