Below are our tips for this week. Remember, we are not the end-all, be-all! We are just teachers sharing our
ideas with you. Feel free to modify strategies you receive from us to fit you and your classroom!
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The Truth About Teaching
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The Truth About Teaching
In her own unique and witty style Coleen Armstrong exposes the harsher realities of teaching often left unsaid and
ignored, and weaves them with words of comfort, encouragement, and advice. The Truth About Teaching expresses
the heartwarming, sometimes tragic, and often humorous thoughts and stories of this 31-year veteran teacher. It is a
testimony to the fact that reassurance comes from the knowledge that you are not alone.
Clicking on the above links will take you to an information page about this newest title available from Inspiring
Teachers. View sample pages and read what others have to say about The Truth About Teaching
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Education World New Teachers Column
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Education World
New Teacher Column
This is my column on Education World. The current featured topic is "Being a Team Player:Collaboration with
Colleagues". I hope you enjoy it!
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Weekly Tip
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Blooming classrooms use Bloom's
Bloom's Taxonomy, that is. It is a system developed in the late 1940's and early 1950's by education professor
Benjamin Bloom and a group of colleagues to help identify and organize the process of thinking and learning. This
group of people wanted to take something that seemed complex and make it simpler. The purpose being that teachers
could use it to plan lessons and teach students. How do we think? How does that thinking turn into learning? What
is the process and how can we better understand it? These are just some of the questions that dominated Bloom's
team during their six years of working together. In 1954 they published their work on the Cognitive Domain and
included as part of its title, Bloom's Taxonomy. Since then, this chart of thinking skills has been used not only by
classroom teachers, but by trainers across the world in all areas of work and learning. Bloom's Taxonomy is a
standard that does not diminish over time, but continually proves its worth. So how can we use this information in
our own classroom?
The first step is to analyze your level of knowledge about Bloom's Taxonomy. Rate yourself between one and ten on
the following statements, with one being "Not at all" and ten being "Definitely".
1. I know all six categories of Bloom's Taxonomy.
2. I am familiar with the verbs for each category.
3. I inimately know all the verbs in each category.
4. I use the verbs for the lower three categories frequently.
5. I use the verbs for the upper three categories frequently.
6. I can easily develop questions using key verbs from different categories.
7. I ask questions that cover both the lower three and the upper three categories.
8. I use the verbs to develop reading response questions.
9. My reading response questions cover both the lower three and upper three categories.
10. I develop reading responses for textbook readings using Bloom's Taxonomy chart.
11. I determine the knowledge level and learning level of my students for each unit of study using Bloom's
chart.
12. I utilize my knowledge about student learning levels and my knowledge of Bloom's chart to help me plan lessons
for each unit.
13. I use Bloom's chart and verbs to help me develop learning objectives for my lessons.
14. I have no idea what you are talking about.
This initial assessment is a way to help you decide which of the following several newsletters are most important to
read and which ones you can ignore. If you feel that you have a pretty good handle on Bloom's Taxonomy and use it in
your classroom, the first couple of newsletters in this series will be a reminder or refresher only. If you have no
clue what Bloom's Taxonomy is or how to use it, then you'll want to follow through this series from beginning to
end. We'll start with the basics and move forward. I'll do my best to present a little bit of information and then a
strategy you can use in the classroom.
Part I: What are the categories and how do I use them?
Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognitive Skills has six categories. These are:
KNOWLEDGE
COMPREHENSION
APPLICATION
ANALYSIS
SYNTHESIS
EVALUATION
The first level of knowledge focuses on the recall of information. Comprehension is concerned with understanding
meaning. The third level of application is the use of knowledge or theory into practice. Analysis then requires the
ability to interpret various elements to determine further information. At the synthesis level learners to be able
to create or build something new (or new ideas) from existing information. Lastly, learners should be able to
evaluate, assess, and critique the viability of the information learned and created.
