Chapter 6

What?
This chapter is all about cognitivism. The cognitive definition of learning is semi-permanent change in mental processes. An advantage of defining learning in this way could be that just because behavior doesn't change doesn't mean that learning did not take place. The basic assumptions of Cognitivism are: 1)Learning is due to experience, 2)Meaning is constructed by learner, rather than from the environment, 3)Prior knowledge and beliefs play a major role in the meanings people construct {such that children don't come to class with blank slates, they actually come from different backgrounds with slates full of info}. Think of cognitivism as a "filing cabinet" where we label and store things for later retrieval. Memory isn't stored in one place! (Note to self: Refer to diagram draw on brain model in class) Information is first recognized in the brainstem through the five senses. The RAS is where information is filtered through, "attention gateway". The hippocampus brings together prior knowledge with new processes. Memory is then sent back to and stored in the different cortex of the brain where the info was first processed. The amygdala is where emotional memory is stored. Each time we retrieve (remember) information, we recontruct it from the parts of the cortex where it was stored. Two main reasons why we can't remember are 1)Decay- if we don't use it, we lose it and the pathway decays, 2)Interference- pathway blocked, chose wrong pathway, didn't encode correctly for retrieval. Believe it or not, rehearsal is not the only encoding method. In fact, it's a very ineffective encoding method. Meaningful learning (connecting to prior knowledge), organization (both for teacher and student, putting ideas in smaller, manageable ideas "chunking), elaboration (taking the content one further step by applying it), visual imagery, enactment (hands on experience with more senses involved), mnemonics (if necessary), etc are all better choices for helping students encode information. These methods teach for deeper learning.
So What?
Since I am a future teacher and I'm very concerned about the learning that goes on inside my student's heads, I really need to know how the process of memory works. I can now teach using methods that coincide with that process and don't make things more complicated than necessary. I now know that I need to tie my teaching techniques into the five senses and put emotion into it, so that the students' pathways will be strengthened and multiplied for easier retrieval later. By choosing better encoding methods, I can help my students gain deeper understanding of the content.
Now What?
I will try to find alternate methods of teaching math to my students than the traditional lecture and drill methods, since rehearsal is the least effective method for encoding information. I need to better understand the connections in my content so that I can come up with new activities for my students to learn from and with.

Chapter 3

What?
Chapter 3 is all about moral and social development. Developing a positive sense of self is very important for our students' attitude, school work, and lives. Factors of sense-of-self include one's previous performance and self-efficacy, the behavior of others toward them, and their group membership that brings a sense of belonging. Changes in development, occuring in stages begins during childhood where perceptions aof self are concrete and optimistic, they think they can do everything and anything. During early adolesence they have an imaginary audience where they think that everyone is looking at them, all of the time. Also they have a personal fable where they think that no one understands the way they think or feel and also that they are invincible. Erickson's Psychosocial Crises model social development in 8 stages.
Trust vs Mistrust (infancy)- trust is earned when caregivers provide the basic needs
Autonomy vs Doubt (toddler)- autonomy is when children have the power to do it themselves
Initiatve vs Guilt (preschool)- children take the initiative to do things themselves
Industry vs Inferiority (elementary)- industry comes from being encouraged and praised for accomplishments
Identity vs Role Confusion (adolesence)- finding their place in society
Intimacy vs Isolation (young adult)- intimacy "kissy kissy kissy"
Generativity vs Stagnation (middle age)- generativity is contirbuting to society
Integrity vs Depair (retirement)- feeling content and satisfied with life and choices made.
School plays a central role in the student social development, particularly in peer relationships. As teachers we should allow some freedom of choice in the classroom and expound on student strengths.
Kohlberg's steps of Moral Development focus on developing moral reasoning and moral dilemmas (where there isn't a clear answer of right or wrong) causing disequilibrium.
Preconventional- a)punishment avoidance: following rules to not get in trouble
b)individualism: following rules for personal gains
Conventional- a)good boy/good girl: following rules for approval and praise
b)law and order: rules are rules and it's our duty to obey them
PostConventional- a)social contract: following rules for the deeper cause
b)universal ethical principle: following/breaking rules for the better of others (moral responsibility)
Gilligan's Critisms break down the general differences between girls and boys when it comes to moral reasoning. Boys make decisions depending on individual rights and autonomy, noninterference, and the basis that rules are rules. Girls make decisions according to relationships and interdependence, empathy and compassion, and based on the situation.

