productive

How Night of the Notables satisfies Dimensions and Elements of Productive Pedagogies

Intellectual Quality
1. Higher order thinking Are higher order thinking and critical analysis occurring? Notables offers the student individual choice, challenge and control. It is an inclusive, engaging and enabling program like no other. Students assimilate, hypothesise, and evaluate to develop evidenced interpretations and perspectives on eminence and achievement. 2. Deep Knowledge Does the lesson cover operational fields in any depth? The focus on eminence activates many diverse inquiries and pursuits into relevant operational fields of human endeavour. 3. Deep Understanding Do the work and responses of students provide evidence of depth of understanding of concepts or ideas? More able students consistently show excellence in Notables. It offers scope for greater depth with longer time spans and wider resources. It is an in-school identification instrument in itself. 4. Substantive Conversation Does classroom talk break out of the initiation/response/evaluation pattern and lead to sustained dialogue between students, and between teachers and students? This is most desirable but occurs more out of class, at home, and in the community than actually in class. After all, the study is engaging an abiding interest. 5. Knowledge as Problematic Are students critiquing and second-guessing texts, ideas and knowledge? The student is encouraged to hypothesise where data or biography lack solid data. Data is assessed when conflicts need to be resolved satisfactorily. Relativities of veracity in texts are revealed. 6. Metalanguage Are aspects of language, grammar and technical vocabulary being foregrounded? It is usually essential to have a working mastery of the technical language appropriate to the career field of the chosen Notable.

Connectedness

7. Knowledge Integration

Does the lesson range across diverse fields?

As a study of an overarching theme, Notables works best if the student synthesises all relevant sources and domains of knowledge.

8. Background Knowledge

Is there an attempt to connect with students' background knowledge?

Sometimes this is thin or stereotyped in itself; yet school and families readily supply attitudes and perspectives.

9. Connectedness to the World

Do the lesson and assigned work have any resemblance or connection to real-life contexts?

Notables is pre-eminently a real life study, involving not just knowledge but affectivities as no other school course does. The study of the real life context of the chosen Notable essentially offers effective role modelling for living the gifted life.

10. Problem-Based Curriculum

Is there a focus on identifying and solving intellectual and/or real world problems?

Night of the Notables offers many different problem solving challenges, in its content, process and outcome. Student progress contributes to the excellence of its effectiveness.

Supportive Classroom Environment

11. Student Control

Do students have any say in the pace, direction or outcomes of the lesson?

Certainly by its design. Notables is derived from the Autonomous Learner Model (Betts, 1986).

12. Social Support

Is the classroom a socially supportive and positive environment?

The Notables classroom is always different with its excitement, personal choice, productivity, sharing and mutuality.

13. Engagement

Are students engaged and on task?

Its engine is interest and the performance date focuses efforts.

14. Explicit Criteria

Are the criteria for judging student performance made explicit?

Certainly! My Consultancy package provides standard criteria for Interim Talk and Report of Research tasks.

15. Self-regulation

Is the direction of student behaviour implicit and self-regulatory or explicit?

Certainly. Notables is derived from the Autonomous Learner Model (Betts, 1986) allowing choice about pace, direction and depth. Parent and teacher monitoring scaffold self monitoring.

Recognition of Difference 16. Cultural Knowledge Are diverse cultural knowledges brought into play? Most certainly - doing 'Notables' the class will celebrate an array of cultures, religious and national backgrounds by supporting and affirming an individual's family, cultural and ethnic backgrounds publicly among peers at one's regular school. 17. Inclusivity Are deliberate attempts made to increase the participation of students from different backgrounds? Everyone is involved; relevant resources and personnel can be accessed. 18. Narrative Is the style of teaching principally narrative, or is it expository? Life-stories (biographies) are the primary resource. Flexibility in delivery is essential; its mode is guided by professional discretion. 19. Group Identity Does the teaching build a sense of community and identity? Yes it always does! Activities are taken in regular class or House groups in regular class time. The eponymous Night welds the cohort identity. 20. Citizenship Are attempts made to foster active citizenship? Issues to do with one's interaction with society, society's values and humanitarianism are necessarily featured. © G. Smith 2000

