WHAT?
My results from the quiz were 42 Humanism, 46 Cognitive, and 40 Behaviorism..
Piaget's Cognitive Development: Piaget had some really good insights on how children learn and what stages they go through during this process. I think he is right when he says that there are four stages. I have witnessed children going through these stages but something that I disagree with is his insight of when children experience what and at what age. I believe each child in different and each one learns differently and on their own time. Some are slower learners whereas others may be faster. Something I really agreed with and liked about Piaget is his thought on Assimilation and Accommodation. I most definitely agree that students change their information so schema is met. Chanign old information to be consistent with the new is the way we as teachers should be teaching. We want our students to grow on what they know and grow with their education. I also agree that they need to use old information in order to come up with the idea of new knowledge. This is where students are able to make the connections to their learning.
Vygotsky's Cognitive Development: Vygotsky was mostly likely one of the main theorist I agreed with the most. I completely agree that students their from society and therefore make their learning a sociocultural world of learning. Which is the process of internalizing out to in. his steps he suggested children go through are very correct. Having other students or adults help each other is one of the best ways I believe we learn best. We are having the guidance and collaboration with someone that is more knowledgeable in a certain area help us. We are able to walk through the problems together and come to a conclusion which in return allows us to understand the content being learned. I think it is important for students to learn how to use self-talk because I believe that is a stepping stone by understanding yourself first before you share the information with someone else. Another thing I really liked about Vygotsky that I find valuable is his belief on allowing other students in the same age range helping in the less achieved students learning. This is helping both students understand the true concepts of the lesson. Scaffolding is also the key to a students achievement because once that is achieved they are able to focus on the ZPD.
Erikson's Psychological Development: I would say Erikson did a much better job at identifiying the stages people go through more correctly than Paiget. His steps are more spread out and are followed throughout a persons lifetime, not just a child's. I would be considered to be in his Generativity verse Stagnation. It fits a lot of what my life is going through right now. I am in my adulthood life time and accomplishments are very important to be and Eriksons expresses this in this stage as well. I observed a fourth grade class and they were in the Industry vs. Inferiority. My students were using their ZPD and Scaffolding skills. I saw the more achieved students helping those that needed clearer understanding. I do believe we all go through these stages and also look back on previous stages and experience some thoughts he mentions again. I believe it is a constant process and just because we change in age does not mean we do not experience some roles expressed in other stages.
Kohlberg's Moral Development: I also agree with Kohlberg's theories. I believe moral reasoning is more than what someone might believe in. It is the thought of what is right verses what is wrong. Children start out from the very beginning taking on the beliefs and roles of their parents and adult influences. They learn from the beginning that there are rules and that there are not any exceptions for these rules and that if you follow these rules you are a good boy/girl. If not then you are a bad boy/girl. As the stages move forward, they then learn that they need to follow their adults in their lives. They tend to take on their beliefs and their desires and don't change. I think instead of just assuming children should follow their leaders and adults, we should do better at explaining why and what happens if we don't. This will eventually allow them to make their own decisions and have their own moral reasoning.
Goleman's Emotional Intelligences: I completely agree with Goleman and the order he places the intelligences. One of the most important factors of emotional intelligences in the ability to understand yourself. I believe this needs to be done before you can understand others. Goleman follows that belief. Another thing dealing with the emotions is the fact we need to understand them before we can take charge and manage them. This will make life so much easier.
Information Processing: I believe there is a process that leads information to where it belongs in the brain. I agree that there are interference stages where information can easily be lost if not obtained properly. I really liked the visual aid we did in class showing how our memory works and the route the information we learn takes as it is trying to be processed. We make sense of the world and connect our learning by using our sensory tools. This made sense to me as it was first on the list. Then we have working memory (short-term memory) and Long term memory. If the information travels safely and is used effectively it should get lost and we should be able to recall it later in life as it is stored in our LTM. I also believe there are three different storage places which are semantic, episodic, and procedural. Depending on what we are learning is where it will be stored.
Knowledge Construction and Higher Order Thinking: Learning should involve application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. I think this is a great stepping stone for the kids to get introduced into a lesson. I think its good for them to compile information they have already used and make a prediction of what the new information is about and what it has to do with what is being taught. I believe students learn better when they construct their own knowledge and are able to answer questions on their own, however this is not the best way to finish a lesson. Teachers need to be able to know if their students understand the lesson and with them constructing their own knowledge and using higher order thinking there is not a definite answer as to if they understood or not.
