A Conceptual look at Conceptual Concepts...Conceptually.

The idea of conceptual units is among the most empowering theories/methods I have read to date. The concept itself allows the teacher a large range of motion, distancing him or herself from the typical daily constraints of curriculum standards and administrative pressures, instead focusing on a large sweeping conceptual emphasis for a unit of study. Within a unit, of course, a teacher still must construct daily lesson plans that meet the requirements placed upon them, but few outside sources can really manipulate or intrude on a teacher’s conceptual goals for his or her students over a long period of time. In Smagorinsky’s book, he describes a conceptual unit, saying “a conceptual unit of instruction dedicates a period of time- roughly four to six weeks of fifty minute classes or two to three weeks of ninety-minute classes- to sustained attention to a related set of ideas” (Smagorinsky, p. 111). Although I agree with this assessment, and I think running 3-6 week units based around an extending conceptual concept is essential, but I am especially excited about the idea of one consistent overarching conceptual unit/idea that can extend across the entire year of study. This would allow one main theme/goal to remain the continual focus of the course (the “sustained attention”), and all of the smaller conceptual units (3-6 week units of study) could unite underneath the existing overarching unit.

Lets say, for example, the concept of “identity” was a yearlong conceptual unit. I could then organize the rest of my units under this blanket concept. I could base my first unit then, around the genre of memoir (Smagorinsky, 120). Students could use their writer’s notebook to begin exploring memories and themes within their own lives, and use their self-reflective stories to examine their own definitions of the “self.” The next unit could focus around the theme of “culture,” where we could read poems or short stories in a whole class setting (along side the students’ continual chosen independent reading) to examine this theme and its relationship with the individual (Smagorinsky, p. 118). I could then continue with this organizational strategy throughout the year, positioning the smaller units within the centralized concept. I admit that my example is painfully under-developed, but I am writing off the cuff at this point. What I hope to show, however, is that conceptual concepts can have a positive presence that offers some fluidity and consistency to unite/organize/direct a students studying over a long period of time.