Let’s Make a Deal ! Engaging Students utilizing the Integrated Thematic Instruction method ~with a Kari twist!

Kari Reeve Teacher 4 th /5 th grade at Lewis Elementary Starting a new journey into thematic teaching after 20 years in various classrooms. I by no means have all the answers…that’s why you’re here All handouts are on the wiki created for today… Who am I? What am I? Where am I? 2

Positive student engagement enhances student achievement (Akey, 2006; Heller, Calderon, & Medrich, 2003; Garcia-Reid, Reid, & Peterson, 2005) Engaged students also are more likely to perform well academically. Therefore, teachers need a large inventory of instructional strategies to engage a variety of students (Garcia-Reid et al., 2005) Why focus on engagement? 3

Students are engaged when they “devote substantial time and effort to a task, when they care about the quality of their work, and when they commit themselves because the work seems to have significance beyond its personal instrumental value” (Newmann, 1986, p. 242) When students feel challenged, they are less likely to be bored and disengaged (Akey, 2006). What does engagement look like? 4

Develop a classroom culture where… Learning is “cool” Students feel safe asking questions Have consistent expectations for all students Incorporate rigorous instruction that is aligned with standards Develop clear, high, attainable goals How do we engage students? 5

Started in the 1970’s and refined by Susan Kovolik in the 1990’s It is a model for implementing a "brain-compatible" learning environment for students and teachers using a year-long theme to organize curriculum content and skills. (Kari twist- I do a content area theme) It allows learning to be more natural and less fragmented than the way, where a school day is time divided into different subject areas. What is Integrated Thematic Instruction? 6

It allows literacy to grow progressively, with vocabulary linked and with spelling and sentence writing being frequently, yet smoothly, reinforced. It guides connected ideas to follow on easily. What is Integrated Thematic Instruction? 7

Absence of Threat- a safe environment where students are free to take risks, predictability of schedule, and life skill practice Meaningful Content- based on our 5 th grade standards Choices- in work or product Adequate Time- time is needed for practice and processing of information What are the Elements of an ITI classroom? 8

Enriched Environment- hands on activities, purposeful immersion into the subject Collaboration- cooperative groups where students have opportunities to solve both academic and social problems Immediate Feedback- through small groups and time management skills being taught Mastery- assessed in a variety of ways Elements Continued 9

I felt a stronger connection to all of my students My classroom management/behavior was overall improved Students became better problem solvers/time managers I learned from my students- many connected their learning to what was going on around them. It was HARD WORK up front, but in the midst of the unit I could not wait to come to work to see what would happen! What did I find after a year of implementing my version of the model? 10

Felt more in charge of what I was learning~ Mina Learned how to manage my time~ Caleb, Josephine (and many others) I got to make choices in what to do and when to do it~ Aiden Got excited to learn about (SCI/SS) when it was not my favorite subject~ Makai I got to design my foldable~ Tram What did my students think? 11

ELA quarterly themes found on PICASSOPICASSO Social Studies and Science Standards Other teachers and the web! teachers How did I get started? 12