So What?
This chapter is important for us as teachers in that we need to understand our students' social and moral factors that are playing a part in their lives, and from our point of view -playing a part in their school work and classroom behavior. We need to be able to design classroom activities that encourage them, bring out their strengths, and break down any negative social barriers. Also recognizing the roles that parents play in the student's life and where we can help and where we just sympathize with them.

Now What?
I need to integrate this information into my lesson plans and my teaching style. I'm going to need practice figuring out which stages the students in my class fall in to and what works where.

Chapter 2

What?
Learning is the development of neuronetworks and the brain is "strengthened" through use of pathways and the connections made to information. Cognitive development is building a variety of pathways to information and linking them together. Studies show the importance of tow different mindsets, fixed vs growth. The growth mindset understands their limitations and is on a mission to figure out what they can do to change them and grow in the weaker areas. We now are accepting of the fact that the brain is affected by genetics and environment.
Piaget's theory is characterized by individual constructivism with a role of the environment. Also that cognitive development is affected by interaction with peers. Factors in cognitive development include biological maturation, active exploration of the environment, social experiences, and a process of equilibration where the brain is taking in information using assimilation (putting info with something we already know) or accommodation (making a new place or adapting a space for new info). Piaget's theory works in stages (not quite like the ages given). As a future teacher we may have students in any of the last three stages of development.
Vygotsky's theory is about socio-cultural learning, the role of the culture and interaction with adults, using guided participation (to help students do things like adults do), using cognitive apprenticeship (to help them think like adults do), having peer interaction, and that play has on the development of a child. He believes that all the information we have in our heads, we got from somewhere in the environment-nothing began in our heads. Vygotsky has the "Zone of Proximal Development" where no one is in any certain level or stage at the same time. It's very individual and allows for differences from child to child. We can teach our students using differentiation by customizing our classroom instruction to the needs of those in our class.
So What?
It is important for me as future teacher to understand the different levels of thinking and reasoning that my student's will be on so that I can teach and instruct accordingly. I'm not going to be able to teach a concept in just one single way and expect that every student will understand and remember it just like that. Especially in the math field, logic and reasoning are a large part of high school algebra, geometry, and higher level classes for them to understand how all the mathematical concepts fit together. Also understanding how the students are going to try to assimilate or accommodate the new information given in a non-threatening, less stressful way. If I can help make some of those connections and it's not just a bunch of random facts, they'll be able to better link those in their mind and build pathways as well.
Now What?
I still need to make connections myself as to how all the mathematical concepts fit together in the big picture. I'm starting to see it as I have advanced into higher classes and I want to be able to make those connections for my students in a simpler way. Also I need practice applying assimilation and accommodation activities and finding those ways of establishing disequilibrium in my students so they find a place for the information.

Kim Peek - The Original Rain Man

Today I was privileged to hear Kim Peek and his father, Fran, speak at our school. I was very intrigued by such a fascinating and sweet man that he is. I loved his motto and message to the world that is his goal to share with everyone he meets "Learning to recognize and respect differences in others and treating them the way you would have them threat you. You don't have to be handicapped to be different, everyone is different."

The amazing amount of facts and knowledge Kim holds and recalls is phenomenal. Fran told us of some of the experiences they have had throughout the years in their quest to meet people, get diagnoses, and spread their message. The most amazing thing to me that Kim remembers is the days of the week for any date in any year.

The student that gave a quick bio about Kim spoke so fast that I went to google and YouTube to find more info about him. Born with brain damage and diagnosed never to walk or communicate, Kim had memorized every book read to him at 16-20 months old. At 3 years old he had read and memorized the dictionary and asked his mother what certain words meant. By the age 14, he had completed the entire high school curriculum. Kim is an autistic savant- which means he has mental infirmities coupled with extraordinary skills such as his exceptional memory. Kim is missing the corpus callosum which connects two parts/lobes of the brain. He also has some damage to the cerebellum.

A page of text takes an average person 3 min to read, Kim can read the same thing in 8-10 seconds and remember everything. He reads an average sized book in about an hour. As he reads his left eye reads the left side of the page and his right eye reads the right side. He can recall the names of around 12000 books (Fran mentioned that they have 6000-7000 books in their home).

I was drawn to his warm and loving personality which his father says he shares with everyone around him. He truly cares about people although he may not be able to express such feelings in a socially accepted way.