What are you doing well?
I believe I am doing well i school because I have the motivation to become something better. I have enjoyed being in the classes and learning about what I can do to help someone learn. It is not always easy to do, alot is jumbled in my brain and does not make sense yet to me. I show up wanting to learn, I do the work so I can learn not because it has to be done. I have gotten my schedule and I stick to it every night.
What are you not doing well?
I still have a problem with tests. I can not do well on the tests. In class I am able to follow the conversation and contribute, but I can not learn it for the tests. I forget the information because I have debilitating anxiety. It is not the correct levels to perform well. I can feel myself starting to freak out. I really enjoy the classes, but tests make me do awful in school.
Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
I have accomplished my goals. I feel performance goals are made to last though so I will not ever reach that goal. I am too hard on myself. I tend to push myself hard and become emotionally drained if the outcome is not what I had expected. I will continue to set goals and fulfill them each time.
List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
I think by doing what I have accomplished this semester, I will be successful where ever I go. I will continue to work hard and do what I have done this semester in school. I need to keep pushing and motivate myself more and more.
How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
I don't think I will change the way I have studied this semester. One thing I do need to change is waiting until the last minute. I can see how I become more tired at the end because I have so much to do. this is my last blog this semester. Thanks for the ride it was fun being in psych class, I will use it in my future career.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Personal Learning Theory
What? So I took the quiz and I have a dilemma or my math skills are horrible. I think it could be a little due to the latter. I am classical conditioned to think that I hate math I guess. Well, I have a three way tie between all of the learning theories. So I guess I don't know which one I like the best. I saw parts of some that I liked and parts of the others that seemed a little odd. So lets go down the list. Piaget was right when he said that people learn from their schemes. We all have assimilation and accommodation happen in our lives. So I agree with that. I don't know how I feel about the sensorimotor stage of his theory. He seems to have been headed the right way however Vygotski was cool too.
I think Vygoyski was right on when he discusses internalization. A person needs to bring outside influences in to learn, I agree. I don't know if inner speech is going to help someone learn any differently than using your mind as a tool instead. The zpd is weird, how does someone come up with a term like that? Scaffolding is important though. I think I agree more with Vygotski than the others though.
Erickson stayed up too late working on some of his stuff, but I do think there are issues in life if people do not complete a stage of Moral Development. it is noticeable all around us with trust vs. mistrust all the way up to integrity vs. despair. My father has issues with the last stage and so he is retired early yet hurting in life still.
I don't think emotional intelligence is my cup of tea. It seems to me that if a person is emotionally sound they can still have problems learning. I do agree it plays a part, but I will not base my teaching on emotional learning.
I know there is an information processing method of learning somewhere, it is cool that someone has even tried to take on the brain and find out what they have about memory. I know I have a hard time with retrieval of people's names, but I can remember every hardwood floor I have ever done. It seems the information needs to be stored somewhere. Learning has to be good for something, it blows me away thinking what part of the brain does what in the process though.
Knowledge construction and higher order thinking is something that I will use in my future classroom. the brain is there waiting for something to challenge it with, why not test it. I figure the more it is tested, the more it learn. It has to be that way. the only way higher order thinking can be done is by following the discovery learning and hands on things and then try and tie them in with the rest of the world. That seems like it would stay in the brain better than doing a problem on a piece of paper and then trying how to remember to do it the next day.
Behaviorism is one I have a problem with, yet I still had a tie on the quiz I did. Is it all a farce, i don't think that either. I think that behavior can teach you how to act. I feel it is more an outward learning. Classical conditioning happens, I will not say it doesn't operant conditioning as well. We teach ourselves how to act in a certain situation and the brain takes over. Is this learning? I think it is not learning. I think it is action that the brain decides is OK. Does it really teach a person something? I don't think I will be able to use it in the classroom for anything other than classroom management.
I like social caognitivism. I think we are able to track our own learning. and model our learning appropriately, but I do not think that it can stand alone. I think it needs to be paired with one of the other theories to make it work correctly. it can be the best way of learning is combining all of them in some way. That is what I need to learn to do to be a successful teacher.
so what? I think a person learns by collecting data and storing it in the brain. I do think we can store information, we can grab that information from wherever it is living inside the brain. Learning is getting the information in the brain. the brain is amazing with all of its' neurons and dendrites jumping across synapses to form pathways. these pathways are formed by some stimulus. Which stimulus drives nueroplastisticity? I think information is brought into the brain in many different ways. It is cognitive, it is phschosocial, schemas are formed and somehow they are pulled from its' resting place when something somewhat resembles it. Elaboration occurs and learning takes place. I think schemas can be built and added by many different stimuli. Other people can help it by scaffolding or being an apprentice. It is all adding to a schema. Behaviorism is adding to schema in some form or another. With all of them learning takes place, but with different views of how.
Now what? I will take the information I have learned and I will build on existing schema to create learning. I will do it in a variety of ways that will help the students be motivated. Learning all has to do with wanting to take in more information and have it create more pathways through the brain. I believe this can be done by using all of the techniques. I will discover which ones to use where.
I think Vygoyski was right on when he discusses internalization. A person needs to bring outside influences in to learn, I agree. I don't know if inner speech is going to help someone learn any differently than using your mind as a tool instead. The zpd is weird, how does someone come up with a term like that? Scaffolding is important though. I think I agree more with Vygotski than the others though.
Erickson stayed up too late working on some of his stuff, but I do think there are issues in life if people do not complete a stage of Moral Development. it is noticeable all around us with trust vs. mistrust all the way up to integrity vs. despair. My father has issues with the last stage and so he is retired early yet hurting in life still.
I don't think emotional intelligence is my cup of tea. It seems to me that if a person is emotionally sound they can still have problems learning. I do agree it plays a part, but I will not base my teaching on emotional learning.
I know there is an information processing method of learning somewhere, it is cool that someone has even tried to take on the brain and find out what they have about memory. I know I have a hard time with retrieval of people's names, but I can remember every hardwood floor I have ever done. It seems the information needs to be stored somewhere. Learning has to be good for something, it blows me away thinking what part of the brain does what in the process though.
Knowledge construction and higher order thinking is something that I will use in my future classroom. the brain is there waiting for something to challenge it with, why not test it. I figure the more it is tested, the more it learn. It has to be that way. the only way higher order thinking can be done is by following the discovery learning and hands on things and then try and tie them in with the rest of the world. That seems like it would stay in the brain better than doing a problem on a piece of paper and then trying how to remember to do it the next day.
Behaviorism is one I have a problem with, yet I still had a tie on the quiz I did. Is it all a farce, i don't think that either. I think that behavior can teach you how to act. I feel it is more an outward learning. Classical conditioning happens, I will not say it doesn't operant conditioning as well. We teach ourselves how to act in a certain situation and the brain takes over. Is this learning? I think it is not learning. I think it is action that the brain decides is OK. Does it really teach a person something? I don't think I will be able to use it in the classroom for anything other than classroom management.
I like social caognitivism. I think we are able to track our own learning. and model our learning appropriately, but I do not think that it can stand alone. I think it needs to be paired with one of the other theories to make it work correctly. it can be the best way of learning is combining all of them in some way. That is what I need to learn to do to be a successful teacher.
so what? I think a person learns by collecting data and storing it in the brain. I do think we can store information, we can grab that information from wherever it is living inside the brain. Learning is getting the information in the brain. the brain is amazing with all of its' neurons and dendrites jumping across synapses to form pathways. these pathways are formed by some stimulus. Which stimulus drives nueroplastisticity? I think information is brought into the brain in many different ways. It is cognitive, it is phschosocial, schemas are formed and somehow they are pulled from its' resting place when something somewhat resembles it. Elaboration occurs and learning takes place. I think schemas can be built and added by many different stimuli. Other people can help it by scaffolding or being an apprentice. It is all adding to a schema. Behaviorism is adding to schema in some form or another. With all of them learning takes place, but with different views of how.
