2012 EDLD 655 Watch 1, Day 3: Sociohistoric/Sociocultural
2012: Hear teachers and educational leaders discuss observations of learning theories at work. To post, just click on "Post a Comment" below and a screen will come up for typing.
For day three I returned to the same political science course that I sat in on for day two. In this class I found out that the professor reads the all of required course readings along with his students, or at the very least a few days ahead. I thought that this demonstrated sociocultural/sociohistorical theory well because it demonstrates the "following by example" qualities that this theory emphasizes. It was very obvious when observing the class that the students were very motivated by the fact that their professor was well aware of all the material being covered. Not only was this professor aware but he made it appear to his students that he was on the same page as all of them and that his knowledge on the subject only extended as far as his students' did. While I feel this may have been a slight falsehood it still gained the desired effect of motivating the students to stay caught up and engaged in the course material.
Does anyone else feel that a well implemented curriculum utilizing more sociocultural theory is a better approach education compared to the other theories? Of the three "watches" I found this theory to be the most successfully implemented.
I agree that an effective curriculum utilizes sociocultural approach because school learning must be tied with everyday learning where students are put in their cultural context. However, how the cultural settings students grow up in influence their way to associate experiences or observations to learning is reflected in the cognitive processes as well as some level of conditioning.
Reham, I disagree. I think all three theories have equal chances of success when implemented properly, however I think they all result in different outcomes. What I learned from this assignment is that it is important to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and then determine which approach is most effective for the outcome desired.
Wanyu Xiang's observation aligns with my observational experience. I observed a PhD level advanced statistics course. I concluded that the curriculum, lecture style, and the student cohort all reflected attributes of a sociocultural/sociohistorical theory of teaching. Because this is such an advanced class, there was an underlying assumption that all students had a prior knowledge and history of certain statistical methods. There were a few times where the instructor referenced, "this is similar to the approach we used in multiple regression". This statement would be an odd reference if all of the students in the class didn't have that same academic cultural experience to reference. The pace and complexity of the lecture also suggested that all 25 students where part of an academically selected cultural cohort that had the capacity to follow and engage in discussion during the lecture. At this level, there were components of direct instruction and guided instruction. However, I felt that the students in this class, as well as the instructional style, would not reflect a successful experience or exchange if it were not for the underlying aspect of a sociocultural/sociohistorical relationship that existed.
I disagree. I find that great teachers utilize just about every aspect of the three theories (and others) during the course of instruction. A certain level of "gradual release of responsibility" is evident in many quality classrooms.
Personally, I see the different approaches work differently depending on the individual student. Some students get excited when challenged to apply past learning to new situations. Others shut down. Some students respond consistently to reinforcement in all environments and learn concepts much more quickly with that approach. There are some students who intently watch their more courageous peers when they are faced with a new concept. Others get out in front and apply prior knowledge to make their best guess on what they should do. As a special educator, the synthesis of all three theories seems like it would garner the best results from the largest number of students. Geoff Wetherell
The result of socialcultural learning is probably more subtle since learning does not always result in an instant behaviour change. Students in language courses are usually also required to learn about the culture and the history of people speaking that language in order to best understand the origin and development of the language.
Another example of social learning is that people in a office have learnt where to sit during staff meetings based on expectations of their input to the meeting.
Thinking about staff, I wonder if sociocultural learning contributes to group think. Do people align themselves with norms of thought and behavior of the majority of the group? Does the presence of multiple and diverse models strengthen learning? Of course if we foster a classroom and school environment where diverse ways to approach learning are modeled and where productive civil discourse is modeled, part of the learning about what it means to be smart and educated might be the understanding that different approaches and different viewpoints can be valuable. I read Wanyu's comment about staff sitting in certain chairs and, although that doesn't present a huge issue by any means, I started to wonder if we are teaching students where to "sit" mentally in terms of what lines of thought or ways of learning are valued.
Maybe what I mean is that group think seems to fall quite obviously in the area of sociocultural learning theory. Is suppose the theory itself doesn't actually cause it. Or, does overuse of a particular mode of learning actually lead to something detrimental? We might imagine that overuse of conditioning might lead to less creative and able learners somehow.
Carey, I definitely think the culture or environment of any organization is constructed over time by the individuals that form the group, and they do that through the formal and informal connection-making that falls squarely within sociocultural learning theory. I agree with what Liz said above about a healthy organization using all three models - a school, office, etc. should consider which theory is the most appropriate vehicle to deliver content given the outcomes, expected outcomes, etc.
Yes, this is definitely true! I have observed this in staff meetings as well. You should try and create a seating chart or have them sit themselves next to someone they have never sat next to before. It really messes with people. Especially if you put people that normally sit in the front and sit them in the back.
I saw evidence of sociocultural learning while I was watching my boyfriend coach basketball. [Disclaimer: I know less about basketball than I know about astrophysics (which is very little) and my interpretation of what I saw has been filtered through the lens of my ignorance.]
The coach had asked the team to practice making baskets. While they were waiting for their turn to shoot, two boys started talking loudly about a TV show. When coach noticed the boys talking he shouted, "Team, not all of you are paying attention, run 5 laps!" Everyone on the team started running.
About 15 minutes later, during another activity, the two boys started talking again. A third boy came up to them and said, "Look, I don't want to run again, why don't you shut up?!"
I asked my boyfriend about this later and he said he rarely has problems, the boys tend to regulate themselves because when one steps out of line they're all expected to run laps. The pressure from the group regulates bad behavior, rather than the coach.
This is an interesting observation you did. I like how you expand your observation outside of classroom and make me think of how i was educated back in Taiwan.Each instructor considers the whole class as a team, even one person did something wrong, the whole class receive punishment.I do not know if this happens here.
Lihsien, my experience is that direct group punishment seldom happens in the U.S. We are too individualistic a society for that to go over well. That said, you will hear students and teachers talk about how rules are created to manage the few who can't seem to manage themselves. For example, we have a no gum rule in our school. Why? Because a few students decide that the floor, the banister, the chair seat, etc. are all good locations to place their chewed gum. The rule indirectly punishes everyone for the behavior of the few. Individual students who break the rule are individually punished.
As a principal I am often in a position where the easy answer is to decide to implement a new rule due to the behavior of some. For example, injuries occur due to tag or chase games...the easy answer is to say, "No more tag!" After listening to my staff, we decided instead to ask the PE teacher to review what acceptable tag games look like- and then hold individual students accountable when they can't play safely.This is true for adults as well- it is frustrating when a group e-mail goes out or new policy is created due to choices or behavior of a few. Though I see the power and influence of positive peer pressure, I think we need to be very careful when we hold groups of students or adults accountable for the behavior of a few. Too much of that becomes a discouragement to the very students or adults who are leading and modeling for others.
I sit my students in small groups for the very same reason. The students are told that they are in groups to help each other be successful. They are to ask everyone in their group if they have a clarification question before asking the teacher, and if someone is off task or missing instructions it is their job to try and redirect them. There are points rewarded at the beginning of the year to reward the groups, but that fizzles out by November and just becomes expected behavior. It's amazing how much this has taken off of my shoulders and how well the kiddos do at monitoring each other.
I like your approach to the problem. Having the PE teacher model the appropriate behavior instead of punishing everyone will ultimately result in not only better behavior but also a more positive climate.
OK - I am going to play devil's advocate here and say that a certain amount of this "group" punishment actually does promote a closeness and unity on a team that is powerful. When you think about an athletic team (I am not saying a classroom, necessarily), it is important that they start to think as one. Team sports are not about individuality for the most part - they are about everyone being part of the greater whole. While we all may have parts to play, we are expected to ebb and flow based on the actions of those around us. While I am not a big fan of corporal punishment, the teams that experience hardships together often become strongly united - even if they are occasionally united in anger with the coach. I would say that many coaches won't care if they are all upset with them - they want their players to think like a team. Just one alternative viewpoint.
I agree with Sara's point of view especially when you relate it to athletic teams. When the team is treated as one they learn that their actions have a direct effect on the others. It does allow them to overcome hardships and learn behaviors that will benefit the entire team not just themselves. It also can help them bond and form the relationships needed to help them with adverse situations and make them a strong unit.
