Successful Pedagogy 20
Successful Pedagogy for Governor’s Honors Students (Gifted) Participating in Education Minor: An Application of Successful Intelligence
Dr. James A. Reffel
Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia
Funding for this project was provided by Georgia Systemic Teacher Education Program (GSTEP) and Faculty Development/Instructional Improvement Grant.
Abstract
Governor’s Honors Student (Gifted) benefited from instructional pedagogy designed to stimulate creative, critical, and analytical thinking. Practical teaching skills were refined through the direct teaching of lessons to children. This approach to instruction was consistent with teaching for successful intelligence (Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2000).
Successful Pedagogy for Governor’s Honors Students (Gifted) Participating in Education Minor: An Application of Successful Intelligence
Robert J. Sternberg (1988) proposed that intelligence is more than how well one can solve mathematical equations or the extent of one's vocabulary (analytic). There is also evidence of synthetic intelligence and practical intelligence. Sternberg (1997) defines analytic intelligence as our ability to dissect a problem and understand its parts. Gifted learners with this type of intelligence do well on traditional intelligence tests (I.Q.) and are usually selected for gifted programs.
In contrast, skilled learners high in synthetic intelligence are usually insightful, intuitive, creative, or just adept at coping with novel situations. They may or may not be high in analytic intelligence and may not do as well on traditional intelligence tests. These learners need to be assessed using tests designed to measure creativity (e.g., Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (Torrance, 1990)).
The practically gifted person is one who can go into any environmental setting, figure out what one needs to do to succeed in that setting, and then go ahead and do it (Sternberg, 1997). Many people skilled in analytic or synthetic intelligence have difficulty with personal relations or people skills; they lack practical intelligence. Daniel Goleman’s (1995) concept of emotional intelligence is very similar to Sternberg's practical intelligence. Goleman (1995) suggested that emotional intelligence may be better than I.Q. at predicting how well one does in life.
Given this new way to look at intelligence, teachers can nurture and support all three kinds of giftedness in their classrooms. For example, opportunities for them to learn, explore, read, and travel, etc. will support their analytic intelligence. Additionally, allowing students to try new ways to solve problems, explore novel situations, and opportunities to explore music and art will support their synthetic intelligence. Finally, teachers can encourage and support their abilities in practical intelligence by allowing students to work together to solve problems, to discuss interesting books in small groups, and join clubs and other group activities.
Gifted learners may have high abilities in all three areas of intelligence or just one. Teachers need to nurture all areas of giftedness. This approach to instruction is teaching for successful intelligence (Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2000). Sternberg (2003) defines successful intelligence as the ability to attain life goals by adapting to, shaping, and selecting environments and recognizing and dealing with strengths and weaknesses. The theory of successful intelligence can be used as a basis for gifted education (Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2002; Sternberg, 2000).
The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) is a six-week summer instructional program designed to provide intellectually gifted and artistically talented high-school students challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year. Activities are designed to provide each participant with opportunities to acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes to become independent, life-long learners. Specific information about GHP can be found at the following websites: (http://www.valdosta.edu/ghp/ghp2004/Home.html) (http://services.valdosta.edu/ghp/ghp.html)
Students are nominated in a specific instructional area. Each school system or private school is assigned a nomination quota based on the average daily attendance of its 10th and 11th grades. Students spend the majority of their time pursuing major studies; however, they also have the opportunity to study a minor area.
The minor in Education was designed to provide GHP students with overview of education including the opportunity to teach a lesson to area students in the Boys/Girls Club. GHP students were given instruction in content/curriculum issues, learner diversity, learning theory, motivational theory, educational philosophy, pedagogy, classroom management, and assessment.
A variety of instructional strategies were employed including Socratic discussion, creative thinking strategies, problem solving strategies, critical thinking techniques, reflective teaching, and affective processes. GHP students had the opportunity to interview area and national scholars in the field of education. They read and discussed “A Place Called School” (Goodlad, 2004) and “Letters to the Next President” edited by Carl Glickman (2004). Additionally, GHP students completed a capstone project involving various aspects of school reform. In other words, they proposed what schools should be like from their perspective. The following detailed schedule outlines the various activities:
Dates Activities/Topic(s)
Sunday, June 13, 2004 GHP students arrive
Monday/Tuesday, June 14-15, 2004 Showcase Education Minor
Wednesday, June 16, 2004 Students select a minor
Thursday, June 17, 2004 Minor begins 1:30-4:00 p.m.
