Open-ended Learning

One of the most important concepts that I am learning to put into my teaching practice is open-ended learning. One example of this is that I needed to think of another maths shape activity to put in the kids' portfolios. Tanya and I were talking about it and my first instinct was to have the kids sort different shapes into the categories of square, circle, triangle, and rectangle (the ones we have been working on). Tanya suggested that we shouldn't tell the kids what categories to sort the shapes into and just let them create as many or as few groups as they decided to do. After observing what the kids came up with during the lesson, I truly realized how much more valuable this activity was when it was open-ended. An example of this that one boy put two triangles and a square in the same category. If this were a close-ended activity, the boy would have sorted the shapes the "wrong way." However, I asked him to explain to me why he sorted the shapes the way he did. He told me that he put them like that because of their size and he had grouped them so that the shapes went from smallest to largest! This really made me stop and think about how much more valuable it is to give students the opportunity to show their learning in a way that isn't so black and white. It allows the teacher to see how the student is thinking and why they arrived at their answers. From this, it is easier to differentiate your students based on their ability levels for specific tasks. For example, a student may be strong in drawing 2-D shapes, but they may need to work on sorting shapes.

Along this line, we usually do a "Read and Make" activity. In these activities, I give the kids choices that they can make so that the final products don't all look the same! It really is just a simple thing, but it gives them more control over their learning and helps them feel more confident in making decisions. It is also helps ensure that they aren't just copying off of their neighbor.

I have been making a conscious effort to remind the students to read the instructions first before coming to ask a teacher what they should do. Even in the time I have been here, the students have grown so much in being more and more independent. Their independence has helped me because I know that if a lot of students have questions, then I haven't explained the task clearly or thoroughly enough and I need to adapt what I said.

Our culminating project for the Families, Foods, and Festivals unit is to have the student plan a class party for the end of the term. The purpose of the project is for students to do some inquiry in order to create a finished product. I divided the class into five different teams and they started their planning today. The five groups are decorations, games, food & drink, invitations, and present & card. It is great to see how they have grown in team work. There are still some issues that come up within the groups, but they are learning how to talk it out and deal with the issues by themselves for the most part. Our party will be on the last Thursday in the afternoon. I can't wait to see what the kids come up with and create!