Thinking Like a Disciplinarian

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Thinking Like a Disciplinarian

• Connecting to, exploring within,
• and across disciplines
• A GATE Best Practices Tune-Up

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Key Ideas

• Increases awareness of the discipline, thus
  adding depth and complexity to the subject matter
• Requires learning about the specialized
  vocabulary, tools and skills of each discipline
• Connects a students own interests and abilities
  to a subject and a discipline
• Allows the student to immerse self into the study
  of a discipline
• Creates a greater awareness of the contributions
  of the disciplines to the world

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Thinking Like a Scholar

• Disciplinary studies can begin with an
  examination of scholarly behavior
• Attributes of scholarly behavior can be
  identified and applied to accomplished people and
  the disciplines they represent
• Students can then make connections between
  themselves and the disciplinarian

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Connecting to a Discipline
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Exploring Within a Discipline

• Directed lessons can be given on disciplines as
  they relate to an area of study.
• Thinking Like an Historian
• Thinking Like a Geographer
• Thinking Like a Sociologist
• Thinking Like a Scientist
• Thinking Like a Mathematician

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A Differentiated Word Wall Can Be Developed
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Within Discipline Studies Can Be Even More
Specific

• Thinking Like A Scientist
• Chemist
• Geologist
• Biologist
• Botanist
• Naturalist
• Paleontologist

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Connecting Across Disciplines

• Once students have an understanding of the
  disciplines, they can look at an area of study
  from the various perspectives of different
  disciplines.
• The teacher can build this into the content
  planning.

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Student Ownership

• The goal is for the student to select a
  disciplinarian role to apply to their studies
• Opportunities can be provided through
• Learning Centers
• Role-playing
• Revisiting text through the eyes of a
  disciplinarian

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Thinking Like a Sociologist With a Fiction Story

• Discuss a fiction story the students have
  previously read using the following chart as the
  basis of revisiting the story

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• Use the completed chart as the basis to have
  students practice identifying the sociological
  concepts of dynamics, interactions, and roles.
  Lead discussions with these questions
• Which characters assumed a leader or follower
  role?
• How did the role of the character affect the
  interaction between them?
• How does the role of the character affect their
  problem or the major problem or conflict in the
  story?