Katrina Hankins Blog Post 1

K. Hankins

Reading/Writing in Content Area Blog #1 

March 2018

^{Copyright © 2018 Norcross Wildlife Foundation. All Rights Reserved.}

I don’t know about you, but I’m not a single-use kind of girl.  One and done k-cups are not for me.  I’d much rather put on a full pot with my trusty Mr. Coffee.  My Swell water bottle is also more my style than the use of plastic cups and bottles that are tossed into our convenient but overused refuse system.  So as an educator, there is nothing more pleasing to me than a powerful resource that can be used in multiple ways.  That resource is the video called Austin’s Butterfly.  I’ve been using this versatile gem for a few years now and surely hope that it may be helpful for you.

Austin’s Butterfly is a video that follows a discussion that a teacher has with students regarding a drawing made by Austin, a first grade student.  He is asked by his teacher to think like a scientist as he draws a butterfly of his choice.  His first attempt is a pretty good butterfly by first grade standards, but does not represent the work of a scientist.  For this reason, Austin’s Butterfly is a wonderful resource to use with students if you are modeling observing, thinking, and writing like a scientist.

Conversations continue through the process Austin uses to improve his model. Students in the groups share their thoughts regarding what he needs to do to make it better.  Here the teacher highlights the importance of specific feedback.  It is the results of specific feedback from his peers that we see in subsequent drawings of Austin’s butterfly.  Once again, this resource can be helpful for students to see the value of constructive conversations and specific feedback.  Bonus feature!---Although Austin’s work is from 2002; it fits in nicely with the current trend of developing growth mindsets in our classrooms.

Spoiler alert--As one little kindergartener points out, Austin made six drafts and we can too as we work toward our goals and mastery.  In our professional development and data team meetings, we are discussing the importance of goal setting.  I used this video to illustrate the point that whether we are working in reading, writing, or in a content area, we need to have goals in mind and strategies to use in the process.  One and done is not working for us and it is certainly not working for our students.  The learning process will work well if we use our time and resources wisely, if we guide conversations constructively, and if we all grow together as learners.  Then our students will take flight right before our eyes.

https://vimeo.com/38247060