Now what? I will take the information I have learned and I will build on existing schema to create learning. I will do it in a variety of ways that will help the students be motivated. Learning all has to do with wanting to take in more information and have it create more pathways through the brain. I believe this can be done by using all of the techniques. I will discover which ones to use where.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Brain Awareness Project Review
I decided to do my brain awareness project on phobias. I was interested why people are scared of certian things when they haven't had contact or participated in the fear previously. It was interesting to me that the Text would say that it is a classical conditioned fear if there was no classical stimuli to promote the fear. i decided to see how many people at the fair were actually scared of something without having a prior experience with the object creating the fear. There were some that filled out my survey that did have an experience that created classical conditioned phobia. So it can be classical conditioning if there was a stimulus to cause that to happen. More than half of the surveys were scared of things that they had no reason of why. I understand also that fear can just be an emotional stimulus caused by just having anxiety about a certain phobia. I don't know if I agree with it being genetic, but it does seem in some cases that phobias can be passed from one generation to the other. Kind of weird and does not go along with any of the things we learned in class this semester.
Social Cognitivism Case Study
1. The strategies that Mr. Corbet uses to teach his students appropriate school behavior are most consistent with which two theories/theorists that we have learned about so far this semester? Justify your response.
I think he used may strategies learned during the semester. I saw tints of constructivism in how he arranged the students in the classroom. It seems like he wanted the students to participate in discovery learning. The ones associatated with the behavior was definitely behaviorism when he applied a positive reinforcer and also a negative reinforcer. This happened when told the table how they acted and that they were ready to go, so he allowed them to go. The ones that did not go were those that received the negative reinforcement. Also when he ignored the bad behavior and showed how positive reinforcement can be negative reinforcement for others. I like how he uses reinforcement rather than punishments. He also demonstrated reciprocal causation with the reinforcements he gave. Students learned from watching the other students in the class.
2. Describe one incident in the case study that represents vicarious reinforcement. Explain your reasoning.
I think it was when the teacher went to the swings and the girl in the yellow dress had pushed someone. The girl who had watched the whole thing was going to point to the girl she had seen to it but she remembered when Mr. Corbet had shown another student not to point. She in turn closed her finger and nodded because she knew that it was not nice to point.
3. Describe one incident in the case study that represents vicarious punishment. Explain your reasoning.
I would say when he blows the whistle when a student is not doing something correct. It becomes vicarious punishment when all the rest of the students hear the whistle and think they have done something wrong. Perhaps they were doing something incorrect or maybe not, but they still feel punished by having the whistle blow only because they know someone gets punished when the whistle blows.
4. Do you think Mindy has low or high self-efficacy with regard to appropriate kindergarten behavior? Justify your response with examples from the case.
I think she has a low self-efficacy with many things pertaining to kindergarten. She demonstrates this when it tells us how she squirms in her seat when waiting for her color to be called. She is nervous how Mr. Corbet might react to the way she joins the line with the other students. She also isn't sure what recess is, but by the way the other students are acting she thinks it must be good. Only by seeing how the other students reactions did she understand it for herself. She has no idea what it means to raise a hand to ask a question. She questions what a boy is trying to touch in the air when he is raising his hand. Mindy really knows very little and without seeing the rest of the class she would have a hard time understanding what to do.
I think he used may strategies learned during the semester. I saw tints of constructivism in how he arranged the students in the classroom. It seems like he wanted the students to participate in discovery learning. The ones associatated with the behavior was definitely behaviorism when he applied a positive reinforcer and also a negative reinforcer. This happened when told the table how they acted and that they were ready to go, so he allowed them to go. The ones that did not go were those that received the negative reinforcement. Also when he ignored the bad behavior and showed how positive reinforcement can be negative reinforcement for others. I like how he uses reinforcement rather than punishments. He also demonstrated reciprocal causation with the reinforcements he gave. Students learned from watching the other students in the class.
2. Describe one incident in the case study that represents vicarious reinforcement. Explain your reasoning.
I think it was when the teacher went to the swings and the girl in the yellow dress had pushed someone. The girl who had watched the whole thing was going to point to the girl she had seen to it but she remembered when Mr. Corbet had shown another student not to point. She in turn closed her finger and nodded because she knew that it was not nice to point.
3. Describe one incident in the case study that represents vicarious punishment. Explain your reasoning.
I would say when he blows the whistle when a student is not doing something correct. It becomes vicarious punishment when all the rest of the students hear the whistle and think they have done something wrong. Perhaps they were doing something incorrect or maybe not, but they still feel punished by having the whistle blow only because they know someone gets punished when the whistle blows.
4. Do you think Mindy has low or high self-efficacy with regard to appropriate kindergarten behavior? Justify your response with examples from the case.
I think she has a low self-efficacy with many things pertaining to kindergarten. She demonstrates this when it tells us how she squirms in her seat when waiting for her color to be called. She is nervous how Mr. Corbet might react to the way she joins the line with the other students. She also isn't sure what recess is, but by the way the other students are acting she thinks it must be good. Only by seeing how the other students reactions did she understand it for herself. She has no idea what it means to raise a hand to ask a question. She questions what a boy is trying to touch in the air when he is raising his hand. Mindy really knows very little and without seeing the rest of the class she would have a hard time understanding what to do.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Behaviorism Case Study
1. Is Haley's fear of men most likely due to classical or operant conditioning? Justify your response (yes, it will all be hypothetical as we do not have enough information in this case) using terminology, definitions, and examples.
I would say classic conditioning because of issues that have happened in her life in the past. Say she has had a father pass away and she saw the incident in which he died. Because of this incident she views all men as scary because of the way she saw her father die. It was scary to her and that is what she does not want to see anything like this again. She is generalizing men to her father and his pain and how it made her feel. She may not fear men for being men, but because her father was a man and she sees every man like she last saw her father.
2. How might you explain Meredith's aggressive behaviors from the perspective of operant conditioning?
She may see her mother as being a push over and too nice. At home a man or some other person may have taken advantage of Meredith's mother while Meredith was watching the whole thing. In response to this the mother said " Meridith there is no reason anyone should treat you like this, never let anyone take advantage of you!" The discrimination we are seeing here is that Meredith is everyone taking advantage of her in any instance so in return she does not let her guard down to any one. She chooses to be mean and aggressive to show she can and will not be taken advantage of.
3. What strategies from Behavioral theory might a teacher use in working with Haley? Be specific and describe how each strategy could be used.
I think that Haley needs some kind of cueing to help her see that what she is doing is not acceptable. She may not receive anything that represents shaping at home and she thinks that everything is acceptable and that consequences are few. By cueing her into the rules and using reinforcement to do so she will see eventually that it is not an acceptable behavior in the classroom. At that pint there can be a contingency contract to help her stay focused on the acceptable behaviors in school.
4. What strategies from Behavioral theory might a teacher use in working with Meredith? Be specific and describe how each strategy could be used.
Fading may be an option with Meredith, she is not wanting to be taken advantage of and shows she is the tough guy so that she won't have the opportunity to be taken advantage of. She does not want to feel vulnerable to anyone. This will be hard in her situation, but by using the Premack Principle she can start to see that reinforcers are not being applied when she does these things. It is even deeper with her though, she needs to feel that she is trusted and that she is not vulnerable. We might try applied behavior analyse to help her modify the behavior she is demonstrating to different behavior that may deal with never being taken advantage of. When she sees that there are better ways of dealing with her vulnerability, she will be able to see that the actions she has been doing are incorrect. We would need to help her see that by just having a good self esteem she will not be taken advantage of. This is a difficult case and is very delicate in finding the way to head off her emotions that may be causing the behavior.
