A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
There was so much discussed in this chapter I found it a little confusing. However, what I understood was very helpful. I think the biggest thing that I learned this week was the importance of objectives and the difference between objectives and educational goals. An educational goal is relatively broad, and is what educational and political leaders would like to see schools accomplish. Instructional objectives specify the kinds of observable and measurable student behaviors that make it possible for the educational goals to be achieved.
Another interesting thing I learned in this chapter is Blooms taxonomy. Taxonomy is an organizational scheme with categories arranged in hierarchical order. Blooms taxonomy consists of six hierarchical levels: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far
The text discusses direct instruction and its components: orientation, presentation, structured practice, guided practice, and independent practice. While observing a classroom, I watched the teacher give a math lesson. She was beginning a new skill. For the orientation, she gave an overview of the lesson (rounding numbers) and told the students what they needed to do to learn the material. She presented it by having them learn a rhyme. She then had the students sit at their desks while she went through a problem on the board, step by step. She went through several problems this way. She then asked for questions. After questions, she then passed out worksheets. She had a copy of the worksheet and used the overhead to go through several problems with the class. After working through the worksheet problems together, she had the students work on their own for about 20 minutes as she walked around and answered any questions that the students may have, or corrected any mistakes she saw.
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
This journal is a great way to organize ideas, such as the idea from the discussion last week about using a thought jar (see the next section). I have several ideas in my mind that I hope to get out in this blog in the next couple days. Using an online journal is helpful because I can share it with others. J
Comment on anything new and exciting you have learned from the discussion boards that you feel will help you in becoming a teacher.
One idea from last week’s discussion was the Thought Jar. Sometimes students will have a problem that they don’t want to talk about, but that is on their mind that they need to get out. The person suggested having the students write down their thoughts and put them in a jar on the teacher’s desk, to be read only by the teacher. It can be anonymous. This way, the student is getting their thoughts out and is then able to work, and the teacher can understand more about the students and where they are coming from. I think this is a great idea. I know that I have times when I am in class and my head is just not in it because my thoughts are running like crazy. This is a great way for the students to “talk” to the teacher without the other students getting involved or possibly even overhearing. This is definitely an idea I will be implementing in my classroom.
The question for this week is: Find another school district's website (this will be your third) outside of your hometown and/or Springfield (or the city you live in). Make sure that this school district is in a different state. Copy and paste (or type) the link into your blog. Answer the following questions about the school district in your blog:
http://www.uniontown.k12.pa.us/
Would you want to teach in this particular school district?
Absolutely! I love what I saw on this site!
What makes this school district stand out from others that you found on the Internet?
The way they have their educational goals and objectives laid out is a great idea and helps those families of the district know what their children will be learning. They also lay out the goals and objectives for students that need alternate objectives due to cognitive problems. The district also has special education meetings throughout the school year.
Are there specific features that this school district has to offer that you hadn't thought of before? What are they? If not, what would you like?
The special education meetings held throughout the year as support to the families is a great feature of this district. I personally, as a parent of two special needs children, and as a teacher, would benefit greatly from the feature.
Would you ever consider applying for a job at this school district? Why or why not?
Yes, I would consider applying for a job with this school district. It seems very well organized. It seems very family friendly and it lays out the rules and expectations of both the students, families and the teachers.
Based on what we've learned so far in this class, how does this school district measure up?
I think this school district measures up very well to what we have learned so far. I look forward to seeing more on this school.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Week 10: Constructivist Learning Theory, Problem Solving, and Transfer
The question for this week is: Find another school district's website (this will be your second one) outside of your hometown and/or Springfield (or the city you live in). Make sure that this school district is in a different town and/or state. Copy and paste the link into your blog. Answer the following questions about the school district in your blog:
Link: http://www.neola.com/marion-wv/
Would you want to teach in this particular school district? Would you ever consider applying for a job at this school district? Why or why not?
I think so. It is a school near where we are moving in December, and looks to be very well organized. Of course, it is something I will want to look into and see about observing or volunteering before I decide to apply. I would want to see in person how the school district actually performs, instead of reading about it on a website, because even though they seem to be well organized on paper, that may not be the case within the school.
What makes this school district stand out from others that you found on the Internet?
So far, the amount of parental involvement they encourage within their school district really stands out. I believe that parental involvement is not as strong as it used to be and it is something that needs to be addressed in the schools.
Are there specific features that this school district has to offer that you hadn't thought of before? What are they? If not, what would you like?
One thing I am noticing that West Virginia does, that other states I have been in do not, is the mandatory multicultural education. I am finding that this is also very important, especially in younger children, to correct what they may have been taught that is untrue, and help educate multicultural equality.
Based on what we've learned so far in this class, how does this school district measure up?
This school seems to measure up fairly well with what we have learned in class so far. IT is definitely a district I want to look deeper into. They encourage multicultural and special needs education. I see a little bit on staff development. Their rules are very straight forward as are the consequences of rules that are broken.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
This week’s topic was constructivism, which is the ideas that meaningful learning occurs when people actively try to make sense of the world by filtering new ideas and experiences through existing knowledge structures…to put it simply, the book says it is the active creation of knowledge structures from personal experience.
The thing that really interests me is the facets of constructivism as well as two variations of the constructivist theme. The following is taken from the textbook, Psychology Applied to Teaching, 12th edition, Snowman,McCowen, and Biehler.
Facets of Constructivism:
1. To constructivists, meaningful learning is the active creation of knowledge structures from personal experience. Construction of ideas is strongly influenced by student's prior knowledge.
2. The essence of one person's knowledge can never be totally transferred to another person because knowledge is the result of a personal interpretation of experience, which is influenced by such factors as the learner's age, gender, race, ethnic background, and knowledge base. When knowledge is transferred from one person to another, some aspects of it are "lost in translation."
3. Even though knowledge is personal, people often agree about what is true. Individuals make observations, test hypotheses, and draw conclusions that are largely consistent with one another. Truth is in the mind of the beholder.
4. Additions to, deletions from, or modifications of individuals' knowledge structures come mainly from the sharing of multiple perspectives. Systematic, open-minded discussions and debates are instrumental in helping individuals create personal views. Students need to be provided with conditions that allow them to share and discuss multiple perspectives on information and experiences.
Two Variations on a Constructivist Theme
Cognitive Constructivism emphasizes role of cognitive processes in meaningful learning. This comes from Piaget’s idea that it is the natural result of an intrinsic drive to resolve inconsistencies and contradictions. It focuses on the cognitive processes that take place within individuals. In other words, an individual's conception of the truth of some matter is based on her ability, with guidance, to assimilate information effectively into existing schemes and develop new schemes and operations in response to novel or discrepant ideas.
Social constructivism emphasizes role of culture and social interaction in meaningful learning. Students are encouraged to engage in open-ended discussion with peers and teachers about such things as the meaning of terms and procedures, the relationships among ideas, and the applicability of knowledge to specific contexts. This is often referred to as negotiating meaning.
The other thing in the chapter that caught my attention was the problem solving steps. They are as followed and is also from the text:
Step 1: Realize that a problem exists. Problem finding depends on curiosity and dissatisfaction with status quo.
Step 2: Understand the nature of the problem. This may be the most critical step of the problem-solving process. Problem framing depends on knowledge of subject matter and familiarity with problem types.
Step 3: Compile Relevant Information.
Step 4: Formulate and Carry out a solution.
a. Study worked examples. Obvious solution strategies are the ones most often overlooked. It is a very effective solution strategy.
b. Work a simpler version of the problem, then transfer the process to a harder problem.
c. Break the problem into parts.
d. Work backwards when the goal is clear but the beginning state is not.
e. Backward fading. A procedure that helps students develop problem-solving capability by reasoning from the solution back to first steps.
f. Solve an analogous problem. Solve a similar problem and then apply the same method.
g. Create an external representation of the problem.
Step 5: Evaluate the solution. Evaluate the solution to well-structured problems by estimating or checking.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
The text discussed three conditions that foster constructivism. Cognitive apprenticeship is when a teacher models a cognitive process that students are to learn and then gradually turns the responsibility for executing the process over to students as they become more skilled. An example in my family would me showing my boys how to load and unload the dishwasher. For awhile, I will put the dishes away with the boys, then I gradually let them put them away on their own, but with me standing there to monitor where they put them or so they can ask me where the dishes go. Then, I will have them unload the dishwasher on a daily basis by themselves, but I’m close by so they can come to me and ask questions or so I can remind them where they go. The next condition is called situated learning and it is where students are given learning tasks set in a context in which students must solve a meaningful problem by using a variety of skills and information. This idea has two purposes: one, learning is more likely to be meaningful if it is in a realistic context. Two, Students fail to use what they learned earlier to solve either real-life problems or other school-related problems because they don’t see any relationship between the two. The third condition is multiple perspectives which also has two purposes: life’s problems are multifaceted and the knowledge base of experts is a network of interrelated ideas…meaning, there are many sides to life’s problems and that even the experts base their knowledge off of what they have learned from others. For instance, this week, I have been dealing with a problem, so I have sought the advice of several friends to see what they think, and I have taken their advice and am using it to think about a solution. I am using their knowledge to determine my problem’s solution.