A different type of learning...I watched a basketball game at school on Friday night and our varsity team was down by...let's just say a lot. What I found fascinating about the scene was the response of the student body as they watched their team get beaten soundly. They remained positive on the whole, cheered their team on in the face of defeat, and refrained from expressing negativity toward the visiting fans. It was clear that the type of learning I was seeing exhibited would fall in the realm of sociocultural. New students to the school had seen behaviors modeled by students and staff and had taken on most of those behaviors (positive school spirit, good sportsmanship) themselves. Certainly, there has been reinforcement of desired behaviors over time, but I do believe that students learn moment by moment how 'best' to respond based on what they see around them and by what is encouraged, modeled, and communicated by those they hold in high esteem. They also probably witness negative examples and make a mental note about what not to do...another learning moment.
I think that you can see a similar type of sociocultural learning in every individual classroom and that the learning climate that is created is generally a direct result of the approach and modeling that occurs in that room. The climate of the room is effectively defined by the instructor and by the students in that room. Our constant interactions (teacher-student and student-student), modeling, and observations create a structured set of norms that most will adhere to. As you venture down a high school hallway, I believe that you can see this process in action and it may look very different from one place to the next.
When watching the socioculture video, the first came to my mind is the language class setting. Yes, it did answer my question when I observed advanced Chinese course here on campus. Among the students, there are many group activities they have to work together in the class. When one person does not do a good job or lead the team to the wrong direction, the instructor considered the whole team fails. I am sure feel it is sort of unfair but it is team work, what else can i say.
The other example was when I went to visit my student doing intern at a local elementary school, when few students were talking in the class in their group, the instructor cancel the whole table's recess time.
I think working in teams is appropriate for many things but they need to set up for success. If one person is not pulling their weight then there needs to be some sort of intervention from the instructor. The teams need to have set norms and expectations. Your examples seem unfair to me. What do others think?
Tamara, Thank you for your reply. I think probably I was just an observer for a couple of hours which I did not get the rules of the classroom. Perhaps you are right about I am being sort of bias in my examples. Probably the teacher or the team need to do set the expectations for the success
Tamara, I would agree that it seems unfair and ideally an intervention from the teacher would be the best way to correct the behavior but I don't know if this actually happens in reality. I have been a part of too many groups to count and there is undoubtedly always one person who does not pull their weight but they still get the same grade (or credit or benefit) as those of us who do. I think where the sociohistoric theory plays a role-the fact that no one in the group ever reports the student who is not doing their share to the teacher because (at least in my experience) it's considered "tattling" (to use the childhood expression). So the teacher never learns about this student, the student still gets the same grade as the others in the group, and the cycle repeats itself in the next group activity. Breaking this cycle would require creating a new sociohistoric behavior via modeling from other students and the teacher that you are not "telling on" another student but really helping that student by getting them to participate in the project and learn what it takes to truly earn their grade.
We have a school wide reading program that is a great example of Sociocultural learning. The kids are assigned to a class based on test scores. Then they are grouped into groups of 4. They stay with the same group all quarter. Each team has a team goal. The one I observed today was, everyone participates. They also have a reading goal each week. Today was predict and support. In the class the team leader leads the discussion and all students in the group or team have to answer the question. They can agree or disagree with the other team members, but have to support their answer with details. So they are observing, imitating and modeling for each other every day. Then when the whole class discusses, the teacher may call on any group member for the answers and that is the score the group receives. They can receive a 70, 80, 90 or 100 depending on what type of question it was and if they covered all the areas of the scoring rubric.
While observing a Kindergarten classroom today I saw the Zone of Proximal Development at work. The students were learning the letter "P." As a part of the lesson, the teacher modeled how to make a penguin out of construction paper. All of the supplies in appropriate sizes were prepared for students. The students used the teacher model to complete the project and also relied on their peer's examples as well. When the project was complete, there were 25 penguins that looked very much alike.
As a non-artist, this is why I love directed drawing. I get the opportunity to model my drawing after a step by step very thoughtful example. The reinforcement for me is that my product is better than anything I could do on my own. The hope would then be that I could transfer those skills and improve my drawing skills.
In my classroom the phone rings often throughout the day and the students are always begging to answer the phone. There are times when it is difficult for me answer due to teaching or being across the room so I created a "manners" poster that is posted above the phone. Earlier this year we reviewed how to answer a phone courteously, briefly introduce yourself, why it is important to be polite, and to find out who the caller is for your teacher (parent, etc.) (We also talk about how you should only answer the phone when a parent is there, but that is more than I need to get into here.)
It has been about a month since I have modeled phone procedures and had the students practice with one another. This afternoon the phone rang and a student ran to get it since I was talking to a group of students from another classroom. I stopped what I was doing and heard the modeled protocol relayed perfectly: "Good afternoon, Miss C's classroom, this is ____________, may I ask who's speaking? Excuse me Miss C, it's the office calling for you."
I was surprised that after such little practice this student had remembered the phone manners was able to model the behavior that will be expected of him as an adult in a professional setting.
This topic was interesting to me as from my office I can hear how the student aides, and secretaries for that matter, answer the phone. During times of stress in the office the way the phones are answered varies greatly. This week we had some crazy days with school closures, flooding in the community, etc.... On one particularly crazy period I noticed how we were answering phones and I went out and assisted. After answering 6 or 7 calls in a calm and professional manner the way others were answering phones began to clearly shift. I returned to my office after about 10 minutes and the problem was solved without ever addressing it directly.
Wonderful observation, Gary. Would you mind coming to answer phone at my school for a while? This is something I stress often with my staff: Our students "learn" how to respond to situations by watching us. If we get upset and confrontational, so do they. If we maintain a calm compose and address the problem while seeking a solution, they generally do to. This is real stuff...
Gary's observation and strategy was great. I am amazed how often people look to my demeanor and behavior in a critical situation in the district office. What I say and how I react effects the behavior of the office staff up and down our hallways. At this point, most of the time anyway, the secretary outside my office adopts this demeanor as well. As a result, everyone in the building asks questions, looks to her for support and monitors their behavior with hers. I hope the behavior spreads like wildfire everyday. Tenneal
Today I observed in a classroom where sociocultural learning occurred. Students were working on the creation of timelines for the Roman Empire Era. An important criteria for the timelines was the inclusion of only those rulers whom students deemed noteworthy. Students were asked to create their own criteria to define noteworthy. I watched two particular students struggle with the idea of noteworthy. After a few minutes, a different student who sat nearby approached these two students and asked if they would like help (he must have overheard the dialogue between the two struggling students). Interestingly and somewhat surprisingly, the helper student asked questions of his classmates to guide them toward the creation of their noteworthy ruler criteria. Occasionally, the helper student referred to their notes and text passages. It took several minutes of questions, but the helper student successfully guided the struggling students to a point where they could continue the work independently.
I am continually surrounded by examples of sociocultural/sociohistoric learning theory in action. As a department within the university, everything from our mission statement as an office, to the way we deliver information to the students and parents we serve, is situated within the historical, political and economic influences of the larger university.
Today, at our weekly staff meeting, I was asked if we were going to be traveling to new markets next year, and when we'd be getting our new communication software implemented. I responded, "Both of those are to-be-determined," and I made the hand gesture for "cash". Without any more discussion, everyone understood that my ability to move forward with both those items relied on our new budget being approved, which happens at a level a few steps above me. They all have learned the elements of the office culture and power hierarchy (as well as the budget cycle), and understand that new requests or a desire for change in a certain area may require thoughtful navigation within that environment.
I observed an example of sociocultural learning theory today during a writing lesson. It was clear to me as an adult that the teacher was being very cognizant of when and who she chose to share out loud writing. She would can on a competent writer to share, give specific positive feedback to the writer, and then continue allowing the students to work on their writing. This was, I believe, in the hope that the students would then model their writing after the competent students' writing.
I am very interested in your example, Sarah, because I was wondering about these examples of metacognition. In certain ways, making your thinking public has been a cornerstone in most constructivist oriented programs in which I have worked. But as I review your observation, where this metacognition is shared explicitly to model a particularly behavior, this does seem to fall more in the sociocultural learning paradigm. Is that your understanding as well?