I would say classic conditioning because of issues that have happened in her life in the past. Say she has had a father pass away and she saw the incident in which he died. Because of this incident she views all men as scary because of the way she saw her father die. It was scary to her and that is what she does not want to see anything like this again. She is generalizing men to her father and his pain and how it made her feel. She may not fear men for being men, but because her father was a man and she sees every man like she last saw her father.
2. How might you explain Meredith's aggressive behaviors from the perspective of operant conditioning?
She may see her mother as being a push over and too nice. At home a man or some other person may have taken advantage of Meredith's mother while Meredith was watching the whole thing. In response to this the mother said " Meridith there is no reason anyone should treat you like this, never let anyone take advantage of you!" The discrimination we are seeing here is that Meredith is everyone taking advantage of her in any instance so in return she does not let her guard down to any one. She chooses to be mean and aggressive to show she can and will not be taken advantage of.
3. What strategies from Behavioral theory might a teacher use in working with Haley? Be specific and describe how each strategy could be used.
I think that Haley needs some kind of cueing to help her see that what she is doing is not acceptable. She may not receive anything that represents shaping at home and she thinks that everything is acceptable and that consequences are few. By cueing her into the rules and using reinforcement to do so she will see eventually that it is not an acceptable behavior in the classroom. At that pint there can be a contingency contract to help her stay focused on the acceptable behaviors in school.
4. What strategies from Behavioral theory might a teacher use in working with Meredith? Be specific and describe how each strategy could be used.
Fading may be an option with Meredith, she is not wanting to be taken advantage of and shows she is the tough guy so that she won't have the opportunity to be taken advantage of. She does not want to feel vulnerable to anyone. This will be hard in her situation, but by using the Premack Principle she can start to see that reinforcers are not being applied when she does these things. It is even deeper with her though, she needs to feel that she is trusted and that she is not vulnerable. We might try applied behavior analyse to help her modify the behavior she is demonstrating to different behavior that may deal with never being taken advantage of. When she sees that there are better ways of dealing with her vulnerability, she will be able to see that the actions she has been doing are incorrect. We would need to help her see that by just having a good self esteem she will not be taken advantage of. This is a difficult case and is very delicate in finding the way to head off her emotions that may be causing the behavior.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Course Contract Review #3
What are you doing well?
I believe I am trying hard to get the assignments done and in on time. I think I am learning to enjoy the class time, even with the long class times. I am trying to use higher order thinking to connect what is being taught with real life, or my future teaching abilities. I feel I do the work the best that I can and that I put a lot of thought into all that I do.
What are you not doing well?
I feel I am not doing as well in the class because of the tests. I seem to do better on the home tests, but the tests at the testing center was difficult to me. I think I need to continue on being motivated for each test. I need to really learn the material and not do so much cramming for each test.
Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
Yes, I think I am studying hard to make the goal I have set. I want to just learn the material and not study for each exam to get by; I want to use what I am learning in my career as a teacher sometime in the future. I feel I am doing what I told myself I needed to do to achieve and learn.
List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
I still feel I need to organize my school better. Although I have a good understanding of what I need to be doing, I am using my memory more than the notes I should be taking. I am also having difficulty in applying what I am learning and making it real for my life. I think that will come with experience, as I obtain a job teaching and see how students are affected in their lives.
How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
I think I already answered this question. I think it is good for the mastery goals. It is easier for me to be motivated because school is my life now and that mastery goal is to learn how to be a great teacher. I think I am learning a lot so far. I just need to work longer on test preparation and better retention.
I believe I am trying hard to get the assignments done and in on time. I think I am learning to enjoy the class time, even with the long class times. I am trying to use higher order thinking to connect what is being taught with real life, or my future teaching abilities. I feel I do the work the best that I can and that I put a lot of thought into all that I do.
What are you not doing well?
I feel I am not doing as well in the class because of the tests. I seem to do better on the home tests, but the tests at the testing center was difficult to me. I think I need to continue on being motivated for each test. I need to really learn the material and not do so much cramming for each test.
Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
Yes, I think I am studying hard to make the goal I have set. I want to just learn the material and not study for each exam to get by; I want to use what I am learning in my career as a teacher sometime in the future. I feel I am doing what I told myself I needed to do to achieve and learn.
List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
I still feel I need to organize my school better. Although I have a good understanding of what I need to be doing, I am using my memory more than the notes I should be taking. I am also having difficulty in applying what I am learning and making it real for my life. I think that will come with experience, as I obtain a job teaching and see how students are affected in their lives.
How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
I think I already answered this question. I think it is good for the mastery goals. It is easier for me to be motivated because school is my life now and that mastery goal is to learn how to be a great teacher. I think I am learning a lot so far. I just need to work longer on test preparation and better retention.
Constructivism Case Study Analysis
1. Describe two similarities between the traditional lesson and the constructivist one as described above. What are two differences?
There were similarities with the measurements. Both groups used a single component such as a yard stick or a foot or hand and used repetition to obtain a desired length. Another similar aspect of finding the measurements was that the students were excited to figure it out. Differences ranged from the amount of time it took to come up with the results to a decision making process that was eventually made by the students. They were able to study it and use discovery learning along with problem solving skills. The traditional method had no problem solving skills, it only used counting to come up with the answer.
2. What are two benefits and two drawbacks of the constructivist approach as described above? Why? In your opinion, are the benefits worth the costs? Explain your response.
Benefits are better learning and more understanding along with higher order thinking. Students made their own decisions, the first approach gave the students the method of achieving the goal, which the teacher provided. The constructivist approach showed a great deal of organization between students ideas. During this time the students actually grasped an understanding of measurement and why we need the same tool for all measurement. It was a real life experience to them in learning. The constructivist approach was way too long for a simple exercise of measurement. It took three days for the students to come up with the answer, opposed to one hour. Teacher should have also intervened with some suggestions to keep the students ideas on track. The teacher mentioned she thought they were headed in the direction she wanted them to go, but they decided to go a different route, she should have guided them a little better in those thought processes. I believe that hands on learning is a great method of teaching, it is even better when the students are involved in the decision making processes. I think they will retain more information in this technique because the pathways are being created and distributed in the same learning process.
3. How does the constructivist lesson described above promote critical thinking? Give specific examples of critical thinking from the case study and include a definition of critical thinking to support your response.
It involves the students and places them in a real life situation. The students learned that each hand and foot was different so they would need to come up with a different method to show the king. They understood and demonstrated critical thinking when they thought of how someone else would take the information and how they might process it. In doing this they realized they needed to modify their methods. I would say critical thinking is; thinking with regards to someone Else's views rather than yourself as the single problem solver.
4. Would the constructivist activity be considered an authentic activity? Why or why not?
I would agree that it is a authentic activity because the students made it real. It was a situation at first, but because of the higher order thinking involved they made it their own and it became authentic to them as a group. It could have played out differently if the task didn't go as planned and I don't think the teacher planned it to be that way at first.
There were similarities with the measurements. Both groups used a single component such as a yard stick or a foot or hand and used repetition to obtain a desired length. Another similar aspect of finding the measurements was that the students were excited to figure it out. Differences ranged from the amount of time it took to come up with the results to a decision making process that was eventually made by the students. They were able to study it and use discovery learning along with problem solving skills. The traditional method had no problem solving skills, it only used counting to come up with the answer.
