Here's the transcript for episode 03 of PoPCast Reboot:
TRAVIS: All right, Whitney, we are back for another episode talking about patterns of power in the classroom, giving you some tips, highlights, ideas to get you to up your Patterns of Power game.
WHITNEY: I love it. Yes. Let's get into it.
TRAVIS: We know that the routine that we build with this Invitational lesson set structure is we like that predictability. It helps students to be able to do some more cognitive workload in other places. But we also want to highlight the flexibility that exists within each of the invitation. So today we're going to talk a little bit about the invitation to compare and contrast. the second invitation in a lesson set. And Whit, why don't you just start us off and let's do a quick revisiting of the importance of this invitation, why we feel like it's important to include within a lesson set.
WHITNEY: We want to always engage our students in compare/contrast in anything that we learn. One, if we look at John Hattie's research that he collects in his meta analysis through his visible learning and everything, they look at effect sizes. And so the compare contrast strategy for learning for retaining information has the highest effect size of any learning strategy.
So there you go right there, like, we're able to compare and contrast information that we know to new information. We're able to gain a deeper understanding and retain that better. And then there's another book called Getting to Got It by Betty K. Garner, Getting to Got It by Betty K. Garner. And this is all about helping students learn how to learn. Right? And it's really based on the brain and how the brain is wired into these cognitive structures and 1 of the cognitive structures is actually the comparative structure. So our brain is wired to not only seek patterns, but then compare those patterns to others that are like them and different from them.
So I think when we have this step in the process, we're really tapping into the way our brain works and allowing our students through conversation, that's key, conversation to really dive a little bit deeper into the focus phrase, but then also just the other craft moves, the sentence structures that we find within the sentences that we choose.
Yes, tapping into the power of the brain to help make this stickier. I love it. So when we have created lessons, we have some options. We know that there are some options for this second model that we're going to put in front of students for that comparative analysis. I think one option that usually is really is oftentimes reasonable to find is choosing another sentence from the same text.
I think you can attest to this, but oftentimes when I'm reading through and looking at a specific author's work and their writing style, I often notice the same craft moves, you know, they're comfortable with a certain set of tools in their writer's toolbox. So looking in that same text to pull another example of that model that we're studying, whether it be maybe a colon to introduce a list, or complex sentences structured in a pattern in a certain way. I think that's an easy place to find a second model.
I agree. And I think this is to a point, right? So I think for younger students, we may find another sentence like that in a book that we're using. However, that other sentence might be way more complex when thinking about imitating. And so that is something that we always want to be mindful of, is we're going to use the model piece from the invitation to notice to imitate, right?
But the compare/contrast piece is also another model for them to use. And sometimes they'll pull kind of from both to imitate on their own. So I always am mindful when I'm looking for that compare/contrast piece within another text to really think, is this one that could be imitated by young students?
Like thinking of the younger grades especially. So I always keep that in mind. I think it's fantastic when you find something in the book this is something always to be mindful of. And in Patterns of Wonder, we use picture books. So we can always find another picture book that has something from another text.
We can choose something from within the same text, but we can also go and choose something from another text. And really, we can do that at any grade level as well. So, we have the mentor text, but then what if we're reading this just phenomenal book in class as a read aloud or in our book clubs to where there is another example there that follows that same sentence structure and dives into that craft move that's in the focus phrase. To make that to compare contrast. So choosing something from the same book, choosing something from another book. Those are definitely options.
Yes, absolutely. So a quick third option, we're going to come back to that second option because I love that, that a third option is we can always create our own model. So we can write our own, putting it in side-by-side. I think when you're talking about thinking about the next steps down the line, getting into imitation, creating a model, that's, Easily imitatable or connecting it into maybe what's happening in my life to share a little bit about that or in the classroom or the campus culture. That's a great way for you to create your own and usually it's fairly reasonable to do. You have your structure, you know how to follow the model or the pattern that is highlighted in the model.
When we create our own, what's nice about that too is when we're planning, if we're choosing our own sentence from, you know, for not using one of the lessons from the book, we're, we're finding our own sentence when you create your own compare contrast model that you find out real quickly how easy it is to imitate.
Like, if you have a hard time imitating it for the compare/contrast piece, imagine how hard it will be for students to imitate as well. So that's always kind of a good thing too to go ahead, even if you do find another compare contrast piece, take a moment and imitate on your own to see, is this really a sentence that can be imitated with my students? Because if I'm struggling with it and my students are probably going to struggle with it as well.
And one, before we get back to choosing another text, another option that I just thought of as you were talking was sometimes students. Use this skill in their writing, right? They put the craft move into their writing naturally or Or they have just done something or have played around with it in their own writing and you notice that, that a student piece of writing can easily be the compare contrast model too, and how wonderful to showcase the writing in your classroom when you're comparing and contrasting it to the model, because this compare contrast piece is never something that's inaccurately or ineffectively written. It's always still something to be celebrated to learn from. And so when we put a student piece of writing up there, that's what they're looking at. They're celebrating what's right in that sentence, what's effective in that sentence, and comparing it with the model. So that's just another option as well.
