1. Learning through social constructivism
GSSD Coaches
Andrea Hnatiuk & Cindy Smith

2. *We start and end on time.
*We are a community of professional learners;
we have an obligation to participate and
collaborate. Please consider how you are
contributing.
*We create a safe place to be heard, we can
take risks.
*We respect everyone’s point of view.
*We use technology appropriately in the spirit
of professional learning.

4. What will I be able to do when
I am done here today?
I can identify and implement
instructional strategies that
promote collaborative learning
in order to increase student
learning outcomes
What is important for me to
learn and understand so that I
can hit the target?
I can learn and understand
various forms of communication
and its role in helping students
construct meaning for
themselves
What will I do to show that I
understand?
I can implement effective
instructional strategies that
meet and assist student
learning outcomes.
Moss, C., & Brookhart, M. (2012). Learning targets: Helping students aim for understanding in today’s lesson. Alexandria: ASCD.

6. 6

7. *Recognize and use connections among ideas
*Understand how ideas interconnect and build
on one another to produce a coherent whole
*Recognize and apply learnings in contexts
outside of school
7

8. *Organize and consolidate their ideas thinking
through communication
*Communicate their learning coherently and
clearly to peers, teachers, and others
*Analyze and evaluate the thinking and strategies
of others
8

9. *Students construct meaning for themselves
*Students clarify their ideas
*Students speak to each other and write about learning
to reflect on their learning, self-monitor, and set goals
*We can assess students by listening and reading their
ideas and understandings. We inform our practice
based on what we learn about student understanding

10. *knowledge is constructed as the
learner strives to organize his or
her experiences in terms of pre-
existing mental structures or
schemas
10

12. *Length and correctness of responses increases
*Number of “I don’t know” and “no answer”
responses decreases
*Number of volunteered appropriate answers
increases
*Student achievement increases
*Teacher questioning quality, strategies and
flexibility improve
*Teachers ask higher level questions that require
greater complexity of response
Positive outcomes of three seconds ofPositive outcomes of three seconds of
undisturbed wait time (when questioning)undisturbed wait time (when questioning)

14. *How can we create a classroom environment
that fosters an atmosphere of safe
contribution and values communication?
*What does a classroom
have to be like for our
students to participate
and communicate
effectively?

15. *Before Viewing: Round Table Discussion
*During Viewing:
How did the teacher contribute to an
environment that allowed the
students learn in this way?
*After Viewing: Create Norms

16. *How do we allow students to freely participate?
*Take ownership of their ideas?
*Honour each others contributions?
*Understand that we need to make mistakes in order
to learn?
*Respect each others’ opinions and ideas?
*Listen and dialogue with respect?
*Persist?

20. *Reflective Listening