This morning in Health class, I observed a teacher introduce a final project to his class. The product is a three-dimensional model of a human joint that must incorporate basic "muscle" groups and correct joint position and movement. Students will complete this project in small groups (3 or 4) and the final product will shared with the rest of the class along with a demonstration and explanation. Initially, students were perplexed by the task at hand, but with some teacher guidance were quickly sharing ideas and sketching potential models. I felt that this was a very good example of a sociocultural approach because it incorporated many of the aspects used to define this theory of learning such as scaffolding, collaborative learning, reciprocal teaching, and peer knowledge/interaction. By the end of the period the students seemed excited about their ideas and confident that they were on the right track...I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with next week.
My school practices the PBIS or Positive Behavior Support theory. This theory states that the more positive behavior is taught, modeled, and acknowledged the more desired behaviors you will witness being demonstrated in the school. Today I was in the hallway and I asked a student who was running in the hall to show me how he was supposed to travel down the hall. That is when another student jumped in and modeled the desire behavior for this student. The "speeding" child slowed down and I believe responded better to his peer than he would have to me.
This demonstrated that both students had learned through social learning. The student modeled a behavior to another student which he in turn had been modeled for him earlier in the year. The words that he used and the manner in which he demonstrate the desired behavior imitated what he had heard and seen earlier.
This seems like an example of peer pressure in a positive way. What a neat example of how a positive message about safety can have more power when it comes from the group rather than from an authority figure.
Great example. I find it interesting how students oftentimes listen more intently to those in their peer group. In some circumstances this example transfers nicely into the classroom when students have the opportunity to model their thinking and strategies in front of their peers.
This type of peer pressure works nicely in our cafeteria every day when the kids want to be excused to go outside. At 12:15 all the students know it has to get quiet for announcements so they help each other get the room completely silent without me having to say a word to start the process.
This reminds me of an inclusion class I supported on Tuesday. One student "shushed" another few so the substitute teacher could take role. The students quieted down quickly. Peer pressure plays such an important role in our schools.
After work today I logged into Facebook to see what had happened today. As I was reading through all the posts of the day, one of my second cousins wrote "Guys these days, they get mad for every little thing. Can't live with them, can't... idk." The greatest part is that she is 12 years old. She is exhibiting sociohistoric/sociocultural behavior in that she is emulating what she has observed other women in our family state. Specifically her mother that has been posting negative comments about her soon to be ex-husband. She has taken common language and topic that she has heard many times and transformed it to fit her current frustrated need.
What a great example and thread for a lot of frustrations that we experience as administrators with the increased use of social media. I wish the concept of a 12 year old sounding similar to a middle aged individual that is divorcing is new. We often hear and see examples of the environmental influence and family circumstances being integrated into the learning of our students and transfered into the school environment. We also see the use of social media to promote aggression toward other students or groups of students.
I think it is important that we remind our teachers and ourselves that the experiences that our students bring with them will shape the lens by which they perceive our lessons. Our intended curriculum may not be the learned curriculum when students apply their own experiences to it.
I had an interesting experience while mentoring a high school student the other day. I was helping a student when he noticed that it was time for his class to be over, so we finished our conversation and he left. It turned out that the clock we were looking at was 20 minutes fast and so he came back so we could continuing discussing his post-secondary options. I was extremely surprised he returned to continue our discussion. I assumed most 17 year old high school students would take advantage of 20 minutes of free time from class to do something less productive then come back and talk about college. Then I realized that I am not used to working with high school students, I am more accustomed to college students, who, for the most part, no longer operate under rules set forth by their parents and high school. So the sociohistoric behavior here was in the fact that the student was used to following a schedule, determined by the school, and he did not deviate from that schedule even though he could have (I clearly wouldn't have known any better if he hadn't come back). This situation really highlighted the difference between an 18 year old high school student and an 18 year old college student and the sociohistoric behaviors that differentiates and exists within each group.
Routine building is an important part of what we do on a daily basis. Daily, I see various routines modeled by teachers, students, and sometime parents. Students observe each other providing examples and “non-examples” of expected routines. For example, during a third grade class, the teacher had a student role model the correct way to read aloud to another student. Previously, another student modeled the incorrect way to perform the same task. Social learning through observations is very effective when performed correctly.
While observing a teacher introduce a project I noticed the teacher used peer interaction and groupings of students to help students attain the knowledge that was desired from her lesson. The teacher told the students that they would collectively agree and interpret the results of the activity that they were doing. The group of students in assigning one group meaning to that interpretation was to explain, argue and justify why they held the belief they did about the concept. The teacher was making a conscious effort to use the sociocultural theory to help students create first a group and then class understanding about a concept.
I had a good example this week in my office. On Thursday we had lots of flooding in our community and ended up sending all kids k-12 home by 11:00 am. For the 2 or so hours prior to schools closing we must of had 50 or so parents in the office all in various stages of "panic". Why isn't school closing? It's dangerous out there! What's going on? Whose in charge? The world is ending!!! Etc... Etc... I pulled the secretaries in and we had a 30 second conversation abouawake "tone" we would be settimg between now and the time school was released. The message was "kill em with kindness and reassure them by staying calm.". It was very interesting to watch how you can shape behavior based on how you respond in these kinds of situations. While there is no way to quantify it, I am confident that if we would have met each frantic parent with " Ohh my gosh, are you serious?. That is horrific, I don't know what we're going to do, the sky is falling, etc..... That the ensuing behaviors and reactions would have been quite different.
The most obvious instance of social learning I witness is the transition when new students enroll. We have a mobility rate of 25%, so this happens regularly. One example is how students learn where they can and cannot go while out side at break. All students are taught "in-bounds and "out-of-bounds" on the first day of school. However, as new students enroll they do not get much of the same formal instruction. Rather they simply model their peers. They inherently learn where in- and out-of-bounds by watching their peers. Almost to the extent that it appears to never cross their mind to leave the permitted areas! Only rarely due we have to resort to more behaviorist models to teach this idea.
That reminds me of when I was young and in elementary school. My father was in the military and we moved a lot. When we moved for the last time I left a very strict Catholic school and went to public school for the very first time in my life. It only took several short weeks of wide eyed observation before I learned the do's and don'ts of my new school and I never really had to ask a teacher.
While watching students on the playground, I saw many examples of this theory at play. So many children are looking to the cues of others to decide how to react, which choices to make, when to run, when to cheer - it can sometimes be quite obvious who the leader is, and other times, they seem to unknowingly pass this role to one another. Students are moving from play structure to play structure, then across the field, with some center players and others on the fringe. You can see clearly when one person is pushed out of the group. One or two strong personalities enforce this, and many other children stand by unsure of how to react, but certain that they do not want to the be the odd man out - so they follow right along. I often work with students about how to advocate for the child that they see being left out, and it is a very difficult role for them to play. However, it has been the most effective deterrent to bullying that I have found to this point. When two or three of the students in the group confront the leader(s), that cycle is broken.
I agree. I've taught a bullying curriculum for a number of years and empowering the role of the bystander and encouraging that person to step into bullying situation is the most powerful way of stopping the inappropriate behavior.
I saw some excellent modeling in a writing class for struggling students. Motivation has been really low with this group of students, and the teacher has been working on increasing the interest level of the assignments. She was passing out the station materials (writing prompts) to various groups, and used a lot of exciting language about how interesting/weird/wild some of the topics were. "Now, for station #2, I don't want to reveal too much... you'll see when you get there, but man, the topics in this station are really out there, so be ready." Kids were squirming in their seats and were ready to elbow each other to get their little hands on those topics. Other kids across the room could see that excitement and couldn't wait until it was their turn to be at that station. The teacher was modeling interest, which then developed into motivation as kids attacked the free write topics and got right to work. At the beginning of the year, her approach had been to cajole/ask/kindly request them to keep going on their writing, but they would lose interest. Previously, she unwittingly modeled how tedious writing cab be by using language about "working hard" and "keeping going."
I observed a first grade class that was lining up to go outside for recess. The students’ first attempt wasn’t successful as they ran to the door and jostled for positions toward the front or near a friend. The teacher made them all go back to their seats. She asked if there were any students who could demonstrate the proper way to get in line at the doorway. She called upon 4 students who had raised their hands and asked them to show the rest of the class how to walk quietly and orderly to the door and stand in line. After the four students demonstrated the appropriate way to get in line, she asked the class to try again and this time it was successful as the rest of the class correctly modeled the four students appropriate behavior.