Love that. And also, I always appreciate the confidence builder. If we highlight a student's piece or a model that they've written to bring that up and talk about, “Oh, look at this effective model right here.”
“You know, the kids like it's me. I did that I did that.” And sometimes they don't even know they do it.
So when we point it out, they're like, Oh, yeah. Okay. I did do that. Yes. Confidence building 101. That's so good. So cool. If we're thinking about looking at a text that we're going to be using in class outside of the patterns of power process or outside of the invitations, something I like to think about is I just naturally build that into my planning when I'm looking at collecting texts and using them for various purposes.
Let's say we want to highlight elements of a certain genre that we might be studying, or let's say we want to use that to connect thematically to a broader unit of study that we're looking at. Another lens. So that's usually the first lens I look through is, let me look at the content. Is it going to be respectfully challenging for students? Is it going to connect to what I, what my goal is for this text? Second layer, if I'm looking at a second or maybe even a third read, I'm looking at how the author has crafted the text that's in front of me. And I'm thinking about what patterns here are really popping off the page, if you will, that are easy to look at and go, “Oh, wow, that's something that's maybe worth having a conversation about.” I don't know if your process is similar to that as you are doing this or if you wanted to add anything to that.
It absolutely is similar. Sometimes, though, I'm just happen to be reading in it. I spot it, right? Because with this process, our brains then start to seek those patterns in other places naturally, because that's how our brain is wired to seek patterns. And so we just, we know we have, you know, we're gonna be teaching about complex sentences coming up and all of a sudden, when we're reading the book to our students, or we're engaging in book club conversations, or conferring with individual readers, we might just. Notice those structures because we have, we've raised our conscious level of awareness around them. So a lot of times that's how I come find so many of 'em. But you can definitely also read through it with a lens and, and be searching for it for sure.
Yeah, so that's if I'm putting together if I have a ton of time up front, like, let's say it's in the summer, and I'm planning out that 1st unit of the school year, that's definitely a lens that I put into the planning process. When I'm thinking about selecting texts, can I cross any of these texts over into a Patterns of Power lesson set that we're going to be studying during that unit? I agree with you, though. Once you get into the flow of looking for this, these patterns seem to neon-flashing-sign themselves as you are reading through a text.
And also, if you're a self contained teacher where you're teaching multiple subjects, including content areas, this is a great time to bring in some of those texts that you're using there as well as a second model. So we might be, we might find a sentence for the mentor, but then we connect to another text that we're using in the content areas and find that same writing move in those texts, too, to show students that this writing move can be used anywhere. It doesn't have to just be used in fiction, right? Or just in a certain kind of a story versus a nonfiction piece or narrative nonfiction piece. So there's lots of different types of texts that you can bring into this work, too.
Yeah, we're not only in our language arts block. Can we be thinking about this? We can be thinking about this as we're interacting, taking our thinking and putting it down on paper, on the the page, digital or not, that these patterns are going to be effective across the board. I love that as you're thinking about that.
A couple things I want to highlight about crossing over into texts that you're using outside of a Patterns of Power Invitational Lesson Set. If you are introducing a model into the Compare and Contrast of a text that you have not yet read, this is a great way to build in a free preview of the text you are about to read.
So, what I love about doing this before reading a text is there's an extra layer after the invitation to compare and contrast where you now say, all right, we're looking at this model. What do we think this might be about a great preview to build anticipation to get kids theorizing about what content might be coming up and then we get to dive into a first read of that.
I love that. I love that. What a great anticipatory set, right?
Yeah. And then on the flip side, if we have already read the text and we bring the model back in to the invitation to compare and contrast, this is a great way for us to revisit and look at comprehension skill after reading, or to look at analysis and to really talk about why did this, you know, Author using this specific pattern within the context of their text, why was that effective? So once we've seen the entire text and we have the background, we can talk a little bit deeper. And I think students have a bit more confidence in discussing why this move was effective or the effectiveness of it to be able to evaluate it
And they can bring in so many literary devices into this work as well. I know sometimes when I've had conversations with students revisiting a text, they're like, “Oh, wait a minute. This sentence is a compound sentence, but it also was foreshadowing what's coming up, you know, of what's about to happen.” And I, a lot of times it's foreshadowing. We don't know that at the beginning and it's foreshadowing, but then as things happen, you go, Oh, that was foreshadowing. This allows that conversation too, to really bring in some of those comprehension skills and understanding of why writers do what they do when they put it into the text.
All right. So yeah, we really wanted to highlight another way that this specific invitation, the invitation to compare and contrast, can be flexibly connected to your language arts or more broadly into the work that you're doing throughout the class period, the school day, or the instructional week, or even in your unit. So there's a lot of flexibility that exists within this space.
Yes, for sure. And remember, it just sets everything up for the imitation that comes next. So that's something to always keep in mind with your compare contrast as you're looking at yet another model that's showing that same craft move that's your, that's in the focus phrase and how is both the model and the compare contrast going to set us up for that imitation?
Yes. So we hope that this information has all been helpful for you as you strengthen your skill set of using patterns of power. in the classroom.
Have some fun with it!
Yes!
Get creative!
Yes, absolutely. All right, we'll talk to you soon. Have a good one.
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