HEY.....WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA? GETTING THOSE BIG IDEAS INTO CLASSROOM USAGE

Blue Mountain School District in Orwigsburg, PA has begun implementing a “Learning-Focused” approach to get the Big Ideas of science into the classroom. This district has historically scored highest on PSSA testing in Schuylkill County, so this change was adopted to improve student learning, not to combat a failing system. The Learning-Focused model uses PA State Standards and Anchors as the Big Ideas: teachers start with the Big Idea for a unit or group of lessons, and tailor activities to meet the challenges of both the advanced learner and the slower student. Assessment strategies implemented on a regular basis can occur during one or more class periods.

Several concerns have arisen regarding this new approach. More educator time is needed to prepare lessons using the Learning-Focused method, because it requires teachers to plan thoroughly. However, this time-intensive effort is valuable to increasing student achievement. There is merit in presenting a lesson in multiple ways, because our goal is to help all students reach a higher level of achievement. Learning-Focused enables teachers to use classroom time in a more academically effective manner because it allows an educator, through planning, to take a look at what is necessary and essential to achieve high levels of student understanding. The most difficult part of implementing the program lies with trying to make existing materials fit into the new structure. Our textbooks were not designed for a Learning-Focused approach. This mismatch requires time and effort for educators to adapt the text to match the state standards as well as meeting the learning criteria.

The most positive aspect of the Learning-Focused approach is that it allows for higher level thinking assessments based upon deep understanding of the essential questions presented during a unit or lesson. This use of higher level thinking is especially needed in the area of science. Learning-Focused identifies 8 important extended thinking levels that can be used by educators to increase student knowledge and understanding, analogous to those in Bloom’s taxonomy. By using this approach, particularly in a laboratory setting, students develop necessary critical thinking skills. We do not have PSSA test results yet to compare with previous years, but we hope the effect in the classroom will be very positive.