What?
My personal theory of learning is related to that of constructivism. I do believe that students do their best learning when they are able to recall on past experience to learn new information. Students are also more prone to learn through assistance of a more skilled individual to help them learn new skills. Students who are more likely to be at higher risk need extra assistance to reassure them they are worth the education, and that it does matter if they do not attend my class. I was a troubled teen at one point in my education. It was not a lack of parental support, i was just a rebellious teenager who thought they knew everything. I stooped going to school when I was a junior in high school. I do not recall any teachers who contacted my parents or made any effort to see why I was not attending. It was not until my senior year of school that i returned to a different high school. Teachers were very caring and took an active interest in me as well as my education. I hope to be the teacher who does not stereotype my students and that I take the time and effort in investing in my students success. I hope to use the five E's to help engage my students in the learning process. The five E's are Engage- get students interested, Explore- Student centered, Explain- working together to analyze, Elaborate- Student centered deeper thought process, Evaluate- Check students understanding. My theory also goes along with Gardeners multiple intelligence as well. Everyone does have a different type of learning in which they learn better while participating in that activity. The theories which I have discussed I think will impact how I will engage my students and how I plan to have a safe environment in my classroom for my students to learn in.
So What!!
Through these many theories I hope to teach students that learning may not necessarily about how well you do on a test or how good your grades are. I hope to encourage students to learn that learning is a process that should never stop, even when you are finished with school. There is always something you can learn. Also I hope the theories which I have learned while in educational psychology will help me to better understand how students learn and how i as a teacher can give the best possible method for them to learn in. I also was impressed by how much a students socioeconomic plays a role into the success their education. I consider the many ways that I could help students to overcome those differences and give the students a great education while in my classroom. Although it makes me wonder how much of a difference can I make in a students life if I only have that student for fifty minutes or less a day. Through constructivism student will have the opportunity to explore their past exposure to things we are learning and add to those theories.
Now What
I still need to learn how to specifically implement all the theories that we discussed in class. I also need to learn how to recognize those theories which i am using and be able to recognize if the theories are working correctly or not. I still need to be more open minded and step out of my box when dealing with Gardner's multiple intelligence. I am a very kinesthetic and spatial person so for me to teach a lesson through naturalism will be very difficult for me to do. It will be a working progress to constantly try to invest in all of my students future. It will be difficult to help students learn to embrace differences amongst themselves and help them understand we are better for the differences. This will be a contentiously theory to work on in my classroom as well as in my school. I also still need to be more confident that I am capable of mastering these skills within a classroom and even more confident that I will be able to give students the best possible education that I can.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Chapter 4
What?
Chapter four discusses the differences between groups in our society. Thought culture students have certain beliefs, values, and influences which can help or hinder skills within a classroom. Culture gives students and individuals a sense of self. In certain situations a student may be in a cultural mismatch. A cultural mismatch is when a child's home culture and school culture have conflicting expectations for a child's behavior. Educators must be careful not to form stereotypes about any student or group of students. Chapter four also discusses language barriers that some students have to over come. Students may also have a dialect which may set them apart from other students in their school. The students dialect may be difficult to understand. In other cultures talking out of turn is considered to be rude or disrespectful. A child may be taught never to look at an adult while speaking and to think about the question being asked. When a child waits to ponder a question being asked is called wait time. In many other cultures it is thought to be rude to answer right away. Using wait time is essential for students to be successful within a classroom. When students are given the opportunity to think about what is being asked students are more engaged with in the classroom and are more successful. Chapter four discusses the emphasis of multicultural education. Multicultural education is instruction that integrates throughout the curriculum the perspectives and experiences of numerous cultural groups. The stress from diverse cultures can benefit all students and teachers as well. It gives individuals the opportunity to different perspectives. Socieonomics also can help or discourage a student within a classroom. Students who are at higher risk for lack of nutritional supplements, housing, exposure to toxins, unhealthy home environments, or lack of parental involvement are at a higher risk for failure in the school environment. Teachers should show support for students and have a high expectations for students in their classroom reports chapter four. Chapter four also discusses how teachers should make the curriculum relevant to students lives as well as their needs.
So What?
Chapter four has many different views on how culture plays such a role on students lives. It makes me nervous to think that a few moments after a student walks into the classroom most teachers have already made a decision or judgment about how that student will perform in the classroom. I am excited that i will have the opportunity to teach student who may be from a different culture than my own. I grew up in small town and there was really no noticeable cultural differences among us. Teachers never really brought in how different classrooms or countries worked when I was in school. I hope that I will be able to give my students a better opportunity than I did about learning different cultures and multicultural education can be integrated into any subject. It was very interesting that both boys and girls really have no differences mentally. The only difference boys and girls differ in is visual-spatial ability. I still hear people say oh "He does so well in math, because he is a boy" when in reality the girls within the family have the same opportunity to be just as smart at math as the boy. As a teacher I hope to deal with student who are at risk with a supporting attitude. I hope to make my classroom a room of safety, learning, and understanding. I hope to identify those students who may be at higher risks for failure early into the semester so I can give them as much support as I am able. I also want to encourage students to have high expectations for themselves as well as that I have high expectations for them within my classroom as well.
Now What?
I still need to know how to properly teach multiculturaly within my classroom. I also need to understand how to help those student who are at a higher risk for withdrawing from school. I need to learn how to not make assumptions and stereotype a student before I have the opportunity to get to know them. I already not the type to stereotype an individual, but it may be harder after I have taught for a few years not to stereotype individuals who remind me of past students. I need to work on Wait time as well. I have few patients now so it will be a work in progress to train myself to Wait before asking students to ask questions. Students who may not speak English as their first language will be harder for me to relay the information the state requires, but there are many different ways that I would be able to help those students. such as I would see if some other students wanted to help tutor or include that student into their study group. At parent teacher conference if parents did not speak English I could easily find an interpreter to help break the language barrier. There are many different programs on the web that will translate languages so notes could be sent home to students parents who do not speak English. There are so many things yet to learn for me to be able to teach students. Learning how to be a good teacher takes time, and a life time of constant reflection as well as changing thing that may not be working in the classroom.
Chapter four discusses the differences between groups in our society. Thought culture students have certain beliefs, values, and influences which can help or hinder skills within a classroom. Culture gives students and individuals a sense of self. In certain situations a student may be in a cultural mismatch. A cultural mismatch is when a child's home culture and school culture have conflicting expectations for a child's behavior. Educators must be careful not to form stereotypes about any student or group of students. Chapter four also discusses language barriers that some students have to over come. Students may also have a dialect which may set them apart from other students in their school. The students dialect may be difficult to understand. In other cultures talking out of turn is considered to be rude or disrespectful. A child may be taught never to look at an adult while speaking and to think about the question being asked. When a child waits to ponder a question being asked is called wait time. In many other cultures it is thought to be rude to answer right away. Using wait time is essential for students to be successful within a classroom. When students are given the opportunity to think about what is being asked students are more engaged with in the classroom and are more successful. Chapter four discusses the emphasis of multicultural education. Multicultural education is instruction that integrates throughout the curriculum the perspectives and experiences of numerous cultural groups. The stress from diverse cultures can benefit all students and teachers as well. It gives individuals the opportunity to different perspectives. Socieonomics also can help or discourage a student within a classroom. Students who are at higher risk for lack of nutritional supplements, housing, exposure to toxins, unhealthy home environments, or lack of parental involvement are at a higher risk for failure in the school environment. Teachers should show support for students and have a high expectations for students in their classroom reports chapter four. Chapter four also discusses how teachers should make the curriculum relevant to students lives as well as their needs.
So What?
Chapter four has many different views on how culture plays such a role on students lives. It makes me nervous to think that a few moments after a student walks into the classroom most teachers have already made a decision or judgment about how that student will perform in the classroom. I am excited that i will have the opportunity to teach student who may be from a different culture than my own. I grew up in small town and there was really no noticeable cultural differences among us. Teachers never really brought in how different classrooms or countries worked when I was in school. I hope that I will be able to give my students a better opportunity than I did about learning different cultures and multicultural education can be integrated into any subject. It was very interesting that both boys and girls really have no differences mentally. The only difference boys and girls differ in is visual-spatial ability. I still hear people say oh "He does so well in math, because he is a boy" when in reality the girls within the family have the same opportunity to be just as smart at math as the boy. As a teacher I hope to deal with student who are at risk with a supporting attitude. I hope to make my classroom a room of safety, learning, and understanding. I hope to identify those students who may be at higher risks for failure early into the semester so I can give them as much support as I am able. I also want to encourage students to have high expectations for themselves as well as that I have high expectations for them within my classroom as well.
Now What?
I still need to know how to properly teach multiculturaly within my classroom. I also need to understand how to help those student who are at a higher risk for withdrawing from school. I need to learn how to not make assumptions and stereotype a student before I have the opportunity to get to know them. I already not the type to stereotype an individual, but it may be harder after I have taught for a few years not to stereotype individuals who remind me of past students. I need to work on Wait time as well. I have few patients now so it will be a work in progress to train myself to Wait before asking students to ask questions. Students who may not speak English as their first language will be harder for me to relay the information the state requires, but there are many different ways that I would be able to help those students. such as I would see if some other students wanted to help tutor or include that student into their study group. At parent teacher conference if parents did not speak English I could easily find an interpreter to help break the language barrier. There are many different programs on the web that will translate languages so notes could be sent home to students parents who do not speak English. There are so many things yet to learn for me to be able to teach students. Learning how to be a good teacher takes time, and a life time of constant reflection as well as changing thing that may not be working in the classroom.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Chapter 5
What?
Chapter 5 discusses the many differences that individuals have. It talks about the different ways that teacher could help cater to specific needs of a students, such as those with special needs. Those with special needs are students who differ from his or her peers in which they require specially adapted instructional materials and practices. The chapter discusses intelligence and how intelligence is the ability for an individual to apply prior knowledge or experience to accomplish a new task. There are a number of theorists who talk about intelligence in a person and how to be enhance their intelligence. A few of those who were mentioned in the text are Charles Spearman, Raymond Catell, Howard Gardner, and Robert Sternberg. Charles Spearman purposed that intelligence compromised of two different categorize. One a single pervasive reasoning ability which is used on a variety of task, and the second a number of narrow abilities which involves executing particular tasks. Raymond Catell's theory on intelligence has two different perspectives. Fluid intelligence which is the ability to acquire knowledge quickly and adapt to new situations, and crystallized intelligence which is the knowledge and skills they have accumulated from his or her experiences, such as schooling or culture. Distributed intelligence is thinking which is facilitated by physical objects and technology, such as concepts and symbols of ones culture or social support. Robert Sternberg has three domains to his theory on intelligence, which are analytical intelligence, creative intelligence, and practical intelligence. The theory which I seem to be more drawn to is Gardener and his multiple intelligences. Gardner has eight different levels of intelligences in which people are more prone to be, which helps them learn about their environments and or in the educational process. He listed his domains in linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatical, musical, bodily-kinestetic, interpersonal, interpersonal, and naturalist. Chapter five discusses the different ways to help students who have special needs. IDEA was passed by congress in 1975 which granted educational rights for individuals from birth to the age of 21. These individuals have cognitive, emotional, or physical disabilities which prevented them from attending a public school. With the IDEA there came about new ways to help students with special needs excel in school as well as help them prepare for their future lives as adults. The IEP is an individual education program which is tailored to the individuals strengths or weaknesses. The IEP is a written statement to help the student and revised at least once a year if not more to ensure the student is getting the most beneficial education that they can receive. With the IDEA it required that students have the least restrictive environment which can reasonably meet the needs of the student with a disability.
