OVERVIEW
As principals and instructional leaders, how can we support teachers as they move into the Concept-Based Curriculum for Alberta?
Lynn Erickson expands our understanding of the conceptual level of knowledge, thinking, and understanding. In this highly interactive session, Dr. Erickson will challenge your mind as she contrasts a three-dimensional concept-based curriculum and instruction model with the two-dimensional coverage model. You will see and discuss a DVD clip of a three-dimensional, concept-based teacher instructing students. You will learn specific, practical instructional strategies that engage the hearts and minds of students.
You will also learn answers to questions like these:
How are knowledge and process structured and how can we utilize these structure to develop the intellect?
- How can we move to a three-dimensional curriculum and instruction model and teach both factual and conceptual knowledge with greater depth and rigor?
- What is a conceptual lens and how can we use it to develop higher levels of thinking and increased motivation for learning?
- How do we write clear and powerful conceptual understandings (Essential Understandings)?
- How can we design instruction to achieve synergistic thinking between the factual and conceptual levels of knowledge and understanding?
- How do we scaffold thinking to deeper levels?
- How do we design a unit web to identify concepts and big ideas?
- How do we develop different kinds of questions to guide student inquiry from the factual to the conceptual level of understanding?
- What does Concept-Based instruction “look like” in the classroom?
Concept-based curriculum and instruction is not a program. It leaves the design of curriculum and instruction to teachers, but informs and reinforces quality curriculum design and pedagogy.
AGENDA
9:00-9:45 Our changing world: New paradigms for education
- Coverage centered (2 dimensional) ) vs. idea-centered (3 dimensional) curriculum/instruction
- The Structure of Knowledge: Teaching for deep understanding and the transfer of knowledge
--Where should we ultimately target our teaching?
- The Structure of Process: Using Processes, Strategies and Skills to develop deep understanding in process-driven subject—English Language Arts, World Languages, The Arts and Music
- Concepts – Key/Related (macro/micro) for breadth and depth of understanding
9:45-10:15 Writing clear and powerful essential understandings to guide inquiry - Table task
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:15 Scaffolding thinking from lower to higher levels – Table task and feedback
11:15-11:30 The power of a conceptual lens (Key Concept)
- Focusing the topic
- Stimulating “synergistic thinking” (factual/conceptual interaction)
- Transferring to global contexts
11:30-12:00 DVD clip: A concept-based teacher—this is what it “looks like.”
We will use the Rubric for “The Developing Concept-Based Teacher” to evaluate.
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-1:45 Discussion--Designing a concept-based unit of instruction: The integration of thinking in interdisciplinary and intra-disciplinary units of instruction
- The Unit Web
- Writing Essential Understandings aligned to the provincial curriculum
- Writing Factual, Conceptual and Debatable Guiding Questions to engage thinking from lower to higher levels
- Encouraging student generated questions
- Addressing Critical Content Knowledge and Key Skills (KNOW and ABLE TO DO)
1:45-2:30 Supporting Teachers
- The Principal/Leadership Roles - Handout and Discussion
- Rubrics for the Developing Concept-Based Teacher: Understanding Concept-Based, Lesson Planning, Instruction
- Rubric for the Developing Concept-Based Student
2:30- 2:50 Questions and Answers
2:50 – 3:25 Regional teams – Discussion and Planning Time
3:25-3:30 Close