Synopses & Reviews
Inspired by the innovative educational philosophy that originated in Reggio Emilia, a small city in Italy,
Visible Learners offers research-based practices for fostering learning in groups through documentation. In this approach, first developed during a long-term collaboration between researchers at Harvard's Project Zero and Reggio educators, learning becomes a visible activity that develops students' intellectual capacities as well as their individual and group identities as learners.
Visible classrooms can be identified by five key principlesthat learning is purposeful, social, representational, empowering, and emotional. The authors define each principle using illustrative learning portraits, quotes from students and teachers, pictures, reflections, and examples of student work. Additionally, the authors offer teachers and administrators practical ways to enhance learning by increasing collaboration and critical thinking across grade levels and subject matter. Also included is a section containing dozens of tools for making learners and learning visible, incorporating guidelines for the classroom and the staffroom as well as ideas for engaging students' families.
Visible Learners shows how observing and documenting learning can change the nature of that learning, and asks teachers to look beyond surface to understand who their students are, what they come to know, and how they come to know it.
" We are at a critical moment that cries out for 4 C's learning (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity). Visible Learning addresses this very challenge by offering rich examples and practical guidance for creating powerful learning experiences in our classrooms, schools, and communities." Ken Kay, CEO of EdLeader21 and cofounder and president, Partnership for 21st Century Skills
" Many educators have pondered whether the 'Reggio approach' can be employed with older children and under different conditions. In this highly original book, the authors demonstrate how the principles developed in a small city in northern Italy can be realized across the ages, across the curriculum, and across the seas." Howard Gardner, Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Synopsis
A progressive, research-based approach for making learning visibleBased on the Reggio Emilia approach to learning, Visible Learners highlights learning through interpreting objects and artifacts, group learning, and documentation to make students' learning evident to teachers. Visible classrooms are committed to five key principles: that learning is purposeful, social, emotional, empowering, and representational. The book includes visual essays, key practices, classroom and examples.
- Show how to make learning happen in relation to others, spark emotional connections, give students power over their learning, and express ideas in multiple ways
- Illustrate Reggio-inspired principles and approaches via quotes, photos, student and teacher reflections, and examples of student work
- Offer a new way to enhance learning using progressive, research-based practices for increasing collaboration and critical thinking in and outside the classroom
Visible Learners asks that teachers look beyond surface-level to understand who students are, what they come to know, and how they come to know it.
About the Author
Mara Krechevsky is a senior researcher at Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Ben Mardell, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Lesley University and a former researcher at Project Zero.
Melissa Rivard is a senior researcher and visual media specialist at Project Zero.
Daniel Wilson, Ed.D., is a principal investigator and lecturer at Project Zero.
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii
FOREWORD x
By Deborah Meier
INTRODUCTION xiii
PART I: SIX LEARNING PORTRAITS 1
CHAPTER 1: THE YELLOW DOOR: TURNING PROBLEMS INTO PROJECTS IN KINDERGARTEN 3
CHAPTER 2: THE VERNAL POOL: SEVENTH-GRADERS INVESTIGATE AND PROTECT A LOCAL HABITAT 13
CHAPTER 3: GRAPPLING WITH GREATNESS: NEGOTIATING DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW IN AP LITERATURE 20
CHAPTER 4: THE AMAZING CIRCUS ACT: MAKING VISIBILITY PART OF THE EQUATION IN HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS 26
CHAPTER 5: MEET THE DIRECTORS: KINDERGARTNERS STUDY THE BOSTON MARATHON 33
CHAPTER 6: EYES ON ENGAGEMENT: SUPPORTING STUDENT INQUIRY IN A FOURTH GRADE CLASSROOM 39
PART II: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES 49
CHAPTER 7: MAKING LEARNING AND LEARNERS VISIBLE 51
CHAPTER 8: UNPACKING THE PRACTICE OF GROUP LEARNING 61
CHAPTER 9: UNPACKING THE PRACTICE OF DOCUMENTATION 74
CHAPTER 10: MAKING LEARNING VISIBLE IN AN AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY 95
PART III: TOOLS FOR MAKING LEARNING AND LEARNERS VISIBLE 107
CHAPTER 11: SUPPORTING LEARNING IN GROUPS IN THE CLASSROOM 109
1 Getting Started with Making Learning Visible 110
2 Looking at Learning in Groups: Classroom Discussion Guidelines 112
3 Considerations for Forming Small Groups 115
4 Entry-Point Charts: Engaging All Members of the Group 117
5 Structures for Giving and Receiving Feedback 120
CHAPTER 12: SUPPORTING LEARNING IN GROUPS IN THE STAFFROOM 124
6 “Throwing Your Money Away”: Exploring Group Learning and Documentation 125
7 Designing and Facilitating Adult Study Groups 127
8 Looking at Documentation: The Collaborative Assessment Conference 130
9 Creating Documentation for Public Viewing: Protocol 1 132
10 Creating Documentation for Public Viewing: Protocol 2 134
CHAPTER 13: DOCUMENTING INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP LEARNING 136
11 Documentation: When Does It Make Learning Visible? 137
12 Beginning to Document through Intentional Inquiry 139
13 Beginning to Document by Stepping Back 140
14 Considerations for Selecting a Documentation Tool 143
15 Guidelines for Shooting Video and Photographs 146
16 Making Learners’ Words Visible: Speech Bubbles 149
CHAPTER 14: ENGAGING FAMILIES IN SUPPORTING STUDENT LEARNING 151
17 Introducing Families to Making Learning Visible 152
18 Refrigerator Reminder: Five Ways to Make Learning Visible at Home 154
19 Making Learning Visible Family Survey 156
20 Involving Families in the Learning Process 158
21 Documenting Learning at Home 161
CHAPTER 15: MAKING LEARNING VISIBLE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM 162
22 Bulletin Boards That Make Learning and Learners Visible 163
23 Creating Exhibitions of Teaching and Learning 165
24 Anatomy of an Exhibit Panel 167
25 Zoom Guidelines and Template 169
ABOUT THE AUTHORS 172
NOTES 174
INDEX 179
PHOTO CREDITS 185