Backward Planning, Forward Thinking

This week’s Smago reading (Chapter 4) focuses on planning units with an end-goal in mind.  I love this idea because I go about things in my daily life in such a way.  I plan with my “big goal” in mind.  Here’s an outside the classroom example:             

            When I was away, I ran a lot.  The camp in which I lived announced that they’d be hosting the ARMY 10-miler.  I said to myself, “Self, you will run this race and you will win.”  So, I looked at my running pace, my best and worst times, my shortest and longest distances, I created a running schedule, and I planned for a win.  There were times when I would wake up at 4am so that I would run my long runs.  I changed my diet as well.  In retrospect, I planned with the end in mind and it resulted in success!  I was the first place winner, in the women’s division, of the ARMY 10-miler in Camp Buehring! (I went on to win a half-marathon the following month, as well).

            So I’m bragging about this, why not?!  Anyway, the point I want to make is that if we look at unit planning in this way, we can be successful “winners” in our classroom.  As Smagorinsky puts it, “when using backwards design, you will identify what you need to be responsible for in your teaching,” (45).  Further, the suggestion is made to model what we ask for.  When done, this will surprise students and, perhaps, encourage them further to engage in their learning, especially those students who are used to being told what do.  A few awesome examples are provided, such as a teacher’s portfolio, a multimedia project, and a teaching log.

            A lingering question that continues to “haunt” me, in a sense, is that of student assessment.  The chapter provides us with a myriad of examples in which to assess students.  My favorites were the process portfolio and the multimedia project. 

            Why I love the idea of a process portfolio:

o   It not only demonstrates to the teacher the growth in student learning that has taken place through a given period of time, but it also demonstrates to the student his/her own accomplishments. 

            Why I love the idea of the multimedia project:

o   It gives students a “choice.”  They can tap into their creative genius and give life to something they feel represents their learning experience(s).

o   In thinking about this idea, I immediately thought about the Book Trailers!  How cool would that be?  I also thought about creating a closed YouTube channel (I got this idea from Beach) so that students can upload other videos, as well.

            The chapter also talks about the idea of multicultural awareness (52).  I think that the suggestions made, such as diversifying the canon as to include more writing by women, authors of color, and the GLBTQ community, can work if done simultaneously with the “mandatory” texts.  So, just like we think about teaching TWW and Shakespeare, we can, perhaps, focus on teaching Emerson’s Self Reliance concurrently with the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. 

            As I thought about this chapter more in depth, however, I sat in the back of a high school classroom.  Sadly, I began to wonder, how would my ideas work in this setting?  Can they work here?  I am a firm believer that plans and ideas are all well and fine, but success lies in execution.  I wondered how I would go about executing my plans, when I read the end of the chapter and the idea of Ethnographic Experiments.

            This idea allows teachers the opportunity to know students and their families outside of the classroom.  This provides the teacher with a better understanding the student’s “competencies outside of school . . . (and can therefore) adjust instruction so that the student can build on his/her strengths,” (65).  Smagorinsky explains that by getting out into the community, the community will, in turn, develop greater respect and trust for the teacher.  When this is achieved, I can’t help to think, the possibilities can be endless!