#4thchat is a hashtag for teachers or anyone to talk about educational issues relating to 4th grade. Using #4thchat will create a network of 4th grade teachers or teachers working with 9-10 year olds across the world. We welcome anyone who 1. teaches 4th grade 2 .Works with 4th grade students and or 4th grade teachers 3. Likes 4th grade teachers (Groupies are encouraged).
5th Grade Teachers! Check out this cool new activity by Miss Picklum that was just added to the library! Browse Seesaw's Activity Library today to find other ideas ready to go for your classroom! https://t.co/aK4HSw07xg#5thchat#4thchat#3rdchat
Hello #4thchat! Elisa, grade 5 T in Calgary. Looking forward to chatting about tonight’s topic. It’s one I am often conflicted about and have various ideas on.
A1 By explaining their thinking I feel it will help students better understand what they are learning. It can also show that there is more than one way to solve something. #4thchat
Great point @cybraryman1 It's important for students to share with others and see that there is more than 1 answer or more than 1 way to arrive at an answer. #4thchat (Cute pic BTW). #4thchat
A1 By explaining their thinking I feel it will help students better understand what they are learning. It can also show that there is more than one way to solve something. #4thchat
A1; Having students explain their thinking gives us a better insight into their thought processes. In math it allows for misconceptions to be seen and corrected. #4thchat
Sometimes Ss have hard time explaining how they solved something. I’ve started requiring Ss 2 show their reasoning in math in words, pics & #s. I’ve also been asking them 2 answer the ? in a sentence so that they don’t lose sight of what they’re being asked 2 solve. #4thchat
Restating the question in the answer does keep the kiddos on track (if they haven't lost their train of thought by the time they get to their answer - lol) #4thchat
A2: in my experience, when students explain their thinking, it forces them to really pay attention to what they’re learning and how to build on it! #4thChat
A2 Benefits: Ss can hear how others solve problems. They can see there’s more than one way 2 solve a problem. They can solidify learning as someone tweeted earlier. They can see what they might still be confused about. Allows for formative assessment oops for Ts. #4thchat
After math teacher station, I put a check mark on what we did and for homework they are supposed to go home and explain their work to a person, stuffed animal or mirror. Deepens understanding! #4thchat
A3: I do a lot of breaking down questions to see if we really understand what we are trying to solve. Also model the “why” as often as possible. WHY do I think that? What’s the evidence I have? #4thChat
Thanks for sharing this Paula. I am looking forward to reading it later. Once my Ss have gotten into the habit and practice of using words, numbers and pics I can give them some choice for how to explain their solution. Great for math. #4thchat
A2: they get to talk through their thought process and talk through any misconceptions. It allows the T’s to know where they are at and guide further instruction #4thchat
A2: in my experience, when students explain their thinking, it forces them to really pay attention to what they’re learning and how to build on it! #4thChat
A3: Yes! Modeling is so important. I will often solve a problem as a student. "If I had to do this problem, first I'd..." I like to choose problems that I can model perseverance and giving up so they can see the difference in the mindset. #4thchat
A3 I ask Ss to read the situation and talk to a partner until they are both sure they’ve understood the problem, the question and how they might get started solving the problem. They can’t start working on the problem until they are both confident about this. #4thchat
A3: I do a lot of breaking down questions to see if we really understand what we are trying to solve. Also model the “why” as often as possible. WHY do I think that? What’s the evidence I have? #4thChat
A3: I do a lot of breaking down questions to see if we really understand what we are trying to solve. Also model the “why” as often as possible. WHY do I think that? What’s the evidence I have? #4thChat
A4: Students need to explain their thinking right from the beginning of their education. By 4th grade they should be used to having to do so, it should be a norm in your school. #4thchat
So true. Having them snap a pic of something they are doing, uploading into their @seesaw journal and then using labels, annotations, and voice to explain what they were doing is great and the kinds love doing it. #4thchat
I think over the past few years, students have gotten better at doing this BECAUSE it has become a norm. Still, many students need scaffolds to help them with this. #4thchat
A4: Students need to explain their thinking right from the beginning of their education. By 4th grade they should be used to having to do so, it should be a norm in your school. #4thchat
A5: I think science is big for me! I don’t personally teach math but I see that being big too! So much of NGSS is performance and explaining what happens and why! #4thchat
So true. Having them snap a pic of something they are doing, uploading into their @seesaw journal and then using labels, annotations, and voice to explain what they were doing is great and the kinds love doing it. #4thchat
I think another thing I do with my students is ask them to think about how they would explain their learning to a kindergartener or to a high schooler. They both would ask a lot of “why” questions... so why? #4thchat
I think the Common Core standards are full of this too! Providing lots more opportunities for students to share/explain their thinking like in the NGSS. #4thchat
A5: I think science is big for me! I don’t personally teach math but I see that being big too! So much of NGSS is performance and explaining what happens and why! #4thchat
I think that students explaining their thinking has a place in every subject, but seems to be use the most in math to answer word problems and in ELA to answer comp questions and show evidence. #4thchat
A5: We show lots of thinking in reading on Thinkmarks and explaining their thinking in Readers Notebooks. Also, I use it in math and science daily. #4thchat
Used this writing frame in science last week to help students (especially SpEd and ELL) write about our investigation - https://t.co/dNRijNKG5A#4thchat
Sharing strategies in math has been easier to work on sharing because Ss learn a strategy and have concrete representational and abstract ways to share. Metacognitive shares in reading is more challenging because Ss take some steps for granted and do not share. #4thchat
A5: We show lots of thinking in reading on Thinkmarks and explaining their thinking in Readers Notebooks. Also, I use it in math and science daily. #4thchat
Great resources for ELA, puts strategy sharing in a new perspective (cannot just parrot back strategy names without scaffolded but eventually indep practice) #4thchat
This is so true Mark.While students can find evidence to help with their thinking they often have a hard time "explaining" the evidence and HOW it connects. This is the step I find they miss. #4thchat
#4thchat have been working with Ss on sharing how to paraphrase a question for a 2nd grader, also asking how do YOU start (and honor that part of learning strategies are various entry points when starting)
A7: I'm not big on graphic organizers for explaining thinking. I don't want them to feel there are specific steps in explaining thinking. I like to leave it wide open for using many possibilities, like visuals, equations, models, etc. and then celebrate different formats #4thchat
Great resources for ELA, puts strategy sharing in a new perspective (cannot just parrot back strategy names without scaffolded but eventually indep practice) #4thchat
A8: Have Already mentioned @Seesaw. Also can post questions in @edmodo and have students share their thoughts in a social media type environment. Could use @Flipgrid or @RecapThat to allow students to video their thoughts. #4thchat
