Case Study 4

Mr. Saunders always involves his fourth graders in the establishment of classroom rules and procedures. During class meetings, students can raise issues about the rules and even about the consequences and rewards related to those rules. But Mr. Saunders is also very clear that some issues are not up for discussion. “This is one Mr. Saunders gets to decide on his own,” he states, when appropriate. Very early in the year, the students know there is no point in arguing when he has made this declaration.

The third graders in Ms. Phillip’s class were accustomed to using the KWL chart before specific lessons, but this time Ms. Phillips used it at the beginning of the entire unit on electricity. Before giving them the learning goals for the unit, she asked students what they already KNEW (K) about electricity, then asked what they WANTED (W) to learn. She recorded the students’ ideas on the class chart. Ms. Phillips then handed out a list of the learning goals that were identified in the district curriculum guide for the electricity unit. “We need to achieve these district learning goals,” explained Ms. Phillips, “but I want each of you to add some goals that interest you. Use our class KWL chart to stimulate your thinking.” As they worked through the unit, Ms. Phillips noticed that some of the students’ goals even got her more excited than the goals from the curriculum guide.