Addressing Misconceptions

As I have mentioned in other posts I like to start my lessons off with a KWL chart. I start with asking the children what they Know about the subject, then what they Want to know and at the end of the unit what they Learned.

By asking what the children know I am able to see where they stand and address any misconceptions they may have about the subject. 

So why do I do this?

*It helps me determine the children's preexisting conceptions. 
*It helps me to consider the children's ideas when designing lessons that are hands and minds on. 
*It helps children develop a conceptual framework, make connections and understand why. 
*It encourages students own reflection.
*It helps to get the students talking about the subject and reason out the concepts of what is fact and what is fiction. 

This is so helpful since children construct new knowledge based on their prior knowledge and beliefs.

By asking the children what they want to know, it also aids in how I will develop the lessons to help with their misconceptions and also keep them interested.

Finally, by asking what they have learned it helps me to not only assess what the children have learned but also reflect on my own teaching practices to see if the main concepts I wanted them to learn have been taught.