Behaviorism: I believe there are two parts to behaviorism, the part that works and the part that does not. The part that works is students are more conscious if they did something wrong by the way the teacher reacts. The student form the conclusion of how they want to respond. If they want to get into trouble then the teacher doesn't scare them. Those that try to always stay on task and never misbehave have been trained. The token economy can work as well as not. It all depends on how the teacher handles this in the classroom. If the teacher freely gives out rewards and praise the students will not care about it, but if the teacher is sporadic, the students behavior is more likely to behave because they never know when they could get something for staying on task or doing something right.
Social Cognitivism: I like the fact that learning is an internal process and have control over their own behavior. I think students are great teachers for themselves and can learn a lot from others, and nobody ever know they were being observed. I like that students have the choice of how they want to behave. I don't like this however, because I don't believe students productively learn. I worry about the teachers being able to assess because they don't know what they students are really learning and what they are not.
Group and Individual Differences: I think stereotyping a child because they are different is wrong. I think deep down inside each student is the same. Culture does play a huge role in how a child acts but it is not our job to make an assumption that they are different and they can't do something. In my field experience, there were two ESL students we were working with teaching them to read in English. Our teacher did not think they could do as much as they could. She judged them. In real fact, they were very bright and understood a lot. Their reading was a head of what our teacher thought they could do. I think groups are a great learning tool because students are able to learn from each other. However, there are several things to look at when placing students in groups, which includes, their academic level, their ability to work in groups, their behavior to groups, etc.
Motivation: I really like the concept of motivation and how it works for me but there is also a negative side. Intrinsic motivation is where the student wants to learn and is doing their best for themselves. Extrinsic motivation is when the students just look for the ending result, which could be a token or anything that is not long lasting. Motivation does work for me. It helps me to enjoy what I am doing. It also helps to see great ending results. Teachers can play a major role in whether or not motivation works or not.
SO WHAT?
Looking back on my results from the test, I believe in a little bit of each learning style. Just like everything in life there is always the good with the bad and I believe each theory follows that same rule. I believe behavior does have a say in how a student acts towards an assignment, the teacher, or the classroom. I believe behavior acts as a tool to either help the student get out of something or it can be a factor of just giving up. I definitely believe in Cognitivism. I think a students best tool is themselves and their brain. This can also be done socially which learning from others is a great way to achieve. Some of my favorite theorist is Vygotsky because his ideas on Scaffolding and ZPD are ideal for what children really go through in school and what impacts them the most. Students have their learning in their own hands and if their motivated they are going to achieve beyond measures but without motivation they will slowly fail. I am a big fan of discovery learning and allowing students to figure out things on their own and make a connection to help them remember what they did. Using their sensory part of the brain is where it all begins and discovery learning definitely enters that stage. I used discovery learning in one of my lessons in field dealing with clouds. I saw how the students reacted to this lesson, which was they loved it. They remembered the clouds much easier. They are also adding emotion into what they are doing which makes a difference in their learning and how they remember things. Last, cooperative learning great in a classroom. Students really learn from each other and the results on tests can proven to be much higher. They are able to see more point of views other than just their own.
NOW WHAT?
Now I know what I think works in the classroom, I will use what I have learned and put it into action. Students learn by discovery so I will have more hands on activities and allow them to figure things out by themselves. I will however be there to help guide them if they need help. I will use cooperative groups because it will allow my students to reach the understand and thinking. They will have to learn to work with others which is very important in today's society. For instance, if I was to teach weather, like I was in field, I would have my students go outside and try to find the clouds. I would have real life weather instruments and allow my students to play with them and allow them to really see what they do and how they work, together and by themselves. I believe allowing students to do both ways of learning is important and it stretches their capability to do things.
I would really like to learn more about behaviorism and how it impacts a classroom. In field we had a student with behavioral problems and I want to know if something can trigger that and how to come to some conclusions and common grounds with this child. I would like to learn more on what is conditioned behavior and what is Operant behavior. Actually seeing real like situations would help make this more clear and would allow me to better understand some of my future students better. I would also like to learn more about motivation and how to motivate my students more.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Course Contract #4
1. What are you doing well?
I am doing well remembering what we learn in class. While studying for the final exam, I have been able to remember important information we have learned from the very beginning. Another thing I have done well is taking the information we have learned in class and used it in my field experience. I was able to observe the students and without realizing what I was doing, I was re-calling what stages certain kids were in or thinking about why they were doing such things. I was also able to see how the token economy works in a classroom and saw the affects of it. I have also done well at looking over my notes and refreshing my brain of what has been learned. This has helped me to not lose the information.
