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Methods course documentation
Analyzing classroom vignettes from an inquiry perspective (D5.2)
Logistics and scheduling information (by Raffaella Borasi)

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 Choice of scope and format for this activity
  Scheduling of this activity within the course
 Logistics of making the readings available to the participants

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Choice of scope and format for this activity:

I chose the option of having each participant write a "scholarly" paper where s/he analyzed the narrative account of an "innovative" instructional episode based on what they had learned about an inquiry approach and school mathematics reform. I also decided to use this task as an assessment, by considering it as their "take-home midterm exam" and assigning it a formal grade.

To give the students more latitude and ownership in this paper, I let them choose the classroom episode they would analyze. In order to make sure that the vignette would be rich enough for this analysis, however, I recommended that they either choose one from the "stories" of inquiry classrooms they had previously read, or show me their chosen vignette before hand for my approval.

Since this activity took place right after the class discussion of the characteristics of an inquiry approach (given the time constraints of a Methods course), it did not seem necessary nor appropriate to have another similar class discussion after the participants completed their midterm paper.

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Scheduling of this activity within the course

Participants were assigned their midterm paper as the conclusion of the section of the course focusing on teaching mathematics through inquiry, right after the series of readings and discussions about "stories" of inquiry math classes and about an inquiry approach.

The segment of the schedule of Methods course B reproduced below (where I have highlighted in boldface the midterm paper, and in italics other related activities that preceded it) shows in more detail the scheduling decisions made in a specific implementation of the course:

Lesson 7:

  • Area inquiry experience II:
  • "Walk down memory lane" (begins)

Hw. 7:

  • "Walk down memory lane" on Area experience
  • written reflection on "What have I learned"
  • readings from the NCTM Standard (geometry and measurement)
  • readings on assessment

Lesson 8:

  • "Walk down memory lane" and "What have I learned" discussion on Area experience
  • Reflections on participants' learning differences
  • Assessment activity and discussion

Hw. 8:

  • follow-up reading on math of area
  • written plans for a series of lessons on area at the grade level taught
  • reading stories of inquiry math classes
  • first set of readings on an inquiry approach:
    • Borasi (1993)
    • NCTM Teaching Standards (1-2)

Lesson 9:

  • Follow-up discussion on stories of inquiry math classes read
  • First identification of characteristics of an inquiry approach
  • "Games" activity

Hw. 9 (part common to elem. and sec.):

  • second set of readings on an inquiry approach:
    • Borasi & Siegel (1992)
    • NCTM Teaching Standards (3-6)
  • Midterm exam (i.e, Analyze in writing a classroom vignette from an inquiry perspective) due (or preparing for Topic project presentation for the elementary pre-service teachers presenting the following week)

Lesson 10 (elem.):

  • Presentations of Topic projects

Hw. 10 (elem.):

  • Preparing for Topic project presentations (or Midterm exam due for those who did not do it yet)

Lesson 10 (sec.):

  • Setting the stage for an independent inquiry experience

Hw. 10 (sec.):

  • Independent inquiry experience assignment

Note that, in consideration of the amount of work that this paper would require, I tried to reduce to a minimum the other homework assignments for that week. I also decided to give an extension on the midterm paper to the elementary pre-service teachers who were scheduled to give a presentation the following week, so that they would have the time to gice justice to this important assignment. Also, I announced the midterm paper expectations and deadlines at least two weeks in advance, so that students could set aside the necessary time.

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Logistics of making the readings available to the participants

In addition to the "stories" of inquiry-based math classes that the participants had read for a previous assignment (and thus were easily available), I also made available a few Xerox copies of unpublished reports of other classroom experiences as an additional source of vignettes to chose from.

I also invited the participants to make a Xerox copy of the vignette they chose for their analysis, so that they could mark it and annotate it as they wished.

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