One of the really interesting things about Adaptive Life Skills is that you actually have to teach the students how to look to their peers and other adults to learn from them. Scaffolding a task into steps where you are teaching the student to reference another is sometimes hard but very rewarding. The really amazing thing is the difference of ability level and functional level of students who are able to learn from imitation, modeling and observing the behavior of others.
During a meeting on Friday morning, a change in policy for the 2012-13 school year was introduced and described in detail. The change was well received by the group. Although it was assumed that such a change would prompt multiple questions and concerns, no one in the group responded when initially asked. It was interesting because the facial expressions indicated some concern and the possible need for further clarification. Finally, after the facilitator acknowledged that if there were no questions the meeting would conclude, one member spoke up indicating that they had a question/concern. This immediately prompted others in the group to follow their lead and do the same.
I saw our GED teacher doing some excellent modeling around writing. He used his document camera to actually work through the process with our students. By showing the "messy" work of writing and revision, it allowed our students to see that it is not a simple process. It is one that everyone, including the teacher, will get their hands dirty. This is especially powerful since the students know that their teacher is a former corporate lawyer, that has taught education classes at the University level can still struggle to write something that they also consider difficult.
During our MLK assembly this week, I noticed an example of sociocultural learning in action. Students filed into the auditorium, took their seats and were talking to each other while other classes entered. This is the first all school assembly we have had this school year, and had not taken the time to teach expectations about assembly behavior. I saw many students sheepishly enter the auditorium looking for places to sit. They took cues from the other students on how to fill the seats and where to move once a section was full. As soon as the back doors closed, the presenters began to step onto the stage. Immediately students stopped talking and began to attend to the stage. They monitored themselves and "shushed" their peers. It didn't take any adult prompting. The social pressure guided the behavior of the students.
What is interesting about this is the social pressure to conform to the norms of the group. I wonder if someone identified and interviewed the last students to acknowledge the change (or in need of a shush; would their social skill development or background support meeting the social standard? Are they just modeling peer or other social group behaviors?
I observed a doctoral level course in advanced statistics (HLM). I was observing the teaching style at this level and how it differed from the teaching style from the undergraduate course that I observed. I was looking at how information presented was different based upon the complex material, the assumption that prior historical course work and knowledge in statistics was a necessary initiation to understand the material in this particular class, and how the interaction between the professor and students might be different due to a sociohistorical and sociocultural alignment. During my observation, what resonated as a sociohistorical and sociocultural form of instruction was how the professor instructed the lesson and the questions posed by the students. It was clear by the advanced content being taught, that historical knowledge of statistics was critical. The professor would make references during example that "this is similar to multiple regression". The student's appeared to make this connection because they all had an historical reference to this class. There was also a level of lecture complexity that suggested that this group of students were in an academically elite cohort that reflected a sociocultural cohesiveness. The lecture was significantly paced faster compared to the undergraduate class and the slides used by the professor were filled with much more complex information. In the end I was looking for a group of students that seemed to be connected in terms of their prior learning and how they were being taught due to a common experience.
I had never thought about it too much but there is a lot of indoctrination in becoming a grad student. I'm wondering if you noticed any students who didn't fit the mold and any reactions to that.
Each year we establish our expectation for our students through class meetings. We reinforce these expectations during our PRIDE period which is based upon Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS). We establish the expectations, praise them when they are shown and reteach regularly. In this particular instance our goal was to improve our school culture, making it a place where all can feel safe. In creating this positive school culture one aspect that we focused on was to establish the expectation that our school is drug and alcohol free and free from violence.
Where I have observed this is as the administrator in charge of disciple,I have been made aware of possible fights, drugs and alcohol use on campus and other misdeeds by students. One particular event happened just last week. We had an unexpected fire alarm. As the administrative team is searching the campus for a pulled fire alarm, I had a student come up to me and tell me that he knew who had pulled the alarm and that he was very upset by the event; it made him very angry. What is more encouraging is that last year or even earlier in the fall I would have never expected this student to give me any information, not to mention a specific event and name.
There are many ways socioculture theory is utilized in our school. At our staff meeting I reviewed procedures for our upcoming lock down drill. I modeled and went over with the staff what procedures they were to follow on Wednesday with their classes. As I went to observe classes today I observed one of our teachers modeling and preparing her SPED students for what they would be doing in the drill. She then had them practice as a group. When one of the students started talking, other students quickly reminded him that he was suppose to be quiet during the drill.
On Friday I was in a third grade class that had learned how to make collages with some direct instruction from their teacher. They went to a first grade class (their reading buddies) and worked in teams to help the first graders complete a similar project. This type of interaction is done on numerous occasions among grade levels with the idea that it promotes community and develops leadership skills in the older students.
In an ESOL level 3 class today, I observed some teaching and learning that clearly fell into this sociocultural framework. The teacher was presenting a particular sentence structure for comparing and contrasting. She introduced this structure orally and with visual model using sentence strips. After this, she showed a brief video clip from a popular sitcom, where the actors where using similar sentence structures. Students were then directed to turn to an elbow partner and practice the use of this language structure. As this session drew to completion, the teacher called several students over individually to confer with them, and allow the students to show their acumen with this new skill individually. A wondering that I had was whether there were times that students could pick their own content, or did the teacher believe that consistency on the content allow the students to more fully engage with the structure?
On Friday, I experienced an example of the social learning theory. I observed a high school group with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that read cartoons (exemplifying how to use personal space). Students were then selected to act out the cartoons (how to use personal space in specific situations) and imitate one another. The group observed were learning how to employ the use of the social learning theory in a very structured, supported environment. The ASD specialist employed to support this group explained that she looks for these behaviors and their practice in the general education environment.
Our district is participating in a grant that requires the use of Value Added Modeling (VAM) to provide incentive payouts to some teachers based on student performance. VAM is a relatively new occurrence in education and most educators have very limited experience with it. A major undertaking the district has is to make sure staff are educated regarding what VAM is and how it is related to teaching practices and student achievement. There appear to be a variety of sociocultural factors influencing staff learning that can make it difficult to convey what VAM is. VAM has nothing to do with meeting state standards, but after years of focus on getting students to meet standards it is difficult for some to unlearn that way of thinking. Even though all schools have access to the same ‘training’ materials, the group interaction, dialogue, questions, and prior conceptions of staff members that occur at each school’s staff meetings appear to make it difficult to convey a singular clear message that everyone understands.
Based on the video presentation I witnessed two examples of shared social learning. One was a simple show and tell in a first and second grade classroom. While a stretch, I found it interesting to view the experience from this frame of reference. A student was sharing a object with the class. The remaining students used questioning to learn more about this object. Another piece of social modeling occurred during this time, the teacher was able to interrupt the inquiry with their own question ahead of the other students. Thinking about Bobo the clown, did the teacher just model for the students a right of authority or social status to circumvent the social routine with their interjection? I also observed a class where students were questioning a visitor, another teacher, about the costs and considerations of having children. The goal was to take this information and its social context to make decisions about a classroom project related to personal and financial decisions in the future. I'm not sure I saw the full extension of this notion where observation and modeling lead to imitation.
For another class students are provided material to watch/read without much direction of what to think. We have the opportunity to form individual constructions, but most of the focus is on learning that occurs during group discussion and through sharing and possibly revising our own constructions. No one is ever pressured to agree or disagree with another and the instructor does not ever seem to draw conclusive statements of what is right or wrong. Most of the summary type comments are about what was noticed from the instructors point of view.
Last Thursday, I ask a teacher who is doing excellent in Standards Based grading to model with a studnet the remediation of a test that had been taken. This went very well in front of the whole faculty using a white board, followed by each teacher then being asked to repeat verbally the cues the presenting teacher used to prompt a colleague to retain the technique.The observation of the behavoir and the immediate immitation and further modeling I felt converted memory and established motivation to continue the practice.
For day three I returned to the same political science course that I sat in on for day two. In this class I found out that the professor reads the all of required course readings along with his students, or at the very least a few days ahead. I thought that this demonstrated sociocultural/sociohistorical theory well because it demonstrates the "following by example" qualities that this theory emphasizes. It was very obvious when observing the class that the students were very motivated by the fact that their professor was well aware of all the material being covered. Not only was this professor aware but he made it appear to his students that he was on the same page as all of them and that his knowledge on the subject only extended as far as his students' did. While I feel this may have been a slight falsehood it still gained the desired effect of motivating the students to stay caught up and engaged in the course material.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else feel that a well implemented curriculum utilizing more sociocultural theory is a better approach education compared to the other theories? Of the three "watches" I found this theory to be the most successfully implemented.
