What?
My theory is based on a combination of the theories that we have covered in class. I feel that this course has been very beneficial to me and that the infomation is very applicable in my teaching and in my classroom. Of course, every teacher is going to have their own idea about what the "perfect" or "ideal" classroom is, how students learn, and how to teach each student. I will try to summarize my teaching philosophy and my theory about how my students learn here.
Students come to our classrooms with over a decade of learning and experience. They have ideas and beliefs about the world that may or may not be correct and/or acceptable. They come from many different ethnic backgrounds and cultures. They are a product of their environment and the opportunities or the lack thereof. They may have or may not have come from homes where learning is fostered and encouraged, homes where love and affection is shown or not shown. There are so many factors that affect the way our students behave in our classroom. Regardless of what our students have walked through my classroom door with, it is my job and responsibility to make sure that I give that student the opportunity to learn. Each student should have to the chance to succeed and become the best that they can. As a teacher, I need to make the necessary adjustments in my teaching to reach each student. As a teacher, I feel it is my responsibility to teach them not only math concepts and skills but also life skills and self-worth. All of this is important because students learn best in an environment that is comfortable and accepting of them.
I feel that students best learn math when given clear instruction with good examples. Students need to feel comfortable when asking questions in order to be active learners. Students seem to resist to working hands on with math, but with the right activities I think that students can really see how math is used and applied in the real world. Overall, students best learn math through well thought out instruction that is very organized and logical and with practice.
So What?
My classroom and teaching style will definitely be influenced by the above reasons and thoughts. I want to be able to achieve the goal of having the above ideal classroom. I had teachers, specifically, math teachers that helped to foster my love for math. Math wasn't even always the easiest thing for me but because of the way they taught and treated me as a person, I learned to really like it. I hope to be this type of teacher for all of my students whether they end up loving math or not.
Now What?
Time is drawing near that I will finally be able to put all that I have learned into practice. I look forward to further observing the learned theories in the classroom and in practice. I feel that I know and undertand the concepts of the theories but still need practice in observing and implementation of these theories.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Chapter 4
What?
Chapter 4 is all about differences among students of diverse culture and ethnic groups. As teachers we can best help students learn, develop, and thrive when we understand the fundamental assumptions and conventions that underlie their behavior. Teachers need to be able to treat students with equity- freedom from bias or favoritism. Students may come from very diverse cultures and the expectations that are placed upon them at home may be very different and even conflicting to those expectations place upon them at school. Things such as personal space, waiting vs interrupting, performing in public, teasing each other, cooperation vs competition, and conceptions of time may be viewed differently in their home culture than the expectations that we have for them at school. It's very important for teachers to be aware and understand diverse cultural views in order to better understand the students and what's happening in their lives.
So What?
As teachers this chapter is important because we need to be able to teach all of our students. We need to be careful not to place unnecessary labels upon our students. We can also better reach all of our students by being understanding and attentive to their needs. By understanding their differences we can talk to those students one-on-one and come up with a plan that best works for them and will allow them to succeed.
Now What?
As I go into the classroom, I need to be mindful and sensitive to the diverse students in my classroom and their needs. I may need to study up on their cultures in order to best understand them and know how I am best able to help them.
Chapter 4 is all about differences among students of diverse culture and ethnic groups. As teachers we can best help students learn, develop, and thrive when we understand the fundamental assumptions and conventions that underlie their behavior. Teachers need to be able to treat students with equity- freedom from bias or favoritism. Students may come from very diverse cultures and the expectations that are placed upon them at home may be very different and even conflicting to those expectations place upon them at school. Things such as personal space, waiting vs interrupting, performing in public, teasing each other, cooperation vs competition, and conceptions of time may be viewed differently in their home culture than the expectations that we have for them at school. It's very important for teachers to be aware and understand diverse cultural views in order to better understand the students and what's happening in their lives.
So What?
As teachers this chapter is important because we need to be able to teach all of our students. We need to be careful not to place unnecessary labels upon our students. We can also better reach all of our students by being understanding and attentive to their needs. By understanding their differences we can talk to those students one-on-one and come up with a plan that best works for them and will allow them to succeed.
Now What?
As I go into the classroom, I need to be mindful and sensitive to the diverse students in my classroom and their needs. I may need to study up on their cultures in order to best understand them and know how I am best able to help them.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Chapter 5
What?
