Synthesis and Evaluation

Day 5, Bloom's Taxonomy

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

              I was that kid who always asked why. Why is the sky blue? Why do radios work when I can’t see the music flying through the sky? Why do cats lick themselves? Why don’t humans lick themselves? Why are some people short and others tall? Why? Why? Why?

              Once I had children, my mom made sure I understood how crazy all my whys made her when I was younger. She purposely instigated my children to get them to ask why, and she’d tell them that they had to ask their mother. I was definitely getting what I had always given.

              One particular afternoon, my youngest asked to try one of my sunflower seeds that was still in the shell. I showed him how to crack the shell and then chew the tiny seed. We laughed about him turning into a bird since he was eating birdseed. Then out of nowhere, he asked, “Why do birds eat seeds, then sit on a limb, and poop on cars?” Before I could even answer, he asked another question. “Since I ate birdseed, am I gonna jump into trees and poop on yours and daddy’s windshield?”

              The idea of my kid sitting on a limb like a bird pooping cracked me up, but it also brought to mind the verse mentioned in Philippians. We are to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. If I want those good things to come out and be evident in my life, I need to regularly consume the right kind of seeds. If I ate too much of the wrong kind of seed, then before long I’d be sitting on my own limb pooping negativity on the cars of people I care about.

              How did I reach this conclusion? Through synthesis and evaluation. These two levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy require all the parts we’ve already learned to be put together into a brand new thread of thought. I need to not only know that impure things need to stay out of my mind,  but then I need to consider the consequences if they should be allowed in. What are the possibilities of damaging the faith of another person or leading them astray by my actions?

              As a teacher, this level of thought is the hardest one to get all students to reach, but it’s not impossible. Compile, construct, develop, invent, solve, discuss, explain, deduct, rate, evaluate, modify, improve, and elaborate are all great directions starters for helping your students reach the Synthesis and Evaluation levels. These are the levels where students show total mastery. They can critique and make judgment calls or teach the content entirely. Here are other examples of how to assess students at this level:

·       Which of the characters in the play would you most like to spend the day with and why?

·       Create an original character and decide how you would include this character into the story we just read.

·       Formulate a theory for your newly discovered knowledge on aquatic beetles.

·       Create a two to three step word problem that includes perimeter and division.

When students reach the place of creating based on knowledge, they have arrived. Or when students can teach another student a skill and along with the different methods and strategies, then they have arrived. Or when kids create brand new items based on the concepts they learned, they have arrived.

Do the Heart Work

1.      Which activities or assignments this week led students in your class to perform at the Synthesis and Evaluation levels?

2.      When planning lessons for the week, how often do you include higher level thinking and activities?

3.      In your spiritual life, what higher level thinking needs to take place on a consistent basis?

Digging Deeper

              In Proverbs 8, the reader is given an invitation to seek after wisdom. We should never settle for where we are, we should always be seeking more and more understanding.

              Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.

Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge.

Choose my instruction instead of silver,  knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs 8:1-11 (NIV)

If You Get Spare Time 

              Think about the different personalities and learning styles in your classroom. What are you doing to pique the curiosity of your naturally inquisitive kids? Would you be interested in mastering the content in the way that you are teaching your students? Would you be pushed to a higher level of learning and understanding if you were in your classroom? 

              Now think about your own personal walk with God; are you purposely diving deep and growing? Why or why not?