November 2009 • Volume 41 • Number 2 • Page 56
Letter from the President
Cathie Thibodeau
As I begin this message to you, I would like to start by thanking the executive director, the directors team, the staff, and the board of trustees of National Middle School Association as well as the local committee and all of the presenters for their work on the annual conference in Indianapolis. Most of you do not see the hours, the dedication, and the commitment that these people put in to make your experience a wonderful one. The annual conference is a prime example of the application of "critical skills."
I was fortunate enough to take the Critical Skills Program offered by Antioch College in Keene, New Hampshire. The Coalition of Essential Schools and the Foxfire methodology also advocate for critical skills. Research has shown that students learn best when the learning experience is meaningful to them, when they can apply their learning in a new situation, when they have opportunities for social interaction, and when what they learn is challenging (Best Practices: Brandt, 1988). From my own practice, I know this to be true. I also know that helping students to understand and use Bloom’s Taxonomy not only helps them on standardized tests but provides a framework for constant improvement.
One of the strategies I would suggest would be to make cubes for a unit of study. My cubes would include a knowledge/comprehension cube, an application/analysis cube, and a synthesis/evaluation cube. On each cube there would be a bonus question at the next level for students to try (e.g., On the knowledge/comprehension cube there would be an analysis/application question.). Students could not lose points by trying it, they could only gain points. This works with multiple intelligences as well.
Another strategy is to let the students create their own cubes with an activity and or question (one per side) from each level of Bloom’s and the rubric for grading it. You can then have the students exchange cubes within their class or with another class. It is a very effective means of summative assessment. This activity can also be differentiated for students who need it.
Socratic Circles (I use the book Socratic Circles by Matt Copeland) is another method of teaching students how to question. This process takes time and a teacher may need to scaffold this at the beginning to ensure all students are successful. However, once the students have learned the process and can engage in conversation about the questions, the depth of inquiry into the subject matter is heightened. The outcome is usually a list of more questions for which the students want answers.
To be prepared for today’s society, our students need to learn critical skills, and, as educators, it is our job to find methods of teaching these skills that work for our students.
Copyright © 2009 by National Middle School Association