So What?
Chapter five had very good information for future teachers such as myself. I was impressed with the different aspect of how intelligences may work, and how I as a teacher can help student to receive a quality education using the theories used in the book. As a future teacher I would use Garners multiple intelligences to help students learn concepts from my lessons. For those students who are Linguistic I could have them write or debate why herbal supplements should or should not be held up to the FDA for review. For those students who are logical-mathematical I could plan a lesson in which student would have the opportunity to go to the grocery store and see if no named brand foods are more or less healthy for an individual from the dietary information on the products. For those students who are spatial I would have them draw and label blood flow from the heart. For those who are Musial I could have music playing while I was introducing a new subject or reviewing the subject. Bodily-kinesthetic students would be able to practice CPR or the hymlic maneuver. Interpersonal students would be able to work with in groups and hear smaller discussions on subjects regarding health issues. For students who are Interpersonal a lesson plan could be designed to keep journals throughout the semester and reflect on what they have learned about a health issue and how it may affect their lives in the future. For students who are naturalist I could design a program which would revolve around environmental health. Students would be required to identify specific environmental factors which maybe affecting them and come up with a plan to help eliminate that danger from their environment.
Now What?
Chapter five gave many great examples of how a teacher could implement theories on intelligence. I still need to investigate how all the different theories could be used effectively in a classroom. I still need to understand how IEPS work and how to help a student who may fall under the IDEA act. I am unsure how a teacher gives extra attention to one student when they may have twenty other students in their class. It does make me nervous that I can not make an individual plan for every child in the class which would benefit them in their eduction. I still need to learn more ways to apply Gardner's multiple intelligences as well as the other theorist which were discussed in class.
Chapter 5 discusses the many differences that individuals have. It talks about the different ways that teacher could help cater to specific needs of a students, such as those with special needs. Those with special needs are students who differ from his or her peers in which they require specially adapted instructional materials and practices. The chapter discusses intelligence and how intelligence is the ability for an individual to apply prior knowledge or experience to accomplish a new task. There are a number of theorists who talk about intelligence in a person and how to be enhance their intelligence. A few of those who were mentioned in the text are Charles Spearman, Raymond Catell, Howard Gardner, and Robert Sternberg. Charles Spearman purposed that intelligence compromised of two different categorize. One a single pervasive reasoning ability which is used on a variety of task, and the second a number of narrow abilities which involves executing particular tasks. Raymond Catell's theory on intelligence has two different perspectives. Fluid intelligence which is the ability to acquire knowledge quickly and adapt to new situations, and crystallized intelligence which is the knowledge and skills they have accumulated from his or her experiences, such as schooling or culture. Distributed intelligence is thinking which is facilitated by physical objects and technology, such as concepts and symbols of ones culture or social support. Robert Sternberg has three domains to his theory on intelligence, which are analytical intelligence, creative intelligence, and practical intelligence. The theory which I seem to be more drawn to is Gardener and his multiple intelligences. Gardner has eight different levels of intelligences in which people are more prone to be, which helps them learn about their environments and or in the educational process. He listed his domains in linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatical, musical, bodily-kinestetic, interpersonal, interpersonal, and naturalist. Chapter five discusses the different ways to help students who have special needs. IDEA was passed by congress in 1975 which granted educational rights for individuals from birth to the age of 21. These individuals have cognitive, emotional, or physical disabilities which prevented them from attending a public school. With the IDEA there came about new ways to help students with special needs excel in school as well as help them prepare for their future lives as adults. The IEP is an individual education program which is tailored to the individuals strengths or weaknesses. The IEP is a written statement to help the student and revised at least once a year if not more to ensure the student is getting the most beneficial education that they can receive. With the IDEA it required that students have the least restrictive environment which can reasonably meet the needs of the student with a disability.
So What?
Chapter five had very good information for future teachers such as myself. I was impressed with the different aspect of how intelligences may work, and how I as a teacher can help student to receive a quality education using the theories used in the book. As a future teacher I would use Garners multiple intelligences to help students learn concepts from my lessons. For those students who are Linguistic I could have them write or debate why herbal supplements should or should not be held up to the FDA for review. For those students who are logical-mathematical I could plan a lesson in which student would have the opportunity to go to the grocery store and see if no named brand foods are more or less healthy for an individual from the dietary information on the products. For those students who are spatial I would have them draw and label blood flow from the heart. For those who are Musial I could have music playing while I was introducing a new subject or reviewing the subject. Bodily-kinesthetic students would be able to practice CPR or the hymlic maneuver. Interpersonal students would be able to work with in groups and hear smaller discussions on subjects regarding health issues. For students who are Interpersonal a lesson plan could be designed to keep journals throughout the semester and reflect on what they have learned about a health issue and how it may affect their lives in the future. For students who are naturalist I could design a program which would revolve around environmental health. Students would be required to identify specific environmental factors which maybe affecting them and come up with a plan to help eliminate that danger from their environment.
Now What?
Chapter five gave many great examples of how a teacher could implement theories on intelligence. I still need to investigate how all the different theories could be used effectively in a classroom. I still need to understand how IEPS work and how to help a student who may fall under the IDEA act. I am unsure how a teacher gives extra attention to one student when they may have twenty other students in their class. It does make me nervous that I can not make an individual plan for every child in the class which would benefit them in their eduction. I still need to learn more ways to apply Gardner's multiple intelligences as well as the other theorist which were discussed in class.
Investigations Math EXTRA-CREDIT
What?
Investigations math is a concept in which students spend time exploring problems in depth. They are able to find more than one solution to the different problems they are working on. Students are also encouraged to develop his or her own strategies and approaches to mathematical relationships based on his or her knowledge and understanding of mathematics. Students are encouraged to express his or her mathematical thinking through drawing, writing, or talking. Students work on investigations math in a variety of ways. They work individually, in pairs, as a whole classroom, or in small groups. They are encouraged to move around throughout the classroom as they explore mathematics in his or her environment and engage in conversations with his or her peers about math. Educators are not concerned that students memorize his or her basic math skills; such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing. Students are encouraged to investigate math through problems solving skills and understand numbers in relationship with his or her environment. Those who are in favor of investigations math says that it eliminates barriers for students such as; isolation from peers, speed, memorization, or excluding a student from participating successfully in mathematics.
What Happened
The investigations math which was implemented in Alpine school district did not work as well as it was expected to. The basic ideas of mathematics were not being taught said concerned parents. Children were being taught concepts of math and demonstrating those concepts, but there was just not enough emphasis on basic arithmetic. Articles which I read regarding Alpine school district stated that many students who had been enrolled in investigations math were not able to count money or tell time when they were in fifth grade. There were many people who suggested that both investigations math and standardized mathematics would work well together, but investigations math on its own is not sufficient for a student to learn mathematics.
Now What?
With all of the new technologies and teaching strategies it is hard for a teacher or a school district to know what is best for their students. Although investigations math should have not been allowed to be used for as long as it was. Students needed structure with in math to help them understand that there are correct solutions for things and that although they may think they are right about a concept in math they may be thinking about it incorrectly. Students should be allowed to explore and find ideas on his or her own, but there should also be structure in which students are provided the correct information if they are off the mark on ideas or principles regarding a concept in math. Alpine school district had good intentions when investigations math was put into effect, but it was allowed to go on for too long before the district intervened. Alpine school district gave teachers the opportunity to choose between the two programs of mathematics. As of now Alpine school district has no longer uses investigations math, which failed horribly.
Investigations math is a concept in which students spend time exploring problems in depth. They are able to find more than one solution to the different problems they are working on. Students are also encouraged to develop his or her own strategies and approaches to mathematical relationships based on his or her knowledge and understanding of mathematics. Students are encouraged to express his or her mathematical thinking through drawing, writing, or talking. Students work on investigations math in a variety of ways. They work individually, in pairs, as a whole classroom, or in small groups. They are encouraged to move around throughout the classroom as they explore mathematics in his or her environment and engage in conversations with his or her peers about math. Educators are not concerned that students memorize his or her basic math skills; such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing. Students are encouraged to investigate math through problems solving skills and understand numbers in relationship with his or her environment. Those who are in favor of investigations math says that it eliminates barriers for students such as; isolation from peers, speed, memorization, or excluding a student from participating successfully in mathematics.
What Happened
The investigations math which was implemented in Alpine school district did not work as well as it was expected to. The basic ideas of mathematics were not being taught said concerned parents. Children were being taught concepts of math and demonstrating those concepts, but there was just not enough emphasis on basic arithmetic. Articles which I read regarding Alpine school district stated that many students who had been enrolled in investigations math were not able to count money or tell time when they were in fifth grade. There were many people who suggested that both investigations math and standardized mathematics would work well together, but investigations math on its own is not sufficient for a student to learn mathematics.
Now What?
With all of the new technologies and teaching strategies it is hard for a teacher or a school district to know what is best for their students. Although investigations math should have not been allowed to be used for as long as it was. Students needed structure with in math to help them understand that there are correct solutions for things and that although they may think they are right about a concept in math they may be thinking about it incorrectly. Students should be allowed to explore and find ideas on his or her own, but there should also be structure in which students are provided the correct information if they are off the mark on ideas or principles regarding a concept in math. Alpine school district had good intentions when investigations math was put into effect, but it was allowed to go on for too long before the district intervened. Alpine school district gave teachers the opportunity to choose between the two programs of mathematics. As of now Alpine school district has no longer uses investigations math, which failed horribly.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Chapter 10
What?