1. Meet students: get acquainted activities
2. Introduction to the minor: Teaching component;
Virtual School component
3. Books
Friday, June 18, 2004 Why teach? What is/are the role(s) of a teacher? What is the purpose of education?
interview faculty, guest speakers, NBCTeachers, videotapes
Monday, June 21, 2004 What to teach?
content (secondary/elementary)
explore curriculum issues (e.g., evolution)
Georgia Learning Connections http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/
objectives, Bloom’s taxonomy
Who decides what is important for students to learn?
Tuesday, June 22, 2004 Understanding learners
(culture, ability, gender, development, exceptionalities, gifted, SES)
Wednesday, June 23, 2004 Meeting/observing the students (Boys/Girls club),
Journal Entries
Thursday, June 24, 2004 Understanding learning/learning theory
Friday, June 25, 2004 Discuss various philosophies of education
Personal philosophy of education
Ethics, moral development
Begin discussion of virtual (ideal) school
The Roeper School (http://www.roeper.org/)
Monday, June 28, 2004 Understanding motivational techniques/motivational theory
Tuesday, June 29, 2004 Meeting/observing the students (Boys/Girls club),
Journal Entries
Wednesday, June 30, 2004 How to teach? How to learn?
Pedagogy, web/ct, mentorships
Managing the learning environment
Thursday, July 1, 2004 If I Had A Hammer (training)
Friday, July 2, 2004 How do I know my teaching was successful?
Assessment/evaluation issues, portfolios
Monday, July 5, 2004 Instructional methods and materials purposefully designed to promote the development of thinking, feeling, research, communication, and methodological processes
Includes the development of
1. creative thinking and problem solving, critical thinking, and affective processes;
2. a wide variety of specific learning-how-to-learn skills
3. skills in the appropriate use of advanced-level reference materials; and
4. written, oral, and visual communication skills
Tuesday, July 6, 2004 Meeting/observing the students (Boys/Girls club),
Journal Entries; If I Had A Hammer (teaching)
Wednesday, July 7, 2004 Introduction to Reflective teaching lessons (RTL)
Planning for Boys/Girls club lessons
Design/planning virtual school
Thursday, July 8, 2004 Planning RTL
Planning for Boys/Girls club lessons
Design/planning virtual school
Friday, July 9, 2004 Teaching RTL
Feedback and Reflection (RTL)
Planning for Boys/Girls club lessons
Design/planning virtual school
Monday, July 12, 2004 Meeting/observing the students (Boys/Girls club),
Journal Entries
Tuesday, July 13, 2004 Service Learning
Wednesday, July 14, 2004 Final planning for Boys/Girls club lessons
Design/planning virtual school
Thursday, July 15, 2004 Final planning for Boys/Girls club lessons
Design/planning virtual school
Friday, July 16, 2004 Final planning for Boys/Girls club lessons
Design/planning virtual school
Monday, July 19, 2004 Teaching lessons for Boys/Girls club
Finalizing virtual school
Tuesday, July 20, 2004 Teaching lessons for Boys/Girls club
Finalizing virtual school
Wednesday, July 21, 2004 Teaching lessons for Boys/Girls club
Finalizing virtual school
Thursday, July 22, 2004 Teaching lessons for Boys/Girls club
Capstone Project: The virtual school
Friday, July 23, 2004 Reflection/Feedback
Saturday, July 24, 2004 GHP ends
The specific activities related to the development of analytic intelligence included the following:
· Who decides what is important for students to learn?
· Understanding learners (culture, ability, gender, development, exceptionalities, gifted, SES)
· Understanding learning and learning theory
· Understanding motivational techniques and motivational theory
· Philosophies of education
· Ethics, moral development
· How to teach?
· How do I know my teaching was successful?
The specific activities related to the development of practical intelligence included the following:
· If I Had A Hammer
· Reflective Teaching Lessons (RTL)
· Teaching lessons for Boys/Girls club students
The “If I Had A Hammer” involves students working in groups to assemble an 8 X 11 foot house, in less than two hours. Complete with windows, doors and a front porch, the free-standing house is the end result of communication, teamwork, and hands-on application of math and science concepts.
