Title:
Students are the Best Teachers: Learning Through the Take-a-Stand Model

Context:
This lesson plan was part of a Territory - Statehood Unit for my 7th grade Washington State History class. The lesson plan was a quick overview of the history of the Whitman Mission near Walla Walla, Washington and the event which came to be known as the Whitman Massacre. The students learn about the history of the mission, but also are introduced to the issue of religious conversion. The students used the Whitman example as a case study to the issue of whether or not people have the right to try and convert others to their religion. I taught this lesson to introduce students to the Take-a-Stand instructional method as well as teach them important content related to Washington's early history. The artifacts included in this entry are the lesson plan (artifact 1), the exit handout given for formal assessment (artifact 2), and an example of a student response to the exit question (artifact 3). The main focus of this reflection is the Take-a-Stand method and its advantages to teaching controversial issues.

UW Targets:
Learning Target 1B - Instructional Strategies: The TEP student will understand and use a variety of instructional strategies, and meaningful routines, activities, materials, and resources, (including media and technology) that support learners' development of the central concepts, thinking and inquiry strategies, dispositions, and strategies of communicating in the disciplines. I demonstrate an understanding of various instructional strategies by incorporating video, lecture, a practice Take-a-Stand along with the actual Take-a-Stand model, and formal assessment of the central concepts and content all into one lesson.

Learning Target 1C - Planning: The TEP student will incorporate knowledge of subject matter, students, community, and curriculum goals into his or her planning and teaching. I incorporate knowledge of curriculum goals, and subject matter into my planning by pre-teaching students the take-a-stand model then having them apply the method to the content of the subject matter outlined in the curriculum.

Reflection:
I introduced the students to a new form of group discussion called Take-a-Stand. I explained the procedure and then said we would run through a practice issue before we tried the method in relation to history. The students were asked where they stand on the issue of removing junk food from the school cafeteria. The students then moved around the room according to how strongly they felt about the issue. One end of the room had a sign that read "strongly agree" the other end of the room had a sign that read "strongly disagree." The students moved to an area of the room to signify where they stood on the spectrum. Then I would randomly select students to share their reasons for why they were standing in a certain area. I encouraged students to change their mind at any time during the discussion and more to a different area if they were compelled by certain points in the discussion.

After the students had a practice at the Take-a-Stand method of discussion I asked them to take a stand on whether they felt it was right for the missionaries to try and covert the Native Americans to Christianity. Before the discussion began I made sure to explain that we are not attacking peoples' beliefs but to engage in a dialog about one culture trying to expose their beliefs to another culture. The students thought about the idea for a minute and then went to the area of the room that represented their opinion. Instantly I could see the students preferred to get out of their seats and more around the room rather than sit in their desks the entire period. Also, I knew from past activities that the students preferred to discuss issues rather than just being fed information so the Take-a-Stand model worked well with them. Mark Gerzon explains the idea of teaching democratic values in his article "Teaching Democracy by Doing It". He states, "Tolerance, respect, a willingness to learn from each other-these are the values on which democratic nations thrive. They are the values that schools must teach and practice." The Take-a-Stand model gives students a chance to practice these skills in a classroom setting.

I tried to use this instructional strategy because I not only wanted to informally assess the students by observing their discussions, but also to let the students know that I respected their opinions as their teacher on controversial historical issues. My favorite teacher in high school always told his students that his classroom was "an arena of knowledge where no one (not even him) must escape without learning". I tried to echo these sentiments with my students frequently in my student-teaching experience. After lessons like these I would frequently let the students know that I had learned a lot from them and appreciated their input.

By showing students that I care about their learning I set an expectation that my class will be more than a place where "seat time" will be enough to pass. The students in my class knew that they would be asked what they had learned through various forms of assessments. One of my students said in her evaluation of me at the end of my student teaching that I should continue to do "the different activities we used to learn to that we weren't just sitting in a desk the whole time." Students need to do activities that will engage their interests. By giving students a place where their opinion is valued and necessary to the classroom activity, students feel more excited to learn. It is extremely important to give students a break from teacher directed learning. I have found through conversation with students and through formal assessments that students tend to learn more when they are actively involved in the learning process. The Take-a-Stand method of instruction asks students to think about a controversial issue and then engage in a dialog with their peers about the reasons they have formed their opinion.

In planning a lesson I continually ask myself if the activity we are doing will be worthwhile for my students to learn in a larger context. I believe in the Take-a-Stand method students are learning a valuable skill that is extremely beneficial for students to apply to various aspects of society. In our society we must take-a-stand on controversial issues if we are to knowledgeably contribute to the democratic process.