"Thinking maps provide a common language for teacher to use in culturally diverse classrooms to develop both the critical thinking and language needed to strengthen students' ability to construct meaning from text and to communicate their learning." (Cooper, 252)
Is it just me? Am I the only one who never used graphic organizers or "Thinking Maps" (with the exception of the traditional Venn Diagram) in my educational career? I do see how they can help students (especially spatial learners) with organizing their thoughts and such. But where in the Almighty Teaching Manual does it say we must use graphic organizers? I had never heard of this concept before last summer and it seems to be an increasingly popular trend for teachers. But what happens if a student doesn't benefit from these strategies? What if the graphic organizer is just busy work for students ready to write? On the flip side, I see how a teacher can use the "Thinking Maps" and graphic organizers for assessment, but shouldn't the written work be what is up for assessment?
I'm not off my soap box yet... What happened to the traditional outline? Was it replaced with cute bubbles and lines on a work sheet? For me, the outline is a clear, sequential layout in which to follow in the writing process. I cannot be the only one who finds outlines useful!
I'm not going to write off graphic organizers just yet, but it has gotten to a point where my students moan and grumble whenever they see one (and I haven't used them very often). Are we beating a dead horse by implementing these adorable layouts repeatedly?
PLEASE! Tell me I'm not the only one...
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I personally am a big fan of regular, sequential outlines. In fact, that's how I write notes I take, outlines I make, and even how I write my lesson plans. I think the best practice would be to allow students choice in how they organize their information. And I think that we can also differentiate to allow those who don't need the graphic organizers to move on when they're ready.
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