Develovping A Community of Learners

These are my random thoughts on Developing A Community of Learners by Diane McGrath.


The quick summary of the main points:


1. Encourage Metagcognition

2. A learning setting designed to engage students in group work that allows them to collectively reach a goal they would individually not be able to do.

3. Encourage learning along many different angles. (Basically, dont stay stuck on standards.)

4. Promoting an environment of discussion with its own norms and rules

5. All group members taking responsibility for the project and working together respectfully


My first thought is that this idea of creating simulated working environments does not apply as well at the elementary levels as it does at the middle or high school levels. I think you can still do it, but you have to be more careful in your planning and implementation.

I really believe in the idea of a community of learners and that you need to work to create that community. It does not just happen.


Using the Exxon Valdez spill as the focus of a deep study is a great idea. Translating that into my discipline, I think back to a professor I had at William and Mary who used a current event big idea, the nuclear option in the Senate, as a focal point around which the course revolved. The issue I see with this idea is that you need to have someone expert enough in their subject area to identify good big ideas. I see this as a challenge again at the Elementary level based on the way instruction is set up with teachers teaching every subject. It is easy for me as a social studies person to identify good deep study options in my discipline. If you ask me to find one for math or science I don't know that I would be as good at it.

It really drives me nuts when an author can not demonstrate a concept with a simple example or illustration. This author does not provide any good, concrete, real world examples.


I like the comment about limited technology resources because it forces students to work together instead of in collaboration. The students may not like it at the time of the assignment, but it teaches them valuable workplace skills in the long run.

Whats in a Name?

Whats in a blog name? The name of your blog is everything and yet nothing all at the same time. A name is important because it sets your brand and Seth's Blog says your brand is important. I thought about naming my blog after myself, but Joanne Jacobs cornered that market. I could have picked a really cool random word and coupled it with the word life, which is one of the most popular words in a blog name, but sadly Piepald Life was already taken. Even though a title is supposed to convey the essence of your blog, I wanted to keep it short and simple so The Smart Passive Income Blog was not going to work.

So what drove my naming decision? Ultimately it was my wife who suggested using the word Reflecting and Blogger's software telling me that after 15 other choices this combination of words was finally available. I am an optimistic guy so Reflecting Hope sounded good enough for me and is a name really that important?

Why blogging? For some time I have been reading blogs and admiring the opportunity some people have taken to use blogging as a way to Get Rich Slowly. Some people write blogs about Stuff Christians Like or put out their 2 cents worth on Bridging Differences. Others talk about Leading Smart or fancy trends in Pop Economics. I am a Lazy Man and Money is tight so I figured this was a cheap, fun way to practice my writing skills. A technology instruction class called Capstone, finally got me started on this project because I have to blog about my experiences in the class. I am hoping that I have the discipline to continue the blog beyond the end of the class. So here we go.