Social cognition is a theory that focuses on how people learn by observing others and how eventually assume control over his or her own behavior. The ideas that go along with social cognition is that people learn by observing others actions or studies. People internalize what they learn and through this process individuals learn new information. The environment and the people that a learner is exposed to influence each other as an individual acquire new information. People can eventually learn how to self-regulate his or her learning process through goal and behavior. Social reinforcement is reported on throughout chapter ten. Many people learn that his or her actions have consequences, but only if they are aware of the possibility that there is a consequence for that action. People learn from watching what happens to other people as well as themselves. learners decisions about weather to make certain responses depend not only on his or her awareness of the response-reinforcement possibilities but also on his or her belief about his or her own ability to make the response successfully. Modeling is referred to throughout the chapter and how an individual can learn from having a live or symbolic models which may influence how an observer behaves. The chapter reports on response facilitation effect as well as response inhibition effect. These theories are for the increased and decrease frequency of a previously learned behavior after seeing someone else being punished or reinforced for that action.
So What?
Social cognition has some good ideas about how an individual learns and these ideas are very practical for a teacher within her classroom. Teachers need to frequently monitor his or her classroom to observe who is benefiting and who could benefit from applying the social cognitive theory. If a student does not understand how something that is being taught in could be applied outside a classroom a teacher could show live models of someone or something of that concept being used outside a classroom. Teacher could demonstrate cognitive modeling about how to think about a subject as well as how to complete the task Every student could benefit from observational learning which will provide for a new behavior after watching someone else do it. Although most future teachers like myself believe his or her classroom will be perfect and that the students will be perfect as well, but there will always be one student who wants to test a teachers limits. Vicarious punishment would apply to most of the rest of the class. The students would see another person being punished for that response so the rest of the class's response deceases in frequency. Chapter ten speaks about how to teach self-efficacy as well as a collective self-efficacy. That is a belief that one is capable of executing certain behaviors or reaching certain goals together or alone. The one topic in the book that I am currently in with my son is co-regulated learning. That is the process through which an adult and child share responsibility for directing various aspects of the child's learning. I am trying to help my son learn to read and to complete his homework on time, and I'll tell you what kindergarten math is hard for me as well as his father. Although we have a difficult times, but we are trying to instill a sense of self-efficacy with in our children.
Now What?
There are many things through out this chapter that teachers can instantly apply to his or her classrooms. Through these techniques a teacher must be constantly reevaluating his or her classroom. I am understand the definition of vicarious punishment and vicarious reinforcement but I am unsure how I would recognize it with in my own classroom. I think it would be really hard to recognize students who are being vicariously reinforced if a teacher was not constantly reevaluating his or her classroom. I think the hardest term for me to understand in this chapter was cognitive modeling, because I am unsure how to demonstrate how to think about as well as how to do a task. I also think that it is very hard to teach student how to have good self-efficacy at the high school level. The reason for this is that most students have either had a really good experience with school or a terrible experience. I am unsure how to enhance a students self-esteem as well as self-efficacy when the class he or she is in has twenty eight other students within it. The term peer meditation would in theory be a great way to help students who have different view points or who are fighting to sit down and be able to come together to work on the problem. Although this would still be difficult to help students who cognitive development has not fully developed enough to see the benefits of dissolving issues and come to a compromise.
Social cognition is a theory that focuses on how people learn by observing others and how eventually assume control over his or her own behavior. The ideas that go along with social cognition is that people learn by observing others actions or studies. People internalize what they learn and through this process individuals learn new information. The environment and the people that a learner is exposed to influence each other as an individual acquire new information. People can eventually learn how to self-regulate his or her learning process through goal and behavior. Social reinforcement is reported on throughout chapter ten. Many people learn that his or her actions have consequences, but only if they are aware of the possibility that there is a consequence for that action. People learn from watching what happens to other people as well as themselves. learners decisions about weather to make certain responses depend not only on his or her awareness of the response-reinforcement possibilities but also on his or her belief about his or her own ability to make the response successfully. Modeling is referred to throughout the chapter and how an individual can learn from having a live or symbolic models which may influence how an observer behaves. The chapter reports on response facilitation effect as well as response inhibition effect. These theories are for the increased and decrease frequency of a previously learned behavior after seeing someone else being punished or reinforced for that action.
So What?
Social cognition has some good ideas about how an individual learns and these ideas are very practical for a teacher within her classroom. Teachers need to frequently monitor his or her classroom to observe who is benefiting and who could benefit from applying the social cognitive theory. If a student does not understand how something that is being taught in could be applied outside a classroom a teacher could show live models of someone or something of that concept being used outside a classroom. Teacher could demonstrate cognitive modeling about how to think about a subject as well as how to complete the task Every student could benefit from observational learning which will provide for a new behavior after watching someone else do it. Although most future teachers like myself believe his or her classroom will be perfect and that the students will be perfect as well, but there will always be one student who wants to test a teachers limits. Vicarious punishment would apply to most of the rest of the class. The students would see another person being punished for that response so the rest of the class's response deceases in frequency. Chapter ten speaks about how to teach self-efficacy as well as a collective self-efficacy. That is a belief that one is capable of executing certain behaviors or reaching certain goals together or alone. The one topic in the book that I am currently in with my son is co-regulated learning. That is the process through which an adult and child share responsibility for directing various aspects of the child's learning. I am trying to help my son learn to read and to complete his homework on time, and I'll tell you what kindergarten math is hard for me as well as his father. Although we have a difficult times, but we are trying to instill a sense of self-efficacy with in our children.
Now What?
There are many things through out this chapter that teachers can instantly apply to his or her classrooms. Through these techniques a teacher must be constantly reevaluating his or her classroom. I am understand the definition of vicarious punishment and vicarious reinforcement but I am unsure how I would recognize it with in my own classroom. I think it would be really hard to recognize students who are being vicariously reinforced if a teacher was not constantly reevaluating his or her classroom. I think the hardest term for me to understand in this chapter was cognitive modeling, because I am unsure how to demonstrate how to think about as well as how to do a task. I also think that it is very hard to teach student how to have good self-efficacy at the high school level. The reason for this is that most students have either had a really good experience with school or a terrible experience. I am unsure how to enhance a students self-esteem as well as self-efficacy when the class he or she is in has twenty eight other students within it. The term peer meditation would in theory be a great way to help students who have different view points or who are fighting to sit down and be able to come together to work on the problem. Although this would still be difficult to help students who cognitive development has not fully developed enough to see the benefits of dissolving issues and come to a compromise.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Chapter 9
What?
Chapter nine discusses behaviorist's views of how learners learn. Behaviorism focuses on how environmental stimuli bring about changes in people's behaviors. Throughout the chapter it focuses on how people's behaviors are influenced by their environment. Learners also observe events and make associations from stimuli and responses. Responses are specific behavior that an individual exhibits, and stimuli is specific objects or events that influences an individuals leaning or behavior. The best learning is when both responses and stimuli occur closely together. The chapter discusses the difference between unconditioned stimulus and unconditioned response. The difference is the stimulus elicits a particular response that an individual does not have any prior learning of, and response is elicited by a particular unconditioned stimulus without prior learning. The chapter also discusses the difference between conditioned stimulus verses conditioned response. Conditioned stimulus begins to elicit a particular response through classical conditioning, where as conditioned response begins to be elicited by a particular conditioned stimulus through classical conditioning. Generalization is also discussed throughout this chapter and is explained as someone gets anxious about writing an English paper and generalize a response that any English assignments make them anxious. Reinforcers are also written about in the chapter and are explained that a person learns consequences of a response that leads to increase frequency of the response. A reinforcer is the act that follows a response with a reinforcer, such as paying attention to the student who is being disruptive in class. The student will learn they will get your attention if they are being disruptive. The premake principle is that learners will do less preferred activities in order to do something they prefer to do. In the classroom teacher also use a token economy to entices their students to do well. This is used generally for grade school students and is less likely to be used in a high school or junior high school environment. The chapter discusses how teacher can reduce and eliminate undesired behaviors such as cueing inappropriate behaviors, setting events and encourage behavioral momentum. punishments for disobeying or students who are unwilling to cooperate the chapter suggests different methods of punishments such as time out verbal reprimands, a response cost, and school suspension.
So What?
The chapter had many different ideas of how to run a classroom efficiently, but it seems this idea of behaviorism is just not implemented well and does not work for all students to learn efficiently. I still am very confused about the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli and how to distinguish them appropriately. Like the unconditioned response comes after an unconditioned stimulus I am unsure how a teacher would ever change that in a student. An example i am petrified of mice. I have a unconditioned response that happens after I see one I first scream breaking everyone's eardrums climb to the highest possible point in the room and try not to faint. The idea of classical conditioning seems like it would be a great way to motivate a student to learn by having involuntary response is acquired as a result of two stimuli being presented at the same time. Teachers could try this approach to learning through using music therapy while they teach their students new math problems or have them do their homework while listening to classical music. The idea of the premack principle is one of the really good ideas that was given in chapter nine. It talks about doing less preferred things in order to do an activity that is more interesting to the individual. Teachers could use this in his or her classroom as a reward system for their students. Teachers could give students the opportunity many different choices on major assignment or give a ten minutes free period at the end of the week for those who are doing their work.
Now What?
I still need to better understand the idea of behaviorism and how it works in a classroom. I need to be able to learn how to correctly identify those who seek attention thought negative ways and that i may be rewarding them for their behavior. As a future teacher I need to learn how to manage a classroom using rewards as well as punishment on a high school level. I do have two small boys and what works for them will not work on a 180 pound seventeen year old boy. I need to learn how to encourage students to learn and help them find the motivation with in themselves to succeed as a student and throughout life. I still need to better understand how to apply classical conditioning in a classroom to be able to promote learning behavior. I need to learn how I as a future teacher could use classical conditioning within the classroom having more than two stimuli to promote learning. I need to do more research on how terminal behaviors could be brought about by a teacher to promote a healthy learning environment through operant conditioning.