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
Each idea is building on a previous idea, which is drilling the previous idea into my memory. It is actually helping to start clarify some concepts. I am loving this. I’d like to try to implement the same strategy in my classroom. With each new concept they learn, let it build off of a previous learned concept. It’s ideas like this that I am able to write in this journal and keep track of.
Link: http://www.neola.com/marion-wv/
Would you want to teach in this particular school district? Would you ever consider applying for a job at this school district? Why or why not?
I think so. It is a school near where we are moving in December, and looks to be very well organized. Of course, it is something I will want to look into and see about observing or volunteering before I decide to apply. I would want to see in person how the school district actually performs, instead of reading about it on a website, because even though they seem to be well organized on paper, that may not be the case within the school.
What makes this school district stand out from others that you found on the Internet?
So far, the amount of parental involvement they encourage within their school district really stands out. I believe that parental involvement is not as strong as it used to be and it is something that needs to be addressed in the schools.
Are there specific features that this school district has to offer that you hadn't thought of before? What are they? If not, what would you like?
One thing I am noticing that West Virginia does, that other states I have been in do not, is the mandatory multicultural education. I am finding that this is also very important, especially in younger children, to correct what they may have been taught that is untrue, and help educate multicultural equality.
Based on what we've learned so far in this class, how does this school district measure up?
This school seems to measure up fairly well with what we have learned in class so far. IT is definitely a district I want to look deeper into. They encourage multicultural and special needs education. I see a little bit on staff development. Their rules are very straight forward as are the consequences of rules that are broken.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
This week’s topic was constructivism, which is the ideas that meaningful learning occurs when people actively try to make sense of the world by filtering new ideas and experiences through existing knowledge structures…to put it simply, the book says it is the active creation of knowledge structures from personal experience.
The thing that really interests me is the facets of constructivism as well as two variations of the constructivist theme. The following is taken from the textbook, Psychology Applied to Teaching, 12th edition, Snowman,McCowen, and Biehler.
Facets of Constructivism:
1. To constructivists, meaningful learning is the active creation of knowledge structures from personal experience. Construction of ideas is strongly influenced by student's prior knowledge.
2. The essence of one person's knowledge can never be totally transferred to another person because knowledge is the result of a personal interpretation of experience, which is influenced by such factors as the learner's age, gender, race, ethnic background, and knowledge base. When knowledge is transferred from one person to another, some aspects of it are "lost in translation."
3. Even though knowledge is personal, people often agree about what is true. Individuals make observations, test hypotheses, and draw conclusions that are largely consistent with one another. Truth is in the mind of the beholder.
4. Additions to, deletions from, or modifications of individuals' knowledge structures come mainly from the sharing of multiple perspectives. Systematic, open-minded discussions and debates are instrumental in helping individuals create personal views. Students need to be provided with conditions that allow them to share and discuss multiple perspectives on information and experiences.
Two Variations on a Constructivist Theme
Cognitive Constructivism emphasizes role of cognitive processes in meaningful learning. This comes from Piaget’s idea that it is the natural result of an intrinsic drive to resolve inconsistencies and contradictions. It focuses on the cognitive processes that take place within individuals. In other words, an individual's conception of the truth of some matter is based on her ability, with guidance, to assimilate information effectively into existing schemes and develop new schemes and operations in response to novel or discrepant ideas.
Social constructivism emphasizes role of culture and social interaction in meaningful learning. Students are encouraged to engage in open-ended discussion with peers and teachers about such things as the meaning of terms and procedures, the relationships among ideas, and the applicability of knowledge to specific contexts. This is often referred to as negotiating meaning.
The other thing in the chapter that caught my attention was the problem solving steps. They are as followed and is also from the text:
Step 1: Realize that a problem exists. Problem finding depends on curiosity and dissatisfaction with status quo.
Step 2: Understand the nature of the problem. This may be the most critical step of the problem-solving process. Problem framing depends on knowledge of subject matter and familiarity with problem types.
Step 3: Compile Relevant Information.
Step 4: Formulate and Carry out a solution.
a. Study worked examples. Obvious solution strategies are the ones most often overlooked. It is a very effective solution strategy.
b. Work a simpler version of the problem, then transfer the process to a harder problem.
c. Break the problem into parts.
d. Work backwards when the goal is clear but the beginning state is not.
e. Backward fading. A procedure that helps students develop problem-solving capability by reasoning from the solution back to first steps.
f. Solve an analogous problem. Solve a similar problem and then apply the same method.
g. Create an external representation of the problem.
Step 5: Evaluate the solution. Evaluate the solution to well-structured problems by estimating or checking.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
The text discussed three conditions that foster constructivism. Cognitive apprenticeship is when a teacher models a cognitive process that students are to learn and then gradually turns the responsibility for executing the process over to students as they become more skilled. An example in my family would me showing my boys how to load and unload the dishwasher. For awhile, I will put the dishes away with the boys, then I gradually let them put them away on their own, but with me standing there to monitor where they put them or so they can ask me where the dishes go. Then, I will have them unload the dishwasher on a daily basis by themselves, but I’m close by so they can come to me and ask questions or so I can remind them where they go. The next condition is called situated learning and it is where students are given learning tasks set in a context in which students must solve a meaningful problem by using a variety of skills and information. This idea has two purposes: one, learning is more likely to be meaningful if it is in a realistic context. Two, Students fail to use what they learned earlier to solve either real-life problems or other school-related problems because they don’t see any relationship between the two. The third condition is multiple perspectives which also has two purposes: life’s problems are multifaceted and the knowledge base of experts is a network of interrelated ideas…meaning, there are many sides to life’s problems and that even the experts base their knowledge off of what they have learned from others. For instance, this week, I have been dealing with a problem, so I have sought the advice of several friends to see what they think, and I have taken their advice and am using it to think about a solution. I am using their knowledge to determine my problem’s solution.
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
Each idea is building on a previous idea, which is drilling the previous idea into my memory. It is actually helping to start clarify some concepts. I am loving this. I’d like to try to implement the same strategy in my classroom. With each new concept they learn, let it build off of a previous learned concept. It’s ideas like this that I am able to write in this journal and keep track of.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Week 9: Social Cognitive Theory
The question for this week is: Find a school district's website outside of your hometown and/or Springfield (or the city you reside in). Copy and paste (or type) the link into your blog. Answer the following questions about the school district in your blog:
http://boe.mono.k12.wv.us/
Would you want to teach in this particular school district?
Yes. They have a shortage of teachers, and seem to be very well organized
What makes this school district stand out from others that you found on the Internet?
So far, nothing extra ordinary, other than they actually list what the expectations of employment.
Are there specific features that this school district has to offer that you hadn't thought of before? What are they? If not, what would you like?
Mandatory staff development days implemented in the school calendar. Staff development is a high priority for the schools in this county.
Would you ever consider applying for a job at this school district? Why or why not?
Yes I would. First of all, because I am moving to this school district or just outside of it within the next few months. Secondly, I agree with their priority of staff development. It should be an ongoing process and will keep the teachers current.
Based on what we've learned so far in this class, how does this school district measure up?
In regards to diversity, the school system seems to measure up with what we learned in this class. It accepts and encourages a wide range of diversity. They have programs in place for special education as well as ethnic awareness. http://boe.mono.k12.wv.us/Policies/pdf/8-%2029.pdf
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
Learning tactics and strategies were an interesting part of this week’s chapter. There are two categories of learning tactics: memory-directed and comprehension-directed. Rehearsal and mnemonic devices are examples of memory-directed learning tactics. Self-questioning, note taking and concept mapping are examples of comprehension-directed learning tactics. There are six components to learning strategies: metacognition, analysis, planning, implementation of the plan, monitoring of progress and modification.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
With my sons, I have found that the best way for them to learn something that I am trying to teach them, is by modeling it. If I have a specific behavior I want them to learn, I need to show them that behavior. If I have a particular task I want them to learn, for example, unloading the dishwasher, I need to show them how to unload it, and where the dishes go.
Another example would be my youngest son trying to ride a skateboard. He began by watching his friends ride a skateboard. Then, he slowly asked to borrow it, and tried to copy their movements. Now, he can ride the skateboard without being shown what to do, and is now trying to learn a few easy tricks. (while mom hides her eyes of course)
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
Each week, we learn a new concept; a concept that builds off of the previous week’s idea. Last week we talked about information processing and the different types of memories. This week we talked about learning strategies (mnemonic devices, modeling) and how by using those strategies, we are placing what we have learned into our memories. Keeping a journal is helping me tie all the concepts together, as well as keep track of ideas that I find in the text and through discussions.
http://boe.mono.k12.wv.us/
Would you want to teach in this particular school district?
