You may have heard of the Kaplan model and possibly used it in the classroom so in this blog today I am going to outline a way I have easily used ‘Multiple perspectives’
Multiple Perspectives encourages students to think about a topic from various, specific points of view. This aspect of the Kaplan model adds complexity by asking students to look widely at how others may see a topic/question/issue rather than just depending their knowledge in one particular area.
In this task I asked a group of Year 2 students to show me the books they like to borrow from the library. After an enthusastic discussion we then looked at the front cover of these books and compared the types of books the boys and then the girls had borrowed.
We discovered that there were certain covers that boys would never borrow as was the same for girls.
So it was time to encourage the thinking tool of multiple perspectives.
Each child was asked to take home a book that they would have never picked up before – think a Rainbow Magic fairy book for a boy and a Zac Power for a girl – both covers are very stereotypical female/male.
At first all of the students protested and begrudgingly placed them in their bags but after a week there were some great responses:
- Some enjoyed the experience and actually enjoyed the books
- Others had better insight into why boys/girls read these types of books and why
- Discussion of how the publishers play a huge role in what we borrow
- Many would read that book series again
- Insight into what stereotypically boys and girls like to read as the discussion was together so children were able to discuss why they like these types of books.
Overall this was an excellent literacy activity to view writing and books from different perspectives, step outside of comfort zones and of course to have a robust and meaningful conversation.
Let me know if you give this a go!
Gifted Education Musings 