DeleteI agree that an effective curriculum utilizes sociocultural approach because school learning must be tied with everyday learning where students are put in their cultural context. However, how the cultural settings students grow up in influence their way to associate experiences or observations to learning is reflected in the cognitive processes as well as some level of conditioning.
DeleteReham, I disagree. I think all three theories have equal chances of success when implemented properly, however I think they all result in different outcomes. What I learned from this assignment is that it is important to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and then determine which approach is most effective for the outcome desired.
DeleteWanyu Xiang's observation aligns with my observational experience. I observed a PhD level advanced statistics course. I concluded that the curriculum, lecture style, and the student cohort all reflected attributes of a sociocultural/sociohistorical theory of teaching. Because this is such an advanced class, there was an underlying assumption that all students had a prior knowledge and history of certain statistical methods. There were a few times where the instructor referenced, "this is similar to the approach we used in multiple regression". This statement would be an odd reference if all of the students in the class didn't have that same academic cultural experience to reference. The pace and complexity of the lecture also suggested that all 25 students where part of an academically selected cultural cohort that had the capacity to follow and engage in discussion during the lecture. At this level, there were components of direct instruction and guided instruction. However, I felt that the students in this class, as well as the instructional style, would not reflect a successful experience or exchange if it were not for the underlying aspect of a sociocultural/sociohistorical relationship that existed.
DeleteI disagree. I find that great teachers utilize just about every aspect of the three theories (and others) during the course of instruction. A certain level of "gradual release of responsibility" is evident in many quality classrooms.
DeletePersonally, I see the different approaches work differently depending on the individual student. Some students get excited when challenged to apply past learning to new situations. Others shut down. Some students respond consistently to reinforcement in all environments and learn concepts much more quickly with that approach. There are some students who intently watch their more courageous peers when they are faced with a new concept. Others get out in front and apply prior knowledge to make their best guess on what they should do. As a special educator, the synthesis of all three theories seems like it would garner the best results from the largest number of students.
DeleteGeoff Wetherell
I think it is a hallmark of a master teacher to understand when and how to utilize each of these different approaches.
DeleteThe result of socialcultural learning is probably more subtle since learning does not always result in an instant behaviour change. Students in language courses are usually also required to learn about the culture and the history of people speaking that language in order to best understand the origin and development of the language.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of social learning is that people in a office have learnt where to sit during staff meetings based on expectations of their input to the meeting.
Thinking about staff, I wonder if sociocultural learning contributes to group think. Do people align themselves with norms of thought and behavior of the majority of the group? Does the presence of multiple and diverse models strengthen learning? Of course if we foster a classroom and school environment where diverse ways to approach learning are modeled and where productive civil discourse is modeled, part of the learning about what it means to be smart and educated might be the understanding that different approaches and different viewpoints can be valuable. I read Wanyu's comment about staff sitting in certain chairs and, although that doesn't present a huge issue by any means, I started to wonder if we are teaching students where to "sit" mentally in terms of what lines of thought or ways of learning are valued.
DeleteMaybe what I mean is that group think seems to fall quite obviously in the area of sociocultural learning theory. Is suppose the theory itself doesn't actually cause it. Or, does overuse of a particular mode of learning actually lead to something detrimental? We might imagine that overuse of conditioning might lead to less creative and able learners somehow.
DeleteCarey, I definitely think the culture or environment of any organization is constructed over time by the individuals that form the group, and they do that through the formal and informal connection-making that falls squarely within sociocultural learning theory. I agree with what Liz said above about a healthy organization using all three models - a school, office, etc. should consider which theory is the most appropriate vehicle to deliver content given the outcomes, expected outcomes, etc.
DeleteYes, this is definitely true! I have observed this in staff meetings as well. You should try and create a seating chart or have them sit themselves next to someone they have never sat next to before. It really messes with people. Especially if you put people that normally sit in the front and sit them in the back.
DeleteI saw evidence of sociocultural learning while I was watching my boyfriend coach basketball. [Disclaimer: I know less about basketball than I know about astrophysics (which is very little) and my interpretation of what I saw has been filtered through the lens of my ignorance.]
ReplyDeleteThe coach had asked the team to practice making baskets. While they were waiting for their turn to shoot, two boys started talking loudly about a TV show. When coach noticed the boys talking he shouted, "Team, not all of you are paying attention, run 5 laps!" Everyone on the team started running.
About 15 minutes later, during another activity, the two boys started talking again. A third boy came up to them and said, "Look, I don't want to run again, why don't you shut up?!"
I asked my boyfriend about this later and he said he rarely has problems, the boys tend to regulate themselves because when one steps out of line they're all expected to run laps. The pressure from the group regulates bad behavior, rather than the coach.
This is an interesting observation you did. I like how you expand your observation outside of classroom and make me think of how i was educated back in Taiwan.Each instructor considers the whole class as a team, even one person did something wrong, the whole class receive punishment.I do not know if this happens here.
DeleteLihsien, my experience is that direct group punishment seldom happens in the U.S. We are too individualistic a society for that to go over well. That said, you will hear students and teachers talk about how rules are created to manage the few who can't seem to manage themselves. For example, we have a no gum rule in our school. Why? Because a few students decide that the floor, the banister, the chair seat, etc. are all good locations to place their chewed gum. The rule indirectly punishes everyone for the behavior of the few. Individual students who break the rule are individually punished.
DeleteAs a principal I am often in a position where the easy answer is to decide to implement a new rule due to the behavior of some. For example, injuries occur due to tag or chase games...the easy answer is to say, "No more tag!" After listening to my staff, we decided instead to ask the PE teacher to review what acceptable tag games look like- and then hold individual students accountable when they can't play safely.This is true for adults as well- it is frustrating when a group e-mail goes out or new policy is created due to choices or behavior of a few. Though I see the power and influence of positive peer pressure, I think we need to be very careful when we hold groups of students or adults accountable for the behavior of a few. Too much of that becomes a discouragement to the very students or adults who are leading and modeling for others.
DeleteI sit my students in small groups for the very same reason. The students are told that they are in groups to help each other be successful. They are to ask everyone in their group if they have a clarification question before asking the teacher, and if someone is off task or missing instructions it is their job to try and redirect them. There are points rewarded at the beginning of the year to reward the groups, but that fizzles out by November and just becomes expected behavior. It's amazing how much this has taken off of my shoulders and how well the kiddos do at monitoring each other.
DeleteI like your approach to the problem. Having the PE teacher model the appropriate behavior instead of punishing everyone will ultimately result in not only better behavior but also a more positive climate.
DeleteOK - I am going to play devil's advocate here and say that a certain amount of this "group" punishment actually does promote a closeness and unity on a team that is powerful. When you think about an athletic team (I am not saying a classroom, necessarily), it is important that they start to think as one. Team sports are not about individuality for the most part - they are about everyone being part of the greater whole. While we all may have parts to play, we are expected to ebb and flow based on the actions of those around us. While I am not a big fan of corporal punishment, the teams that experience hardships together often become strongly united - even if they are occasionally united in anger with the coach. I would say that many coaches won't care if they are all upset with them - they want their players to think like a team. Just one alternative viewpoint.
DeleteLesa Haley
DeleteI agree with Sara's point of view especially when you relate it to athletic teams. When the team is treated as one they learn that their actions have a direct effect on the others. It does allow them to overcome hardships and learn behaviors that will benefit the entire team not just themselves. It also can help them bond and form the relationships needed to help them with adverse situations and make them a strong unit.
A different type of learning...I watched a basketball game at school on Friday night and our varsity team was down by...let's just say a lot. What I found fascinating about the scene was the response of the student body as they watched their team get beaten soundly. They remained positive on the whole, cheered their team on in the face of defeat, and refrained from expressing negativity toward the visiting fans. It was clear that the type of learning I was seeing exhibited would fall in the realm of sociocultural. New students to the school had seen behaviors modeled by students and staff and had taken on most of those behaviors (positive school spirit, good sportsmanship) themselves. Certainly, there has been reinforcement of desired behaviors over time, but I do believe that students learn moment by moment how 'best' to respond based on what they see around them and by what is encouraged, modeled, and communicated by those they hold in high esteem. They also probably witness negative examples and make a mental note about what not to do...another learning moment.