Yes. They have a shortage of teachers, and seem to be very well organized
What makes this school district stand out from others that you found on the Internet?
So far, nothing extra ordinary, other than they actually list what the expectations of employment.
Are there specific features that this school district has to offer that you hadn't thought of before? What are they? If not, what would you like?
Mandatory staff development days implemented in the school calendar. Staff development is a high priority for the schools in this county.
Would you ever consider applying for a job at this school district? Why or why not?
Yes I would. First of all, because I am moving to this school district or just outside of it within the next few months. Secondly, I agree with their priority of staff development. It should be an ongoing process and will keep the teachers current.
Based on what we've learned so far in this class, how does this school district measure up?
In regards to diversity, the school system seems to measure up with what we learned in this class. It accepts and encourages a wide range of diversity. They have programs in place for special education as well as ethnic awareness. http://boe.mono.k12.wv.us/Policies/pdf/8-%2029.pdf
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
Learning tactics and strategies were an interesting part of this week’s chapter. There are two categories of learning tactics: memory-directed and comprehension-directed. Rehearsal and mnemonic devices are examples of memory-directed learning tactics. Self-questioning, note taking and concept mapping are examples of comprehension-directed learning tactics. There are six components to learning strategies: metacognition, analysis, planning, implementation of the plan, monitoring of progress and modification.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
With my sons, I have found that the best way for them to learn something that I am trying to teach them, is by modeling it. If I have a specific behavior I want them to learn, I need to show them that behavior. If I have a particular task I want them to learn, for example, unloading the dishwasher, I need to show them how to unload it, and where the dishes go.
Another example would be my youngest son trying to ride a skateboard. He began by watching his friends ride a skateboard. Then, he slowly asked to borrow it, and tried to copy their movements. Now, he can ride the skateboard without being shown what to do, and is now trying to learn a few easy tricks. (while mom hides her eyes of course)
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
Each week, we learn a new concept; a concept that builds off of the previous week’s idea. Last week we talked about information processing and the different types of memories. This week we talked about learning strategies (mnemonic devices, modeling) and how by using those strategies, we are placing what we have learned into our memories. Keeping a journal is helping me tie all the concepts together, as well as keep track of ideas that I find in the text and through discussions.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Week 8: Information-Processing Theory
The question for this week is: What are some specific techniques that you would like to incorporate into your teaching based on information processing? Why do you think these techniques will work?
I would like to incorporate visual stimulation and memory aids. I would also like to incorporate peer tutoring. Visual stimulation will help students remember something by associating a picture with a concept. Memory aids will help students associate a concept with a rhyme or technique. An example of this is a “Rounding Rap” that I observed in a fourth grade class.
Mark the place, Look to the right.
Four or less are out of sight.
Five and up will buy one more
Before they too are out the door.
In those empty right-hand spaces,
Zeros keep the proper places.
It is a short little rhyme that helps the students remember the rules for rounding. When the students began their individual seat work, you could hear them saying the rap to themselves, and even now, several weeks later, they still remember the concept, even after having moved on to another concept.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
Information-processing is an interesting topic. Understanding how people learn new information, how the information is stored and recalled from memory and how what they already know guides and determines what and how they will learn is what information-processing is all about. Our text says that information is processed in steps or stages, there are limits on how much information can be processed at one time even though the amount of information we can learn is limitless, and information processing is interactive. We have three memory stores; sensory register, short-term store, and long term store. Sensory register is the first memory store, and holds briefly, for possible processing, all environmental stimuli. Once information has been attended to, it is switched from sensory register to short term memory. STM can hold about seven bits of information for about 20 seconds. Long Term Memory (LTM) is unlimited and contains a permanent record of everything a person has learned.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
The best example I can think of is the rounding rap that I observed a teacher use in her fourth grade class. My son just told me he used this in his class, and still remembers it.
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize any ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
This journal is giving me a great place to “Store” my ideas for each chapter of this class. So far, we have talked about psychosocial and cognitive development, age-level characteristics, student differences (intelligences), cultural and socioeconomic diversity, student variability (ability grouping, special education), behavioral learning (operant conditioning) and now information-processing (memory). Each topic is building on the previous concept, and putting it all together is fun.
A summary about the education blog that you have chosen.
He introduced me to a new source to help teach by using videos. For example, the video he used was teaching about the dynamics of flying. He used a video from Teachertube. It looks like a great site, one I look forward to looking into more. Technology is becoming a huge part of teaching, and there are just places (such as an airport) you can not take your students to as a field trip. This site helps with that issue. It brings the field trip to you and the class.
I would like to incorporate visual stimulation and memory aids. I would also like to incorporate peer tutoring. Visual stimulation will help students remember something by associating a picture with a concept. Memory aids will help students associate a concept with a rhyme or technique. An example of this is a “Rounding Rap” that I observed in a fourth grade class.
Mark the place, Look to the right.
Four or less are out of sight.
Five and up will buy one more
Before they too are out the door.
In those empty right-hand spaces,
Zeros keep the proper places.
It is a short little rhyme that helps the students remember the rules for rounding. When the students began their individual seat work, you could hear them saying the rap to themselves, and even now, several weeks later, they still remember the concept, even after having moved on to another concept.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
Information-processing is an interesting topic. Understanding how people learn new information, how the information is stored and recalled from memory and how what they already know guides and determines what and how they will learn is what information-processing is all about. Our text says that information is processed in steps or stages, there are limits on how much information can be processed at one time even though the amount of information we can learn is limitless, and information processing is interactive. We have three memory stores; sensory register, short-term store, and long term store. Sensory register is the first memory store, and holds briefly, for possible processing, all environmental stimuli. Once information has been attended to, it is switched from sensory register to short term memory. STM can hold about seven bits of information for about 20 seconds. Long Term Memory (LTM) is unlimited and contains a permanent record of everything a person has learned.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
The best example I can think of is the rounding rap that I observed a teacher use in her fourth grade class. My son just told me he used this in his class, and still remembers it.
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize any ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
This journal is giving me a great place to “Store” my ideas for each chapter of this class. So far, we have talked about psychosocial and cognitive development, age-level characteristics, student differences (intelligences), cultural and socioeconomic diversity, student variability (ability grouping, special education), behavioral learning (operant conditioning) and now information-processing (memory). Each topic is building on the previous concept, and putting it all together is fun.
A summary about the education blog that you have chosen.
He introduced me to a new source to help teach by using videos. For example, the video he used was teaching about the dynamics of flying. He used a video from Teachertube. It looks like a great site, one I look forward to looking into more. Technology is becoming a huge part of teaching, and there are just places (such as an airport) you can not take your students to as a field trip. This site helps with that issue. It brings the field trip to you and the class.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Week 7: Behavioral Learning Theory: Operant Conditioning
The question for this week is: Looking at both positive (PR) and negative reinforcement (NR), think about how you remember these being used when you were going to school. Write those examples down.
I don’t remember much about my time in school. I do remember being in kindergarten and on my birthday, I decided not to do my school work as I should have. So I had to miss my recess time and stay inside to complete my work again. I remember my teacher being very disappointed in me, and letting me know that she knew that I had not done my best work and that she was disappointed in my rushing, but she still cared about me and because of that, she was having me redo it. Having her approval meant a lot to me, and because I didn’t want to disappoint her again, I never rushed through and I always did my best.
How will you use positive and negative reinforcement in your "classroom" when you become a teacher? Give examples of PR and NR as related to your "classroom" in the future - relate these examples to concepts that you can remember.
Positive reinforcement will be a large part of my classroom. I do like the use of food for positive reinforcement, as this encourages eating when not hungry. I would use more items such as stickers, or buttons, or “money” as rewards, as well as praise. After a certain amount of time, they would be able to use those stickers, etc. to “purchase” items (such as from the dollar store) and occasionally, maybe through in a pass of some sort, such as a free period to read or use the computer. Negative reinforcement I will have to think about.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
This was an interesting chapter, as each of them have been thus far. But this one really intrigued me. The topic this week was operant conditioning, which is a voluntary response that is strengthened or weakened by consequences that follow an action. This theory is from B. F. Skinner. He thinks that many of the voluntary responses of animals and humans are strengthened when they are reinforced or weakened when they are ignored or punished (p. 221 of the text). Skinner believed that psychology was a natural science. I learned the difference between Positive reinforcement (PR), Negative Reinforcement (NR), and punishment. Positive reinforcement strengthens a target behavior by presenting a positive reinforcer after the behavior occurs. Positive does not mean pleasant, it means to add a stimulus. An example would be, someone who completes their assignment on time would get a sticker. Negative reinforcement is strengthening a target behavior by removing an “aversive stimulus” after the behavior occurs. An example the book gives is a child picks up his toys to stop his parents’ nagging. I love that example. Punishment is weakening a target behavior by presenting an aversive stimulus after the behavior occurs. There are three types of punishment. Type I or presentation punishment is presenting an aversive stimulus such as scolding or paddling. Type II or removal punishment is removing a positive enforcer after the behavior occurs. An example is time-out. A third is called extinction, and is when a previously reinforced behavior decreases in frequency and eventual stops altogether. Example I love is a mom ignoring a whining child.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
A life experience is my seven year old son talking like a baby or whining. I told him that I do not understand baby talk and will ignore him until he talks correctly.