Chapter nine discusses behaviorist's views of how learners learn. Behaviorism focuses on how environmental stimuli bring about changes in people's behaviors. Throughout the chapter it focuses on how people's behaviors are influenced by their environment. Learners also observe events and make associations from stimuli and responses. Responses are specific behavior that an individual exhibits, and stimuli is specific objects or events that influences an individuals leaning or behavior. The best learning is when both responses and stimuli occur closely together. The chapter discusses the difference between unconditioned stimulus and unconditioned response. The difference is the stimulus elicits a particular response that an individual does not have any prior learning of, and response is elicited by a particular unconditioned stimulus without prior learning. The chapter also discusses the difference between conditioned stimulus verses conditioned response. Conditioned stimulus begins to elicit a particular response through classical conditioning, where as conditioned response begins to be elicited by a particular conditioned stimulus through classical conditioning. Generalization is also discussed throughout this chapter and is explained as someone gets anxious about writing an English paper and generalize a response that any English assignments make them anxious. Reinforcers are also written about in the chapter and are explained that a person learns consequences of a response that leads to increase frequency of the response. A reinforcer is the act that follows a response with a reinforcer, such as paying attention to the student who is being disruptive in class. The student will learn they will get your attention if they are being disruptive. The premake principle is that learners will do less preferred activities in order to do something they prefer to do. In the classroom teacher also use a token economy to entices their students to do well. This is used generally for grade school students and is less likely to be used in a high school or junior high school environment. The chapter discusses how teacher can reduce and eliminate undesired behaviors such as cueing inappropriate behaviors, setting events and encourage behavioral momentum. punishments for disobeying or students who are unwilling to cooperate the chapter suggests different methods of punishments such as time out verbal reprimands, a response cost, and school suspension.
So What?
The chapter had many different ideas of how to run a classroom efficiently, but it seems this idea of behaviorism is just not implemented well and does not work for all students to learn efficiently. I still am very confused about the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli and how to distinguish them appropriately. Like the unconditioned response comes after an unconditioned stimulus I am unsure how a teacher would ever change that in a student. An example i am petrified of mice. I have a unconditioned response that happens after I see one I first scream breaking everyone's eardrums climb to the highest possible point in the room and try not to faint. The idea of classical conditioning seems like it would be a great way to motivate a student to learn by having involuntary response is acquired as a result of two stimuli being presented at the same time. Teachers could try this approach to learning through using music therapy while they teach their students new math problems or have them do their homework while listening to classical music. The idea of the premack principle is one of the really good ideas that was given in chapter nine. It talks about doing less preferred things in order to do an activity that is more interesting to the individual. Teachers could use this in his or her classroom as a reward system for their students. Teachers could give students the opportunity many different choices on major assignment or give a ten minutes free period at the end of the week for those who are doing their work.
Now What?
I still need to better understand the idea of behaviorism and how it works in a classroom. I need to be able to learn how to correctly identify those who seek attention thought negative ways and that i may be rewarding them for their behavior. As a future teacher I need to learn how to manage a classroom using rewards as well as punishment on a high school level. I do have two small boys and what works for them will not work on a 180 pound seventeen year old boy. I need to learn how to encourage students to learn and help them find the motivation with in themselves to succeed as a student and throughout life. I still need to better understand how to apply classical conditioning in a classroom to be able to promote learning behavior. I need to learn how I as a future teacher could use classical conditioning within the classroom having more than two stimuli to promote learning. I need to do more research on how terminal behaviors could be brought about by a teacher to promote a healthy learning environment through operant conditioning.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
The five E's
The 5 E's
Engage- get students interested
Explore- Student centered
Explain- working together to analyze
Elaborate- Student centered deeper thought process
Evaluate- Check students understanding
Engage- Show students short clips about different organs of the body which are damaged by either poor diet, drug abuse, smoking, or lack of exercise.
Explore- have students go on a tour of a website picked by me to show them different damages done by different lifestyles people live.
Explain- With an open discussion after the lecture explore ways to prevent damage to the body from changing ones life styles.
Elaborate- Have students examine his or her own life style to see if they can diagnose certain criteria which would put them at risk for future disease or organ damage. Student will write a short essay on what they can prevent and what they are unable to control within his or her lifestyle.
Evaluate- To check students understanding of the subject read through his or her short essays to see if they are understanding the concept of how lifestyle affects ones own health.
Engage- get students interested
Explore- Student centered
Explain- working together to analyze
Elaborate- Student centered deeper thought process
Evaluate- Check students understanding
Engage- Show students short clips about different organs of the body which are damaged by either poor diet, drug abuse, smoking, or lack of exercise.
Explore- have students go on a tour of a website picked by me to show them different damages done by different lifestyles people live.
Explain- With an open discussion after the lecture explore ways to prevent damage to the body from changing ones life styles.
Elaborate- Have students examine his or her own life style to see if they can diagnose certain criteria which would put them at risk for future disease or organ damage. Student will write a short essay on what they can prevent and what they are unable to control within his or her lifestyle.
Evaluate- To check students understanding of the subject read through his or her short essays to see if they are understanding the concept of how lifestyle affects ones own health.
Chapter 7
What?
Chapter seven discussed the different methods theorists believe that are involved in constructing knowledge. Throughout the chapter it discussed how different people interpret different meanings from the same information. The reason people interpret things differently is because of his or her prior knowledge or experience. Teachers need to not assume his or her students will always interpret the information they pro tray the same way. Teachers should be specific about what information they would like their students to know. Teaches can accomplish this by having little or no room for misunderstanding. teachers can repeat the information several times throughout the class and always repeat the information they want students to remember the most at the very ending of the class period. Human beings are always trying to interpret information and categorize the information to help them better understand his or her world around them. So teachers should help instill in his or her students a way of helping them organize information they have given the to help them interpret new information about his or her world. The chapter emphasizes the importance of formal education as the key to students obtaining abstract knowledge. Teacher should use authentic activities in his or her teaching method to help his or her students better understand his or her world. The classroom should be a community of learners which involved both teacher learning from the student and the students learning from the teacher as well as other students. Through formal classroom instruction and informal out of school learning experiences individuals continually add to and modify his or her understanding of his or her world.
So What!!
Many teacher have forgotten how to be students themselves and run his or her classroom as a dictator would. Community learning gives everyone a chance to grow and learn from experience. I have had teachers in the past who assume I have prior knowledge about a subject and I have been completely lost throughout the class. As a future teacher I hope to gain insight about what students have been exposed to prior to starting lessons. This will give me more insight on what I as a teacher need to be covering throughout the lesson plan. I plan to never assume that an individual has prior knowledge about a subject, because I do not want to intentionally leave a student wondering what is she talking about. I hope to Orient my classroom with many authentic activity's which will show students what I am teaching them is applicable to the world outside of my classroom. I also want to have a community of learners within my classroom. I would like to give students the opportunity to learn from their peers as well as from me, but there are some problems with these types of activities. Students may have an under generalization or an over generalization of a subject and may not cover the material which needs to be covered. I hope to instill in my future student a love of learning about the world around them through formal education as well as expose them to the possibility of learning informally.
Now What?
I still need to understand how to be very clear on subjects and to get students to understand exactly what I want them to understand. I still need to learn how to use a community of learning with in a classroom. I find myself preferring to work alone rather than within a group. I also need to learn how to give students the opportunity to use what I teach them in the classroom and be able to apply it to the world around them. I find my self fascinated with how the brain retains information and how we categorize information. I hope to learn more information which would help me as a future teacher to help students retain information.
Chapter seven discussed the different methods theorists believe that are involved in constructing knowledge. Throughout the chapter it discussed how different people interpret different meanings from the same information. The reason people interpret things differently is because of his or her prior knowledge or experience. Teachers need to not assume his or her students will always interpret the information they pro tray the same way. Teachers should be specific about what information they would like their students to know. Teaches can accomplish this by having little or no room for misunderstanding. teachers can repeat the information several times throughout the class and always repeat the information they want students to remember the most at the very ending of the class period. Human beings are always trying to interpret information and categorize the information to help them better understand his or her world around them. So teachers should help instill in his or her students a way of helping them organize information they have given the to help them interpret new information about his or her world. The chapter emphasizes the importance of formal education as the key to students obtaining abstract knowledge. Teacher should use authentic activities in his or her teaching method to help his or her students better understand his or her world. The classroom should be a community of learners which involved both teacher learning from the student and the students learning from the teacher as well as other students. Through formal classroom instruction and informal out of school learning experiences individuals continually add to and modify his or her understanding of his or her world.
So What!!
Many teacher have forgotten how to be students themselves and run his or her classroom as a dictator would. Community learning gives everyone a chance to grow and learn from experience. I have had teachers in the past who assume I have prior knowledge about a subject and I have been completely lost throughout the class. As a future teacher I hope to gain insight about what students have been exposed to prior to starting lessons. This will give me more insight on what I as a teacher need to be covering throughout the lesson plan. I plan to never assume that an individual has prior knowledge about a subject, because I do not want to intentionally leave a student wondering what is she talking about. I hope to Orient my classroom with many authentic activity's which will show students what I am teaching them is applicable to the world outside of my classroom. I also want to have a community of learners within my classroom. I would like to give students the opportunity to learn from their peers as well as from me, but there are some problems with these types of activities. Students may have an under generalization or an over generalization of a subject and may not cover the material which needs to be covered. I hope to instill in my future student a love of learning about the world around them through formal education as well as expose them to the possibility of learning informally.
Now What?
I still need to understand how to be very clear on subjects and to get students to understand exactly what I want them to understand. I still need to learn how to use a community of learning with in a classroom. I find myself preferring to work alone rather than within a group. I also need to learn how to give students the opportunity to use what I teach them in the classroom and be able to apply it to the world around them. I find my self fascinated with how the brain retains information and how we categorize information. I hope to learn more information which would help me as a future teacher to help students retain information.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Chapter six
What?
Memory is a very difficult thing to understand and how everyone will have the same memory from the same experience is all up to how it was stored into their memory. There is not one specific place in the brain that memory is stored. The brain has the capacity of have multiple storage methods. The different method of storage in different parts of the brain determines the type of memory people store. There is explicit or implicit knowledge which was also discussed in this chapter. Explicit knowledge is a memory that someone can describe and consciously aware of. Implicit knowledge is that a person cannot consciously recall or explain, yet it does not affect the person's thinking or behavior. Philosophers all agree that learning is due to experience. Throughout the chapter it discusses that prior knowledge and beliefs play a major role in the meaning that people construct. If a person puts meaning to something he or she is learning it is remembered better than if he or she takes it at face value. Visual metaphors are also helpful for being able to label, store, and retrieve information. Each time we recall a memory from our minds we reconstruct that memory; although we are unable to reinterpret that memory. The reason why certain memories are not easily recalled is because there is decay and interference which blocks certain memories from being restored.
So what!!!
Chapter six had very good ideas and explanations for why certain memories were hard to recall. The chapter also spoke of how each individual interprets information in a different way. This is very useful for teachers to understand that what they might want students to know is different from what the students are hearing. In order to make sure students are understanding the assignment or the lesson teachers need to repeat themselves several times and make it very clear on what student need to retain from a particular lesson. This is called the primacy and recant which is the first and last thing that is discussed in a class. Prior knowledge of a subject for student is also very important to understand that some students have a prior knowledge of a subject which makes it easy for them to understand a subject. While teaching students there needs to be many different types of teaching involved in order to help store that information into students long-term memory. Teachers could use such methods as rehearsal, meaningful learning, organization, visual imagery, or mnemonics among many others. Knowing this information will help me as a future teacher that not all of my students are storing the exact same thing into their memory. I need to have many different experiences for my students to have the opportunity to learn and recall that information correctly.
