Class was really interesting this week! It was great to be able to have hands-on experiences with some of the ideas we read about in our book. My favorite activity we did, one I could really envision using in my classroom, was when we did a gallery walk through the classroom to decide if the pictures were a revolution, reaction, or both. This activity forced me to think deeply about what each picture was. I had to draw out details and contemplate which category the pictures on the poster fit best with.
The added challenge to this activity was coming up with a question. What was something I saw in the picture that made me wonder? For many of them, I was wondering what the people were thinking. For example, the picture of Ruby Bridges had me wondering how she felt walking out of the school with three tall white men by her side and the crowd looking on. Were her parents scared for her that day? Was Ruby scared? Did she find some nice friends in class that day? How was her experience going back to school the next day? As a parent, I wonder how her parents came to the conclusion that their daughter would be the one to initiate desegregation in the schools. I know I would not be as brave as Ruby or her parents in that situation.
I really enjoy the activities that force me to ask questions. I think it is easy for teachers and students to get caught up in learning and memorizing the facts, particularly in social studies. However, when students are forced to think and wonder a deeper understanding of the content occurs.
Hi Chandley, The gallery walk idea is one of my very favorites! I am glad you enjoyed it too. I especially like the way you describe the details about why you liked the gallery walk. It is exactly what Dr. Stohr and I hoped you would gain from the activity. It is important to us that our students experience and feel the strategies we present. If you know what it feels like you can easily predict what most of your students will feel like when they engage with the strategies too. If you learn from it they will too! Thank you for your thoughtful reflection. Lynne