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize any ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
The deeper we get into this class, the more ideas I am finding. This class is not only preparing me for my classroom, but helping me understand my children as well. Understanding the different kinds of reinforcements was an eye opener in a sense, as I have struggled with keeping positive reinforcement the primary approach.
A summary about the education blog that you have chosen.
There are a few things that popped out at me this week on my educational blog. The first was his mentioning the new U.S. Citizenship exam. He asked how we thought our students would do on this new exam. Well, I personally feel that we need to have our students take this exam, maybe in the high school grades. There is so much on there that I know I don’t know. I think I will take it myself to see where I stand. The second thing that popped out was an article, Teachers to Curriculum Creators: Give Us the Real World.
He mentioned that a percentage of the teachers wanted more real world connections in their curriculum. I would have to agree. Many people wonder why they need a particular subject, and with real world connections, they would see why they need it. I am really enjoying reading this blog. He brings a lot of technology to his classroom ideas and really makes us think.
I don’t remember much about my time in school. I do remember being in kindergarten and on my birthday, I decided not to do my school work as I should have. So I had to miss my recess time and stay inside to complete my work again. I remember my teacher being very disappointed in me, and letting me know that she knew that I had not done my best work and that she was disappointed in my rushing, but she still cared about me and because of that, she was having me redo it. Having her approval meant a lot to me, and because I didn’t want to disappoint her again, I never rushed through and I always did my best.
How will you use positive and negative reinforcement in your "classroom" when you become a teacher? Give examples of PR and NR as related to your "classroom" in the future - relate these examples to concepts that you can remember.
Positive reinforcement will be a large part of my classroom. I do like the use of food for positive reinforcement, as this encourages eating when not hungry. I would use more items such as stickers, or buttons, or “money” as rewards, as well as praise. After a certain amount of time, they would be able to use those stickers, etc. to “purchase” items (such as from the dollar store) and occasionally, maybe through in a pass of some sort, such as a free period to read or use the computer. Negative reinforcement I will have to think about.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
This was an interesting chapter, as each of them have been thus far. But this one really intrigued me. The topic this week was operant conditioning, which is a voluntary response that is strengthened or weakened by consequences that follow an action. This theory is from B. F. Skinner. He thinks that many of the voluntary responses of animals and humans are strengthened when they are reinforced or weakened when they are ignored or punished (p. 221 of the text). Skinner believed that psychology was a natural science. I learned the difference between Positive reinforcement (PR), Negative Reinforcement (NR), and punishment. Positive reinforcement strengthens a target behavior by presenting a positive reinforcer after the behavior occurs. Positive does not mean pleasant, it means to add a stimulus. An example would be, someone who completes their assignment on time would get a sticker. Negative reinforcement is strengthening a target behavior by removing an “aversive stimulus” after the behavior occurs. An example the book gives is a child picks up his toys to stop his parents’ nagging. I love that example. Punishment is weakening a target behavior by presenting an aversive stimulus after the behavior occurs. There are three types of punishment. Type I or presentation punishment is presenting an aversive stimulus such as scolding or paddling. Type II or removal punishment is removing a positive enforcer after the behavior occurs. An example is time-out. A third is called extinction, and is when a previously reinforced behavior decreases in frequency and eventual stops altogether. Example I love is a mom ignoring a whining child.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
A life experience is my seven year old son talking like a baby or whining. I told him that I do not understand baby talk and will ignore him until he talks correctly.
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize any ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
The deeper we get into this class, the more ideas I am finding. This class is not only preparing me for my classroom, but helping me understand my children as well. Understanding the different kinds of reinforcements was an eye opener in a sense, as I have struggled with keeping positive reinforcement the primary approach.
A summary about the education blog that you have chosen.
There are a few things that popped out at me this week on my educational blog. The first was his mentioning the new U.S. Citizenship exam. He asked how we thought our students would do on this new exam. Well, I personally feel that we need to have our students take this exam, maybe in the high school grades. There is so much on there that I know I don’t know. I think I will take it myself to see where I stand. The second thing that popped out was an article, Teachers to Curriculum Creators: Give Us the Real World.
He mentioned that a percentage of the teachers wanted more real world connections in their curriculum. I would have to agree. Many people wonder why they need a particular subject, and with real world connections, they would see why they need it. I am really enjoying reading this blog. He brings a lot of technology to his classroom ideas and really makes us think.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Week 6: Accomodating Student Variety
The question for this week is: When looking at ability-grouped classrooms, how do you feel about this issue? Is this a technique that you would use in your "classroom"? Would it be beneficial - why or why not? Are there any parts of ability grouping that could be modified to work in your "classroom"? How?
Ability groups have good and bad points, as does most anything we look at. I think though, it needs to be looked at from your class perspective. Will using ability groups help or hurt your class? Maybe using the ability groups at the beginning of the year could help you get a better idea of what will help your students excel. As the year progresses, maybe you can make new groups and mix the abilities. I think if a teacher solely relies on ability groups, he/she may become more complacent, and not want to help the lower abilities to strive for achievement as he/she would a higher ability group. Also, if you are going to use ability groups for math/reading, why not all the subjects? Every student excels in different subjects, therefore there are going to be some students that just don’t understand it. Should you not have an ability group for all subjects? That is something to think about.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
I learned a lot of IDEA, what it does, the history of the law, and how it can help students. Defining mental retardation, emotional disturbances, learning disabilities, has helped me understand what to look for in my future classroom. One thing I noticed that each category needs is, first, patience. They also need to be helped to learn social skills in most cases, help with dealing with frustration, and made to feel as if they are accomplishing something. Social skills can be taught by something as simple as assigning them a buddy in class to help them. Frustration can be dealt with by breaking up their assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks. And Everyone needs to made to feel important, and reminded that they have accomplished something. There are times, whether you have a disability or not, that you just feel like you haven’t accomplished anything. Sometimes it takes something as simple as a checkmark on a list to see accomplishment.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
This was a difficult but informative chapter for me to read. I have two boys, and both of them are special needs students. My oldest has an emotional disturbance, a learning disability as well as a physical disability. My youngest has a learning disability as well as an emotional disturbance. While reading the section about emotional disturbances, my eyes were opened. First, I learned that my youngest is an externalizing student: aggressive, restless, negative, defiant, lies, steals and malicious. My oldest is an internalizing student: shy, anxious, fearful, often depressed, and lacks self-confidence. Both need help breaking down assignments into manageable tasks. Both need reminders (now) on social skills. Fortunately, both of my boys have had teachers thus far that were compassionate and willing to work with them in a regular classroom. They help with social skills, and encourage them and praise them for efforts and achievements. The text book states that “teachers tend to be more aware of students who display aggressive disorders because their behavior often stimulates or forces reactions. The withdrawn student, however, may be more likely to develop serious emotional problems such as depression and may even be at risk of suicide during the adolescent years.” This is very true. In the case of my oldest, we did not realize how bad the problem was until he just couldn’t take it anymore. He tried several times to hurt himself, he stopped caring about anything and constantly put himself in harms way. Unfortunately, the doctor that was treating him for his ADHD did not see it either, and we ended up having to spend several days with him in the hospital for evaluations, new medicines and then a new doctor that actually cared about him. He is now doing so much better. More social, loves school, but he also has times when he starts slipping back into his timid, anxious person. We just encourage him to do his best, reassure him, and help him get through it.
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize any ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
This journal has been great about helping me keep track of ideas I want to use in my classroom. This week’s idea: I love the idea of using assignment boards in the classroom for each child. I know for me personally, when I get my assignments for the week, I list them on a sheet of paper so I will know what I have to do. If it is a long assignment (such as this journal), I will then break it down into further sections. As I finish each one, I check them off so I can see what I have accomplished and what still needs to be done. If I get a sense of satisfaction knowing what I have done, imagine how a young child would feel, seeing everything she/he has accomplished.
A summary about the education blog that you have chosen.
There is a wonderful link to a video on Youtube about Failure. I would highly recommend watching it. I would also recommend having teachers use it in high school classes. It is titled, Failure is a Good Thing. This is a great discussion opener. The blogger also added a great video as a follow up.
