Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g0R3kDn16239; Sat, 26 Jan 2002 22:46:13 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 22:46:13 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <111.c467046.2984d159@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: JSP1440@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:1992] Re: EFF and GED classrooms X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: AOL 7.0 for Windows US sub 118 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_111.c467046.2984d159_boundary" Status: O Content-Length: 8123 Lines: 147 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Sylvia I'm not really sure where it came from, I was introduced to this by the Dean at a former college where I taught. Basically, I start out the discussion by asking the students to take some paper and answer the following question. "Why did you decide to come to school?" I tell the students that I will give them two minutes to write their answers at which time I would like ask for volunteers to read their answers aloud to the rest of the class. After which, I ask them to then write, in reference to their previous answer "Why is this important to you?" The process is repeated with the follow-up question being the same "Why is this important to you?" The group dynamics is always differen, but generally if I am reassuring, and the students feel that they are in a safe environment, they will share their stories. Most of the time I cannot even get to the 5th why as the stories are so personal. Some people become very emotional, but ALWAYS it has turned out to be a positive experience. People share, bond, sympathize, and a group of strangers become aquainted and become...my class! I become their teacher! There are so many interesting anetodecal moments I could share with this, but generically I have found that after the first round of "sharing", more students decide to open up and read what they have written. Even if I am on the 3rd Why, I will ask the student to go back and read their answers from the begining of the first question. I usually couple this with asking the students to use this as a part of their journal, including this in part of an essay in which they use "Discovery" and "Intention" statements. (Discovery and Intention statements are introduced and used in the Master Student by Ellis) As I mentioned this allows students to go beyond the superficial, and can be the first step in the goal setting process. The experience clarifies the purpose for learning for individuals, and the shared experience seems to heighten awareness and resolve for the rest of the class as well. Subsequently, the students, now stating why they want to learn, can focus on what they want to learn, setting short and long term goals. I hope this helps, perhaps someone will find the original lesson plan and author for this. I'm not sure if the "5 Whys" was originally designed for use as part of a goal setting process, but it is a very powerful tool, and experience. This excercise seems to fit well in the EFF goal setting process. Jeffery Parham ABE/GED Instructor Pre-College Studies and Academic Support Program Highline Community College 2400 S. 240th St. P.O. Box 98000� MS 19-1 Des Moines, WA 98198-9800 Tel. 206-878-3710� Ext. 6210 Fax 206-870-4852
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