Now what???
I still need to understand how to be perfectly clear on what I as a future teacher want my students to know. I need to understand my own memory and how it works as well as others to help me be a well diverse teacher. I need to learn techniques that will help my students be able to have good retrieval skills as well. I still need to understand how elaboration works. I understand that it is a process by which learners expand on new information based off of what they already know, but i still am unsure of how a teacher can clarify exactly what a student knows.
Memory is a very difficult thing to understand and how everyone will have the same memory from the same experience is all up to how it was stored into their memory. There is not one specific place in the brain that memory is stored. The brain has the capacity of have multiple storage methods. The different method of storage in different parts of the brain determines the type of memory people store. There is explicit or implicit knowledge which was also discussed in this chapter. Explicit knowledge is a memory that someone can describe and consciously aware of. Implicit knowledge is that a person cannot consciously recall or explain, yet it does not affect the person's thinking or behavior. Philosophers all agree that learning is due to experience. Throughout the chapter it discusses that prior knowledge and beliefs play a major role in the meaning that people construct. If a person puts meaning to something he or she is learning it is remembered better than if he or she takes it at face value. Visual metaphors are also helpful for being able to label, store, and retrieve information. Each time we recall a memory from our minds we reconstruct that memory; although we are unable to reinterpret that memory. The reason why certain memories are not easily recalled is because there is decay and interference which blocks certain memories from being restored.
So what!!!
Chapter six had very good ideas and explanations for why certain memories were hard to recall. The chapter also spoke of how each individual interprets information in a different way. This is very useful for teachers to understand that what they might want students to know is different from what the students are hearing. In order to make sure students are understanding the assignment or the lesson teachers need to repeat themselves several times and make it very clear on what student need to retain from a particular lesson. This is called the primacy and recant which is the first and last thing that is discussed in a class. Prior knowledge of a subject for student is also very important to understand that some students have a prior knowledge of a subject which makes it easy for them to understand a subject. While teaching students there needs to be many different types of teaching involved in order to help store that information into students long-term memory. Teachers could use such methods as rehearsal, meaningful learning, organization, visual imagery, or mnemonics among many others. Knowing this information will help me as a future teacher that not all of my students are storing the exact same thing into their memory. I need to have many different experiences for my students to have the opportunity to learn and recall that information correctly.
Now what???
I still need to understand how to be perfectly clear on what I as a future teacher want my students to know. I need to understand my own memory and how it works as well as others to help me be a well diverse teacher. I need to learn techniques that will help my students be able to have good retrieval skills as well. I still need to understand how elaboration works. I understand that it is a process by which learners expand on new information based off of what they already know, but i still am unsure of how a teacher can clarify exactly what a student knows.
Rethinking My Course Contract
Course Contract
After reading my course contract, which I made for myself I found a few items I have not followed through with. In my contract I had a goal of writing and posting new blogs on that Friday after class. I had high hopes for doing this until I realized I am not giving myself sufficient time in my life to complete the goals I have set for this course. I have two small boys, I work on Fridays, and go to school. So if I had to rewrite my course contract I would not give a specific date for having my blog posted. I have been following my contract pretty well, and I believe I am doing well with the majority of my study plans. I do review throughout the week and attend all of my group activities. I am to class every Thursday and I feel I am well prepared before coming to class. Things I need to work on for this course is trying to post my blog of what happened in class for that week as soon as possible. I need to reread every previouse blog every time I post a blog. I only have been reviewing a few at a time. My goal for being prepared has worked well for me to have a better understanding of the materials which we cover in class each week.
After reading my course contract, which I made for myself I found a few items I have not followed through with. In my contract I had a goal of writing and posting new blogs on that Friday after class. I had high hopes for doing this until I realized I am not giving myself sufficient time in my life to complete the goals I have set for this course. I have two small boys, I work on Fridays, and go to school. So if I had to rewrite my course contract I would not give a specific date for having my blog posted. I have been following my contract pretty well, and I believe I am doing well with the majority of my study plans. I do review throughout the week and attend all of my group activities. I am to class every Thursday and I feel I am well prepared before coming to class. Things I need to work on for this course is trying to post my blog of what happened in class for that week as soon as possible. I need to reread every previouse blog every time I post a blog. I only have been reviewing a few at a time. My goal for being prepared has worked well for me to have a better understanding of the materials which we cover in class each week.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Chapter 3
What?
In chapter three it explores the ideas of sense of self. The sense of self is what makes a person an individual and how they see themselves. The factors to sense of self is how an individuals previous experiences have played a role in his or her life. They might feel they are unable to do math because they have not done well in the past, so he or she might have a low self efficiency of themselves. Self-efficiency is how an individual interpret or has the ability to handle a project and how they feel about what they did in that project. A person's sense of self is also determined by behaviors of others. How they compare to others in their class or family gives them either a high sense of self or a low sense of self. As an early adolescence an individual is in the process of having an imaginary audience towards themselves. They may feel that everyone is looking at them and paying attention to everything they do. They also have a personal fable about themselves. This is when they feel that nobody has every lived or went through what they have. Their pain is the worst pain ever, nobody has ever been in love like me and my boyfriend of two weeks. Adolescence also have a sense of invincibility. They feel like they are on top of the world and do not recognize the danger they put themselves into.
In chapter three it was also discussed a philosopher by the name of Erik Erickson. Erickson believed in a psychosocial development. He had eight stages which people move through throughout their life's. His eight stages are as follows; Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt, Industry vs. Inferiority, Identity vs. Role Confusion, Intimacy vs. Isolation, Generative vs. Stagnation, Integrity vs. Despair. Through these stags Erickson believed all individuals go through during different stages of his or her life.
So What?
Through this chapter I found value in most of the information. There is defiantly true statement about how adolescence perceive themselves and how they feel other perceive them also. As a future teacher I hope to build individuals sense of self and help them become aware of how to build a better self image about themselves. I also think this chapter gave great information regarding how students assemble as they age, and what factors help with individuals being social entities. The chapter talked about parenting styles and how to recognize maltreatment of a child, how parents rear more rounded self sufficient children if they are using the authoritative parenting style. It is great to know this information for me as a future teacher. If my future students are not receiving this type of parenting and only receiving authoritarian or permissive parenting I as an educator will be able to show this type of teaching in my future classroom. This will give students the opportunity to say things without fear of ridicule, punishment, or judgement upon them. This may show students that not all parents are as strict as theirs are and also if a students parents are very permissive it will allow them to have responsibility for their actions.
Now What?
What I still need to know is how to build a students sense of self and learn how to correct in a not critical manner. I need to know and understand that every individual comes from a different back ground and they may not like me as a teacher. They may believe that the rules are too stringent, but I know I do not want to be an authoritarian teacher. I want to teach with aspects from all philosophies and give students the opportunity to learn socially. I still need to learn how to apply Erickson's eight stages of development into a classroom setting. I also need to learn and read more into moral development. How to encourage students to make good moral decisions about his or her life's as well as how they affect others life's as well. I need to be more optimistic for myself and to teach others how to be optimistic vs. pessimistic. I think that is hard to teach an individual how to be an optimist and always look for good in things, but I look forward to learning more information about the subject in future classes as I progresses in my education.
In chapter three it explores the ideas of sense of self. The sense of self is what makes a person an individual and how they see themselves. The factors to sense of self is how an individuals previous experiences have played a role in his or her life. They might feel they are unable to do math because they have not done well in the past, so he or she might have a low self efficiency of themselves. Self-efficiency is how an individual interpret or has the ability to handle a project and how they feel about what they did in that project. A person's sense of self is also determined by behaviors of others. How they compare to others in their class or family gives them either a high sense of self or a low sense of self. As an early adolescence an individual is in the process of having an imaginary audience towards themselves. They may feel that everyone is looking at them and paying attention to everything they do. They also have a personal fable about themselves. This is when they feel that nobody has every lived or went through what they have. Their pain is the worst pain ever, nobody has ever been in love like me and my boyfriend of two weeks. Adolescence also have a sense of invincibility. They feel like they are on top of the world and do not recognize the danger they put themselves into.
In chapter three it was also discussed a philosopher by the name of Erik Erickson. Erickson believed in a psychosocial development. He had eight stages which people move through throughout their life's. His eight stages are as follows; Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt, Industry vs. Inferiority, Identity vs. Role Confusion, Intimacy vs. Isolation, Generative vs. Stagnation, Integrity vs. Despair. Through these stags Erickson believed all individuals go through during different stages of his or her life.
So What?
Through this chapter I found value in most of the information. There is defiantly true statement about how adolescence perceive themselves and how they feel other perceive them also. As a future teacher I hope to build individuals sense of self and help them become aware of how to build a better self image about themselves. I also think this chapter gave great information regarding how students assemble as they age, and what factors help with individuals being social entities. The chapter talked about parenting styles and how to recognize maltreatment of a child, how parents rear more rounded self sufficient children if they are using the authoritative parenting style. It is great to know this information for me as a future teacher. If my future students are not receiving this type of parenting and only receiving authoritarian or permissive parenting I as an educator will be able to show this type of teaching in my future classroom. This will give students the opportunity to say things without fear of ridicule, punishment, or judgement upon them. This may show students that not all parents are as strict as theirs are and also if a students parents are very permissive it will allow them to have responsibility for their actions.
Now What?
What I still need to know is how to build a students sense of self and learn how to correct in a not critical manner. I need to know and understand that every individual comes from a different back ground and they may not like me as a teacher. They may believe that the rules are too stringent, but I know I do not want to be an authoritarian teacher. I want to teach with aspects from all philosophies and give students the opportunity to learn socially. I still need to learn how to apply Erickson's eight stages of development into a classroom setting. I also need to learn and read more into moral development. How to encourage students to make good moral decisions about his or her life's as well as how they affect others life's as well. I need to be more optimistic for myself and to teach others how to be optimistic vs. pessimistic. I think that is hard to teach an individual how to be an optimist and always look for good in things, but I look forward to learning more information about the subject in future classes as I progresses in my education.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Kim Peeks
What?
