A synthesis of Kathy Brewster’s lesson on the Crusades (in the case study in Chapter 10) is shown below. Read the case study, and answer the questions that follow. 

1.  “We better get moving,” Susan urged Jim as they approached the door of Kathy Brewster’s classroom. “The bell is gonna ring, and you know how Brewster is about this class. She thinks it’s SO important.”

2.  “Did you finish your homework?” Jim asked and then stopped himself. “What am I talking about? You’ve done your home in every class since I first knew you.” 

3.  “I don’t mind it that much. . . . It bothers me when I don’t get something, and sometimes it’s even fun. My dad helps me. He says he wants to keep up with the world,” Susan responded with a laugh. 

4.  “In some classes, I just do enough to get a decent grade, but not in here,” Jim responded. “I used to hate history, but Brewster sorta makes you think. It’s actually interesting the way she’s always telling us about the way we are because of something that happened a zillion years ago. . . . I never thought about this stuff in that way before.”

5.  “Gee, Mrs. Brewster, that assignment was impossible,” Harvey grumbled as he walked in.

6.  “That’s good for you,” Kathy smiled back. “I know it was a tough assignment, but you need to be challenged. It’s hard for me, too, when I’m studying and trying to put together new ideas, but if I hang in, I feel like I can usually get it.”

7.  “Aw, c’mon, Mrs. Brewster. I thought you knew everything.”

8.  “I wish. I have to study every night to keep up with you people, and the harder I study, the smarter I get,” Kathy continued with a smile. “And, . . . I feel good about myself when I do.” 

9.  “But you make us work so hard,” Harvey continued in feigned complaint.

10.    “Yes, but look how good you’re getting at writing,” Kathy smiled again, pointing her finger at him. “I think you hit a personal best on your last one. You’re becoming a very good writer.”

11.    “Yeh, yeh, I know,” Harvey smiled on his way to his desk, “. . . and being good writers will help us in everything we do in life,” repeating a rationale the students continually hear from Kathy. 

12.    Kathy turned to Jennifer as she walked in, and said quietly, “I pulled your desk over here, Jenny,” motioning to a spot in the middle of the second row. “You’ve been a little quiet lately. . . . I almost considered calling your Mom, to see if everything’s okay,” and she touched Jennifer’s arm, motioning her to the spot.

13.    She finished taking roll and then pulled down a map in the front of the room. “Let’s look again at the map and review for a moment to see where we are. We began our discussion of the Crusades yesterday. What was significant about them? . . . Greg?”

14.    “You came in with pictures of Crusaders and asked us to imagine what it’d be like to be one of them. . . . Antonio said he didn’t think he’d like iron underwear,” Greg grinned as the rest of the class giggled.

15.    “All right, that’s true.” Kathy smiled back. “Now, how did we start the lesson? . . . Kim?”

16.    “. . .”

17.    “Remember, we started by imagining that we all left Lincoln High School and that it was taken over by people who believed that all extracurricular activities should be eliminated. We then asked what we should do about it. What did we decide we should do?”

18.    “We decided we’d talk to them . . . and try and change their minds,” Kim responded hesitantly.

19.    “Right. Exactly, Kim. Very good. We said that we would be on a ‘crusade’ to try to change their minds.

20.    “Now, what were the actual Crusades all about? . . . Selena?”

21.    “. . . The Christians wanted to get the Holy Land back from the Muslims.”

22.    “About when was this happening?”

23.    “I . . . I’m not sure.”

24.    “Look up at our time line.”

25.    “. . . Oh, yeah, about 1100,” Selena answered peering at the time line.

26.    “Good, and why did they want them back? . . . Becky?”

27.    “The . . . Holy Lands were important for the Christians. I suppose they just wanted them because of that.”

28.    “Yes. Good, Becky,” Kathy smiled. “Indeed, that was a factor. What else? . . . Anyone?”