Chapter 5 is about Individual Differences and Students with Special Needs. The IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) protects the rights of those students with special needs or with disabilities. This act covers students from preschool age to the age of 21. IEPs, least restrictive environments, and inclusion are all covered under the IDEA. IEP or Individual Education Plans are individualized plans for students with disabilities that outlines how students can meet their goals and how they will be evaluated. The IEPs are drawn up in a meeting held by the special education teacher with teachers and parents invited to attend. The IEP should also include a transition plan for the student. Inclusion is teaching students with special needs in a traditional classroom along with the other students their age. A Least Restrictive Environment is the most typical and standard educational environment that can reasonably meet the needs of a student with a disability. Retarded is defined as impairment of cognitive processes and social aspects of a student, a slowing down in these areas. Gifted students are defined as having unusually high ability or aptitude in one or more areas.
Spearman's g - g=general intelligence (underlying). Student's performance on any given task depends on both the "g" and any specific factors that the task involves.
Catell's Fluid and Crystallized Intelligences - fluid intelligence is the adaptations and quick attainment of knowledge. Crystallized intelligence is the accumulated knowledge from experiences, schooling, and cultures.
Sternberg's Triarchic Theory- Based on three intelligence areas including 1)analytical- sense making, 2)creative- inventive, and 3)practical- "street smarts" that are influenced by three different factors: 1)environment, 2)prior knowledge, and 3)cognitive processes.
Distributed Intelligences- people are more likely to behave intelligently with assistance from physical, social, and cultural environments; anybody can be intelligent with the right tools.
Gardner's Multiple Intelligences- people who are quite skilled in one area and have seemingly average abilities in other areas. Every person learns best in one or two of the eight multiple intelligences: Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Spatial, Musical, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalist.
So What?
This chapter is very important to us as future teachers so that we understand the responsibilities that we have as teachers of special needs, disabled, and gifted students. It's very probable that we will have these types of students in our classrooms. We also need to be able to help them learn the material in a way that will be helpful to them. Every student in my class will not learn in the same manner. By knowing about the different intelligences that people can have, I as a teacher can plan lessons around those different students that will be more effective for them.
Now What?
Some examples of some activities that I could use in my math classes using Gardner's Multiple Intelligences are as follows: 1)Using the Spatial area- teach a geometry lesson of area and volume by bringing in physical objects such as blocks and have the kids fit pieces in them and see how the area can really be filled. 2) Using the Bodily-Kinesthetic area- have the students learn distances, positive and negative concepts by walking across a number line on the floor so as they move, they see how the concept is working. 3)Using the Naturalist area- plan a lesson that has application problems to the outside world, i.e, the slope of a hill of sliding rocks fits in a mathematical problem.
Chapter 5 is about Individual Differences and Students with Special Needs. The IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) protects the rights of those students with special needs or with disabilities. This act covers students from preschool age to the age of 21. IEPs, least restrictive environments, and inclusion are all covered under the IDEA. IEP or Individual Education Plans are individualized plans for students with disabilities that outlines how students can meet their goals and how they will be evaluated. The IEPs are drawn up in a meeting held by the special education teacher with teachers and parents invited to attend. The IEP should also include a transition plan for the student. Inclusion is teaching students with special needs in a traditional classroom along with the other students their age. A Least Restrictive Environment is the most typical and standard educational environment that can reasonably meet the needs of a student with a disability. Retarded is defined as impairment of cognitive processes and social aspects of a student, a slowing down in these areas. Gifted students are defined as having unusually high ability or aptitude in one or more areas.
Spearman's g - g=general intelligence (underlying). Student's performance on any given task depends on both the "g" and any specific factors that the task involves.
Catell's Fluid and Crystallized Intelligences - fluid intelligence is the adaptations and quick attainment of knowledge. Crystallized intelligence is the accumulated knowledge from experiences, schooling, and cultures.
Sternberg's Triarchic Theory- Based on three intelligence areas including 1)analytical- sense making, 2)creative- inventive, and 3)practical- "street smarts" that are influenced by three different factors: 1)environment, 2)prior knowledge, and 3)cognitive processes.
Distributed Intelligences- people are more likely to behave intelligently with assistance from physical, social, and cultural environments; anybody can be intelligent with the right tools.
Gardner's Multiple Intelligences- people who are quite skilled in one area and have seemingly average abilities in other areas. Every person learns best in one or two of the eight multiple intelligences: Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Spatial, Musical, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalist.
So What?