Obviously this chart is hierarchical because before a learner can determine meaning, he or she must first have the
basic facts and information. Before one can interpret various elements, understanding of those elements must first
be in place. Our job then, as teachers, is to help our students move from the level of basic knowledge and
comprehension through the higher cognitive skills. In my mind, we need to do more than lead them from one to the
next, but we also need to teach them how to recognize these skills they are using. We need to use the vocabulary of
Bloom's Taxonomy with our students so that they can understand where they are in their learning and the process they
use when thinking about and learning new information. However, the first step is for us to become familiar with the
terminology ourselve, and its use in the classroom. Only when we become confident in our understanding and use of
this chart will we be able to teach it to our students.
Now that we have the basic categories listed, we need to take a look at a tool that will help use utilize this
chart. That tool consists of a list of verbs underneath each category. With a list of verbs at our fingertips, we
now have a way to plan learning objectives, develop questions, and assess student progress within a particular unit.
Look below for the verbs and then we'll discuss one strategy for using this tool.
I recommend that you do two things with this list. First, create a small strip of paper that lists each category
across the top and the relevant verbs underneath each. You can probably fit several onto one page depending on how
many verbs you choose to include. The list above is by no means a complete list. Perhaps you can think of other
verbs that would fit in each category. Also, be sure to use verbs that are appropriate for the age group you teach.
Separate the strips and laminate them. Keep one at your desk, one at your podium or overhead station, and then
anywhere else you might need it. These strips will serve as a quick reference sheet for you. Because they are small
and can easily be taped up or kept handy you will be more likely to use them.
The second recommendation is to create a poster to put up in your room (if possible). This will also serve as a
reminder and will begin to reinforce the vocabulary for both you and your students. Although you are not yet ready
to teach this chart to your students, the written terms and your use of them in class will serve as an introduction
and will help your students become familiar with the vocabulary.
Why have a handy reminder both at your fingertips and on the wall? Most of us get so caught up in our lesson and the
flow of the class that we forget new concepts which have not yet become habit. However, when you look up and see the
poster, perhaps it will remind you to use some of the verbs found in the chart. It may nudge you to ask a few
questions using terms from the three higher categories rather than always asking questions from the bottom three. It
is also nice to have something in your hand that is not bulky or hard to manipulate. This way you can easily look
down and create an off-the-cuff reading response or journaling prompt.
Next week we will delve into a little more detail about creating questions and other activities using Bloom's
Taxonomy. So, for now, familiarize yourself with the terms and take some time to create those reminders that will
help you utilize this chart of cognitive skills in your classroom.
Want to respond and share other verbs you've used in the different categories? Respond to this email and we'll
combine them all together in our Idea Share!
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Inspirational Thought
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Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
~Abigail Adams (1744 - 1818), 1780
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Thoughts for Reflection
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How familiar are you with Bloom's Taxonomy? Is it something you learned long ago and forgot about or something you
use daily in your classroom? If you use Bloom's daily, what are a few ways you utilize it? How might you use it in a
different way? Take some time to think about the possibilities for use in assessment and learner differentiation. If
you are new to Bloom's Taxonomy, what have you learned about it? How do you think you might use it in your
classroom? What is your understanding of the purpose of Bloom's Taxonomy? When categorizing questions, where would
the questions found in the back of each section and chapter of your textbook be placed? Would they be placed mostly
in the lower three or upper three of the categories? Why do you think that is? What is your opinion of the level of
questions found in most textbooks? If you have a negative opinion, what can you do about it?
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*Feedback
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Want to respond and share other verbs you've used in the different categories? Respond to this email and we'll
combine them all together in our Idea Share!
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These thoughts and ideas are brought to you by Emma McDonald co-author of Survival Kit for New
teachers AND the AWARD WINNING Classrooms that SPARK. Find us at
The entire contents of this e-zine are Copyrighted by Inspiring Teachers and Emma McDonald. If you would like
to reprint all or parts of this e-zine, please contact Inspiring Teachers at 972-496-7633 or toll-free at 1-877-496
-7633 or via email to info@inspiringteachers.com