Today, he shared a section on Suggested Reading, and included an article called “Cover the material- or teach students to think”. It suggests that textbooks are a summary of what others believe, but do not teach the children to think for themselves and form their own ideas about things. I think this is very interesting, and had never thought about it in that way, but could honestly see how this could be true. I think I may have to dig a little deeper into this topic.
Ability groups have good and bad points, as does most anything we look at. I think though, it needs to be looked at from your class perspective. Will using ability groups help or hurt your class? Maybe using the ability groups at the beginning of the year could help you get a better idea of what will help your students excel. As the year progresses, maybe you can make new groups and mix the abilities. I think if a teacher solely relies on ability groups, he/she may become more complacent, and not want to help the lower abilities to strive for achievement as he/she would a higher ability group. Also, if you are going to use ability groups for math/reading, why not all the subjects? Every student excels in different subjects, therefore there are going to be some students that just don’t understand it. Should you not have an ability group for all subjects? That is something to think about.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
I learned a lot of IDEA, what it does, the history of the law, and how it can help students. Defining mental retardation, emotional disturbances, learning disabilities, has helped me understand what to look for in my future classroom. One thing I noticed that each category needs is, first, patience. They also need to be helped to learn social skills in most cases, help with dealing with frustration, and made to feel as if they are accomplishing something. Social skills can be taught by something as simple as assigning them a buddy in class to help them. Frustration can be dealt with by breaking up their assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks. And Everyone needs to made to feel important, and reminded that they have accomplished something. There are times, whether you have a disability or not, that you just feel like you haven’t accomplished anything. Sometimes it takes something as simple as a checkmark on a list to see accomplishment.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
This was a difficult but informative chapter for me to read. I have two boys, and both of them are special needs students. My oldest has an emotional disturbance, a learning disability as well as a physical disability. My youngest has a learning disability as well as an emotional disturbance. While reading the section about emotional disturbances, my eyes were opened. First, I learned that my youngest is an externalizing student: aggressive, restless, negative, defiant, lies, steals and malicious. My oldest is an internalizing student: shy, anxious, fearful, often depressed, and lacks self-confidence. Both need help breaking down assignments into manageable tasks. Both need reminders (now) on social skills. Fortunately, both of my boys have had teachers thus far that were compassionate and willing to work with them in a regular classroom. They help with social skills, and encourage them and praise them for efforts and achievements. The text book states that “teachers tend to be more aware of students who display aggressive disorders because their behavior often stimulates or forces reactions. The withdrawn student, however, may be more likely to develop serious emotional problems such as depression and may even be at risk of suicide during the adolescent years.” This is very true. In the case of my oldest, we did not realize how bad the problem was until he just couldn’t take it anymore. He tried several times to hurt himself, he stopped caring about anything and constantly put himself in harms way. Unfortunately, the doctor that was treating him for his ADHD did not see it either, and we ended up having to spend several days with him in the hospital for evaluations, new medicines and then a new doctor that actually cared about him. He is now doing so much better. More social, loves school, but he also has times when he starts slipping back into his timid, anxious person. We just encourage him to do his best, reassure him, and help him get through it.
Describe how keeping this journal has helped you organize any ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
This journal has been great about helping me keep track of ideas I want to use in my classroom. This week’s idea: I love the idea of using assignment boards in the classroom for each child. I know for me personally, when I get my assignments for the week, I list them on a sheet of paper so I will know what I have to do. If it is a long assignment (such as this journal), I will then break it down into further sections. As I finish each one, I check them off so I can see what I have accomplished and what still needs to be done. If I get a sense of satisfaction knowing what I have done, imagine how a young child would feel, seeing everything she/he has accomplished.
A summary about the education blog that you have chosen.
There is a wonderful link to a video on Youtube about Failure. I would highly recommend watching it. I would also recommend having teachers use it in high school classes. It is titled, Failure is a Good Thing. This is a great discussion opener. The blogger also added a great video as a follow up.
Today, he shared a section on Suggested Reading, and included an article called “Cover the material- or teach students to think”. It suggests that textbooks are a summary of what others believe, but do not teach the children to think for themselves and form their own ideas about things. I think this is very interesting, and had never thought about it in that way, but could honestly see how this could be true. I think I may have to dig a little deeper into this topic.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Education Idea: Character
This week, I ran across a website. www.charactercounts.org This is a wonderful site and tool for teachers. After looking further, I realized, this is the same program my kids had in their school last year. It is wonderful. I plan to send the site to my sons' current principal, share it with my observing teacher for another class, as well as use it in my classroom when I teach. There are a lot of resources that apply to my psychology class as well; resources to help teachers with ethnically diverse classrooms. What a great idea!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Week 5: Addressing Cultural and Socioeconomic Diversity
The question for this week is: How will you become an effective multicultural teacher? What teaching methods will you use to guarantee you are effective with your students?
I believe that being an effective multicultural teacher is no different than being an effective teacher. To be an effective teacher, you have to look at your students, take into account how they learn, how they typically behave and plan accordingly. Whether your students are from different ethnic backgrounds or low or middle income families, you need to take into account their needs as well as the needs of the rest of the students in your class. I’m not saying that you need to grant them special favors, such as reducing the amount of homework. But you do need to take into consideration where they will be able to find the resources for an assignment. IF you have an assignment requiring computer research, have the class use the computer lab during a specific time (or two). If it requires special supplies, have supplies in the classroom, and allow students to work on the assignment during free time, or another time that you set aside during the day. The goal is to try not to single individual students out. If a student needs extra help with something, such as English, take time to help that student, whether before/after school, or other times through out the day. If a lesson is taken from the view of one ethnicity, maybe we as a class can look deeper into how other ethnicities influenced the situation. I, as a teacher, do not want to be ethnocentric. I want to teach my students that everyone is equal.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
I learned from reading the chapter that there are several ways to help my students accept the diverseness of our world. I can use technology to help educate my students about other cultures. I can teleconference with other classrooms, whether they are from another part of our country, or another part of the world. I can have my students work on group projects with another classroom (also from another country/state/city). I also learned that there are several ways to deal with bilingual education. There is total transition into the language, where you rapidly shift to the new language. There is a maintenance program, where you try to maintain or improve the student’s native language. There is a two-way bilingual program, where part of the time you use one language, part of the time you use another language. I can try to have a bilingual student teach us, as a classroom, some of their language and use it in the classroom. Peer tutoring is another way to help a bilingual student adjust to a new language.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
In high school, I had a family move in across the street from me, from Columbia, South America. To help this family (students) adjust, they paired them up with other students fluent in Spanish, to help them in the classroom. They also taught English as a Second Language classes during their study hall or before/after school.
We would have culture days in various classes, to show us how various cultures lived and learned in each subject. It was a tremendous help for us to know how people lived outside our little community.
Describe if keeping this journal has helped you organize any ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
This journal is great in helping me organize my ideas for teaching. Figuring out what kind of teacher I want to be, how I want to handle various situations, what learning styles I want to use, or can keep in the back of my mind for various needs, this journal is helping me keep track of it all.
A summary of the educational blog you have chosen.
For my educational blog, I've chosen this blog: http://clifmims.com/blog/
He seems very interesting, and really shows how to incorporate technology with teaching. In his blog, he has a section called, 1Thing. It features a different person each time, and it is One thing new teachers should know. I think this is a great thing, for new and old teachers. This week, the guest blogger talked about planning. She said to over plan. Plan to have a successful year. Plan to have a great relationship with the parents. Plan your classroom management. Plan your expectations for your class. It is a great idea and definitely one that i will take to heart. I am a planner, but I guess it hasn't occurred to me that I can plan "to have a successful year and great relationships." It is a great idea, and one that I plan (haha) to take full advantage of. I look forward to reading more and learning more from this blogger.
Comment on anything new and exciting you have learned from the discussion boards that you feel will help you in becoming a teacher.
"Those students who are not as fortunate as others still deserve the same chance as everyone else."
This comment was made today on the discussion board, and it really made me think. Every student, every person, deserve the same chance to succeed. Whether a person is of a different ethnicity, or from a different social class, everyone deserve the chance to succeed in life. How we, as teachers, make that happen is up to us. We can either help them, by giving the extra help that they need, or we can fail them by just letting them getting away with excuses. Using ethnicity and circumstances as an excuse is just that, an excuse. Our situations make us stronger. We can either give in to our situations, and just be normal. Or we can use our situations to make us stronger, and greater. Which type of teacher do I want to be? A teacher that helps my students become better and stronger? Or one that lets my students get by with excuses?
