DMiC Professional learning

Social and Academic Status

Updated 12 April 2019

How does status change in our classroom. When do children hold academic status. Children who have a range of language stills seem to have more status to the other kids. Status is given for many reasons and this can impact the way that children interact. Can we plan our lessons to change the status for kids? How can we talk as teacher to evaluate or change the status? 

How does this affect behaviour? 

-Children will often raise to the belief of others. If one thinks I can do it then why should I. 

-If children believe that someone else holds all the power they may choose not to share. 

What we believe about our academic abilities and those of others is often form my our perceptions rather than reality. 

What we value and push for in mathematics will be reflected in the way the children engage in maths.

What do I think the kids think being smart in maths look like:

-Sharing their ideas

-Explaining their thinking

I want to support students to think about:

-Never giving up

-Challenging each others thinking

We read an article by Jo Boaler. This article talked about the different elements of maths. 

Multidimensional Classrooms

This talked about elements of a multidimensional class. It talked about adapting the problems so they are group worthy. Every child has something to add. We can get students to share a small part and this can add status and support the whole groups thinking.
In the classroom this looks like an expectation that everyone can participate. The problem is open to multiple strategies and potentially answers. Children learn that there is no correct way of doing it, they can all achieve. 

Assigning Competence

This is when the teacher actively raises the status of the students by praise the Mathematical thinking and sharing. This can be done to provoke the class to think about an idea but also build students confidence, status and increases the visibility of the students ideas which could be missed if the teacher did not actively engage and support that student by raising the status of their idea. As a teacher it is important to be specific about what you are praising as this make sure that students know it is not empty praise.
It is about how we know our children and what praise works best for them to assign competence. It is all about relationships. It requires the ability to step back and open your ears to the groups that are working to pick up what working. It is about setting the expectation that they share that great idea that you heard. 

Student responsibility 

Getting students to take responsibility for the groups thinking. Removing the individual responsibility and put it on the group to make sure everyone understand and can justify. This can be done by the teacher coming in with a question for one student and then if the student doesn't  know moving away and giving the responsibility back to the group to support the development of this thinking. This can be feed in through the group norm discussion and the praise you provide. We talked about how this links to the vocabulary because students need to explain their ideas. Even if a group really struggles there is so much you can praise and affirm because mathematicians do not always get to a fully formed answer.
This needs to be a part of our groups norms, we should expect that everyone understands and enough students to say "I don't understand" and get them to ask questions. The more to praise the student responsibility and when they take these responsibilities for their own learning so students know that this is what we do it maths. Reasoning and providing evidence is a key skill our kids need to succeed in education and life.  

Don shared an example in which and group did nothing they could not start. During the sharing back the teacher said "You are the most important group, you struggled today and so it is everyones responsibility to make sure you understanding and it is your responsibility to ask questions."

High expectations 

Students appreciate challenge, having difficult problems and making sure you push students forward with critical questions and getting them to use these with each other. Again it comes down to how it it set up in your class and what you expect.
If you have a question ask each other not the teacher. It is all about putting the responsibility back on the learners. What do you think? It is also about encouraging them to consider more than one way of solving a problem. This can be effective for higher level learners, sometimes drawing out the problem is extremely challenging with complex problems.

Effort over ability

Praising what students have done and reminding them they can keep stepping up and doing more. Praise those who lesson and try their very best. Make sure no matter what the ability of the students they are pushed and challenged so they put in all the effort they can. This builds students who keep going and trying even when faced with huge challenges.
You gotta get up and try, try, try -Pink It is about being motivational in the way you encourage learners to try. Celebrate the little things praising the little moments. By choosing a group that didn't get it right you are able to praise effort over ability. 

Learning Practices

This is about stopping at any point and revisiting the learning practices. What are we doing to learn? This can link back to the class norms. Teacher need to know what practices you are looking for and value will help you to notice and praise and teach to this practices.