I had the great opportunity last Monday to hear Kim Peeks speak. It was amazing to hear his father tell the story of his life. Kim Peeks father spoke of how Kim was not diagnose with autism until the 1980's. Before his diagnosis doctors new he was not normal as some would say, but doctors advised Kim's father and mother to put Kim in an institution. Putting individuals with mental or physical imparities in an institution was very accepted when Kim was born. They put individuals in such places was some people's way of dealing with individuals whom they considered would not fit into society. Kim's father told a story about making a movement to get individuals out of institutions and into group homes or private residence. He said during that time they took out two thousand individuals out of institutions and placed them into a home environment. As I listened to Kim speak he had such a great message to tell everyone about how to cure the world of violence and intolerance. Kim said we are all different and no one person is the very same, and if we recognize we are all different then it would eradicate intolerance for others making this world a better place to live. I was amazed at Kim's memory he could recall ninety eight percent of what he had read in his life time. Someone asked Kim what did it say in a biography of one of the church's leaders on page two hundred paragraph three, and he paraphrased what the book said in that particular spot. He also was able to tell people their zip code and the major highways that lead into his or her specific town. Kim also had a great sense of humor and seemed to like to make jokes. Kim's father spoke of how the music professor from the University of Utah has been teaching Kim classical music. Kim had eighty five percent of the all classical music memorized and can play that music by memory on the piano. I am very great full to have had the opportunity to have listened to Kim tell his story. Kim had an amazing message to tell the audience and he was an impressive speaker to listen to.
So What!
While I listen to Kim and his father speak on Monday I was not thinking this man had a disability. I was thinking how he has helped changed societies views on people with autism and those who doctors say are mentally disabled. As I watched Kim and his father speak I did not see a man who was disabled I saw a man who had a great ability with his memory. This was a great opportunity to be able to see Kim's father interact with him and how I could as a future teacher be able to handle a student who had autism. His father never was anger with Kim for speaking while he was speaking. I think this would be very difficult to do as a teacher, but if the students knew that student was not intentionally trying to be disturbing I think the student would be fine in a classroom. Kim had the ability to memorize a great deal of information and I think it would be difficult to keep a child or student challenged in the classroom. Although it wasn't until just recently that Kim was introduced to the piano and classical music, which gave him a challenge and variety. Teachers need to be creative and give variety to student to help them engage in the curriculum, such as the professor from the University of Utah did for Kim.
Now What?
As I listened to Kim speak I accepted him for who he was and what he had to offer the world, yet I still need to know how to help students who are not fully developed be able to accept those who are different than them. I still need to know how to help students with disabilities where I can help them learn to their full capacity. I still need to learn more specifically how to help those with autism, down syndrome, or ADD. I need to read books about specific disabilities as students enter my future classroom so I can help them succeed in my classroom.
I had the great opportunity last Monday to hear Kim Peeks speak. It was amazing to hear his father tell the story of his life. Kim Peeks father spoke of how Kim was not diagnose with autism until the 1980's. Before his diagnosis doctors new he was not normal as some would say, but doctors advised Kim's father and mother to put Kim in an institution. Putting individuals with mental or physical imparities in an institution was very accepted when Kim was born. They put individuals in such places was some people's way of dealing with individuals whom they considered would not fit into society. Kim's father told a story about making a movement to get individuals out of institutions and into group homes or private residence. He said during that time they took out two thousand individuals out of institutions and placed them into a home environment. As I listened to Kim speak he had such a great message to tell everyone about how to cure the world of violence and intolerance. Kim said we are all different and no one person is the very same, and if we recognize we are all different then it would eradicate intolerance for others making this world a better place to live. I was amazed at Kim's memory he could recall ninety eight percent of what he had read in his life time. Someone asked Kim what did it say in a biography of one of the church's leaders on page two hundred paragraph three, and he paraphrased what the book said in that particular spot. He also was able to tell people their zip code and the major highways that lead into his or her specific town. Kim also had a great sense of humor and seemed to like to make jokes. Kim's father spoke of how the music professor from the University of Utah has been teaching Kim classical music. Kim had eighty five percent of the all classical music memorized and can play that music by memory on the piano. I am very great full to have had the opportunity to have listened to Kim tell his story. Kim had an amazing message to tell the audience and he was an impressive speaker to listen to.
So What!
While I listen to Kim and his father speak on Monday I was not thinking this man had a disability. I was thinking how he has helped changed societies views on people with autism and those who doctors say are mentally disabled. As I watched Kim and his father speak I did not see a man who was disabled I saw a man who had a great ability with his memory. This was a great opportunity to be able to see Kim's father interact with him and how I could as a future teacher be able to handle a student who had autism. His father never was anger with Kim for speaking while he was speaking. I think this would be very difficult to do as a teacher, but if the students knew that student was not intentionally trying to be disturbing I think the student would be fine in a classroom. Kim had the ability to memorize a great deal of information and I think it would be difficult to keep a child or student challenged in the classroom. Although it wasn't until just recently that Kim was introduced to the piano and classical music, which gave him a challenge and variety. Teachers need to be creative and give variety to student to help them engage in the curriculum, such as the professor from the University of Utah did for Kim.
Now What?
As I listened to Kim speak I accepted him for who he was and what he had to offer the world, yet I still need to know how to help students who are not fully developed be able to accept those who are different than them. I still need to know how to help students with disabilities where I can help them learn to their full capacity. I still need to learn more specifically how to help those with autism, down syndrome, or ADD. I need to read books about specific disabilities as students enter my future classroom so I can help them succeed in my classroom.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Chapter Two Learning Log
What?
There were two different philosophers who studies how children or people develop and learn throughout their life's Piaget and Vygotsky. They had different perspectives on how people develop and how their surroundings played a role into an individuals development. The philosophers Piaget believed that individuals developed in stages. In his writings he discussed how children learn from observations, biological maturation, and active exploration of the physical environment which they were in. He also believed that children learn best when they are in disequilibrium. Disequilibrium is when students feel uncomfortable about new information and to fit that new information into their brains. Piaget had four stages of development that children went through as they aged. The first is sensorimotor which is from birth to two years of age. In this stage they have an egocentric perspective, they lack class inclusion, lack or conservation, irreversibility, and transductive reasoning. They enter the next stage of concrete operations at age six to seven and it lasts until the age of eleven or twelve. In this stage children can understand peoples perspectives, there is class inclusion, conservation, deductive reasoning, and they depend on concret reality. They lack the ability to test or formulate hypothosis as well as proportional reasoning. Then as chilren moved from their adolecsence into adulthood they entered into formal operations stage. In this stage Piaget believed they had the ability to reason abstractly and to have hypothetical and contrary facts to ideas. They would be able to formulate an idea and to test that idea. They were also able to have proportional reasoning. The other philosopher Vygotsky's ideas were that children did not have a set stage or time frame that they would enter into. He had the idea of the Zone of Proximal Distance which involved a range of tasks a student can perform with the help of others but cannot yet perform those tasks independently yet. He also had the idea that children learned from adults about how society worked and where they formed all of their ideas from. He also believed that knowledge was created by society not by one specific individual. He had an idea that children have self talk which guides them through tasks, then children go through internalization which is a process which a learner gradually incorporates socially based activities into his or her internal cognitive processes, then they make that idea their own. Vygotsky believed in the power of play, peer interactions, guided participation, and socio-culture learning.
So what?
Although neither one has the answers to how specifically children learn they both have interesting ideas and concepts which seem to be correct. By following and taking ideas from both philosophers people can have a better understanding of how children do learn. Teachers, parents, and society can help children learn and grow through using ideas from both philosophers. I have had experiences while I was young of how teachers believed I should be in a particular learning level when I really was not. The example I have was of both Piaget and Vygotsky. I was thirteen years old and I had been move to a higher level of math, because the teacher suggested I was above my other peers. I entered into an algebra class and everything seemed to be going well until we reached equations which dealt with numbers, letters, and negative signs. I should have been in the disequilibrium as Piaget thought would help me learn better, but I got lost. The ZPD which my other teacher had assumed I was in was much to high for me at that particular time. I cried and fought with my father every night I began to do my homework. I just could not figure out how these equations worked. After months of fighting and crying something just clicked in my head and I understood the equations. Through disequilibrium of being uncomfortable about these new ideas of mathematics I finally got to my ZPD. I had entered into my ZPD which helped me feel I had accomplished something and I was not completely behind all of my peers in that classroom.
Now What?
With this new information that I have acquired I hope it will give me a better understanding of how students formulate new ideas. I hope to encourage my future students learning through some disequilibrium. An example of how I might create a disequilibrium activity for my students to show or acquire growth would be to have students experience how someone with a disability might feel. In the future I hope to be a health teacher and we will be discussing different disabilities people in our society have. I could have a student put headphones to experience how someone feels if they are deaf. A student might be blindfolded and try to make his or her way through the classroom. This would make it an uncomfortable experience for them, because it may make them feel awkward, but they will have a better understanding for those who do have a disability. With all of this new information that I have learned there are still many things that I need to learn. I need to better understand Vygoksty's idea of ZPD and how to understand where students are at in his or her learning stage. I need to learn more about both philosophers ideas of how students learn and internalize that information to help me make a mixture of many ideas and learning styles in my future classroom.
There were two different philosophers who studies how children or people develop and learn throughout their life's Piaget and Vygotsky. They had different perspectives on how people develop and how their surroundings played a role into an individuals development. The philosophers Piaget believed that individuals developed in stages. In his writings he discussed how children learn from observations, biological maturation, and active exploration of the physical environment which they were in. He also believed that children learn best when they are in disequilibrium. Disequilibrium is when students feel uncomfortable about new information and to fit that new information into their brains. Piaget had four stages of development that children went through as they aged. The first is sensorimotor which is from birth to two years of age. In this stage they have an egocentric perspective, they lack class inclusion, lack or conservation, irreversibility, and transductive reasoning. They enter the next stage of concrete operations at age six to seven and it lasts until the age of eleven or twelve. In this stage children can understand peoples perspectives, there is class inclusion, conservation, deductive reasoning, and they depend on concret reality. They lack the ability to test or formulate hypothosis as well as proportional reasoning. Then as chilren moved from their adolecsence into adulthood they entered into formal operations stage. In this stage Piaget believed they had the ability to reason abstractly and to have hypothetical and contrary facts to ideas. They would be able to formulate an idea and to test that idea. They were also able to have proportional reasoning. The other philosopher Vygotsky's ideas were that children did not have a set stage or time frame that they would enter into. He had the idea of the Zone of Proximal Distance which involved a range of tasks a student can perform with the help of others but cannot yet perform those tasks independently yet. He also had the idea that children learned from adults about how society worked and where they formed all of their ideas from. He also believed that knowledge was created by society not by one specific individual. He had an idea that children have self talk which guides them through tasks, then children go through internalization which is a process which a learner gradually incorporates socially based activities into his or her internal cognitive processes, then they make that idea their own. Vygotsky believed in the power of play, peer interactions, guided participation, and socio-culture learning.