I believe that being an effective multicultural teacher is no different than being an effective teacher. To be an effective teacher, you have to look at your students, take into account how they learn, how they typically behave and plan accordingly. Whether your students are from different ethnic backgrounds or low or middle income families, you need to take into account their needs as well as the needs of the rest of the students in your class. I’m not saying that you need to grant them special favors, such as reducing the amount of homework. But you do need to take into consideration where they will be able to find the resources for an assignment. IF you have an assignment requiring computer research, have the class use the computer lab during a specific time (or two). If it requires special supplies, have supplies in the classroom, and allow students to work on the assignment during free time, or another time that you set aside during the day. The goal is to try not to single individual students out. If a student needs extra help with something, such as English, take time to help that student, whether before/after school, or other times through out the day. If a lesson is taken from the view of one ethnicity, maybe we as a class can look deeper into how other ethnicities influenced the situation. I, as a teacher, do not want to be ethnocentric. I want to teach my students that everyone is equal.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
I learned from reading the chapter that there are several ways to help my students accept the diverseness of our world. I can use technology to help educate my students about other cultures. I can teleconference with other classrooms, whether they are from another part of our country, or another part of the world. I can have my students work on group projects with another classroom (also from another country/state/city). I also learned that there are several ways to deal with bilingual education. There is total transition into the language, where you rapidly shift to the new language. There is a maintenance program, where you try to maintain or improve the student’s native language. There is a two-way bilingual program, where part of the time you use one language, part of the time you use another language. I can try to have a bilingual student teach us, as a classroom, some of their language and use it in the classroom. Peer tutoring is another way to help a bilingual student adjust to a new language.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
In high school, I had a family move in across the street from me, from Columbia, South America. To help this family (students) adjust, they paired them up with other students fluent in Spanish, to help them in the classroom. They also taught English as a Second Language classes during their study hall or before/after school.
We would have culture days in various classes, to show us how various cultures lived and learned in each subject. It was a tremendous help for us to know how people lived outside our little community.
Describe if keeping this journal has helped you organize any ideas for teaching; come up with new ideas; etc.
This journal is great in helping me organize my ideas for teaching. Figuring out what kind of teacher I want to be, how I want to handle various situations, what learning styles I want to use, or can keep in the back of my mind for various needs, this journal is helping me keep track of it all.
A summary of the educational blog you have chosen.
For my educational blog, I've chosen this blog: http://clifmims.com/blog/
He seems very interesting, and really shows how to incorporate technology with teaching. In his blog, he has a section called, 1Thing. It features a different person each time, and it is One thing new teachers should know. I think this is a great thing, for new and old teachers. This week, the guest blogger talked about planning. She said to over plan. Plan to have a successful year. Plan to have a great relationship with the parents. Plan your classroom management. Plan your expectations for your class. It is a great idea and definitely one that i will take to heart. I am a planner, but I guess it hasn't occurred to me that I can plan "to have a successful year and great relationships." It is a great idea, and one that I plan (haha) to take full advantage of. I look forward to reading more and learning more from this blogger.
Comment on anything new and exciting you have learned from the discussion boards that you feel will help you in becoming a teacher.
"Those students who are not as fortunate as others still deserve the same chance as everyone else."
This comment was made today on the discussion board, and it really made me think. Every student, every person, deserve the same chance to succeed. Whether a person is of a different ethnicity, or from a different social class, everyone deserve the chance to succeed in life. How we, as teachers, make that happen is up to us. We can either help them, by giving the extra help that they need, or we can fail them by just letting them getting away with excuses. Using ethnicity and circumstances as an excuse is just that, an excuse. Our situations make us stronger. We can either give in to our situations, and just be normal. Or we can use our situations to make us stronger, and greater. Which type of teacher do I want to be? A teacher that helps my students become better and stronger? Or one that lets my students get by with excuses?
Friday, September 19, 2008
Spicebrush Swallowtail
Today while outside, we saw something orange crawling on a paint bucket. Knowing that my oldest son loves anything to do with critters, we looked into it. It was the wierdest colored caterpillar I'd ever seen. It looked like it had eyes on it. Well, I put it in a jar, and waited 'til he got home. When we looked at it again, it had already begun to spin it's crystalis. We googles it, and discovered it is a spicebrush swallowtail. I can't get a picture of the one we have, but I found a picture of it online. It is a beautiful bug. Here is what the site we found it on says about it.
"This is a Spicebrush Swallowtail. They feed on spicebrush, sweet bay, sassafrass and other trees. It becomes a beautiful black butterfly with green markings."
Week 4: Understanding Student Differences
The question for this week is: We have looked at the different theorist, the age-level characteristics, and now student differences. Putting these concepts together, how is your "classroom" being built in your mind?
Having discussed the theories of various psychologists, this gives me an idea of the different how the different age groups think and how their brain is working. The age-level characteristics give me an idea of a particular age groups capabilities. The student differences, learning styles, gives me an idea of different ways to teach a particular topic. Putting these together, I have a better understanding of how I can teach my elementary classroom in the most effective way.
Are you beginning to form an idea of how you might want it to look? What does it look like?
I am beginning to see that the most effective way to teach my elementary class is to take into account that they are striving to feel industrious, meaning that they want to feel like what they are doing is producing results. They want to be productive. By knowing this, I can praise them for any effort they give in their tasks. I can encourage them to persevere. I can help my students feel productive by taking into their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive characteristics. Physically, I know that boys tend to do better with sports while girls tend to do better in flexibility and balance. Socially, I know that peer groups are becoming increasingly important. Emotionally, self-image is developing in a more global way. They are increasingly aware of others instead of just themselves. Cognitively, they are beginning to think more logically but need help in more complex memorization. By knowing these characteristics, I can use the various learning styles to help them learn.
What other information do you need before you start instructing?
I think that I need to learn about how the various cultures and ethnicities would affect my classroom. I also think that to be a better teacher, I need to know how different student abilities will affect my classroom. For instance, how will a student with a learning disorder or a physical disability affect my teaching? How will a student from another country or background affect my teaching?
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
I learned that there are various theories on intelligence. However, I think my favorite one is Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory. He described 8 intelligences: logical-mathematical, linguistic, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. Using a variety of these intelligences in a lesson would help each student understand a lesson in different ways.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
In learning about learning styles this week, I have been paying more attention to how I learn as well as how my kids learn. We took a learning styles test this week for class, and I discovered that I am a solitary, aural, and logical learner. This means that I learn better alone, musically, and thinking. J I find these are very accurate, as I do learn better by doing things on my own. I love having to think about how to answer something and enjoy doing activities that require thinking. And I LOVE music. Listening to music while I work is even better. I tend to perform better while listening to music. My oldest son is a very social, physical, logical learner. He thinks things out, but loves working in groups, and if it is hands-on, all the better. He loves nature and that fits in perfectly with the hands-on approach.
Comment on anything new and exciting you have learned from the discussion boards that you feel will help you in becoming a teacher.
A good point was brought up in a discussion this week, on how a lot of times, it seems as if someone’s learning styles reflect a person’s personality. I had never really thought about this, but I feel it is something to look into. For example, I am a solitary learner. If I have a solitary learner in my classroom, I can do small group (2-3 students) projects to strengthen that student’s social learning. My son is a physical learner and I can encourage him to work visually.
Describe why you think keeping this blog/journal will help you with teaching.
With each chapter we discuss, I am able to connect the dots or in this case, concepts together. This is helping me understand how my students will think, what they are capable of, and how I can help them learn within their capabilities and helping them expand those capabilities. This is also helping me realize that there are differences between the students, and that I can make slight adjustments to my teaching style to help my students learn in the best way for them.
I am loving this class. It is very helpful in understanding what my students will be like, but it is also helpful in me understanding my own children.
Having discussed the theories of various psychologists, this gives me an idea of the different how the different age groups think and how their brain is working. The age-level characteristics give me an idea of a particular age groups capabilities. The student differences, learning styles, gives me an idea of different ways to teach a particular topic. Putting these together, I have a better understanding of how I can teach my elementary classroom in the most effective way.
Are you beginning to form an idea of how you might want it to look? What does it look like?
I am beginning to see that the most effective way to teach my elementary class is to take into account that they are striving to feel industrious, meaning that they want to feel like what they are doing is producing results. They want to be productive. By knowing this, I can praise them for any effort they give in their tasks. I can encourage them to persevere. I can help my students feel productive by taking into their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive characteristics. Physically, I know that boys tend to do better with sports while girls tend to do better in flexibility and balance. Socially, I know that peer groups are becoming increasingly important. Emotionally, self-image is developing in a more global way. They are increasingly aware of others instead of just themselves. Cognitively, they are beginning to think more logically but need help in more complex memorization. By knowing these characteristics, I can use the various learning styles to help them learn.
What other information do you need before you start instructing?
I think that I need to learn about how the various cultures and ethnicities would affect my classroom. I also think that to be a better teacher, I need to know how different student abilities will affect my classroom. For instance, how will a student with a learning disorder or a physical disability affect my teaching? How will a student from another country or background affect my teaching?