This chapter is very important to us as future teachers so that we understand the responsibilities that we have as teachers of special needs, disabled, and gifted students. It's very probable that we will have these types of students in our classrooms. We also need to be able to help them learn the material in a way that will be helpful to them. Every student in my class will not learn in the same manner. By knowing about the different intelligences that people can have, I as a teacher can plan lessons around those different students that will be more effective for them.
Now What?
Some examples of some activities that I could use in my math classes using Gardner's Multiple Intelligences are as follows: 1)Using the Spatial area- teach a geometry lesson of area and volume by bringing in physical objects such as blocks and have the kids fit pieces in them and see how the area can really be filled. 2) Using the Bodily-Kinesthetic area- have the students learn distances, positive and negative concepts by walking across a number line on the floor so as they move, they see how the concept is working. 3)Using the Naturalist area- plan a lesson that has application problems to the outside world, i.e, the slope of a hill of sliding rocks fits in a mathematical problem.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Chapter 10
What?
Chapter 10 is all about Social Cognitivism. Social cognitive theorists define learning as an internal process that may or may not lead to a beahvior change. People learn by observing others and in process, begin to assume control over their own behavior. Like the cognitive theory, social cognitivism recongizes that there are things going on in the brain when learning. And just like the behavioral theory, behavior is sometimes exhibited through learning. As a visual metaphor we can think of a video camera recording all the things that are going on around us. However, it may not play back everything that it saw:0 The Bobo Doll Experiment was conducted by having children watch adults interact with the dolls. In the first case, the adults were quite violent with the doll hitting it with a hammer, kicking it, and throwing it across the room. The kids were then put in a room with toys and a doll. Those children then reacted similarly to the adults towards the dolls and even in some cases took it further by shooting the dolls with toy guns and throwing things at the dolls. In case two, the adults acted kindly towards the doll. The children watching this sceranrio were then also kind to the dolls and didn't harm them much.
Social cognitivists have found that there is some Reciprocal Causation between the enviormental factors (reinforcers, punishers), the students motivating beliefs, perceptions, values, etc, and their behavior. It's a back and forth kind of motion that occurs between these things. So as teachers, we need to both recognize our students' beliefs and also set up an encouraging environment in order to get a desired behavior out of our students.
The Power of Expectations plays a role in achieving those desired behaviors. As students watch a behavior exhibited followed by a consequence, they in return will have expectations that the given consequence will always be given for that behavior and predict that it will happen for them as well. If teachers don't always follow through they will be less likely to produce that behavior because there is no consequence. (They get away with it)
Modeling is demonstrating a behavior for another or observing and imitating another's behavior.
Chapter 10 is all about Social Cognitivism. Social cognitive theorists define learning as an internal process that may or may not lead to a beahvior change. People learn by observing others and in process, begin to assume control over their own behavior. Like the cognitive theory, social cognitivism recongizes that there are things going on in the brain when learning. And just like the behavioral theory, behavior is sometimes exhibited through learning. As a visual metaphor we can think of a video camera recording all the things that are going on around us. However, it may not play back everything that it saw:0 The Bobo Doll Experiment was conducted by having children watch adults interact with the dolls. In the first case, the adults were quite violent with the doll hitting it with a hammer, kicking it, and throwing it across the room. The kids were then put in a room with toys and a doll. Those children then reacted similarly to the adults towards the dolls and even in some cases took it further by shooting the dolls with toy guns and throwing things at the dolls. In case two, the adults acted kindly towards the doll. The children watching this sceranrio were then also kind to the dolls and didn't harm them much.
Social cognitivists have found that there is some Reciprocal Causation between the enviormental factors (reinforcers, punishers), the students motivating beliefs, perceptions, values, etc, and their behavior. It's a back and forth kind of motion that occurs between these things. So as teachers, we need to both recognize our students' beliefs and also set up an encouraging environment in order to get a desired behavior out of our students.
The Power of Expectations plays a role in achieving those desired behaviors. As students watch a behavior exhibited followed by a consequence, they in return will have expectations that the given consequence will always be given for that behavior and predict that it will happen for them as well. If teachers don't always follow through they will be less likely to produce that behavior because there is no consequence. (They get away with it)
Modeling is demonstrating a behavior for another or observing and imitating another's behavior.
The four steps to the ARMM Model are
Attention - Learner must pay attention to model
Retention - Learner must remember what model does
Motor Reproduction - Learner must be physically capable of reproducing the model behavior Motivation - Learner must be motivated to demonstrate the modeled behavior.