So what?
Although neither one has the answers to how specifically children learn they both have interesting ideas and concepts which seem to be correct. By following and taking ideas from both philosophers people can have a better understanding of how children do learn. Teachers, parents, and society can help children learn and grow through using ideas from both philosophers. I have had experiences while I was young of how teachers believed I should be in a particular learning level when I really was not. The example I have was of both Piaget and Vygotsky. I was thirteen years old and I had been move to a higher level of math, because the teacher suggested I was above my other peers. I entered into an algebra class and everything seemed to be going well until we reached equations which dealt with numbers, letters, and negative signs. I should have been in the disequilibrium as Piaget thought would help me learn better, but I got lost. The ZPD which my other teacher had assumed I was in was much to high for me at that particular time. I cried and fought with my father every night I began to do my homework. I just could not figure out how these equations worked. After months of fighting and crying something just clicked in my head and I understood the equations. Through disequilibrium of being uncomfortable about these new ideas of mathematics I finally got to my ZPD. I had entered into my ZPD which helped me feel I had accomplished something and I was not completely behind all of my peers in that classroom.
Now What?
With this new information that I have acquired I hope it will give me a better understanding of how students formulate new ideas. I hope to encourage my future students learning through some disequilibrium. An example of how I might create a disequilibrium activity for my students to show or acquire growth would be to have students experience how someone with a disability might feel. In the future I hope to be a health teacher and we will be discussing different disabilities people in our society have. I could have a student put headphones to experience how someone feels if they are deaf. A student might be blindfolded and try to make his or her way through the classroom. This would make it an uncomfortable experience for them, because it may make them feel awkward, but they will have a better understanding for those who do have a disability. With all of this new information that I have learned there are still many things that I need to learn. I need to better understand Vygoksty's idea of ZPD and how to understand where students are at in his or her learning stage. I need to learn more about both philosophers ideas of how students learn and internalize that information to help me make a mixture of many ideas and learning styles in my future classroom.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Brain-Based-Assessments
So What!
In class we learned about the different methods of assessment and the importance of those assessments. There are different ways in which teachers choose to asses their students. Assessments give teachers a better understanding of how students are progressing in the class. Teachers should never give students "got ya" questions on their assessments. "Got ya" questions that are those questions which are not relevant to what a teacher taught the students, nor do they truly asses what the students knows about the subject. Teachers should always remember R.S.V.P. R.S.V.P. involves Reliability which is how consistent they are with grading or testing; Standardization which is consistent testing; Validity which goes with alignment; and finally Practicality which is how easy the assignment or assessment will be to create or to give. We also learned about Blooms Taxonomy which is remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. This method gives teachers a guideline to follow as they make their assessments for their classes. The whole basis for different assessments is that nobody learns the exact same way and everyone is different.
Now What?
This information which we learned in class gave me new insight about how I will asses my future students. I am a very hands on learner and sometimes I find it difficult to get out of my comfort zone and realize others may learn differently than I do. With this new information that I have learned it will help me create new and exciting methods for assessing students. It will give me the opportunity to give everyone in the class an opportunity to learn in the best possible manner. Some students may prefer to write an essay while other students may want to create a work of art explaining what they have learned in the course. I have a better understanding of what is involved in preparing a class assignment and have more sympathy for teachers who are preparing a lesson. I guess I did not realize how time consuming it is for teachers to write a test, give an assignment, or to lecture their class. I am excited about learning new methods teachers use to asses their students. dents and I embrace the challenges that lie ahead as I prepare to become a teacher.
What Else Do I Need To Know?
There are many things that I have yet to learn about being an affective teacher and I am excited to learn all the methods which teachers use. I need to learn more about how teachers use a rubric system. I am still a little unsure of how that is used or followed. I need to understand or become familiar with how to write an effective assessment for students of all learning methods. Writing a test that I know all of the answers to is not as difficult as taking a test that has incorrect testing methods or that has missing information. I look forward to learning how to write effective assessments, assignment, and how to prepare students for those assessments.
In class we learned about the different methods of assessment and the importance of those assessments. There are different ways in which teachers choose to asses their students. Assessments give teachers a better understanding of how students are progressing in the class. Teachers should never give students "got ya" questions on their assessments. "Got ya" questions that are those questions which are not relevant to what a teacher taught the students, nor do they truly asses what the students knows about the subject. Teachers should always remember R.S.V.P. R.S.V.P. involves Reliability which is how consistent they are with grading or testing; Standardization which is consistent testing; Validity which goes with alignment; and finally Practicality which is how easy the assignment or assessment will be to create or to give. We also learned about Blooms Taxonomy which is remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. This method gives teachers a guideline to follow as they make their assessments for their classes. The whole basis for different assessments is that nobody learns the exact same way and everyone is different.
Now What?
This information which we learned in class gave me new insight about how I will asses my future students. I am a very hands on learner and sometimes I find it difficult to get out of my comfort zone and realize others may learn differently than I do. With this new information that I have learned it will help me create new and exciting methods for assessing students. It will give me the opportunity to give everyone in the class an opportunity to learn in the best possible manner. Some students may prefer to write an essay while other students may want to create a work of art explaining what they have learned in the course. I have a better understanding of what is involved in preparing a class assignment and have more sympathy for teachers who are preparing a lesson. I guess I did not realize how time consuming it is for teachers to write a test, give an assignment, or to lecture their class. I am excited about learning new methods teachers use to asses their students. dents and I embrace the challenges that lie ahead as I prepare to become a teacher.
What Else Do I Need To Know?
There are many things that I have yet to learn about being an affective teacher and I am excited to learn all the methods which teachers use. I need to learn more about how teachers use a rubric system. I am still a little unsure of how that is used or followed. I need to understand or become familiar with how to write an effective assessment for students of all learning methods. Writing a test that I know all of the answers to is not as difficult as taking a test that has incorrect testing methods or that has missing information. I look forward to learning how to write effective assessments, assignment, and how to prepare students for those assessments.
course contract/hidden assignment
Goals For This Course
The few goals I have in mind for myself in this course is to help me better understand how adolescence learn, to be able to understand different teaching methods, and to re-learn how adolescence behave socially. My goals for succesfully completing this course is to always be prepared before I come to class.
How I Plan to Prepare Each Week For Class.
I plan to read the contents of the book and then review the night before class so I can store information into my longterm memory. I plan on posting my learning logs on fridays to help me ponder what I have learn. In the learning logs I hope to pick out key terms or specific subjects that had meaning for me as a future teacher. I hope to review the study guides two or three times throughout the week, so I can be well prepared for the bell quiz in class.
Outline for Successful Study Strategie for Educational Psychology
1. Read chapters on fridays for next weeks class.
Complete study quide for that chapter.
Start on any assignments for the following week.
2. Post blogs as soon as possible after Thursdays class.
Review past logs before next thursdays class.
3. Participate and always be prepared for group work.
4. Re-read or review the chapter before class on Thursday.
5. Review study guide before class on Thursday morning.
Trouble in the Class?
If I have trouble in this course I plan on taking immediate action to prevent me from falling further behind. I will try to solve the problem first with reviewing my notes or re-reading the directions of the assignment. If I find myself lost in an assignment and cannot find the awnser myself I have contact numbers from others in the class to help me get clarified. If I still am unsure of the assignment I plan on doing a few things. I will either email my professor, call or text my professor, or vist my professor in her office.
My Goal Statement For Educational Psychology
I will reach my goals in this course by following directions, attending and participating in class. I will reach my goals in this course by being proactive about my learning and trying to always be prepared for that weeks class. I will reach my goals in this course by cooperating well with other students in my group and being well prepared for those group projects.
The few goals I have in mind for myself in this course is to help me better understand how adolescence learn, to be able to understand different teaching methods, and to re-learn how adolescence behave socially. My goals for succesfully completing this course is to always be prepared before I come to class.
How I Plan to Prepare Each Week For Class.
I plan to read the contents of the book and then review the night before class so I can store information into my longterm memory. I plan on posting my learning logs on fridays to help me ponder what I have learn. In the learning logs I hope to pick out key terms or specific subjects that had meaning for me as a future teacher. I hope to review the study guides two or three times throughout the week, so I can be well prepared for the bell quiz in class.
Outline for Successful Study Strategie for Educational Psychology
1. Read chapters on fridays for next weeks class.
Complete study quide for that chapter.
Start on any assignments for the following week.
2. Post blogs as soon as possible after Thursdays class.
Review past logs before next thursdays class.
3. Participate and always be prepared for group work.
4. Re-read or review the chapter before class on Thursday.
5. Review study guide before class on Thursday morning.
Trouble in the Class?
If I have trouble in this course I plan on taking immediate action to prevent me from falling further behind. I will try to solve the problem first with reviewing my notes or re-reading the directions of the assignment. If I find myself lost in an assignment and cannot find the awnser myself I have contact numbers from others in the class to help me get clarified. If I still am unsure of the assignment I plan on doing a few things. I will either email my professor, call or text my professor, or vist my professor in her office.
My Goal Statement For Educational Psychology
I will reach my goals in this course by following directions, attending and participating in class. I will reach my goals in this course by being proactive about my learning and trying to always be prepared for that weeks class. I will reach my goals in this course by cooperating well with other students in my group and being well prepared for those group projects.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Educational Research
What
There are four types of research that I had the opportunity to evaluate, which are action, experimental, correlational, and descriptive. Each research serves it's own purpose and people can choose to interpret the information in different ways. Experimental research involves researchers asking a question of why something is happening. Correlational research involves finding relationships between several different situations, and although the two items may have similar outcomes it does not mean one is the cause of the other. Descriptive research is trying to find an explanation for something or why it is occurring. Action research involves research that collects information about certain methods and how those methods of teaching reflect on students outcomes. It also reflects on the information that is collected, The method of action research encourages changes to programs that need improvements. Action research makes a conclusion from the results of the improvements that were implemented.
So What?
This information that we had the opportunity to learn about will help me better understand research. It helped me better understand how to not make rash decisions regarding information that was reported from "researchers". I will be able to evaluate how the research was collected what method the researchers whose, whether it was action, descriptive, correlational, or experimental. With the knowledge of how different research is collected I have a better understanding of how to interpret studies that have been conducted. This will improve my research as a student and help me to make wise decisions regarding the information I use in my college courses.
Now What? reflection about educational research as follows:
What? Summarize what you have learned about each of the four educational research types.
So What? Write a critical analysis about the importance of what you have learned about this topic.