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
I learned that there are various theories on intelligence. However, I think my favorite one is Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory. He described 8 intelligences: logical-mathematical, linguistic, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. Using a variety of these intelligences in a lesson would help each student understand a lesson in different ways.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
In learning about learning styles this week, I have been paying more attention to how I learn as well as how my kids learn. We took a learning styles test this week for class, and I discovered that I am a solitary, aural, and logical learner. This means that I learn better alone, musically, and thinking. J I find these are very accurate, as I do learn better by doing things on my own. I love having to think about how to answer something and enjoy doing activities that require thinking. And I LOVE music. Listening to music while I work is even better. I tend to perform better while listening to music. My oldest son is a very social, physical, logical learner. He thinks things out, but loves working in groups, and if it is hands-on, all the better. He loves nature and that fits in perfectly with the hands-on approach.
Comment on anything new and exciting you have learned from the discussion boards that you feel will help you in becoming a teacher.
A good point was brought up in a discussion this week, on how a lot of times, it seems as if someone’s learning styles reflect a person’s personality. I had never really thought about this, but I feel it is something to look into. For example, I am a solitary learner. If I have a solitary learner in my classroom, I can do small group (2-3 students) projects to strengthen that student’s social learning. My son is a physical learner and I can encourage him to work visually.
Describe why you think keeping this blog/journal will help you with teaching.
With each chapter we discuss, I am able to connect the dots or in this case, concepts together. This is helping me understand how my students will think, what they are capable of, and how I can help them learn within their capabilities and helping them expand those capabilities. This is also helping me realize that there are differences between the students, and that I can make slight adjustments to my teaching style to help my students learn in the best way for them.
I am loving this class. It is very helpful in understanding what my students will be like, but it is also helpful in me understanding my own children.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Week 3: Age-level Characteristics
I want to apologize for the jumbled-ness of this entry. For some reason, i can not use my enter key on this blog right now, and I can't get any separation between my topics.
Question of the Week: Based on the grade level that you will be teaching, how do the age-level characteristics for your age group help you to better understand your grade level? I want to teach fourth grade, which falls under the elementary level. The characteristics of this grade level help me understand where a fourth grader student should be physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively. For example, physically small differences in motor skill performances are apparent. Boys do better than girls in tasks that invovle kicking, throwing, catching, etc. while girls do better than boys in tasks requiring flexibility, balance and rhythmic movements. Knowing the general characteristics helps me set goals for the children to perform where they should be and beyond. Knowing the age-level characteristics and theories that we learned in Chapter 2, how do you think this will help you become a better teacher? Knowing the age-level characteristics and theories from Chapter 2, will help me become a better teacher by knowing within what limits and what ways children learn best. For example, Erikson's theory says that a fourth grade student would be in the industry vs. inferiority stage. This means that as a nine year old, they are eager to learn and perform, seeking recognition. They want to be industrious. This means as a teacher, I should praise the child for their efforts. Piaget's theory says that the fourth grade student would be in the concrete operational stage, meaning that they solve problems based on past experiences and are more hands on. Using these theories in conjunction with the characteristics in Chapter 3, I know that fourth graders can think logically, but not consistently. I need to use real, tangible ideas such as maps or the internet when presenting an idea so they can experience the concept, not just be told about it. I also know that when it comes to memorization, I need to initially break larger items into small groups, and gradually make those groups more complex. I can set the more complex tasks into categories and give them a lot of practice. Summary: There was a wealth of information in this chapter and for me, the information in Chapter 3 cleared up Chapter 2. I could not really understand what each theorist meant until I read what a child is capable of doing in each developmental stage. Once I put two and two together, I was able to see how I could apply the theories into teaching, not just in the level I want to teach, but for all levels. The physcial characteristics change quickly in each level due to physical growth and later on, puberty. Social characteristics quickly go from being egocentric to peer oriented. The emotional characteristics start out as being very free and uninhibited to being very inhibited, which can lead to psychiatric disorders such as depression. Cognitively, the preschool children begin by overestimating their abilities and their thinking is limited to their experiences. By high school, they are very capable of engaging in formal thought, although they sometimes choose not to use it. Comparison: Reading vs. Experience Once again, I have to use an example from my own kids. Peer groups are becoming more meaningful to them. I have a fourth grader and a second grader. My fourth grader and I used to be very close. We would talk about everything in his life, and he would be less concerned about what his friends thought. Now, we are beginning to talk less and friends are becoming very important to him. Because he has a disability, he is also very concerned with how others see him, and has a very low self-esteem. We are trying to encourage him that being different doesn't have to hold him back, it can make him accomplish things that others can't. We praise him for his efforts. Comment on anything exciting I have learned from the discussion boards that will help in becoming a teacher. We talked a little about technology in the classroom and one person made the suggestion of using discussion boards with a class, similar to blackboard. I think this is a great suggestion, as there are students that do not interact in class because they are scared or self-conscious. I know that I was one of those students. Using a discussion board would give those students an opportunity to participate in a discussion, without the feeling of "everyone looking at me" or being self-conscious. Describe why this journal will help me with teaching: I am really enjoying this journal, as it is really helping me not only note the things I am learning in class, but in some ways even help clarify things I am learning in class. It is helping me understand how I am learning, and hopefully, when I start teaching, it will help me understand how my students learn as well.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Week 2: Theories of Psychosocial and Cognitive Development
The question for this week is: Looking at Erikson, Piaget, Kohler, Vygotsky, and Gilligan, which theorist associates most with the grade level you will be teaching and how? Please tell what level you will be teach along with what subject. Also, let me know how you believe the theory could be applied to the use of technology at your grade level.
Right now, I am torn between working in elementary or special education. As I am leaning more toward the elementary field, I'll use that for my answer. I feel that Erikson is the "best" theorist for this age group. I want to work with third and fourth graders, and that puts them in the "Industry vs Inferiority" stage. The text stated that "if they are encouraged to make and do things, well, helped to persevere, allowed to finish tasks, and praised for trying, industry results. If the children's efforts are unsuccessful or if they are treated as bothersome, feelings of inferiority result." This statement is so true, in that at this age, they are eager to learn. They want approval, to know that they are doing right. They want to know that they are important. To brush a child's questions aside because you, the teacher, are busy, that makes the child feel inferior, and if done enough, the child will not want to learn, because he feels he whatever he learns isn't important.
Using this theory in technology in the classroom will be interesting. Giving the students a chance to use the computer by themselves, especially if they know more about computers that you do, will be both frustrating and rewarding. We will have to learn from them at times how to do something. Also, it will be a great tool for them to learn more about how things are done in other cultures. I would like to try to find another class in the same grade level in another state, or even country, to let the students link with, and find out more about how they learn, what they learn, and what their life is like. I think technology can be a great tool, if used correctly.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
I am the mother of a fourth grader. I have seen this principle come forth in his life. This doesn't apply just to education, as far as being in a school, but also at home. For example, over the last few months, we have had some very difficult financial problems with my husband losing his job, and then after several months, finding one at a fraction of what he was making before. Over the summer, S (my son) would ask me if they could go somewhere or go do something, usually involving money. I had to tell him no, because we could not afford it. Over time, he stopped asking. Over the last two weeks, fliers have been coming home from school about a father-son camp out sponsored by the PTA. Knowing how much he enjoys spending time with his dad, he still did not ask to go. Last night, I asked him why he hasn't asked, and he said that he didn't want to ask because he knew the answer would be no, because we don't have the money. I quickly informed him that in this case, because it did not involve money, and because it was promoting father-son time, he would be allowed to go if he wanted to. When he heard the reply, he was happy, and excited and felt important, because we made it a point to show that he is important. Never in anyway do i want to make my son, or my future students, feel inferior. Praise their efforts, even if they aren't doing something right, find something to praise them for. There is always something you can encourage them on, even if it is just for them trying.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
Right now, I am torn between working in elementary or special education. As I am leaning more toward the elementary field, I'll use that for my answer. I feel that Erikson is the "best" theorist for this age group. I want to work with third and fourth graders, and that puts them in the "Industry vs Inferiority" stage. The text stated that "if they are encouraged to make and do things, well, helped to persevere, allowed to finish tasks, and praised for trying, industry results. If the children's efforts are unsuccessful or if they are treated as bothersome, feelings of inferiority result." This statement is so true, in that at this age, they are eager to learn. They want approval, to know that they are doing right. They want to know that they are important. To brush a child's questions aside because you, the teacher, are busy, that makes the child feel inferior, and if done enough, the child will not want to learn, because he feels he whatever he learns isn't important.
Using this theory in technology in the classroom will be interesting. Giving the students a chance to use the computer by themselves, especially if they know more about computers that you do, will be both frustrating and rewarding. We will have to learn from them at times how to do something. Also, it will be a great tool for them to learn more about how things are done in other cultures. I would like to try to find another class in the same grade level in another state, or even country, to let the students link with, and find out more about how they learn, what they learn, and what their life is like. I think technology can be a great tool, if used correctly.