The Reflective Teaching Lessons (RTL) utilize peer teaching and allow GHP students the opportunity to obtain clinical teaching experience. They developed and taught a lesson to their classmates and had an opportunity to reflect on their experience.
The Boys & Girls Clubs promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence. GHP students planned and taught various lessons to students at the boys and girls club nearby. The students at the club ranged in grade level from elementary to high school. This allowed the GHP students to select an age group and target a lesson to their specific needs.
The specific activity related to the development of synthetic intelligence included an opportunity to create a virtual (ideal) school. GHP students visited various websites of outstanding schools (e.g., The Roeper School (http://www.roeper.org/)). They also discussed various relevant questions:
· What model should guide our school?
· What should be taught?
· How should instruction take place?
· How should the school be designed?
· What is the schedule?
· How will learners be assessed and graded?
· Who should teach?
· How will parents be involved?
Evaluation Results
Students were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with each activity on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high) and to comment on the pros and cons of each activity.
I. Guests speakers/topics:
a) development and case study activity:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 7 2 1 3
Percentage: 7% 50% 14% 7% 21%
Mean = 7.79 N = 14
b) learning theory and game activity:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 1 2 5 2 3
Percentage: 7% 7% 14% 36% 14% 21%
Mean = 7.86 N = 14
c) ethics and role playing activity:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 1 4 4 4
Percentage: 7% 7% 28% 28% 28%
Mean = 8.50 N = 14
d) nationally board certified teacher:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 3 10
Percentage: 7% 21% 71%
Mean = 9.57 N = 14
e) service learning, bus, map:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 3 1 3 3 4
Percentage: 21% 7% 21% 21% 28%
Mean = 8.07 N = 14
f) special education, NCLB:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 2 1 1 2 5 3
Percentage: 14% 7% 7% 14% 36% 21%
Mean = 8.14 N = 14
g) Board of regents, conference call / interview:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 1 2 2 2 5
Percentage: 8% 8% 15% 15% 15% 39%
Mean = 7.92 N = 13
II. Topics presented by instructor:
a) Motivation theory, motivation game:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 1 3 4 4
Percentage: 8% 8% 23% 30% 30%
Mean = 8.69 N = 13
b) Learning how to teach (i.e., juggling lesson):
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 2 4 7
Percentage: 7% 14% 28% 50%
Mean = 9.21 N = 14
c) Lesson planning (Georgia Learning Connection Website – Lesson Plan Builder):
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 2 6 1 4
Percentage: 7% 14% 43% 7% 28%
Mean = 8.14 N = 14
III. If I Had a Hammer project:
a) Practice build and training
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 3 7
Percentage: 30% 70%
Mean = 9.70 N = 10
b) Teaching and building at the Boys and Girls Club:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 1 3 2 7
Percentage: 7% 7% 21% 14% 50%
Mean = 8.93 N = 14
IV. Reflective Teaching Lessons:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 4 7
Percentage: 8% 33% 58%
Mean = 9.38 N = 12
V. Personal Lessons to children at the Boys and Girls Club:
a) Planning:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 3 2 8
Percentage: 7% 21% 14% 57%
Mean = 9.38 N = 14
b) Teaching:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 2 2 2 2 6
Percentage: 14% 14% 14% 14% 43%
Mean = 8.57 N = 14
VI. Virtual School:
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 1 1 3 5 4
Percentage: 7% 7% 21% 36% 28%
Mean = 8.71 N = 14
VII. General Comment Section
Other possible items for you to comment on: the books, the computer resources, websites, the classroom facility, the educational videos, the visit by Cathy Cox, the Valdosta Daily Times article by Dean Poling, the GHP education minor website, etc.
a) Fill in: the computer resources
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 6
Percentage: 100%
Mean = 10 N = 6
b) Fill in: the visit by State School Superintendent
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 4
Percentage: 100%
Mean = 10 N = 4
c) Fill in: the Valdosta Daily Times article
Circle: (low) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (high)
Frequency count: 6
Percentage: 100%
Mean = 10 N = 6
VIII. GSTEP
The Georgia Systemic Teacher Education Program (GSTEP) funded the GHP Education Minor this summer. Their vision is to reinvent teacher education in Georgia with a central focus on impacting student achievement. GSTEP teachers and their students will become creative problem solvers, critical thinkers, effective communicators, and reflective learners. To realize this vision, GSTEP will target three goals.