29.    After surveying the class and seeing uncertainty on students’ faces, Kathy said, “You might not see what I’m driving at. . . . Let’s look at this,” and she then displayed a map that illustrated the extent of Muslim influence in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.

30.    “What do you see here? . . . Cynthia?”

31.    Cynthia scanned the map for several seconds and then said, “It looks like the Muslims are getting more and more territory.”

32.    “Yes, very good. So, what implication did this have for the Europeans?”

33.    “They probably were scared . . . like afraid the Muslims would take over their land,” Scott volunteered.

34.    “That’s a good thought, Scott,” Kathy responded. “They certainly were a military threat. In fact, the conflict that occurred in Bosnia in the mid-1990s was a modern-day reminder of the clash between Christians and Muslims. How else might they have been threatening?”

35.    “Maybe . . . economically,” Brad added. “You’re always telling us how economics rules the world.” 

36.    “Brilliant, Brad,” Kathy laughed. “Indeed, economics was a factor. In fact, this is a little ahead of where we are, but we’ll see that the military and economic threats of the Muslims, together with the religious issue, were also factors that led to Columbus’s voyage to the New World. . . . Think about that. The Muslims in 1000 A.D. have had an influence on us here today.”

37.    “Now,” Kathy said, “let’s get back on track. Why do we study the Crusades? Like, who cares, anyway? . . . Toni?”

38.    “They were important in Europe, . . . it affected its development in the Middle Ages, like fashion and war strategies, . . . all the way up to today. The Renaissance wouldn’t have been the same without them.”

39.    “Excellent, Toni! Very good analysis. Now, for today’s assignment, you were asked to write a paragraph answering the question, ‘Were the Crusades a success or a failure?’ You could take either position. We want to learn how to make and defend an argument, so the quality of your paragraph depends on how you defended your position, not on the position itself. Remember, this is a skill that goes way beyond a specific topic like the Crusades. This applies in everything we do.

40.    “So, let’s see how we made out. Go ahead. . . . Nikki?”

41.    “I said they were a failure. They didn’t . . .”

42.    “Wait a minute!” Joe interrupted. “How about the new fighting techniques they learned?”

43.    “Joe,” Kathy began firmly, “what is one of the principles we operate on in here?”

44.    “We don’t have to agree with someone . . . but we have to listen. . . . Sorry.”

45.    “Go on, Nikki,” Kathy continued.

46.    “That’s okay,” Nikki continued nodding to Joe. “It seemed to me that militarily, at least, they failed because the Europeans didn’t accomplish what they were after . . . to get the Holy Land back for Christianity,” Nikki said. “There were several Crusades, and after only one did they get sort of a foothold, and it only lasted a short time, like about 50 years, I think.”

47.    “Okay. That's good, Nikki,” Kathy responded. “You made your point 

and then supported it. That’s what I wanted you to do in your paragraph.”

48.    “Now, go ahead, Joe. You were making a point,” Kathy said, turning back to him.

49.    “I said they were a success because the Europeans learned new military strategies that they used on the Natives . . . here, in the Americas, and they were good at it. If it hadn’t been for the Crusades, they probably wouldn’t have learned the techniques, . . . at least not for a long time. Then, only the Japanese knew the attacking techniques the Crusaders learned when they went to the Middle East. It even changed our ideas about like guerrilla fighting.”

50.    “Also good, Joe,” Kathy responded, nodding. “This is exactly what we’re after. Nikki and Joe took opposite points of view in their paragraphs, but they each provided several details to support their positions. Again, we’re more concerned with the support you provide than the actual position you take.

51.    “Let’s look at one more,” she went on. “What was your position, Anita?”

52.    “I said they . . . were a success,” Anita responded. “Europe, you know, like Western Europe took a lot from their culture, their culture in the Middle East. Like, some of the spices we eat today first came to Europe then.”

53.    “Now isn’t that interesting!” Kathy waved energetically. “See, here’s another case where we see ourselves today finding a relationship to people who lived 1,000 or more years ago. That’s what history is all about.”

