10/01/2020
Intentional teaching is an active process and a way of relating to children that embrace and builds on their strengths, interests, ideas, and needs. It requires teachers to be purposeful in their decisions and actions.
Intentional Teaching should extend children's thinking, building deep understanding, and include emergent and planned experiences.
Intentional Teaching should include opportunities to challenge students, collaboration opportunities, the processes of identifying, evaluating, explaining, imagining, and instructing using various formats and medians.
An example of intentional teaching is how to take turns, to demonstrate care and empathy, and in small settings or groups, to be prepared and focused, which means that you are concentrating on a particular item/concept or strategy vs. concept creep when we talk about one concept but begin to address or assess multiple items. An example of this is "colors"; if colors are the concept you are working on, this becomes your focus. As students began to classify their colors, your attention then does not go to… how many yellow cars do you have, or how many green letters can you find. Let's count the cars or letters.
As a leader, provide opportunities for teachers to be creative/innovative in their thinking and encourage them to practice these skills, building weekly. Note that encouraging and building upon intentional thinking may include additional funding for classroom resources and supplies.
As a parent, ensure you understand from your child's teacher the concept for the week/day/quarter so that you are enforcing the correct item. A calendar marked with this content may be helpful. You will also want to ensure you understand where your student is on mastering that concept to not frustrate them; however, provide opportunities to challenge or discuss. As a parent, remember that the best way to reinforce a concept or strategy is first through reading and communication, then numeracy.
To teach intentionality, you must practice being intentional. Your intentionality will teach your students to be Intentional.
Join me next week for "Events in Instruction!"