Brittany Daly - Blog 4

1.) How does using protocols like “critical friends” help teachers become more reflective of their teaching practices?

Using the critical friends protocol this week has been so helpful in the creation of my unit. My colleagues’ questions, likes, and wonders encouraged me to look at my plans from other perspectives and make changes that would improve my project. Reflection is so valuable in our profession. If we don’t reflect, how can we improve our instructional practices? Self-reflection is not enough. Listening to the experiences and perspectives of others can present ideas and possibilities we would not have otherwise considered. The fact that the critical friends protocol focuses on both likes and wonders allows for both affirmation and suggestions for improvement. It is important to be validated, because we all have great ideas, but it is also important to understand where we may need to make changes.

2.) What conditions are required for teachers to make use of this protocol?

Sharing rough drafts and unpolished work with colleagues can be daunting. I know that I was a bit hesitant before sharing my project draft this morning because it was far from complete. Therefore, it is important that colleagues establish relationships built on respect and trust if they are going to participate in this protocol. Another factor to take into consideration is time. We only get so much planning time each day, and our planning only overlaps with teachers on our own grade level. Therefore, time to implement this protocol can be an issue, especially if you want to include teachers from more than one grade level.

3.) How could this protocol be used with students?

The critical friends protocol can be used to teach students appropriate ways to give feedback to their peers. When I have asked former students to give each other feedback, they have often used general words like great and awesome, and they have had trouble giving each other specific and useful suggestions. I think that modeling this protocol and practicing it frequently will teach students how to provide feedback that is meaningful. It can be used when students are drafting a project or creating a presentation. I also think it can be used during the writing process as mentioned in the example Dawn gave earlier today.

4.) Identify two specific protocols you will embed in your PBL unit. Consider protocols for teacher-student or student-teacher feedback as well as student-student feedback.

In this PBL unit, I plan to use the consensus protocol to informally assess students’ understanding of waves, currents, and tides. Students will receive feedback from their peers as they discuss their answers and attempt to reach a consensus. I would also like to use the gallery walk protocol so students can receive feedback on the designs for their erosion prevention solutions. I want to reinforce the importance of creating a detailed and accurate design before building takes place, so I plan to have each group place their solution blueprint in the gallery. Each group will get feedback from peers and the teacher before getting the opportunity to revise their designs.