Problem-Centered Inquiry Model

I loved this!!! I used this model as a way to force me to implement and try a couple C.G.I. math problems. C.G.I. is Cognitively Guided Instruction. It is a hands-on problem centered inquiry method of teaching math.

For this lesson I gave the students a word problem, they were to determine what the problem was asking and choose the tools they wanted to use to solve the problem. The students were to draw and/or write how they solved the problem along with the answer. On the first problem the students did very well. I was so impressed to see the different ways that the students approached solving the problem. The second problem was harder, yet some of my students were still able to solve the problem. I was a little disappointed in a couple of my higher students not solving this problem. I felt that they were just being lazy because the problem was harder.

Overall, doing this for my video was really exciting. I finally dove in and tried using C.G.I. in my classroom. The results were really energizing. I am now planning to do a different type of C.G.I. problem in my classroom each Wednesday during our Math block.

Now, if only I can get myself to sit down and put together the videos into a Glover Production!

Concept Development Model

Okay, the concept development model was not quite as smooth for me as the concept attainment model. I was very excited however because Tuesday after we had class on Monday night I was able to change up a planned lesson to include the concept attainment model. We were studying rural and urban that week in Social Studies. So what I decided to do with the concept attainment model was to create a definition of "city" based on the students perspectives of a city. The lesson went very well until the end. When we went to put our descriptors into categories we kindof went staight to narrow categories that combined a lot of items so we only had to sort one time. We also had a little difficulty with the actual definition. It all worked out and the kids loved the lesson.

I think I can use some more practice with this model.