April 2017 Member Spotlight
First let me tell you that I was a high school science teacher and received modeling training at BGSU. It was awesome to implement and see the students become engaged in learning.
Vicki Miller shares her observations of a first grade classroom
Today I am subbing at an elementary school in Ohio, with a student teacher. The writing assignment was writing descriptive sentences about the student of the week.
The student teacher modeled the results needed. She reminded the students of who was student of the week and then picked a character quality that she thought the student displayed. Then they discussed how the student exhibited that quality.
Then she asked the students to write sentences about the qualities they liked about the student of the week.
Immediately the students started wheel and spoke diagrams on whiteboards connecting the main quality with proof of the quality. From that they wrote complete sentences with evidence of the quality. As the students whiteboard they discussed with each other and the student teacher circulated the room asking open ended questions to guide the students to a deeper understanding.
These first graders are a great example of what modeling can do, even at 6 years old!
I asked the student teacher where she learned this style of teaching and she said it was Mrs. Goldsmith that she modeled. Mrs. Goldsmith said she just developed the method from various sources.
I am so excited about the future of education after seeing modeling with first graders!
Thank you,
Vicki Miller
Findlay, Ohio