All of the steps must be included in order for modeling to be effective.
Attention - Learner must pay attention to model
Retention - Learner must remember what model does
Motor Reproduction - Learner must be physically capable of reproducing the model behavior Motivation - Learner must be motivated to demonstrate the modeled behavior.
All of the steps must be included in order for modeling to be effective.
Vicarious Learning is when students are actually exhibitting a certain behavior because they've observed another doing the same behavior and being reinforced or punished for it. Response Disinhibition is when the behavior is perceived as bad however, thy saw someone do it and get away with it so they try it. Erickson makes a point that as teachers in jr and high school classrooms, we need to be careful not to point the same student out every time, we don't want to create an uncomfortable environment for that student.
Self-Regulation is self-choosen behavior that leads to the the fulfillment of personally chosen standards and goals. The process of self-reuglation is 1)Goal Setting- students must set these goals for themselves, 2)Planning- how to achieve these goals, 3)Self-motivated Learning- using strategies to accomplish goals, 4)Self-monitoring- making sure they're on the path. It's a before, during, and after process that makes it most effective. As teachers we should encourage personal responsibility and teach this process explicitly to our students.
Self-efficacy is believing in yourself to be able to do something. Self-efficacy is task oriented where slef-concept and self-esteem are a more broad idea. Having self-efficacy in something is breaking it down to the things that you can actually do. Students' self-efficacy plays a huge role in their learning process. Studies show that students feel more confident about their abilities when working in groups.
As a teacher this chapter is very important for collaborating different teaching techniques and more practical for the things we will actually see in a classroom. We can actually teach our students the steps to becoming self-regulated and help them have high self-efficacy for our content areas. This section shows the power of example and how our students are affected by the things that we do. Also we need to have high self-efficacy in our content area as were teaching and feel comfortable and confident with the material and ourselves in front of people in order for our students to take us seriously.
Now what?
I'm feeling a little overwhelmed in that it seems our students will be watching our every move and if we do something wrong we'll blow it. But really I think it comes down to our attitude and content knowledge in the classroom. I need to be confident with my material and treat each student with respect. I still need work in my content area pulling it all together so that I can give students the "big picture" without confusing them.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Chapter 9
What?
Chapter 9 is about Behaviorism. Behaviorists define learning as semi-permanent change in behavior. This definition is advantageous since it is very measurable. The disadvantage of this definition include prior knowledge is not being taken into consideration. An analogy given in class is this: think about when the teacher puts up a PowerPoint and a slide contains a black box. Students are waiting for the teacher to start the video since this is what happened previously. However, there is nothing going to be played...it's just a box.
The main points of the behaviorism theory are 1)influence of the environment, 2)focus on observable events, 3)contiguity (which is the occurrence of two or more events at approximately the same time) of events, 4)similarity of learning principles across species (Pavlov's dogs), and 5)learning as a behavioral change.
Classical conditioning is the pairing of stimuli resulting in an involuntary response. Operant conditioning is where a response increases in frequency as a result of being followed by reinforcement. Reinforcement is the act of following a response with a reinforcer (consequence of response that leads to increased frequency of the response). Punishment is a consequence that decreases the frequency of the response it follows. So reinforcement is always increasing the frequency of the response and punishment always decreases the frequency of the response. Negative reinforcement brings about the increase of a behavior by the removal of a stimuli. For example, in your car there is a loud buzz/dinging when the key is turned on. Drivers must put on seat belt in order for the the sound to stop. Thus, the buzz/dinging is a Negative Reiforcer for putting on a seat belt. Another example would be studying for an exam to avoid getting a poor grade. The low grade is the NR for studying. Keep in mind that reinforcers are unique to each student and always encourage behavior. See page 316 of the text to see how development affects reinforcement.
Some keys to using reinforcers are:
1)specify the desired behavior, 2)personalize reinforcers, 3)make conditions of reinforcement explicit, 4)use cueing (the use of signals to indicate that a certain behavior is desired or that a certain behavior should stop), 5)be consistent, 6)monitor progress, 7)reduce reinforcement (ex: "today might be the day that I check for homework completion"), 8)promote intrinsic motivation. Only use reinforcers with subjects/concepts that kids are bored with. If the students are already intrinsically motivated-don't use reinforcers! Some practical reinforcers include but are not limited to: self-reinforcers, social reinforcers, grades and recognition, home-based reinforcement, privileges, activity reinforcement, etc.