54.    “Brewster loves this stuff,” David whispered to Kelly, smiling slightly.

55.    “Yeah,” she replied. “History has never been my favorite subject, but some of this stuff is actually kind of neat.” 

56.    “Okay. One more,” Kathy continued, “and we’ll move on.”

57.    The class reviewed another example, and then Kathy told the students to revise their paragraphs in light of what they had discussed that day and to turn in a final product the following day. “Remember, think about what you’re doing when you make your revisions,” she emphasized. “Read your paragraph after you write it, and ask yourself, ‘do I actually have evidence here, or is it simply an opinion?’ . . . The more aware you are when you write, the better you work will be.” 

58.    When the period was nearly over, Kathy said, “Excuse me, but the bell is about to ring. Just a reminder, group presentations on the Renaissance are Wednesday and Thursday. You decide what groups will be on each day. For those who chose to write the paper on the Middle Ages, remember we agreed that they should be due next Friday.” 

Identify the variable in the model best illustrated by each of the following combinations of paragraphs. Remember, it is the combinations of the paragraphs. Do not focus on a single paragraph in each case (unless only a single paragraph is identified, as in Item 3 [paragraph 12]).

For example, paragraphs 6–8 best illustrate teacher modeling and enthusiasm.

Now, you identify the variable for the following combinations of paragraphs. Be sure to provide a rationale for your choice in each case. 

1.      1–11

2.      5–6

3.      12

4.      7–19

5.      22–25

6.      30–31 (Identify two different variables for these paragraphs.)

7.      37–38

8.      40–43

9.      50

10.    53–54

For paragraphs 1 through 11 the variable I identified is positive expectations/caring. Mrs. Brewster mentions in paragraph 6, "I know it was a tough assignment, but you need to be challenged". She holds high expectations for her students because she cares for them to succeed. Her student Harvey is a great example of Mrs. Kathy's expectations to do his best in order to be successful. In paragraphs 5 through 6 Mrs. Brewster demonstrates modeling and enthusiasm. She is modeling that if you work hard and continue studying you will be successful. Mrs. Kathy in paragraph 12 is showing care towards Jennifer. She wants her to excel in the classroom and by moving her desk she's showing that she will not give up on her to do her best. 

In continuation, paragraphs 7-19, Mrs. Brewster shows a positive learning climate in the classroom among her students. However, she does show involvement by calling on her students to recall what they've learned and the importance of it. Furthermore, paragraphs 22-25 do show mastery-oriented learning. The reason is that Mrs. Brewster is helping Selena give an answer. The expectation is what is being demonstrated in paragraphs 30-31. Mrs. Kathy is not rushing Cynthia to give an answer, she is giving her wait time. 

Furthermore, in paragraphs 37-38, the students show task comprehension. Mrs. Brewster is asking Toni why they study the Crusades, and he answers why it is essential to know. As stated in Chapter 11, "Task comprehension increases when learners see that what they're studying has practical applications" (Eggen, 2020, pg.478). In paragraphs 40-43, Mrs. Brewster shows order and safety. Mrs. Kathy wants to provide a safe learning environment and she reminds Joe what principles they operate in the classroom because he interrupted Nikki. The article emphasizes, "Creating an environment where students can flourish and learn to the best of their ability should be the ultimate goal for educators" (Magazine, 2023). 

In paragraph 50, Mrs. Brewster shows feedback toward her students. She makes it a point to respond to her students quickly and clarify anything during their learning process. "Feedback can help set a path for students, directing their attention to areas for growth and improvement, and connecting them with future learning opportunities" (Desrochers, et.al. Lastly, paragraphs 53-54, show modeling and enthusiasm. Mrs. Brewster shows how much she loves the subject of history and how she actively keeps her students engaged. She models to keep learning and studying will lead you to be successful. Mrs. Brewster is a great educator who models to be the best, actively has her students participating while giving effective feedback as well promoting a safe learning environment.