In Mosaic of Thought, Keene and Zimmerman give an example of students doing a research project. While working with one girl, it was evident that she had so much information that she didn't know what was truly important to include. She was a novice in her topic and needed an expert's help. James Gee also discuses the idea of a novice learning from an expert with the idea of enculturation. The article by Lea & Street explains the academic literacies model as being literate in a particular genre of expertise. In order to promote literacy development, students need the opportunity to practice what they are learning with experts. All of these examples tie in with Wilhelm's chapter on using the Mantle of the Expert enactment activity. Activities in this enactment group motivate students to read at a deeper and different level in order for them to gain the same knowledge that experts have. They start to see the real purpose behind the reading, instead of simply a school assignment. The information becomes real knowledge for themselves instead of class work to quickly be forgotten. Wilhelm writes, "the point of all reading, and of all learning activity, is to change our understanding and, as a result, our ways of thinking and being in the world" (p.98). Through his enactment of mantle of expert, he expects students to "become 'novice experts' who 'take on' the language and strategies of the expert" (p.98). The phrase mantle of the expert means that students will step into another's shoes.
While working with my gifted students, we had many different activities that asked them to "become" experts in any area of interest and create activities to complete while in that expert role. Using Wilhelm's enactments would have helped my unit to have so much more clarity and motivation.
Students from Wilhelm's class have the following to say about mantle of expert enactments (p.100):
"It really made me understand...I just didn't get it when I [heard or read] about it"
- Christine
"School is about facts - mostly boring facts - drama is about making facts exciting because you add the feelings...Drama takes facts and asks how they might have been different or how the facts might affect you or someone else and how all that would feel. That's why I like drama."
- Mike
While working with my gifted students, we had many different activities that asked them to "become" experts in any area of interest and create activities to complete while in that expert role. Using Wilhelm's enactments would have helped my unit to have so much more clarity and motivation
ReplyDeleteIn my gifted classroom I also provide activities that require students to share expertise from their Discourse and to become experts in areas of interest.
One successful and popular activity are student expert talks.
I ask students: What is your expertise? Who, what, where, how is someone or something that you know all about. Their assignment is to do a 3-5 MINUTE PRESENTATION with visual aids on their area of expertise (a person, thing, place and/or topic).
They teach us about their topic then lead an activity for the class based around their lesson.
1. 3-5 MINUTE PRESENTATION
2. Visual aids
3. Quick Activity
4. 1-2 paragraph summary of the topic & activity
We do this once a week and the students love it! I’ve learned so much from them and they’ve learned so much from one another.
I would love to get my students to understand text is this deep and meaningful way. It seems to me with this type of learning takes just as much effort for the students as it does the teachers. I think it’s wonderful because both grow as learners.
ReplyDeleteAs teachers, isn't that what we strive for? Students to be completing assignments with a deeper understanding and not to just get the grade? It is so sad that students are going through their education because they 'have' to and not really understanding the purpose of it. If students are given opportunity to make connections to their life and the real world, I think education would take on a whole new meaning.
ReplyDeleteDana, I love the idea of showing students that they are already an expert in something. I shows them that you value the knowledge that they already have.
ReplyDelete