Constructivism+in+the+Classroom



 ﻿ **Constructivism in the Classroom **

**Methods of Instruction ** **Introduction ** Constructivism in the classroom usually consists of a lot of hands-on activities that students can actively engage in. Students are often given the opportunity to participate in activities that require them to explore a topic and discover an answer. They are challenged to think critically.

Cooperative learning is often associated with constructivism. A lot of the anticipated outcomes of teaching with cooperative learning and teaching from a constructivist mindset are similar. Therefore, teachers that use constructivism in their classroom often aim to integrate cooperative learning and peer collaboration within their classroom.

**Introduction to Classroom Management ** Classroom management can make or break classroom instruction. When considering classroom management techniques, teachers need to think about how instruction will be delivered. If teachers are teaching a constructivist mindset, they may need to be flexible when setting rules (as the students will be allowed to talk and get out of their seats). Constructisists often believe in Positive Behavior Intervention Systems (PBIS). They believe in focusing students' positive actions instead of their poor choices. This is done to help students take ownership of their actions and responsibility for making better choices (in order to receive positive consequences).

**Behavior Management Systems ** ﻿Below are two classroom management systems I would encourage teachers to look into as they can prove to be very beneficial in the classroom. ﻿Power Teaching Power Teaching, also known as Whole Brain Teaching, was designed by Chris Biffle and Chris Reckstad. Together, they developed a system that encourages children to behave. The system is set to motivate students to behave by actively engaging them in the classroom. Teachers begin by gradually integrating the Power Teaching into their classroom. As behaviors shift, teachers introduce new techniques to help keep students attentive. For more information, visit: [|http://www.wholebrainteaching.com] For a quick glimpse at some of the basics of Whole Brain teaching, view the video below. media type="youtube" key="eBeWEgvGm2Y" height="390" width="480" **CHAMPs ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">CHAMPs is a behavior management system that can be used with students of any age. Randy Sprick, the creator of CHAMPs, believes it is essential for teachers to foster a safe and civil environment for children to learn. In response to that belief, he created the CHAMPs system. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">CHAMPs is an acronym. The letters stand for communicate, help, activity, movement, and participation. Teachers should communicate what they expect of their students regarding each of those aspects. Instead of the common phrase “be on your best behavior”, teachers are required to explicitly state how they expect their students to behave because expectations can vary greatly from depending on the task. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">To learn more about the CHAMPs system, you can visit the following links: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">a) CHAMPs Handout: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">b) Safe and Civil Schools: [|http://www.safeandcivilschools.com] <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">

**<span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; font-size: 16pt;">A Sample Classroom ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">﻿ <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">If I was teaching from a constructivist’s mindset in a 5th grade classroom, I would often have my students engage in different learning projects to support their learning. Their desks will be arranged in cooperative learning groups. If, for example, they were learning about volcanoes, I would encourage them to complete various assignments (from which they can choose) that reinforce educate them about volcanoes. They will be given an assortment of resources and technology will be very beneficial. We would use technology to research topics, gather ideas, and present the material to the rest of the class. I would teach lessons on the topic, as needed, but would try to set up instruction so that the students in my classroom will be immediately engaged in learning.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: auto 0in; text-align: center;">