ReplyDeleteI think that you can see a similar type of sociocultural learning in every individual classroom and that the learning climate that is created is generally a direct result of the approach and modeling that occurs in that room. The climate of the room is effectively defined by the instructor and by the students in that room. Our constant interactions (teacher-student and student-student), modeling, and observations create a structured set of norms that most will adhere to. As you venture down a high school hallway, I believe that you can see this process in action and it may look very different from one place to the next.
DeleteWhen watching the socioculture video, the first came to my mind is the language class setting. Yes, it did answer my question when I observed advanced Chinese course here on campus. Among the students, there are many group activities they have to work together in the class. When one person does not do a good job or lead the team to the wrong direction, the instructor considered the whole team fails.
ReplyDeleteI am sure feel it is sort of unfair but it is team work, what else can i say.
The other example was when I went to visit my student doing intern at a local elementary school, when few students were talking in the class in their group, the instructor cancel the whole table's recess time.
I think working in teams is appropriate for many things but they need to set up for success. If one person is not pulling their weight then there needs to be some sort of intervention from the instructor. The teams need to have set norms and expectations. Your examples seem unfair to me. What do others think?
DeleteTamara,
DeleteThank you for your reply. I think probably I was just an observer for a couple of hours which I did not get the rules of the classroom. Perhaps you are right about I am being sort of bias in my examples. Probably the teacher or the team need to do set the expectations for the success
Tamara,
DeleteI would agree that it seems unfair and ideally an intervention from the teacher would be the best way to correct the behavior but I don't know if this actually happens in reality. I have been a part of too many groups to count and there is undoubtedly always one person who does not pull their weight but they still get the same grade (or credit or benefit) as those of us who do. I think where the sociohistoric theory plays a role-the fact that no one in the group ever reports the student who is not doing their share to the teacher because (at least in my experience) it's considered "tattling" (to use the childhood expression). So the teacher never learns about this student, the student still gets the same grade as the others in the group, and the cycle repeats itself in the next group activity. Breaking this cycle would require creating a new sociohistoric behavior via modeling from other students and the teacher that you are not "telling on" another student but really helping that student by getting them to participate in the project and learn what it takes to truly earn their grade.
We have a school wide reading program that is a great example of Sociocultural learning. The kids are assigned to a class based on test scores. Then they are grouped into groups of 4. They stay with the same group all quarter. Each team has a team goal. The one I observed today was, everyone participates. They also have a reading goal each week. Today was predict and support. In the class the team leader leads the discussion and all students in the group or team have to answer the question. They can agree or disagree with the other team members, but have to support their answer with details. So they are observing, imitating and modeling for each other every day. Then when the whole class discusses, the teacher may call on any group member for the answers and that is the score the group receives. They can receive a 70, 80, 90 or 100 depending on what type of question it was and if they covered all the areas of the scoring rubric.
ReplyDeleteWhile observing a Kindergarten classroom today I saw the Zone of Proximal Development at work. The students were learning the letter "P." As a part of the lesson, the teacher modeled how to make a penguin out of construction paper. All of the supplies in appropriate sizes were prepared for students. The students used the teacher model to complete the project and also relied on their peer's examples as well. When the project was complete, there were 25 penguins that looked very much alike.
ReplyDeleteAs a non-artist, this is why I love directed drawing. I get the opportunity to model my drawing after a step by step very thoughtful example. The reinforcement for me is that my product is better than anything I could do on my own. The hope would then be that I could transfer those skills and improve my drawing skills.
DeleteIn my classroom the phone rings often throughout the day and the students are always begging to answer the phone. There are times when it is difficult for me answer due to teaching or being across the room so I created a "manners" poster that is posted above the phone. Earlier this year we reviewed how to answer a phone courteously, briefly introduce yourself, why it is important to be polite, and to find out who the caller is for your teacher (parent, etc.) (We also talk about how you should only answer the phone when a parent is there, but that is more than I need to get into here.)
ReplyDeleteIt has been about a month since I have modeled phone procedures and had the students practice with one another. This afternoon the phone rang and a student ran to get it since I was talking to a group of students from another classroom. I stopped what I was doing and heard the modeled protocol relayed perfectly:
"Good afternoon, Miss C's classroom, this is ____________, may I ask who's speaking? Excuse me Miss C, it's the office calling for you."
I was surprised that after such little practice this student had remembered the phone manners was able to model the behavior that will be expected of him as an adult in a professional setting.
This topic was interesting to me as from my office I can hear how the student aides, and secretaries for that matter, answer the phone. During times of stress in the office the way the phones are answered varies greatly. This week we had some crazy days with school closures, flooding in the community, etc.... On one particularly crazy period I noticed how we were answering phones and I went out and assisted. After answering 6 or 7 calls in a calm and professional manner the way others were answering phones began to clearly shift. I returned to my office after about 10 minutes and the problem was solved without ever addressing it directly.
DeleteWonderful observation, Gary. Would you mind coming to answer phone at my school for a while? This is something I stress often with my staff: Our students "learn" how to respond to situations by watching us. If we get upset and confrontational, so do they. If we maintain a calm compose and address the problem while seeking a solution, they generally do to. This is real stuff...
DeleteGary's observation and strategy was great. I am amazed how often people look to my demeanor and behavior in a critical situation in the district office. What I say and how I react effects the behavior of the office staff up and down our hallways. At this point, most of the time anyway, the secretary outside my office adopts this demeanor as well. As a result, everyone in the building asks questions, looks to her for support and monitors their behavior with hers. I hope the behavior spreads like wildfire everyday. Tenneal
DeleteToday I observed in a classroom where sociocultural learning occurred. Students were working on the creation of timelines for the Roman Empire Era. An important criteria for the timelines was the inclusion of only those rulers whom students deemed noteworthy. Students were asked to create their own criteria to define noteworthy. I watched two particular students struggle with the idea of noteworthy. After a few minutes, a different student who sat nearby approached these two students and asked if they would like help (he must have overheard the dialogue between the two struggling students). Interestingly and somewhat surprisingly, the helper student asked questions of his classmates to guide them toward the creation of their noteworthy ruler criteria. Occasionally, the helper student referred to their notes and text passages. It took several minutes of questions, but the helper student successfully guided the struggling students to a point where they could continue the work independently.
ReplyDeleteI am continually surrounded by examples of sociocultural/sociohistoric learning theory in action. As a department within the university, everything from our mission statement as an office, to the way we deliver information to the students and parents we serve, is situated within the historical, political and economic influences of the larger university.
ReplyDeleteToday, at our weekly staff meeting, I was asked if we were going to be traveling to new markets next year, and when we'd be getting our new communication software implemented. I responded, "Both of those are to-be-determined," and I made the hand gesture for "cash". Without any more discussion, everyone understood that my ability to move forward with both those items relied on our new budget being approved, which happens at a level a few steps above me. They all have learned the elements of the office culture and power hierarchy (as well as the budget cycle), and understand that new requests or a desire for change in a certain area may require thoughtful navigation within that environment.
I observed an example of sociocultural learning theory today during a writing lesson. It was clear to me as an adult that the teacher was being very cognizant of when and who she chose to share out loud writing. She would can on a competent writer to share, give specific positive feedback to the writer, and then continue allowing the students to work on their writing. This was, I believe, in the hope that the students would then model their writing after the competent students' writing.
ReplyDeleteI am very interested in your example, Sarah, because I was wondering about these examples of metacognition. In certain ways, making your thinking public has been a cornerstone in most constructivist oriented programs in which I have worked. But as I review your observation, where this metacognition is shared explicitly to model a particularly behavior, this does seem to fall more in the sociocultural learning paradigm. Is that your understanding as well?
DeleteThis morning in Health class, I observed a teacher introduce a final project to his class. The product is a three-dimensional model of a human joint that must incorporate basic "muscle" groups and correct joint position and movement. Students will complete this project in small groups (3 or 4) and the final product will shared with the rest of the class along with a demonstration and explanation. Initially, students were perplexed by the task at hand, but with some teacher guidance were quickly sharing ideas and sketching potential models. I felt that this was a very good example of a sociocultural approach because it incorporated many of the aspects used to define this theory of learning such as scaffolding, collaborative learning, reciprocal teaching, and peer knowledge/interaction. By the end of the period the students seemed excited about their ideas and confident that they were on the right track...I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with next week.