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Reference: Lingard, B. Aligning the message systems. Independent Education 30.(3), 24 -26 October 2000.
Source: http://home.pacific.net.au/~greg.hub/productive.html#
Webmaster: G. Smith Brisbane Australia 11/11/2000. [interests] [horizons] [eminence] [equity] [rich_task]

1. Higher order thinking Are higher order thinking and critical analysis occurring?	Notables offers the student individual choice, challenge and control. It is an inclusive, engaging and enabling program like no other. Students assimilate, hypothesise, and evaluate to develop evidenced interpretations and perspectives on eminence and achievement.
2. Deep Knowledge Does the lesson cover operational fields in any depth?	The focus on eminence activates many diverse inquiries and pursuits into relevant operational fields of human endeavour.
3. Deep Understanding Do the work and responses of students provide evidence of depth of understanding of concepts or ideas?	More able students consistently show excellence in Notables. It offers scope for greater depth with longer time spans and wider resources. It is an in-school identification instrument in itself.
4. Substantive Conversation Does classroom talk break out of the initiation/response/evaluation pattern and lead to sustained dialogue between students, and between teachers and students?	This is most desirable but occurs more out of class, at home, and in the community than actually in class. After all, the study is engaging an abiding interest.
5. Knowledge as Problematic Are students critiquing and second-guessing texts, ideas and knowledge?	The student is encouraged to hypothesise where data or biography lack solid data. Data is assessed when conflicts need to be resolved satisfactorily. Relativities of veracity in texts are revealed.
6. Metalanguage Are aspects of language, grammar and technical vocabulary being foregrounded?	It is usually essential to have a working mastery of the technical language appropriate to the career field of the chosen Notable.

7. Knowledge Integration Does the lesson range across diverse fields?	As a study of an overarching theme, Notables works best if the student synthesises all relevant sources and domains of knowledge.
8. Background Knowledge Is there an attempt to connect with students' background knowledge?	Sometimes this is thin or stereotyped in itself; yet school and families readily supply attitudes and perspectives.
9. Connectedness to the World Do the lesson and assigned work have any resemblance or connection to real-life contexts?	Notables is pre-eminently a real life study, involving not just knowledge but affectivities as no other school course does. The study of the real life context of the chosen Notable essentially offers effective role modelling for living the gifted life.
10. Problem-Based Curriculum Is there a focus on identifying and solving intellectual and/or real world problems?	Night of the Notables offers many different problem solving challenges, in its content, process and outcome. Student progress contributes to the excellence of its effectiveness.

11. Student Control Do students have any say in the pace, direction or outcomes of the lesson?	Certainly by its design. Notables is derived from the Autonomous Learner Model (Betts, 1986).
12. Social Support Is the classroom a socially supportive and positive environment?	The Notables classroom is always different with its excitement, personal choice, productivity, sharing and mutuality.
13. Engagement Are students engaged and on task?	Its engine is interest and the performance date focuses efforts.
14. Explicit Criteria Are the criteria for judging student performance made explicit?	Certainly! My Consultancy package provides standard criteria for Interim Talk and Report of Research tasks.
15. Self-regulation Is the direction of student behaviour implicit and self-regulatory or explicit?	Certainly. Notables is derived from the Autonomous Learner Model (Betts, 1986) allowing choice about pace, direction and depth. Parent and teacher monitoring scaffold self monitoring.

16. Cultural Knowledge Are diverse cultural knowledges brought into play?	Most certainly - doing 'Notables' the class will celebrate an array of cultures, religious and national backgrounds by supporting and affirming an individual's family, cultural and ethnic backgrounds publicly among peers at one's regular school.
17. Inclusivity Are deliberate attempts made to increase the participation of students from different backgrounds?	Everyone is involved; relevant resources and personnel can be accessed.
18. Narrative Is the style of teaching principally narrative, or is it expository?	Life-stories (biographies) are the primary resource. Flexibility in delivery is essential; its mode is guided by professional discretion.
19. Group Identity Does the teaching build a sense of community and identity?	Yes it always does! Activities are taken in regular class or House groups in regular class time. The eponymous Night welds the cohort identity.
20. Citizenship Are attempts made to foster active citizenship?	Issues to do with one's interaction with society, society's values and humanitarianism are necessarily featured.