When eliminating behaviors don't be afraid to tell students what you're doing. Beware of the "extinction burst!" Don't forget that it tends to get worse before it gets better, don't set a new baseline that you then have to try and conquer. Always use cueing to encourage positive behaviors.
There are some potential problems that can occur when using punishers: they are temporary, may distract the student form behavior, and can cause negative emotional responses or aggression. Punishment doesn't illustrate the correct behavior.
So What?
It's very important that teachers are aware of the reasons behind their students' behaviors. Teachers and students need to be able to communicate with each other in a non-threatening atmosphere. This topic is important to me as a future teacher because I need to be able to get my students to perform in a certain way and have a manageable classroom.By knowing how students are motivated and why they do the things they do, I can better understand them and how to react and act towards them.
Now What?
If I teach high school, I don't know how much of a reinforcement that I will use in my classroom. However, I did have a high school teacher that gave out coupons that could be redeemed to turn in a late homework assignment. We received these coupons for various things during the year. Some kind of system that is simple like is probably a good idea for my math class where there are numerous homework assignments. As I spend more time in the high/jr high school settings, I will be looking for different ways that teachers reinforce behaviors for different grade levels.
Chapter 9 is about Behaviorism. Behaviorists define learning as semi-permanent change in behavior. This definition is advantageous since it is very measurable. The disadvantage of this definition include prior knowledge is not being taken into consideration. An analogy given in class is this: think about when the teacher puts up a PowerPoint and a slide contains a black box. Students are waiting for the teacher to start the video since this is what happened previously. However, there is nothing going to be played...it's just a box.
The main points of the behaviorism theory are 1)influence of the environment, 2)focus on observable events, 3)contiguity (which is the occurrence of two or more events at approximately the same time) of events, 4)similarity of learning principles across species (Pavlov's dogs), and 5)learning as a behavioral change.
Classical conditioning is the pairing of stimuli resulting in an involuntary response. Operant conditioning is where a response increases in frequency as a result of being followed by reinforcement. Reinforcement is the act of following a response with a reinforcer (consequence of response that leads to increased frequency of the response). Punishment is a consequence that decreases the frequency of the response it follows. So reinforcement is always increasing the frequency of the response and punishment always decreases the frequency of the response. Negative reinforcement brings about the increase of a behavior by the removal of a stimuli. For example, in your car there is a loud buzz/dinging when the key is turned on. Drivers must put on seat belt in order for the the sound to stop. Thus, the buzz/dinging is a Negative Reiforcer for putting on a seat belt. Another example would be studying for an exam to avoid getting a poor grade. The low grade is the NR for studying. Keep in mind that reinforcers are unique to each student and always encourage behavior. See page 316 of the text to see how development affects reinforcement.
Some keys to using reinforcers are:
1)specify the desired behavior, 2)personalize reinforcers, 3)make conditions of reinforcement explicit, 4)use cueing (the use of signals to indicate that a certain behavior is desired or that a certain behavior should stop), 5)be consistent, 6)monitor progress, 7)reduce reinforcement (ex: "today might be the day that I check for homework completion"), 8)promote intrinsic motivation. Only use reinforcers with subjects/concepts that kids are bored with. If the students are already intrinsically motivated-don't use reinforcers! Some practical reinforcers include but are not limited to: self-reinforcers, social reinforcers, grades and recognition, home-based reinforcement, privileges, activity reinforcement, etc.
When eliminating behaviors don't be afraid to tell students what you're doing. Beware of the "extinction burst!" Don't forget that it tends to get worse before it gets better, don't set a new baseline that you then have to try and conquer. Always use cueing to encourage positive behaviors.
There are some potential problems that can occur when using punishers: they are temporary, may distract the student form behavior, and can cause negative emotional responses or aggression. Punishment doesn't illustrate the correct behavior.
So What?
It's very important that teachers are aware of the reasons behind their students' behaviors. Teachers and students need to be able to communicate with each other in a non-threatening atmosphere. This topic is important to me as a future teacher because I need to be able to get my students to perform in a certain way and have a manageable classroom.By knowing how students are motivated and why they do the things they do, I can better understand them and how to react and act towards them.
Now What?
If I teach high school, I don't know how much of a reinforcement that I will use in my classroom. However, I did have a high school teacher that gave out coupons that could be redeemed to turn in a late homework assignment. We received these coupons for various things during the year. Some kind of system that is simple like is probably a good idea for my math class where there are numerous homework assignments. As I spend more time in the high/jr high school settings, I will be looking for different ways that teachers reinforce behaviors for different grade levels.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Chapter 7
What?