2. What are two benefits and two drawbacks of the constructivist approach as described above? Why? In your opinion, are the benefits worth the costs? Explain your response.
Benefits are better learning and more understanding along with higher order thinking. Students made their own decisions, the first approach gave the students the method of achieving the goal, which the teacher provided. The constructivist approach showed a great deal of organization between students ideas. During this time the students actually grasped an understanding of measurement and why we need the same tool for all measurement. It was a real life experience to them in learning. The constructivist approach was way too long for a simple exercise of measurement. It took three days for the students to come up with the answer, opposed to one hour. Teacher should have also intervened with some suggestions to keep the students ideas on track. The teacher mentioned she thought they were headed in the direction she wanted them to go, but they decided to go a different route, she should have guided them a little better in those thought processes. I believe that hands on learning is a great method of teaching, it is even better when the students are involved in the decision making processes. I think they will retain more information in this technique because the pathways are being created and distributed in the same learning process.
3. How does the constructivist lesson described above promote critical thinking? Give specific examples of critical thinking from the case study and include a definition of critical thinking to support your response.
It involves the students and places them in a real life situation. The students learned that each hand and foot was different so they would need to come up with a different method to show the king. They understood and demonstrated critical thinking when they thought of how someone else would take the information and how they might process it. In doing this they realized they needed to modify their methods. I would say critical thinking is; thinking with regards to someone Else's views rather than yourself as the single problem solver.
4. Would the constructivist activity be considered an authentic activity? Why or why not?
I would agree that it is a authentic activity because the students made it real. It was a situation at first, but because of the higher order thinking involved they made it their own and it became authentic to them as a group. It could have played out differently if the task didn't go as planned and I don't think the teacher planned it to be that way at first.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Cognitive Psychology/Information Processing Case Study Analysis
1. After participating in this activity, what do you think the students will remember? How might those memories differ from those students would have if they only read about the Civil War in their textbook?
this is a great example of discovery learning. I think that the students would remember almost everything that occurred during the day they spent there. If I had been doing that experience I would have retained everything because it had context to the activity. It involved the motor skills to do, not just to think about what would have happened. There is the saying, "you learn from your mistakes", this encompasses the same thing. Having done it and performed a task the mind an retain it much easier. If a student only read it in a textbook the majority of the information was lost during sensory memory and working memory. The attention was not focused as much as the field work would accomplish.
2. How does Mr. West’s use of a Civil War re-enactment engage students’ emotions? What is the relationship between emotions and learning?
the reenactment would cause great emotion being in a battle and actually having a mock war. This would get the adrenalin pumping and the emotions would flare. Being in the moment of war with bombs going off around you just watching it would cause emotions. The relationship between emotion and learning is in he amygdala, the part of the brain that controls emotions. If the emotions are already causing synaptic impulses in the brain to form the emotion, then the paths of learning have a much easier path to take through the brain into long term memory. Everything takes the path of least resistance right?
3. Based on the principles of dual-coding theory, what activities would be effective for Mr. West to use as a follow-up to the re-enactment?
I would use Inquiry based learning in the classroom to help identify and resolve the thought provoking questions. By having a deeper thinking question to pull out the information an sink it deeper into the long term memory. Association between the two methods would create a deep learning experience.
4. Who do you think provides better instruction for his students? Support your answer from an information processing perspective.
Mr Richards provides much better instruction for the students he teaches. He demonstrates whole brain teaching. He is trying to reach as many students in his class and create a learning environment in his classroom. His test provide higher order thinking skills, which will also be retained better and more fully over long periods of time. Now if Mr. Dunkins did the same sort of instruction and added reading as homework, the students would retain the reading much better.
5. How would you expect the students’ learning outcomes to differ depending on which teacher they had?
I would think that Mr. Dunkins' students would struggle with tests, only the analytical thinkers would do well on his tests. Mr.Richard's students would all do well because all of the bases were covered, he taught to all of his students not just the 5% of his analytical students. Not only would his test scores be good, but the standardized tests would get better as well. Emotion in learning is key to retaining information. How easy is it to get excited about reading the text day in and day out.
this is a great example of discovery learning. I think that the students would remember almost everything that occurred during the day they spent there. If I had been doing that experience I would have retained everything because it had context to the activity. It involved the motor skills to do, not just to think about what would have happened. There is the saying, "you learn from your mistakes", this encompasses the same thing. Having done it and performed a task the mind an retain it much easier. If a student only read it in a textbook the majority of the information was lost during sensory memory and working memory. The attention was not focused as much as the field work would accomplish.
2. How does Mr. West’s use of a Civil War re-enactment engage students’ emotions? What is the relationship between emotions and learning?
the reenactment would cause great emotion being in a battle and actually having a mock war. This would get the adrenalin pumping and the emotions would flare. Being in the moment of war with bombs going off around you just watching it would cause emotions. The relationship between emotion and learning is in he amygdala, the part of the brain that controls emotions. If the emotions are already causing synaptic impulses in the brain to form the emotion, then the paths of learning have a much easier path to take through the brain into long term memory. Everything takes the path of least resistance right?
3. Based on the principles of dual-coding theory, what activities would be effective for Mr. West to use as a follow-up to the re-enactment?
I would use Inquiry based learning in the classroom to help identify and resolve the thought provoking questions. By having a deeper thinking question to pull out the information an sink it deeper into the long term memory. Association between the two methods would create a deep learning experience.
4. Who do you think provides better instruction for his students? Support your answer from an information processing perspective.
Mr Richards provides much better instruction for the students he teaches. He demonstrates whole brain teaching. He is trying to reach as many students in his class and create a learning environment in his classroom. His test provide higher order thinking skills, which will also be retained better and more fully over long periods of time. Now if Mr. Dunkins did the same sort of instruction and added reading as homework, the students would retain the reading much better.
5. How would you expect the students’ learning outcomes to differ depending on which teacher they had?
I would think that Mr. Dunkins' students would struggle with tests, only the analytical thinkers would do well on his tests. Mr.Richard's students would all do well because all of the bases were covered, he taught to all of his students not just the 5% of his analytical students. Not only would his test scores be good, but the standardized tests would get better as well. Emotion in learning is key to retaining information. How easy is it to get excited about reading the text day in and day out.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Brain Awareness Project
I had mentioned to you in class about how I wanted to do something on script I just learned about that in the reading this time. I have been very active in my life, I think I can make the project close to home. I want to demonstrate that in sports (golf swing maybe) we can have the general idea (script) of how to swing the club or maybe that we know what to do with the ball, however, I am thinking about going in that route by demonstrating script in some way that would make everyone feel embarrassed. Let me know what you think I could use a push to help me come up with some creativity. I'm a man I have none to begin with.
Special Needs Case Study Analysis
1. What classic symptoms of a learning disability does Nathan exhibit?
well we can see that when he was younger he had been diagnosed with some case of ADD or ADHD. He was showing some symptoms of it still as he was acting like he was somewhere he was not or he had thought he had done some things an actually did not. I am also wondering if he was a little bit gifted and did not feel like the work was really important to him to hand in. I think I would diagnose him with a combination of ADD and being talented, but without really understanding that he is gifted in a way.
2. What accommodations has Nathan received in the past?
Nathan had not received much attention other than medication. It seemed to me that the parents believed the medication would take it's toll and he would just get better. The father went as far as to say that he did it too. He made no inference that it was something much more severe in Nathan than what he had. It probably wasn't even the same thing at all. They just think he is fine and that he needs to put forth more effort. In school he was placed in a Resource Room to secure better study habits, but the medication was what saved the teacher then.
