DO CU ME NT IN G
LEARNING
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WHY DOCUMENT LEARNING? "Documentation in the classroom should mirror the
TALMUD.
While it may seem like an unusual comparison, the similarity is that the Talmud and documentation both include
MEMORY & COMMENTARY.
In the Talmud, the MEMORY is located in the MIDDLE BOX ON THE PAGE while the COMMENTARY is the generations of sages explaining these recorded 'MEMORIES'. In high-
quality
DOCUMENTATION,
WORK SAMPLE created by the student that can include painting, drawing, w r i t i n g , o r q u o t e s . the MEMORY is the actual
The COMMENTARY is the process in which the teacher
LISTENS INTENTLY TO THE CHILD and provides a narrative that analyzes the children’s wonderings, captures the learning journey, and provides a voice to the worthy explorations of young children...
DOCUMENTING
LEARNING
LIKE THE TALMUD, HIGH QUALITY DOCUMENTATION CAN CAPTURE THE MEMORIES OF THE CHILDREN'S WORK, WHILE PROVIDING INSIGHTS THAT CAN LEAD TO FUTURE QUESTIONS AND EXPLORATIONS." - rABBI MEIR MULLER Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Education at the University of South Carolina, Principal of Cutler Jewish Day School in Columbia, SC
DOCUMENT LEARNING TO...
IDENTIFY TEACHING GOALS
JEWISH PRIMARY DAY SCHOOL OF THE NATION'S CAPITAL This photo conveys a second grade teacher's approach towards grouping her students to document what they know about the mitzvot of Purim. The groups of students moved from poster to poster to write down what they knew about each mitzvah. The information gleaned from this exercise helped her see what her teaching goals for her Purim unit should be.
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DOCUMENT LEARNING TO...
DEMONSTRATE UNDERSTANDING
LANDER‐GRINSPOON ACADEMY In this assignment, the students were asked to create a Torah scroll. This project serves two purposes: 1. The students’ understanding of the text is recorded. 2. Their voice in the story is heard and is granted meaning by the documentation process. THE YU SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP
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DOCUMENT LEARNING TO...
HELP STUDENTS MAKE IT MEANINGFUL
YAVNEH HEBREW ACADEMY In this assignment, students were asked to reflect on the painting and share how they would have named the piece to convey the essence of the painting. The names given document the students' reactions to the art, the questions the piece evoked, and created an opportunity for the students to attach personal meaning to the painting.
DOCUMENT LEARNING TO... USE OUTSIDE INTERESTS AS A VEHICLE FOR LEARNING
AKIBA ACADEMY OF DALLAS In this class, each student was assigned an NFL team to follow throughout the course of the football season. They were responsible for sharing their team's stats after every game and were asked to learn about their team's city and culture. This passion-based project helped students apply their mathematical thinking to their joy of the game - all while learning about new cities.
DOCUMENT LEARNING TO...
DEVELOP STRONG CLASS DISCUSSION SKILLS
AKIBA ACADEMY OF DALLAS In this class, students engaged in meaningful discussions by using sentence stems to share knowledge, opinions, and strategies.
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DOCUMENT LEARNING TO...
HELP STUDENTS GET IN THE RIGHT MINDSET
FOR THE LESSON OF THE DAY
MELVIN J. BERMAN HEBREW ACADEMY
Every day, students are greeted with a question to ponder. The question is often related to a discussion or unit the class is focusing on and helps the teacher assess her students’ understanding of concepts, such as, color and clothing. THE YU SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP
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DOCUMENT LEARNING TO...
LET STUDENTS PLAY A ROLE IN DESIGNING HOW THEY WILL LEARN
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LAMPLIGHTERS YESHIVAH
This space was designed with the needs and ideas of the students in mind. Together, the teacher and his students talked about lighting, seating, bulletin boards, and options. They documented what they wanted and created a space that met their social and academic needs. The students voice was crucial in the design process and now they have a sense of ownership and propriety of this space.
DOCUMENT LEARNING TO...
ENCOURAGE REFLECTION GESHER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL This 5th grade class begins each day by documenting and reviewing the learning from the previous day and linking it to the schedule for the day. This simple documentation process helps students reflect on their learning and anticipate the day ahead. THE YU SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP
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