Chapter 7 is about Constructivism. In constructivism, learning is defined as an active process in which learners construct their own meaning based on prior knowledge and experience. Advantages of defining learning this way are prior knowledge and personalization. Disadvantages are personal misconceptions and incorrect interpretations that can take place during "learning". The power of schema comes into play when interpretting facts. As teachers we need to figure out what our students' schematas are through discussions and brainstorming. A concept is a grouping of objects/events that have something in common or a category that we fit things into in our head. In order for teachers to teach a concept they need to be able to define them clearly and give an example of the best prototype (typical example of a concept) that won't confuse the students. Teachers can fix misconceptions by 1) identifying existing misconceptions before instruction begins, 2) convince students in a non-threatening way that their existing beliefs are inadequate, 3) motivate students to learn correct explanations, 4) maintain self-esteem, and 5) monitor what students say and write for persistent misconceptions. Jerome Bruner is one well-known constructivist whose theory is "knowing is a process, not a product". Discovery learning is where the learner draws from his/her own past experiences and exsiting beliefs to explore concepts while the teacher acts as a guide and not a instructor. Such teaching techniques as discovery learning promote problem solving skills in students.
So What?
As a future teacher it is important to realize that students are bringing prior knowledge and misconceptions with them to the classroom. As a math teacher, it is very important that students understand the mathematical steps and the correct way to solve problems. In some content areas clearing up all misconceptions may not be necessary, but for math it is crucial that all students are on the same page with the teacher. Also I think that it is very important that the many concepts in math are very clearly explained and good prototypes are given so that misconceptions are not created in the classroom.
Now What?
An example of a 5 E- Lesson plan is:
Engage- Provide the students with a straightedge and compass and ask them to draw as many things as they can using only those tools
Explore- Have the students find different ways to construct 30, 60, and 90 degree angles using only their straightedge and compass
Explain- They then will work in groups to collaborate and get ideas from each other
Elaborate- Give board time to those who volunteer to explain their methods to the class
Evaluate- Allow students, with guidance from teacher, to look for any errors in their methods or things that may not actually be true...followed up with confirmation from teacher about their methods and clearing up any misconceptions that may have arose.
Chapter 7 is about Constructivism. In constructivism, learning is defined as an active process in which learners construct their own meaning based on prior knowledge and experience. Advantages of defining learning this way are prior knowledge and personalization. Disadvantages are personal misconceptions and incorrect interpretations that can take place during "learning". The power of schema comes into play when interpretting facts. As teachers we need to figure out what our students' schematas are through discussions and brainstorming. A concept is a grouping of objects/events that have something in common or a category that we fit things into in our head. In order for teachers to teach a concept they need to be able to define them clearly and give an example of the best prototype (typical example of a concept) that won't confuse the students. Teachers can fix misconceptions by 1) identifying existing misconceptions before instruction begins, 2) convince students in a non-threatening way that their existing beliefs are inadequate, 3) motivate students to learn correct explanations, 4) maintain self-esteem, and 5) monitor what students say and write for persistent misconceptions. Jerome Bruner is one well-known constructivist whose theory is "knowing is a process, not a product". Discovery learning is where the learner draws from his/her own past experiences and exsiting beliefs to explore concepts while the teacher acts as a guide and not a instructor. Such teaching techniques as discovery learning promote problem solving skills in students.
So What?
As a future teacher it is important to realize that students are bringing prior knowledge and misconceptions with them to the classroom. As a math teacher, it is very important that students understand the mathematical steps and the correct way to solve problems. In some content areas clearing up all misconceptions may not be necessary, but for math it is crucial that all students are on the same page with the teacher. Also I think that it is very important that the many concepts in math are very clearly explained and good prototypes are given so that misconceptions are not created in the classroom.
Now What?
An example of a 5 E- Lesson plan is:
Engage- Provide the students with a straightedge and compass and ask them to draw as many things as they can using only those tools
Explore- Have the students find different ways to construct 30, 60, and 90 degree angles using only their straightedge and compass
Explain- They then will work in groups to collaborate and get ideas from each other
Elaborate- Give board time to those who volunteer to explain their methods to the class
Evaluate- Allow students, with guidance from teacher, to look for any errors in their methods or things that may not actually be true...followed up with confirmation from teacher about their methods and clearing up any misconceptions that may have arose.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
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.
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.
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