Don't forget the PICKLE
This week I learned about the ends principle and its impact on design. We also discussed PICKLE which is basically the idea that we need to focus on developing our students so that they are prepared to be participants, informational users, community participants, knowledgeable, literate and ethical decision makers. These are the learning goals we need to keep in mind as our “end” goals for lessons that we’ve designed. If we are able to impart these specific end goals onto our students they the idea is that they will become future ready human beings.
For me I know that this has already started to shape my practice since FCPS has started actively pushing the Portrait of a Graduate program. As a teacher I am constantly using the PoG rubrics to assess students skills throughout the year. I use them with writing, when doing PBL units and I ask my students to regularly reflect on what skills they’re developing by using google forms and connecting their lessons to PICKLE and PoG. I think that the next step for me is going to be pulling in these ideas ahead of time rather than just as an afterthought. Currently my practice is centered around planning lessons that deliver content. While the other skills are built in I do not deliberately design for just those skills on a regular basis.
For me I know that this has already started to shape my practice since FCPS has started actively pushing the Portrait of a Graduate program. As a teacher I am constantly using the PoG rubrics to assess students skills throughout the year. I use them with writing, when doing PBL units and I ask my students to regularly reflect on what skills they’re developing by using google forms and connecting their lessons to PICKLE and PoG. I think that the next step for me is going to be pulling in these ideas ahead of time rather than just as an afterthought. Currently my practice is centered around planning lessons that deliver content. While the other skills are built in I do not deliberately design for just those skills on a regular basis.
I think that it is really important to include the students in your assessments of what skills they are developing outside of the content they are learning. What types of questions do you ask them when they are reflecting on their skills and what sorts of answers do you get?
ReplyDeleteIt varies from student to student, a lot of our reflections we just ask them to tell us how the grew as a .. (Insert PoG skill here). We’ve really been focusing on them summarizing their experiences first and then reflecting on their growth. Sometimes I feel like they do an awesome job and are really “getting” it other times I feel like they’re just checking off a box to appease the teacher who asked them to complete the assignment.
DeleteYour comment about not designing for the PoG skills hit home with me. I also feel that I do it as something to check off, not something that is explicitly embedded in the classroom. I want (need) to be more cognizant when designing classroom activities to state them for the students.
ReplyDeleteI would agree that thinking about PICKLE ideas before the construction of a lesson plan or activity is really important. It's easy to let it be an after thought after being accustomed to teaching a certain way over a period of time but it is important to think about those things before. I am right there with you.
ReplyDeleteI agree as we create our learning goals, we need to keep our end goal in mind. Where are we trying to get, and how can we take baby steps to make forward progress.
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