3. What strategies would you recommend to help Nathan work with his learning disability? Why?
I didn't see the need to put him in resource because he is learning the information in class. Nathans problem exists with turning the work in, he actually does the work when he is assigned it. I would show some interest in his work and ask to see the problems he was able to do the night before. It is obvious that he is distracted in some way so I would try and incorporate some activities that would keep his mind on task. I would also implement methods of self talk to help him remember to turn in assignments and stay on task during the test. I could try and place him in a different testing environment. Principles of reinforcement are definatly needed for him to stay on task.
4. How many students like Nathan will you likely have in your classes? Justify your response by summarizing the information from a link or reference (include the link/reference).
I know the answer is going to be a great number more than i could ever imagine. I see a trend happening with ADD and ADHD in schools. I don't know if it is being over diagnosed or perhaps it was never diagnosed before hand. I would say at leas 1 out of 4 but let me see how close I really was. There may be deficits in attention and impulse control without hyperactivity being present. In fact, recent studies indicate that as many as 40% of the ADHD kids may not be hyperactive. http://newideas.net/adhd/child/adhd-in-school So what I learned is that students may have ADHD but show no signs of hyperactivity, so what I said is correct. A student may not show it but more than 10% of children show signs of Sensory Integration Dysfunction.
well we can see that when he was younger he had been diagnosed with some case of ADD or ADHD. He was showing some symptoms of it still as he was acting like he was somewhere he was not or he had thought he had done some things an actually did not. I am also wondering if he was a little bit gifted and did not feel like the work was really important to him to hand in. I think I would diagnose him with a combination of ADD and being talented, but without really understanding that he is gifted in a way.
2. What accommodations has Nathan received in the past?
Nathan had not received much attention other than medication. It seemed to me that the parents believed the medication would take it's toll and he would just get better. The father went as far as to say that he did it too. He made no inference that it was something much more severe in Nathan than what he had. It probably wasn't even the same thing at all. They just think he is fine and that he needs to put forth more effort. In school he was placed in a Resource Room to secure better study habits, but the medication was what saved the teacher then.
3. What strategies would you recommend to help Nathan work with his learning disability? Why?
I didn't see the need to put him in resource because he is learning the information in class. Nathans problem exists with turning the work in, he actually does the work when he is assigned it. I would show some interest in his work and ask to see the problems he was able to do the night before. It is obvious that he is distracted in some way so I would try and incorporate some activities that would keep his mind on task. I would also implement methods of self talk to help him remember to turn in assignments and stay on task during the test. I could try and place him in a different testing environment. Principles of reinforcement are definatly needed for him to stay on task.
4. How many students like Nathan will you likely have in your classes? Justify your response by summarizing the information from a link or reference (include the link/reference).
I know the answer is going to be a great number more than i could ever imagine. I see a trend happening with ADD and ADHD in schools. I don't know if it is being over diagnosed or perhaps it was never diagnosed before hand. I would say at leas 1 out of 4 but let me see how close I really was. There may be deficits in attention and impulse control without hyperactivity being present. In fact, recent studies indicate that as many as 40% of the ADHD kids may not be hyperactive. http://newideas.net/adhd/child/adhd-in-school So what I learned is that students may have ADHD but show no signs of hyperactivity, so what I said is correct. A student may not show it but more than 10% of children show signs of Sensory Integration Dysfunction.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Course Contract Review #2
What are you doing well?
I believe I am doing well in many different aspects of the course and it's requirements. I have made a special effort to learn what I can in class, this means I need to be to class on time and get all the information there that I can. I have learned that I am a kinesthetic learner so the information we learn with the interactive activities have been great for whole brain learning. I understand what is being taught in the classroom, and I enjoy what is being taught. I really believe that my motivation is an intrinsic motivation because I can see myself learning what I need to learn to be a teacher. I really don't need to self motivate anymore, it all seems to come naturally to me now that my goals are set. Motivation was the hard thing for me to do. I would wait and wait and then do a tear up job, hoping I would still be able to get a good grade. I see feel myself learning the content of my classes much better, and I feel I don't put it all on the back burner and wait until the last minute to remember an assignment. I think about the assignment all week and get it done.
What are you not doing well?
The class seems to interest me a lot and I seem to get a lot out of the class time. I know I had said that I would make more of an effort to be self motivated. I don't know if I was the one who made the motivation easier or if it just happened because I am enjoying the class. I feel I am learning the material, and I feel like I have been trying to incorporate some of the study habits we have talked about to ensure better retention. I try not to study when I am tired, and I make sure I am reading and understanding what I read in the chapters. I did really badly on the last test we had, I felt like I understood all the content in the chapters and the information in class felt clear to me. When I sat down to take the test I felt everything leave my head. The testing center is difficult for me not to lose it, so the test turned out horrible. I don't usually lose it as badly as the last one though, I can not remember some things usually not all of it leaving my head as I sat down. I guess I am studying the wrong way to retain the information and I guess I am experiencing bad anxiety. I really need some help to be able to retain the information. I don't think I am doing anything else wrong other than retention and long term memory focus.
Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
Here I am talking about how badly I did on the exam and I have failed to realize that I am fulfilling all of the goals I have set for myself. I said I was going to become more motivated; which just happened I don't know what I did to make that happen. I set a goal to use better study habits, I think I have tried to do what I said I was going to do. I feel I have made progress.
List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
I don't think I need to change anything having to do with my goals, however I do need to take more time to reflect and more time to review the work that I do. I will need to take more time to study and hope it stays there for the tests. I think after having done so poorly on the test I will have to make a greater effort to stay motivated. I need to stay intrinsically motivated and not think about the here and now. I know what my long term goals are and I need to fulfill those.
How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
I think I have answered this question many times throughout the blog, but I will try to expound. I get down really easily when I do poorly and my motivation seems to slip a little. This is the reason I need to make an effort and keep my eyes on the main goal. I have performance goals set so I am working toward those, I have to remind myself that one test will not affect that goal. I am learning and I will be a good teacher some day that is my main goal right now, but I also can't have to much anxiety trying to perform and reach that goal.
I believe I am doing well in many different aspects of the course and it's requirements. I have made a special effort to learn what I can in class, this means I need to be to class on time and get all the information there that I can. I have learned that I am a kinesthetic learner so the information we learn with the interactive activities have been great for whole brain learning. I understand what is being taught in the classroom, and I enjoy what is being taught. I really believe that my motivation is an intrinsic motivation because I can see myself learning what I need to learn to be a teacher. I really don't need to self motivate anymore, it all seems to come naturally to me now that my goals are set. Motivation was the hard thing for me to do. I would wait and wait and then do a tear up job, hoping I would still be able to get a good grade. I see feel myself learning the content of my classes much better, and I feel I don't put it all on the back burner and wait until the last minute to remember an assignment. I think about the assignment all week and get it done.
What are you not doing well?
The class seems to interest me a lot and I seem to get a lot out of the class time. I know I had said that I would make more of an effort to be self motivated. I don't know if I was the one who made the motivation easier or if it just happened because I am enjoying the class. I feel I am learning the material, and I feel like I have been trying to incorporate some of the study habits we have talked about to ensure better retention. I try not to study when I am tired, and I make sure I am reading and understanding what I read in the chapters. I did really badly on the last test we had, I felt like I understood all the content in the chapters and the information in class felt clear to me. When I sat down to take the test I felt everything leave my head. The testing center is difficult for me not to lose it, so the test turned out horrible. I don't usually lose it as badly as the last one though, I can not remember some things usually not all of it leaving my head as I sat down. I guess I am studying the wrong way to retain the information and I guess I am experiencing bad anxiety. I really need some help to be able to retain the information. I don't think I am doing anything else wrong other than retention and long term memory focus.
Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
Here I am talking about how badly I did on the exam and I have failed to realize that I am fulfilling all of the goals I have set for myself. I said I was going to become more motivated; which just happened I don't know what I did to make that happen. I set a goal to use better study habits, I think I have tried to do what I said I was going to do. I feel I have made progress.
List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
I don't think I need to change anything having to do with my goals, however I do need to take more time to reflect and more time to review the work that I do. I will need to take more time to study and hope it stays there for the tests. I think after having done so poorly on the test I will have to make a greater effort to stay motivated. I need to stay intrinsically motivated and not think about the here and now. I know what my long term goals are and I need to fulfill those.
How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
I think I have answered this question many times throughout the blog, but I will try to expound. I get down really easily when I do poorly and my motivation seems to slip a little. This is the reason I need to make an effort and keep my eyes on the main goal. I have performance goals set so I am working toward those, I have to remind myself that one test will not affect that goal. I am learning and I will be a good teacher some day that is my main goal right now, but I also can't have to much anxiety trying to perform and reach that goal.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Social and Moral Development Case Study
1. The second paragraph lists a number of strategies that Ms. Knowles and Ms. Brophy have tried to teach social skills. Which one do you think might be most effective and why?
Even though a child leaves the 1st state of Erickson's model, there is always a need to be trusted. These students are young and need to be trusted by others around them. If a child feels self-worth it can be easier to trust others. In this case the teachers are trying to engage the children in Social Development, they are giving tasks to help the children interact between the environment and emotions, even if some children's emotional growth is stunted. This is why asking those children who are more advanced socially will ask a less advanced child to play. This activity only strengthens both parties being discussed. The more socially apt child is going to have a great Sense of Self and will not be uncomfortable asking the other student to play. If the opposite were to happen, the Self-Worth of the first child would inhibit social interaction, he or she would not feel comfortable in asking the other child to play. Having the psychosocially developed ask would help the other in turn develop just by the interaction between the two children socially.
2. The teachers occasionally use storybooks to promote discussions about social skills and making friends. How might children's literature also help them resolve one of Erikson's stages of psychosocial development?
A child has the ability to be shamed very easily due to the lifestyle he or she lives. Each child has a different temperament that affects the way they engage social interaction. Using children's literature a child can learn that characters in the story had to confront a situation and how that character learned and developed from the situation, they can bring imagination into play to aid in problem solving. In hearing the story and seeing the story develop a child will develop schema, schema will eventually aid in social development at a later time as they are confronted with a similar situation in real life. This could all be summed up with Marcia's Theory of Identity Development, it is an identity achievement when the child takes on the commitment to explore the realistic option and choose to pursue it. It could have all started from hearing a story when he or she was in the first years of school.
3. How might children's literature help them develop moral reasoning?
So many children's books have a moral to the story. Think for example: Where the Wild Things Are, A child is mad at his mother so he hides from her in the closet. He falls a sleep and goes to a land where he sees monsters and interact with them in a fairytale land. The Moral of the story is, Mom knows what is the correct thing to do and children should follow what parents tell them to do, even if it is something the child does not want to do. Children's books are the best way to enter into a child's imagination, but entering in the mind through a story, a child can develop morally without knowing what has taken place. Morality intertwined and weaved within each of us everyday without us knowing what is actually right and what is wrong. This is an heteronomous morality discussed by Piaget, in which a child views morality as rules set by others, Kohlberg believes this to be Moral Internalization; a process of gradually incorporating external moral codes as our own, this drives moral development. The external moral codes are given to the child in a book as it internalizes and grows into moral development.
4. The teachers read the children a letter they claim has been written by their friend Mr. Stone. What are potential cognitive, social, and moral advantages of this strategy? Incorporate ideas from Chapters 3 and 4 in your response.
Accomodation and Disequilibrium can be demonstrated in this situation. Children can't think logically about the situation so they have to search for schema they have already experienced in their lives to help solve the issue of the girl not having any friends. It is interesting what some of the students said to help solve the issue. Some said she needed to be nice, this is a typical answer for a young child because this is how they make friends, being nice is an assimilation, it just makes sense. It is a good way of helping a child reach Disequilibrium by forcing the child to understand different issues in life. A child forms an assimilation in assuming that by asking someone to play they will find friends, but if the child still doesn't have friends by following this schema then an accommodation occurs which will lead to disequilibrium which will force a cognitive growth. These students who are mentioning the things that Mr. Stone should do are most likely those who have passed the trust vrs. mistrust stage of Social development becuase they trust that by being nice to another child will undoubtably turn into a friendship. They are most definately learning the iinciative vrs. guilt stage of Erikson's theory in setting goals to be accomplished in obtaining friendship. We can see that the interaction between the teachers and the children are helping these children to grow and develop in many ways, they are forcing a cognitive development while mentoring the children in social growth.
Even though a child leaves the 1st state of Erickson's model, there is always a need to be trusted. These students are young and need to be trusted by others around them. If a child feels self-worth it can be easier to trust others. In this case the teachers are trying to engage the children in Social Development, they are giving tasks to help the children interact between the environment and emotions, even if some children's emotional growth is stunted. This is why asking those children who are more advanced socially will ask a less advanced child to play. This activity only strengthens both parties being discussed. The more socially apt child is going to have a great Sense of Self and will not be uncomfortable asking the other student to play. If the opposite were to happen, the Self-Worth of the first child would inhibit social interaction, he or she would not feel comfortable in asking the other child to play. Having the psychosocially developed ask would help the other in turn develop just by the interaction between the two children socially.
2. The teachers occasionally use storybooks to promote discussions about social skills and making friends. How might children's literature also help them resolve one of Erikson's stages of psychosocial development?
A child has the ability to be shamed very easily due to the lifestyle he or she lives. Each child has a different temperament that affects the way they engage social interaction. Using children's literature a child can learn that characters in the story had to confront a situation and how that character learned and developed from the situation, they can bring imagination into play to aid in problem solving. In hearing the story and seeing the story develop a child will develop schema, schema will eventually aid in social development at a later time as they are confronted with a similar situation in real life. This could all be summed up with Marcia's Theory of Identity Development, it is an identity achievement when the child takes on the commitment to explore the realistic option and choose to pursue it. It could have all started from hearing a story when he or she was in the first years of school.
3. How might children's literature help them develop moral reasoning?
So many children's books have a moral to the story. Think for example: Where the Wild Things Are, A child is mad at his mother so he hides from her in the closet. He falls a sleep and goes to a land where he sees monsters and interact with them in a fairytale land. The Moral of the story is, Mom knows what is the correct thing to do and children should follow what parents tell them to do, even if it is something the child does not want to do. Children's books are the best way to enter into a child's imagination, but entering in the mind through a story, a child can develop morally without knowing what has taken place. Morality intertwined and weaved within each of us everyday without us knowing what is actually right and what is wrong. This is an heteronomous morality discussed by Piaget, in which a child views morality as rules set by others, Kohlberg believes this to be Moral Internalization; a process of gradually incorporating external moral codes as our own, this drives moral development. The external moral codes are given to the child in a book as it internalizes and grows into moral development.
4. The teachers read the children a letter they claim has been written by their friend Mr. Stone. What are potential cognitive, social, and moral advantages of this strategy? Incorporate ideas from Chapters 3 and 4 in your response.