Compare what you have learned from the reading with what you have experienced in life so far.
I am the mother of a fourth grader. I have seen this principle come forth in his life. This doesn't apply just to education, as far as being in a school, but also at home. For example, over the last few months, we have had some very difficult financial problems with my husband losing his job, and then after several months, finding one at a fraction of what he was making before. Over the summer, S (my son) would ask me if they could go somewhere or go do something, usually involving money. I had to tell him no, because we could not afford it. Over time, he stopped asking. Over the last two weeks, fliers have been coming home from school about a father-son camp out sponsored by the PTA. Knowing how much he enjoys spending time with his dad, he still did not ask to go. Last night, I asked him why he hasn't asked, and he said that he didn't want to ask because he knew the answer would be no, because we don't have the money. I quickly informed him that in this case, because it did not involve money, and because it was promoting father-son time, he would be allowed to go if he wanted to. When he heard the reply, he was happy, and excited and felt important, because we made it a point to show that he is important. Never in anyway do i want to make my son, or my future students, feel inferior. Praise their efforts, even if they aren't doing something right, find something to praise them for. There is always something you can encourage them on, even if it is just for them trying.
A summary of what you have learned from the chapter readings.
In my readings this week, I learned about the theories of Erikson, Piaget and other psychologists. Erikson believed that people play an active role in their own psychological development. He said there are 8 stages of psychological development. Trust versus Mistrust is from birth to one year and is where infants learn if their world is safe and dependable or not. Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt is from 2 to 3 years or preschoolers. It is about encouraging toddlers to do what they are capable of doing, at their own pace and in their own way, with adult supervision of course. Initiative versus guilt is next and is 4 and 5 year old, or preschool to kindergarten. This is the time when questions abound, and as long as their questions are encouraged or answered, they will continue to learn. If they are not, then they will start feeling guilty about learning things on their own. Industry versus inferiority is the fourth stage and is from 6 to 11 years of age, or elementary to middle school. This is the stage where intellectual curiosity takes place. They need to be encouraged to do things, persevere, finish tasks, and more praise than you ever thought possible. If they are treated as bothersome for trying to learn something by asking questions, they will feel inferior. They need to be able to take pride in doing at least one thing really well and not to feel like they will never excel. The fifth stage is Identity versus role confusion and is 12 to 18 year old or middle through high school. This is one of the most important stages as it is a development of the roles and skills that prepare adolescents to take a meaningful place in adult society. Having no clear concept of appropriate types of behavior that others will react to favorably leads to role confusion. They need to know who they are. Intimacy versus isolation takes place in young adulthood. Young adults in this stage need to establish close and committed, intimate relationships and partnerships with other people. Middle age brings generativity versus stagnation. Generativity is establishing and guiding the next generation. This means having kids, raising them. Those unable or unwilling to "establish" and "guide" the next generation will be stagnant or deal with self-absorption. The final stage is integrity versus despair and occurs in old age. Integrity is the accepting the only life you have to live, and there are no substitutions. Despair is the feeling that time is too short and you aren't able to attempt to start another life and try alternate roads to integrity. Piaget assumed people inherit two basic tendencies: organization and adaptation. He believed that these two tendencies governed both physiological and mental functioning. He had for stages of development. Sensorimotor stage is during infancy and toddlerhood. Up until the age of 2, children acquire understanding primarily through sensory impressions and motor activities. Preoperational stage is preschool and primary grades. He believed in this stage that children form many new schemes but do not think logically. He said that children center on mastery of symbols (words). He believed that symbols are derived from mental imitation and involved both visual images and bodily sensation. The third stage is for elementary to early middle school children, and is called concrete operational stage. A child is capable of mentally reversing actions, but generalizes only from concrete experiences. The final stage is called the formal operational stage and is from middle school and beyond. Basically, a child is able to deal with abstract ideas, form hypotheses, and engage in mental manipulations. Vysotsky parents and schools shape children's thought processes to reflect what the culture values. He believed that cognitive development is influenced by those more intellectually advanced.
Comment on anything new and exciting you have learned from the discussion boards that you feel will help you in becoming a teacher. After reading the discussion board, and there were a lot of good discussions, I have to say that it is a good idea to incorporate more than one theorist into your teaching. I can relate to the scaffolding technique discussed on the boards, where a child learns by observing those older than he is. I can see that technique between my two kids. I also believe that you can combine Piaget and Erikson's teachings, especially in the special education field. Students can be in the "correct" stage in one theorists developmental stage, but be in a lower or higher stage in another theorist. I observed that in my own kids, as well as the kids i observed this past week for another class.
Describe why you think keeping this blog/journal will help you with teaching. This blog has been excellent in helping me plot my teaching plan for my future class. It is allowing me to think about the approach I want to take (which theorist to use) as well as the type of teacher i want to be (reflecting on past teachers i have encountered, good or bad.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Week 1: Reflection
Question: How do you see the idea of reflection being important to you becoming a teacher?
I want to do what is best for my students, so i want to constantly observe and analyze all aspects of my/my students' actions. I want to continue using the things that help my students and change the things that are not helping. The only way I can see the changes that need to be made is to reflect. I want to be able to talk with other colleagues to find out what has helped them in various situations.
The idea of keeping a journal is great and something that i know will tremendously help me in my teaching career. As i already keep a journal, I can already see the advantages of keeping one for teaching as well. It will help me with looking at where i am in my teaching style. I will be able to look back and see progress, if any and make adjustments.
The main idea from the this chapter that i learned was about research. Not all research is accurate. Many times a report is released prematurely , or doesn't accurately depict all aspects of an area. People are quick to try something new, only to find late on that it doesn't work as well as they had thought it would. They find themselves caught up in a "fad". This tells me that i need to look closely at all research that comes out, so as to not be caught in something that is incomplete.
Discussion Board Comments
This week, as we reflected on past teachers we've encountered, whether our own or our children's, I have gotten a good look at a variety of types of teachers. I've noted "lazy", entertaining, strict, best friends, and a combination of all of the above. I think that each of us has been drawn to the teaching field because of something a teacher has or has not done. This week's discussion has shown me things that i want to make sure i do as a teacher (watch for those children struggling and help them) and those things i don't want to do as a teacher (give busy work and be unyielding).
Comparison
Today, as i was speaking with my sons' principal about an assignment i have for another class, he brought up an issue that my son has. We have a meeting set up next Tuesday to implement his 504 plan. The principal made the comment that he has been researching my son's condition. He said he has noted several items from the research and is very interested in helping my son. The fact that he is researching this condition and is eager to learn about it and how he can help Sean has impressed me greatly. The principal wants to find other ways to help Sean, and not just implement the same plan as before. In the three years he's been in public school, no one has researched his disorder, or wanted to do more than the minimum to help him. I pray that i take the same approach as this principal with my own students.
I want to do what is best for my students, so i want to constantly observe and analyze all aspects of my/my students' actions. I want to continue using the things that help my students and change the things that are not helping. The only way I can see the changes that need to be made is to reflect. I want to be able to talk with other colleagues to find out what has helped them in various situations.
The idea of keeping a journal is great and something that i know will tremendously help me in my teaching career. As i already keep a journal, I can already see the advantages of keeping one for teaching as well. It will help me with looking at where i am in my teaching style. I will be able to look back and see progress, if any and make adjustments.
The main idea from the this chapter that i learned was about research. Not all research is accurate. Many times a report is released prematurely , or doesn't accurately depict all aspects of an area. People are quick to try something new, only to find late on that it doesn't work as well as they had thought it would. They find themselves caught up in a "fad". This tells me that i need to look closely at all research that comes out, so as to not be caught in something that is incomplete.
Discussion Board Comments
This week, as we reflected on past teachers we've encountered, whether our own or our children's, I have gotten a good look at a variety of types of teachers. I've noted "lazy", entertaining, strict, best friends, and a combination of all of the above. I think that each of us has been drawn to the teaching field because of something a teacher has or has not done. This week's discussion has shown me things that i want to make sure i do as a teacher (watch for those children struggling and help them) and those things i don't want to do as a teacher (give busy work and be unyielding).
Comparison
Today, as i was speaking with my sons' principal about an assignment i have for another class, he brought up an issue that my son has. We have a meeting set up next Tuesday to implement his 504 plan. The principal made the comment that he has been researching my son's condition. He said he has noted several items from the research and is very interested in helping my son. The fact that he is researching this condition and is eager to learn about it and how he can help Sean has impressed me greatly. The principal wants to find other ways to help Sean, and not just implement the same plan as before. In the three years he's been in public school, no one has researched his disorder, or wanted to do more than the minimum to help him. I pray that i take the same approach as this principal with my own students.
Monday, August 25, 2008
OTC training
I just started my education degree classes at OTC last week. One of them requires a blog. So here it is.
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