ReplyDeleteMy school practices the PBIS or Positive Behavior Support theory. This theory states that the more positive behavior is taught, modeled, and acknowledged the more desired behaviors you will witness being demonstrated in the school. Today I was in the hallway and I asked a student who was running in the hall to show me how he was supposed to travel down the hall. That is when another student jumped in and modeled the desire behavior for this student. The "speeding" child slowed down and I believe responded better to his peer than he would have to me.
ReplyDeleteThis demonstrated that both students had learned through social learning. The student modeled a behavior to another student which he in turn had been modeled for him earlier in the year. The words that he used and the manner in which he demonstrate the desired behavior imitated what he had heard and seen earlier.
This seems like an example of peer pressure in a positive way. What a neat example of how a positive message about safety can have more power when it comes from the group rather than from an authority figure.
DeleteGreat example. I find it interesting how students oftentimes listen more intently to those in their peer group. In some circumstances this example transfers nicely into the classroom when students have the opportunity to model their thinking and strategies in front of their peers.
DeleteThis type of peer pressure works nicely in our cafeteria every day when the kids want to be excused to go outside. At 12:15 all the students know it has to get quiet for announcements so they help each other get the room completely silent without me having to say a word to start the process.
DeleteThis reminds me of an inclusion class I supported on Tuesday. One student "shushed" another few so the substitute teacher could take role. The students quieted down quickly. Peer pressure plays such an important role in our schools.
DeleteAfter work today I logged into Facebook to see what had happened today. As I was reading through all the posts of the day, one of my second cousins wrote "Guys these days, they get mad for every little thing. Can't live with them, can't... idk." The greatest part is that she is 12 years old. She is exhibiting sociohistoric/sociocultural behavior in that she is emulating what she has observed other women in our family state. Specifically her mother that has been posting negative comments about her soon to be ex-husband. She has taken common language and topic that she has heard many times and transformed it to fit her current frustrated need.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great example and thread for a lot of frustrations that we experience as administrators with the increased use of social media. I wish the concept of a 12 year old sounding similar to a middle aged individual that is divorcing is new. We often hear and see examples of the environmental influence and family circumstances being integrated into the learning of our students and transfered into the school environment. We also see the use of social media to promote aggression toward other students or groups of students.
DeleteI think it is important that we remind our teachers and ourselves that the experiences that our students bring with them will shape the lens by which they perceive our lessons. Our intended curriculum may not be the learned curriculum when students apply their own experiences to it.
DeleteI had an interesting experience while mentoring a high school student the other day. I was helping a student when he noticed that it was time for his class to be over, so we finished our conversation and he left. It turned out that the clock we were looking at was 20 minutes fast and so he came back so we could continuing discussing his post-secondary options. I was extremely surprised he returned to continue our discussion. I assumed most 17 year old high school students would take advantage of 20 minutes of free time from class to do something less productive then come back and talk about college. Then I realized that I am not used to working with high school students, I am more accustomed to college students, who, for the most part, no longer operate under rules set forth by their parents and high school. So the sociohistoric behavior here was in the fact that the student was used to following a schedule, determined by the school, and he did not deviate from that schedule even though he could have (I clearly wouldn't have known any better if he hadn't come back). This situation really highlighted the difference between an 18 year old high school student and an 18 year old college student and the sociohistoric behaviors that differentiates and exists within each group.
ReplyDeleteRoutine building is an important part of what we do on a daily basis. Daily, I see various routines modeled by teachers, students, and sometime parents. Students observe each other providing examples and “non-examples” of expected routines. For example, during a third grade class, the teacher had a student role model the correct way to read aloud to another student. Previously, another student modeled the incorrect way to perform the same task. Social learning through observations is very effective when performed correctly.
ReplyDeleteWhile observing a teacher introduce a project I noticed the teacher used peer interaction and groupings of students to help students attain the knowledge that was desired from her lesson. The teacher told the students that they would collectively agree and interpret the results of the activity that they were doing. The group of students in assigning one group meaning to that interpretation was to explain, argue and justify why they held the belief they did about the concept. The teacher was making a conscious effort to use the sociocultural theory to help students create first a group and then class understanding about a concept.
ReplyDeleteI had a good example this week in my office. On Thursday we had lots of flooding in our community and ended up sending all kids k-12 home by 11:00 am. For the 2 or so hours prior to schools closing we must of had 50 or so parents in the office all in various stages of "panic". Why isn't school closing? It's dangerous out there! What's going on? Whose in charge? The world is ending!!! Etc... Etc... I pulled the secretaries in and we had a 30 second conversation abouawake "tone" we would be settimg between now and the time school was released. The message was "kill em with kindness and reassure them by staying calm.". It was very interesting to watch how you can shape behavior based on how you respond in these kinds of situations. While there is no way to quantify it, I am confident that if we would have met each frantic parent with " Ohh my gosh, are you serious?. That is horrific, I don't know what we're going to do, the sky is falling, etc..... That the ensuing behaviors and reactions would have been quite different.
ReplyDeleteThe most obvious instance of social learning I witness is the transition when new students enroll. We have a mobility rate of 25%, so this happens regularly. One example is how students learn where they can and cannot go while out side at break. All students are taught "in-bounds and "out-of-bounds" on the first day of school. However, as new students enroll they do not get much of the same formal instruction. Rather they simply model their peers. They inherently learn where in- and out-of-bounds by watching their peers. Almost to the extent that it appears to never cross their mind to leave the permitted areas! Only rarely due we have to resort to more behaviorist models to teach this idea.
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me of when I was young and in elementary school. My father was in the military and we moved a lot. When we moved for the last time I left a very strict Catholic school and went to public school for the very first time in my life. It only took several short weeks of wide eyed observation before I learned the do's and don'ts of my new school and I never really had to ask a teacher.
DeleteWhile watching students on the playground, I saw many examples of this theory at play. So many children are looking to the cues of others to decide how to react, which choices to make, when to run, when to cheer - it can sometimes be quite obvious who the leader is, and other times, they seem to unknowingly pass this role to one another. Students are moving from play structure to play structure, then across the field, with some center players and others on the fringe. You can see clearly when one person is pushed out of the group. One or two strong personalities enforce this, and many other children stand by unsure of how to react, but certain that they do not want to the be the odd man out - so they follow right along. I often work with students about how to advocate for the child that they see being left out, and it is a very difficult role for them to play. However, it has been the most effective deterrent to bullying that I have found to this point. When two or three of the students in the group confront the leader(s), that cycle is broken.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I've taught a bullying curriculum for a number of years and empowering the role of the bystander and encouraging that person to step into bullying situation is the most powerful way of stopping the inappropriate behavior.
DeleteI saw some excellent modeling in a writing class for struggling students. Motivation has been really low with this group of students, and the teacher has been working on increasing the interest level of the assignments.
ReplyDeleteShe was passing out the station materials (writing prompts) to various groups, and used a lot of exciting language about how interesting/weird/wild some of the topics were. "Now, for station #2, I don't want to reveal too much... you'll see when you get there, but man, the topics in this station are really out there, so be ready." Kids were squirming in their seats and were ready to elbow each other to get their little hands on those topics. Other kids across the room could see that excitement and couldn't wait until it was their turn to be at that station. The teacher was modeling interest, which then developed into motivation as kids attacked the free write topics and got right to work. At the beginning of the year, her approach had been to cajole/ask/kindly request them to keep going on their writing, but they would lose interest. Previously, she unwittingly modeled how tedious writing cab be by using language about "working hard" and "keeping going."
I observed a first grade class that was lining up to go outside for recess. The students’ first attempt wasn’t successful as they ran to the door and jostled for positions toward the front or near a friend. The teacher made them all go back to their seats. She asked if there were any students who could demonstrate the proper way to get in line at the doorway. She called upon 4 students who had raised their hands and asked them to show the rest of the class how to walk quietly and orderly to the door and stand in line. After the four students demonstrated the appropriate way to get in line, she asked the class to try again and this time it was successful as the rest of the class correctly modeled the four students appropriate behavior.