Accomodation and Disequilibrium can be demonstrated in this situation. Children can't think logically about the situation so they have to search for schema they have already experienced in their lives to help solve the issue of the girl not having any friends. It is interesting what some of the students said to help solve the issue. Some said she needed to be nice, this is a typical answer for a young child because this is how they make friends, being nice is an assimilation, it just makes sense. It is a good way of helping a child reach Disequilibrium by forcing the child to understand different issues in life. A child forms an assimilation in assuming that by asking someone to play they will find friends, but if the child still doesn't have friends by following this schema then an accommodation occurs which will lead to disequilibrium which will force a cognitive growth. These students who are mentioning the things that Mr. Stone should do are most likely those who have passed the trust vrs. mistrust stage of Social development becuase they trust that by being nice to another child will undoubtably turn into a friendship. They are most definately learning the iinciative vrs. guilt stage of Erikson's theory in setting goals to be accomplished in obtaining friendship. We can see that the interaction between the teachers and the children are helping these children to grow and develop in many ways, they are forcing a cognitive development while mentoring the children in social growth.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Cognitive Development Case Study
1. Describe an episode in the case study that demonstrates disequilibrium. Justify your response. Describe an episode that demonstrates assimilation. Justify your response.
When Amy says her grandpa died and went to heaven. She said the fish couldn't be dead because it was still there. It demonstrates disequilibrium because she sees an inconsistency in the way her Grandpa died and how the fish died. She doubts it, but she in turn teaches herself that the fish is dead, her cognitive development is thus growing and she is learning. Assimilation takes place when Amy responds to eating in heaven, she is not sure of the answer, but she says people eat when they get hungry, you would have to eat in heaven or you would be hungry all the time. She has a schema about hunger so she is using that schema to answer the question. I don't know do people need to eat in heaven?
2. Identify a possible instance of preoperational egocentrism in the case. Justify your response.
I think she is using egocentrism when she is looking at the fish in the bowl. The fish is not acting like it normally does, she is using her intuition to justify that something is definitely wrong with the fish. Of course something is wrong when the fish is laying on it's side and not swimming. Amy knew that fish did not sleep on their sides on top of the water.
3. How might a Vygotskian theorist suggest Ms. Bowman address the death of the class pet?
I would think that he would say that the water in the bowl was fouled in some way and that the fish died because it could not get enough air. The fish was dead too, because the children played with it too much and it got sick.
4. How might taking care of pets in the classroom promote students' cognitive development?
A child thinks an animal will act or react in the way that they want it to. If the animal then shows a different method of eating or acts different to the schema, the students have to form new schema to explain why the animal does what it does. They will need to make an accommodation to change the existing schema in their mind.
When Amy says her grandpa died and went to heaven. She said the fish couldn't be dead because it was still there. It demonstrates disequilibrium because she sees an inconsistency in the way her Grandpa died and how the fish died. She doubts it, but she in turn teaches herself that the fish is dead, her cognitive development is thus growing and she is learning. Assimilation takes place when Amy responds to eating in heaven, she is not sure of the answer, but she says people eat when they get hungry, you would have to eat in heaven or you would be hungry all the time. She has a schema about hunger so she is using that schema to answer the question. I don't know do people need to eat in heaven?
2. Identify a possible instance of preoperational egocentrism in the case. Justify your response.
I think she is using egocentrism when she is looking at the fish in the bowl. The fish is not acting like it normally does, she is using her intuition to justify that something is definitely wrong with the fish. Of course something is wrong when the fish is laying on it's side and not swimming. Amy knew that fish did not sleep on their sides on top of the water.
3. How might a Vygotskian theorist suggest Ms. Bowman address the death of the class pet?
I would think that he would say that the water in the bowl was fouled in some way and that the fish died because it could not get enough air. The fish was dead too, because the children played with it too much and it got sick.
4. How might taking care of pets in the classroom promote students' cognitive development?
A child thinks an animal will act or react in the way that they want it to. If the animal then shows a different method of eating or acts different to the schema, the students have to form new schema to explain why the animal does what it does. They will need to make an accommodation to change the existing schema in their mind.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Educational Neuroscience
What? I looked up and found out a little information about Eric Jensen. Eric Jensen is a researcher and a speaker of Brain Based learning. He was a secondary teacher who decided to do some research on the affects of teaching and how we as teachers can help the students we teach understand and retain the information that is given to them. He focuses on how to teach children who may have some sort of difficulty in life, and how we can help those students learn with certain teaching strategies. He gives workshops and promises to lighten up the teacher development courses we all have to take.
So what does his studies have to do with education? Eric Jensen wants to share the methods of brain based teaching to all teachers. He has introduced a method of teaching that goes deep into the students minds and helps them to learn and focus. He teaches to the teachers, saying that by creating a learning environment in the classroom and in using his methods a teacher can control the classroom and be much more affective. Most of the information that he gives is through his seminars so of course he does not have much about the methods online, but he does say that stress can cause students not to learn. He states "Brain-based teaching is all about smarter, more purposeful teaching that can reach a greater number of students. It’s not any one single thing you do. It’s more about the on-going, purposeful aggregate of environment, instruction and curriculum strategies that makes it all work." I would love to have him come and instruct us sometime.
Now what? I wish I new more about the subject of Brain Based Learning. I understand the importance of teaching the students so that they learn. I am worried that too many students come to the classroom for no reason but to be there filling the desk space. It is my goal to teach so that all my students learn, and not only do they learn, but they enjoy doing it. Brain Based Learning encompasses a broad spectrum of learning,including the environment that is given and the attitude of the teacher and the students at any given time of the day. I want to learn and know how to teach the students with a strategy that works day in and day out. I am sure I will learn that here at UVU too.
So what does his studies have to do with education? Eric Jensen wants to share the methods of brain based teaching to all teachers. He has introduced a method of teaching that goes deep into the students minds and helps them to learn and focus. He teaches to the teachers, saying that by creating a learning environment in the classroom and in using his methods a teacher can control the classroom and be much more affective. Most of the information that he gives is through his seminars so of course he does not have much about the methods online, but he does say that stress can cause students not to learn. He states "Brain-based teaching is all about smarter, more purposeful teaching that can reach a greater number of students. It’s not any one single thing you do. It’s more about the on-going, purposeful aggregate of environment, instruction and curriculum strategies that makes it all work." I would love to have him come and instruct us sometime.
Now what? I wish I new more about the subject of Brain Based Learning. I understand the importance of teaching the students so that they learn. I am worried that too many students come to the classroom for no reason but to be there filling the desk space. It is my goal to teach so that all my students learn, and not only do they learn, but they enjoy doing it. Brain Based Learning encompasses a broad spectrum of learning,including the environment that is given and the attitude of the teacher and the students at any given time of the day. I want to learn and know how to teach the students with a strategy that works day in and day out. I am sure I will learn that here at UVU too.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Motivation Blog
Why am I here in the UVU Education Program? I am here to learn how to teach and what I need to do to become a teacher. I owned my own hardwood flooring company for some years, the economy took a turn for the worst, and I have always wanted to teach so here I am.
What motivates me? I would like to say I am easily motivated and things just come that way naturally for me. I have some things in life that will catch my attention and I will focus on them until I finish or fall ver exhausted. I work really hard for those things I do enjoy. I would say most of the motivation I receive would be an Extrinsic Motivation. I really want to have Intrinsic Motivation in my studies though, I do enjoy psychology and I am anxious to learn how children can be affected psychologically in their studies at school.
How do I succeed? I am an Autonomous learner. I do what needs to be done and I make it happen. I have an internal locus present, which allows me to learn what I need to. I am very apprehensive when it comes to learning though, some might say it is all due to Attribution theory or just plain luck, but I do work hard to succeed. I fail because I do not manage time well, and I am not very organized, I am not good at prioritizing my time nor my studies. I guess I have not mastered Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, sometimes other needs must be met before my own.
