We teach learning
When you read, you gather knowledge. When you think about that knowledge and apply it, you understand.
We do not simply give knowledge. We facilitate understanding.
We teach our students to be life-long learners, within and outside the classroom.
Teaching for understanding is the method that we follow.
We do not simply give knowledge. We facilitate understanding.
We teach our students to be life-long learners, within and outside the classroom.
Teaching for understanding is the method that we follow.
Teaching for understanding
The Teaching for Understanding (TFU) framework is a tool for designing, conducting and reflecting on classroom practices that promote student understanding. It facilitates thoughtful engagement and unlocks understanding through the learning process.
The TFU framework has four pillars: Generative topics, understanding goals, performance of understanding and ongoing assessment.
The TFU framework has four pillars: Generative topics, understanding goals, performance of understanding and ongoing assessment.
Generative topics
Not all topics (concepts, themes, theories, historical periods, ideas, and so on) lend themselves equally to teaching for understanding. We look for three features in a generative topic: centrality to the discipline, accessibility to students, and connect-ability to diverse topics inside and outside the discipline. The topics dealt through TFU are more central to the discipline, more accessible, and more connectable than others. These topics should form the core of the curriculum. A topic can be made more generative by adding theme or a perspective. For example, teaching the process of water cycle as an exploration of properties of water, states of matter, sources and conservation of water and rainwater harvesting.
Understanding goals
Each generative topic offers the opportunity to develop many different understandings. To create focus, teachers have found it useful to identify a few specific understanding goals for a topic.To focus the exploration of generative topics, teachers can develop nested understanding goals—unit-sized goals embedded within year-long overarching goals or "throughlines".
Each unit can have three to four understanding goals. For example, a unit on citizenship can have the following understanding goals:
Each unit can have three to four understanding goals. For example, a unit on citizenship can have the following understanding goals:
- What is citizenship
- Important documents that prove citizenship
- Types of government (the Government of India in detail)
- Levels of government function.
Performance of understanding
These are activities which give consistent opportunities to students to develop and demonstrate their current understanding. Understanding performances should meet the following criteria:
- Relate directly to understanding goals
- Develop and apply understanding through practice
- Engage multiple learning styles and forms of expressions
- Promote reflective engagement in challenging, approachable tasks.
Ongoing Assessment
In TFU, performance of understanding and student assessment go hand-in-hand whenever possible. Rather than assessing outcomes primarily at the end of the unit, teachers provide feedback, learning
criteria, and opportunities for reflection throughout instruction.
Feedback from teachers, peers, and self-evaluation can help to advance the student’s work, particularly when:
criteria, and opportunities for reflection throughout instruction.
Feedback from teachers, peers, and self-evaluation can help to advance the student’s work, particularly when:
- Students know the assessment criteria
- They get regular feedback
- Students and teachers have ample opportunity to reflect on the students’ understanding and the barriers that remain.
TFU at SMIS
SMIS believes in preparing children to discover their niche in the world and excel in whatever role they choose for themselves. Rather than focus on just content, we develop, establish and enhance their skills. Our lesson plans are built using the TFU framework. All subjects are interwoven to facilitate better understanding.
Different throughlines cater to different intelligence inclinations. Children are given opportunity to perform their understanding using different languages of learning. Instructions are differentiated according to the needs of the children.
Different throughlines cater to different intelligence inclinations. Children are given opportunity to perform their understanding using different languages of learning. Instructions are differentiated according to the needs of the children.
Learning water cycle, the TFU way
Children are given different interventions—they are shown a video of water cycle, they are divided into groups and given a passage about water cycle to read. They also act it out, illustrate it and write the process down.
In the end, to perform their understanding, they are free to choose a language of learning. It could be a poster to convey the importance of water, about the conservation of water or to create awareness about rain water harvesting. They may prepare a PowerPoint presentation or write a report.
As a part of ongoing assessment their understanding is assessed at regular intervals. Assessments are rubric-based to give enough room for each and every child, unique in her or his own ways.
Data about water consumption per capita, per day can be integrated (as per the grade level) with this unit as part of mathematics. Water conservation and sources of water (our rivers) become a session in social studies. Reading and analysing advertisements and media reports become part of English integration.
In the end, to perform their understanding, they are free to choose a language of learning. It could be a poster to convey the importance of water, about the conservation of water or to create awareness about rain water harvesting. They may prepare a PowerPoint presentation or write a report.
As a part of ongoing assessment their understanding is assessed at regular intervals. Assessments are rubric-based to give enough room for each and every child, unique in her or his own ways.
Data about water consumption per capita, per day can be integrated (as per the grade level) with this unit as part of mathematics. Water conservation and sources of water (our rivers) become a session in social studies. Reading and analysing advertisements and media reports become part of English integration.