Now What?
I still need to learn how there can be different outcomes to similar studies. I hope to better learn how to interpret studies or research and make rational decisions regarding that information. I hope to learn more about correlational studies and exactly how they work in research. I still need to understand Action research better so I will be able to conduct educational research as I become a future educator. I need to take initiative and read differnt types of studies regarding reasearch that has been done in education where I can be the best teacher I can be.
There are four types of research that I had the opportunity to evaluate, which are action, experimental, correlational, and descriptive. Each research serves it's own purpose and people can choose to interpret the information in different ways. Experimental research involves researchers asking a question of why something is happening. Correlational research involves finding relationships between several different situations, and although the two items may have similar outcomes it does not mean one is the cause of the other. Descriptive research is trying to find an explanation for something or why it is occurring. Action research involves research that collects information about certain methods and how those methods of teaching reflect on students outcomes. It also reflects on the information that is collected, The method of action research encourages changes to programs that need improvements. Action research makes a conclusion from the results of the improvements that were implemented.
So What?
This information that we had the opportunity to learn about will help me better understand research. It helped me better understand how to not make rash decisions regarding information that was reported from "researchers". I will be able to evaluate how the research was collected what method the researchers whose, whether it was action, descriptive, correlational, or experimental. With the knowledge of how different research is collected I have a better understanding of how to interpret studies that have been conducted. This will improve my research as a student and help me to make wise decisions regarding the information I use in my college courses.
Now What? reflection about educational research as follows:
What? Summarize what you have learned about each of the four educational research types.
So What? Write a critical analysis about the importance of what you have learned about this topic.
Now What?
I still need to learn how there can be different outcomes to similar studies. I hope to better learn how to interpret studies or research and make rational decisions regarding that information. I hope to learn more about correlational studies and exactly how they work in research. I still need to understand Action research better so I will be able to conduct educational research as I become a future educator. I need to take initiative and read differnt types of studies regarding reasearch that has been done in education where I can be the best teacher I can be.
The Brain and learning methods
What?
This week during class we learned about the human brain. It was very interesting to relearn all of the different sections of the brain and how they funtion. It was interesting to me to learn that we do use one hundren percent of our brain. Throughout all of my anatomy, physcology, and community health courses it has been expressed to me that the human brain only uses about ten percent of it's capasity. It does make sense that a human would use one hundred percent of thier brain or else the parts not used would die. It was also interesting to know that there is no such thing as left or right brained people. During our discussion in class we talked about how the brain has plasticity. Plasticity of the brain allows the brain to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. We also talked about RAD teaching, which stands for Reticular Activating system, Amygdals, Dopamine. Reticular activating system which is part of the fight or flight system. The Amygdals which is for the emotion, and Dopamine which is a geel good neurotransmitter. It was also interesting to learn that the brain develops from the back to front, which explains why teenagers are so emotional and do not think rationaly at times.
Summarize what you learned that week through your reading and/or in-class experience. This summary should be fairly detailed, about 10-15 sentences, and should help you to review the most important points of that week’s topic. You may choose to reread and summarize your class notes here.
So What?
It is important for me as a future teacher to acknowledge that some students do have brain injuries which could impair them from learning the same as other students. In the future I will better understand that some students are using their full capasity of their brain and they still do not get the information I am trying to get across to them. I will know that maybe their brain has just not fully developed and they may not be ready to cope with such complex information yet. The information we learned about was for us to better understand where higher thinking comes from, which has a direct connection to education and how humans learn. Learing about the brain will help me be a better teacher, because knowing students brains are not fully developed and there is more emotional thinking being done than critical thinking. As a teacher I may be able to help students understand why they are so emotional and that they think it is the end of the world if they do not get asked out to the friday night dance.
Now What?
In the furture I will still need to have a better understanding of how the brain works in adolescence. I will need to see how certain methods of teaching are used such as the RAD method. As a future teacher I hope to teach students that they do use one hundred percent of their brains, and if they are not grasping information there may be a reason why. Such as they may have not developed that part of their brain yet. I hope to learn how to help students and myself to develop new pathways in their brains. It would be benificial not only to my students, but for myself as well. I hope to use the information I have learned in class this week to help me have a better understanding how students with brain injuries may have a harder time learning information.
This week during class we learned about the human brain. It was very interesting to relearn all of the different sections of the brain and how they funtion. It was interesting to me to learn that we do use one hundren percent of our brain. Throughout all of my anatomy, physcology, and community health courses it has been expressed to me that the human brain only uses about ten percent of it's capasity. It does make sense that a human would use one hundred percent of thier brain or else the parts not used would die. It was also interesting to know that there is no such thing as left or right brained people. During our discussion in class we talked about how the brain has plasticity. Plasticity of the brain allows the brain to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. We also talked about RAD teaching, which stands for Reticular Activating system, Amygdals, Dopamine. Reticular activating system which is part of the fight or flight system. The Amygdals which is for the emotion, and Dopamine which is a geel good neurotransmitter. It was also interesting to learn that the brain develops from the back to front, which explains why teenagers are so emotional and do not think rationaly at times.
Summarize what you learned that week through your reading and/or in-class experience. This summary should be fairly detailed, about 10-15 sentences, and should help you to review the most important points of that week’s topic. You may choose to reread and summarize your class notes here.
So What?
It is important for me as a future teacher to acknowledge that some students do have brain injuries which could impair them from learning the same as other students. In the future I will better understand that some students are using their full capasity of their brain and they still do not get the information I am trying to get across to them. I will know that maybe their brain has just not fully developed and they may not be ready to cope with such complex information yet. The information we learned about was for us to better understand where higher thinking comes from, which has a direct connection to education and how humans learn. Learing about the brain will help me be a better teacher, because knowing students brains are not fully developed and there is more emotional thinking being done than critical thinking. As a teacher I may be able to help students understand why they are so emotional and that they think it is the end of the world if they do not get asked out to the friday night dance.
Now What?
In the furture I will still need to have a better understanding of how the brain works in adolescence. I will need to see how certain methods of teaching are used such as the RAD method. As a future teacher I hope to teach students that they do use one hundred percent of their brains, and if they are not grasping information there may be a reason why. Such as they may have not developed that part of their brain yet. I hope to learn how to help students and myself to develop new pathways in their brains. It would be benificial not only to my students, but for myself as well. I hope to use the information I have learned in class this week to help me have a better understanding how students with brain injuries may have a harder time learning information.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
educational psychology Hilary Jones
1. Why are you here (in the teacher education program, in this class, at UVU)?
I am taking this course to help me in my future career as an educator. I enrolled at UVSC five years ago with the hopes of becoming a nurse. I soon realized that nursing was not the career path to choose. I wanted to make a difference in peoples lives in some way. I finished all of my pre requisites and the more educated I became the more I enjoyed the environment in which learning took place. I began to look into becoming a teacher three semesters ago. I took different courses at UVSC to help me decide what type of teacher I wanted to become. After I deliberated over what and where I would like to teach I finally chose to teach at a high school level teaching health. I enjoy all the aspects of health and how health has so many different areas to focus on. I chose this course to help me better understand my future students as I proceed to work towards my goal of becoming an educator.
2.What motivates you?
I am a very motivated person now that I am older, but as a youth the only thing that motivated me was my social group that I chose to run around with. I am motivated to become a teacher to be a better example to my children and hope to encourage students to not make the same mistakes that I made while I was a teenager. I am motivated to prove statistics wrong about how most teenage mothers not finish high school nor finish college before the age of thirty. 3.Why do you succeed?
I succeed because there is no other option for me. I choose success, because I choose to focus on the positive things in life rather than my failures as an individual. I succeed because of my children, husband, and family support. I succeed because I am not a victim nor a failure.
4.Why do you fail?
I only fail because I have not focused on the positive and I have chosen to fail. I do not tend to look at things in my life as failures, but rather bumps in the road from which I learn from. There is always something positive that comes from a failed attempt.
5.How do you need to change your motivations and mindset for this class in order to become a great teacher?
I sometimes feel as though I am a follower. I do follow directions really well, but as a teacher I will be the one who gives the directions. I also feel I am more motivated to do things if there are certain deadlines to follow and due dates to meet goals. I feel what motivates me to be a great teacher is that I have been there as a student who hated the fact I had to attend school. I know how it feels to think that school is not where I want to be, but rather having fun with my friends. I can be a great teacher and encourage those students to not choose the mistakes that I chose as a young teenager. I know I can show those students that teachers really do care about their students, and if they are not there to attend my class. I hope to motivate myself in this course to learn as much information and techniques I can to help my future students.
I am taking this course to help me in my future career as an educator. I enrolled at UVSC five years ago with the hopes of becoming a nurse. I soon realized that nursing was not the career path to choose. I wanted to make a difference in peoples lives in some way. I finished all of my pre requisites and the more educated I became the more I enjoyed the environment in which learning took place. I began to look into becoming a teacher three semesters ago. I took different courses at UVSC to help me decide what type of teacher I wanted to become. After I deliberated over what and where I would like to teach I finally chose to teach at a high school level teaching health. I enjoy all the aspects of health and how health has so many different areas to focus on. I chose this course to help me better understand my future students as I proceed to work towards my goal of becoming an educator.
2.What motivates you?
I am a very motivated person now that I am older, but as a youth the only thing that motivated me was my social group that I chose to run around with. I am motivated to become a teacher to be a better example to my children and hope to encourage students to not make the same mistakes that I made while I was a teenager. I am motivated to prove statistics wrong about how most teenage mothers not finish high school nor finish college before the age of thirty. 3.Why do you succeed?
I succeed because there is no other option for me. I choose success, because I choose to focus on the positive things in life rather than my failures as an individual. I succeed because of my children, husband, and family support. I succeed because I am not a victim nor a failure.
4.Why do you fail?
I only fail because I have not focused on the positive and I have chosen to fail. I do not tend to look at things in my life as failures, but rather bumps in the road from which I learn from. There is always something positive that comes from a failed attempt.
5.How do you need to change your motivations and mindset for this class in order to become a great teacher?
I sometimes feel as though I am a follower. I do follow directions really well, but as a teacher I will be the one who gives the directions. I also feel I am more motivated to do things if there are certain deadlines to follow and due dates to meet goals. I feel what motivates me to be a great teacher is that I have been there as a student who hated the fact I had to attend school. I know how it feels to think that school is not where I want to be, but rather having fun with my friends. I can be a great teacher and encourage those students to not choose the mistakes that I chose as a young teenager. I know I can show those students that teachers really do care about their students, and if they are not there to attend my class. I hope to motivate myself in this course to learn as much information and techniques I can to help my future students.
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