ReplyDeleteTenneal Wetherell
ReplyDeleteOne of the really interesting things about Adaptive Life Skills is that you actually have to teach the students how to look to their peers and other adults to learn from them. Scaffolding a task into steps where you are teaching the student to reference another is sometimes hard but very rewarding. The really amazing thing is the difference of ability level and functional level of students who are able to learn from imitation, modeling and observing the behavior of others.
During a meeting on Friday morning, a change in policy for the 2012-13 school year was introduced and described in detail. The change was well received by the group. Although it was assumed that such a change would prompt multiple questions and concerns, no one in the group responded when initially asked. It was interesting because the facial expressions indicated some concern and the possible need for further clarification. Finally, after the facilitator acknowledged that if there were no questions the meeting would conclude, one member spoke up indicating that they had a question/concern. This immediately prompted others in the group to follow their lead and do the same.
ReplyDeleteI saw our GED teacher doing some excellent modeling around writing. He used his document camera to actually work through the process with our students. By showing the "messy" work of writing and revision, it allowed our students to see that it is not a simple process. It is one that everyone, including the teacher, will get their hands dirty. This is especially powerful since the students know that their teacher is a former corporate lawyer, that has taught education classes at the University level can still struggle to write something that they also consider difficult.
ReplyDeleteDuring our MLK assembly this week, I noticed an example of sociocultural learning in action. Students filed into the auditorium, took their seats and were talking to each other while other classes entered. This is the first all school assembly we have had this school year, and had not taken the time to teach expectations about assembly behavior. I saw many students sheepishly enter the auditorium looking for places to sit. They took cues from the other students on how to fill the seats and where to move once a section was full. As soon as the back doors closed, the presenters began to step onto the stage. Immediately students stopped talking and began to attend to the stage. They monitored themselves and "shushed" their peers. It didn't take any adult prompting. The social pressure guided the behavior of the students.
ReplyDeleteWhat is interesting about this is the social pressure to conform to the norms of the group. I wonder if someone identified and interviewed the last students to acknowledge the change (or in need of a shush; would their social skill development or background support meeting the social standard? Are they just modeling peer or other social group behaviors?
DeleteI observed a doctoral level course in advanced statistics (HLM). I was observing the teaching style at this level and how it differed from the teaching style from the undergraduate course that I observed. I was looking at how information presented was different based upon the complex material, the assumption that prior historical course work and knowledge in statistics was a necessary initiation to understand the material in this particular class, and how the interaction between the professor and students might be different due to a sociohistorical and sociocultural alignment. During my observation, what resonated as a sociohistorical and sociocultural form of instruction was how the professor instructed the lesson and the questions posed by the students. It was clear by the advanced content being taught, that historical knowledge of statistics was critical. The professor would make references during example that "this is similar to multiple regression". The student's appeared to make this connection because they all had an historical reference to this class. There was also a level of lecture complexity that suggested that this group of students were in an academically elite cohort that reflected a sociocultural cohesiveness. The lecture was significantly paced faster compared to the undergraduate class and the slides used by the professor were filled with much more complex information. In the end I was looking for a group of students that seemed to be connected in terms of their prior learning and how they were being taught due to a common experience.
ReplyDeleteI had never thought about it too much but there is a lot of indoctrination in becoming a grad student. I'm wondering if you noticed any students who didn't fit the mold and any reactions to that.
DeleteEach year we establish our expectation for our students through class meetings. We reinforce these expectations during our PRIDE period which is based upon Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS). We establish the expectations, praise them when they are shown and reteach regularly. In this particular instance our goal was to improve our school culture, making it a place where all can feel safe. In creating this positive school culture one aspect that we focused on was to establish the expectation that our school is drug and alcohol free and free from violence.
ReplyDeleteWhere I have observed this is as the administrator in charge of disciple,I have been made aware of possible fights, drugs and alcohol use on campus and other misdeeds by students. One particular event happened just last week. We had an unexpected fire alarm. As the administrative team is searching the campus for a pulled fire alarm, I had a student come up to me and tell me that he knew who had pulled the alarm and that he was very upset by the event; it made him very angry. What is more encouraging is that last year or even earlier in the fall I would have never expected this student to give me any information, not to mention a specific event and name.
Lesa Haley
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways socioculture theory is utilized in our school. At our staff meeting I reviewed procedures for our upcoming lock down drill. I modeled and went over with the staff what procedures they were to follow on Wednesday with their classes. As I went to observe classes today I observed one of our teachers modeling and preparing her SPED students for what they would be doing in the drill. She then had them practice as a group. When one of the students started talking, other students quickly reminded him that he was suppose to be quiet during the drill.
On Friday I was in a third grade class that had learned how to make collages with some direct instruction from their teacher. They went to a first grade class (their reading buddies) and worked in teams to help the first graders complete a similar project. This type of interaction is done on numerous occasions among grade levels with the idea that it promotes community and develops leadership skills in the older students.
ReplyDeleteIn an ESOL level 3 class today, I observed some teaching and learning that clearly fell into this sociocultural framework. The teacher was presenting a particular sentence structure for comparing and contrasting. She introduced this structure orally and with visual model using sentence strips. After this, she showed a brief video clip from a popular sitcom, where the actors where using similar sentence structures. Students were then directed to turn to an elbow partner and practice the use of this language structure. As this session drew to completion, the teacher called several students over individually to confer with them, and allow the students to show their acumen with this new skill individually. A wondering that I had was whether there were times that students could pick their own content, or did the teacher believe that consistency on the content allow the students to more fully engage with the structure?
ReplyDeleteOn Friday, I experienced an example of the social learning theory. I observed a high school group with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that read cartoons (exemplifying how to use personal space). Students were then selected to act out the cartoons (how to use personal space in specific situations) and imitate one another. The group observed were learning how to employ the use of the social learning theory in a very structured, supported environment. The ASD specialist employed to support this group explained that she looks for these behaviors and their practice in the general education environment.
ReplyDeleteOur district is participating in a grant that requires the use of Value Added Modeling (VAM) to provide incentive payouts to some teachers based on student performance. VAM is a relatively new occurrence in education and most educators have very limited experience with it. A major undertaking the district has is to make sure staff are educated regarding what VAM is and how it is related to teaching practices and student achievement. There appear to be a variety of sociocultural factors influencing staff learning that can make it difficult to convey what VAM is. VAM has nothing to do with meeting state standards, but after years of focus on getting students to meet standards it is difficult for some to unlearn that way of thinking. Even though all schools have access to the same ‘training’ materials, the group interaction, dialogue, questions, and prior conceptions of staff members that occur at each school’s staff meetings appear to make it difficult to convey a singular clear message that everyone understands.
ReplyDeleteBased on the video presentation I witnessed two examples of shared social learning. One was a simple show and tell in a first and second grade classroom. While a stretch, I found it interesting to view the experience from this frame of reference. A student was sharing a object with the class. The remaining students used questioning to learn more about this object. Another piece of social modeling occurred during this time, the teacher was able to interrupt the inquiry with their own question ahead of the other students. Thinking about Bobo the clown, did the teacher just model for the students a right of authority or social status to circumvent the social routine with their interjection? I also observed a class where students were questioning a visitor, another teacher, about the costs and considerations of having children. The goal was to take this information and its social context to make decisions about a classroom project related to personal and financial decisions in the future. I'm not sure I saw the full extension of this notion where observation and modeling lead to imitation.
ReplyDeleteFor another class students are provided material to watch/read without much direction of what to think. We have the opportunity to form individual constructions, but most of the focus is on learning that occurs during group discussion and through sharing and possibly revising our own constructions. No one is ever pressured to agree or disagree with another and the instructor does not ever seem to draw conclusive statements of what is right or wrong. Most of the summary type comments are about what was noticed from the instructors point of view.
ReplyDeleteLast Thursday, I ask a teacher who is doing excellent in Standards Based grading to model with a studnet the remediation of a test that had been taken. This went very well in front of the whole faculty using a white board, followed by each teacher then being asked to repeat verbally the cues the presenting teacher used to prompt a colleague to retain the technique.The observation of the behavoir and the immediate immitation and further modeling I felt converted memory and established motivation to continue the practice.
ReplyDeleteMatt