Mastery verses Performance goals in the education program? I believe in Mastery Goals for the course. I wish to use the things I learn in class and in the Education Program to help me succeed as a teacher throughout my life. I will use the content that is going to be used in class to make me a better, more understanding teacher. I want to change my study habits I have attributed to my schooling in the past to learn, retain, and reuse information in my own classroom.
How do I need to change my mindset to be a great teacher? I have made teaching a dispositional interest in my life. I want to do it for the rest of my life so I need to use the Goal Theory in my studies. I need set goals for how I want to study and what I want to get done for a night. After setting goals I need to try to meet them every time. I have found an interest and I am excited, however, it is a facilitating anxiety, and I need to keep stresses and flow from turning it to a debilitating anxiety. I will do fine, just no more procrastination! I do have innate psychological needs in life, I would have never thought I would have had problems the first week of the semester, but I have noticed I feel different than any other semester. I am really stressed about time management and how I'm going to get the work done. I know it is a heavy load, but look I am learning already and I am looking forward to learning.
What motivates me? I would like to say I am easily motivated and things just come that way naturally for me. I have some things in life that will catch my attention and I will focus on them until I finish or fall ver exhausted. I work really hard for those things I do enjoy. I would say most of the motivation I receive would be an Extrinsic Motivation. I really want to have Intrinsic Motivation in my studies though, I do enjoy psychology and I am anxious to learn how children can be affected psychologically in their studies at school.
How do I succeed? I am an Autonomous learner. I do what needs to be done and I make it happen. I have an internal locus present, which allows me to learn what I need to. I am very apprehensive when it comes to learning though, some might say it is all due to Attribution theory or just plain luck, but I do work hard to succeed. I fail because I do not manage time well, and I am not very organized, I am not good at prioritizing my time nor my studies. I guess I have not mastered Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, sometimes other needs must be met before my own.
Mastery verses Performance goals in the education program? I believe in Mastery Goals for the course. I wish to use the things I learn in class and in the Education Program to help me succeed as a teacher throughout my life. I will use the content that is going to be used in class to make me a better, more understanding teacher. I want to change my study habits I have attributed to my schooling in the past to learn, retain, and reuse information in my own classroom.
How do I need to change my mindset to be a great teacher? I have made teaching a dispositional interest in my life. I want to do it for the rest of my life so I need to use the Goal Theory in my studies. I need set goals for how I want to study and what I want to get done for a night. After setting goals I need to try to meet them every time. I have found an interest and I am excited, however, it is a facilitating anxiety, and I need to keep stresses and flow from turning it to a debilitating anxiety. I will do fine, just no more procrastination! I do have innate psychological needs in life, I would have never thought I would have had problems the first week of the semester, but I have noticed I feel different than any other semester. I am really stressed about time management and how I'm going to get the work done. I know it is a heavy load, but look I am learning already and I am looking forward to learning.
Course Contract
Course Contract
In the Text the Author states three things we must do as teachers to be better prepared for the 21st Century Classroom. They are: Understanding and Addressing the needs of a Diversity of Learners, Applying Theories and Research in the Classroom, and Critically Examining Teaching Practices. My goals for this course this Semester is to learn Educational Psychology to the extent that I will be prepared for the 21st Century Classroom. I hope to learn the theories that will aid me in teaching. I need to learn how to address the needs of my future students. I need to learn how to create a learning community that is acadmically challenging,developmentally responsive, and socially equitable(Educatioal Psychology, Roxana Moreno).
What will I need to do to acheive these goals? How will I mange my time so that I will be able to learn? I will schedule all my assignments on my phone calender and set a reminder to help me remember my tasks. I will take the appropriate time nessessary to complete the tasks required. This does not mean doing late night studies every night. I have class in the mornings now and I need to use all the time I need to, plus get the rest I need. I need to be prepred and not fall behind, so I will get the studies done and not wait for the last minute. This has bee something I have always struggled with and I need to better myself in this category if I am going to be a teacher.
What stragies will I use to learn and understand the material in the class? After reading some of the study strategies, one thing keep popping out out me. It is Basic Background. What I mean by this is I will create a situation in my mind for each lesson or point that is being taught. It may be someting that has hapened to me in my life or maybe some situation I have heard of somtime. After doing this I will make it personal to me to better familiarize myself with what is being taught, I will associate the content into my life somehow. I will try to incorporate schema into my learning. Learning and expanding on what I have learned in the past will help me to learn faster and more efficiently.
If I do not understand a topic what will I do in my study habits to help me understand the material? When I am reading through the text and I find material that is new to me, I will question it and mark it accordingly. By marking it as a question, my mind will grab hold of the information and process it quicker when I have the question in my mind rather than if I did not at all. I do well when I have a question about something,the problem is trying to remember the qestion. This is where marking the book will help. I need to write my thoughts on the page next to the item in question so I will be able to find it quickly when I need to.
I will reach my goals in this course by bing to class on time to listen to the lecture. I will read the disired text readings, giving myself the time I will need to fully complete it and understand it. I will try to learn and associate with my person to better understand the content, if I do not understand I will mark the material and find the answer to it. The answer will stay in my mind for the rest of my life to better my teaching abilities and help me prosper as teacher.
In the Text the Author states three things we must do as teachers to be better prepared for the 21st Century Classroom. They are: Understanding and Addressing the needs of a Diversity of Learners, Applying Theories and Research in the Classroom, and Critically Examining Teaching Practices. My goals for this course this Semester is to learn Educational Psychology to the extent that I will be prepared for the 21st Century Classroom. I hope to learn the theories that will aid me in teaching. I need to learn how to address the needs of my future students. I need to learn how to create a learning community that is acadmically challenging,developmentally responsive, and socially equitable(Educatioal Psychology, Roxana Moreno).
What will I need to do to acheive these goals? How will I mange my time so that I will be able to learn? I will schedule all my assignments on my phone calender and set a reminder to help me remember my tasks. I will take the appropriate time nessessary to complete the tasks required. This does not mean doing late night studies every night. I have class in the mornings now and I need to use all the time I need to, plus get the rest I need. I need to be prepred and not fall behind, so I will get the studies done and not wait for the last minute. This has bee something I have always struggled with and I need to better myself in this category if I am going to be a teacher.
What stragies will I use to learn and understand the material in the class? After reading some of the study strategies, one thing keep popping out out me. It is Basic Background. What I mean by this is I will create a situation in my mind for each lesson or point that is being taught. It may be someting that has hapened to me in my life or maybe some situation I have heard of somtime. After doing this I will make it personal to me to better familiarize myself with what is being taught, I will associate the content into my life somehow. I will try to incorporate schema into my learning. Learning and expanding on what I have learned in the past will help me to learn faster and more efficiently.
If I do not understand a topic what will I do in my study habits to help me understand the material? When I am reading through the text and I find material that is new to me, I will question it and mark it accordingly. By marking it as a question, my mind will grab hold of the information and process it quicker when I have the question in my mind rather than if I did not at all. I do well when I have a question about something,the problem is trying to remember the qestion. This is where marking the book will help. I need to write my thoughts on the page next to the item in question so I will be able to find it quickly when I need to.
I will reach my goals in this course by bing to class on time to listen to the lecture. I will read the disired text readings, giving myself the time I will need to fully complete it and understand it. I will try to learn and associate with my person to better understand the content, if I do not understand I will mark the material and find the answer to it. The answer will stay in my mind for the rest of my life to better my teaching abilities and help me prosper as teacher.
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