2. What are you not doing well?
Some things that I still struggle with are setting apart specific time to study for this class. There is so much to do that I tend to mix it all together, which hurts me in the long run because I am not fully understanding all that I should. I also seem much more rushed instead of laid back. Something that can help me in the future is to automatically set time to do certain work or to study for specific classes. I should try to get ahead of everything instead of saving it for the last minute and having so much to do in the end.
3. Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
Yes, I believe I am making sufficient progress on my goals. I have really learned to like note taking and have seen how much of a difference making graphic organizers have helped me. For the most part I have not saved everything for the last minute but I do have to admit there are times this does happen. I have focused my education on truly learning the information and not just memorizing it and walking away at the end of the semester and forgetting it. I have taken an education psychology class before and I feel I have done a good job recalling information I learned then and this class has helped me to gain more. I definitely don't think this class has been a waste of my time because I enjoyed what I have learned and I have made connections to the things we have learned into my personal life. I have also made it a priority to attend every class period. This has been one of my favorite classes and making it so important has helped me accomplish this goal.
4. List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
The first things I would say I need to change in order to meet my goals are first, setting specific time to accomplish homework and studying for this class. I need to learn to rearrange my schedule so I can fit everything in. Time management is a key for my success. Another thing I would say I need to change is still continuing to read every chapter. Sometimes I skim through the readings and rely on class to learn the new information. I need to do better at making something that is more natural and start setting time to read what we will be talking about in class.
5. How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
My motivation is good. You have really helped me this semester by making our learning fun and interesting. You have also given us positive feedback and encouragement which is something I tend to draw on. I also love this subject so it makes me excited to learn new things or to review what I have previously learned. I like to talk about what I have learned with my parents and I have seen this helps me and it continues to motivate me. Another motivation for me is how well I have done on the tests. This has boosted my belief in myself and has motivated me to continue to do well. I still believe I have focused on mastery goals because I want to be an amazing teacher and I want to really learn and understand this information for myself and for my future classroom. I have learned if I am not focusing on mastery goals then what I am doing is a waste of time for me because I am not working as hard as I could be. The only thing I can think of that needs to change is my need to prioritize my life better and make studying more important then some other things. This is something I will definitely continue to work on as I go throughout my career and education.
I am doing well remembering what we learn in class. While studying for the final exam, I have been able to remember important information we have learned from the very beginning. Another thing I have done well is taking the information we have learned in class and used it in my field experience. I was able to observe the students and without realizing what I was doing, I was re-calling what stages certain kids were in or thinking about why they were doing such things. I was also able to see how the token economy works in a classroom and saw the affects of it. I have also done well at looking over my notes and refreshing my brain of what has been learned. This has helped me to not lose the information.
2. What are you not doing well?
Some things that I still struggle with are setting apart specific time to study for this class. There is so much to do that I tend to mix it all together, which hurts me in the long run because I am not fully understanding all that I should. I also seem much more rushed instead of laid back. Something that can help me in the future is to automatically set time to do certain work or to study for specific classes. I should try to get ahead of everything instead of saving it for the last minute and having so much to do in the end.
3. Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
Yes, I believe I am making sufficient progress on my goals. I have really learned to like note taking and have seen how much of a difference making graphic organizers have helped me. For the most part I have not saved everything for the last minute but I do have to admit there are times this does happen. I have focused my education on truly learning the information and not just memorizing it and walking away at the end of the semester and forgetting it. I have taken an education psychology class before and I feel I have done a good job recalling information I learned then and this class has helped me to gain more. I definitely don't think this class has been a waste of my time because I enjoyed what I have learned and I have made connections to the things we have learned into my personal life. I have also made it a priority to attend every class period. This has been one of my favorite classes and making it so important has helped me accomplish this goal.
4. List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
The first things I would say I need to change in order to meet my goals are first, setting specific time to accomplish homework and studying for this class. I need to learn to rearrange my schedule so I can fit everything in. Time management is a key for my success. Another thing I would say I need to change is still continuing to read every chapter. Sometimes I skim through the readings and rely on class to learn the new information. I need to do better at making something that is more natural and start setting time to read what we will be talking about in class.
5. How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
My motivation is good. You have really helped me this semester by making our learning fun and interesting. You have also given us positive feedback and encouragement which is something I tend to draw on. I also love this subject so it makes me excited to learn new things or to review what I have previously learned. I like to talk about what I have learned with my parents and I have seen this helps me and it continues to motivate me. Another motivation for me is how well I have done on the tests. This has boosted my belief in myself and has motivated me to continue to do well. I still believe I have focused on mastery goals because I want to be an amazing teacher and I want to really learn and understand this information for myself and for my future classroom. I have learned if I am not focusing on mastery goals then what I am doing is a waste of time for me because I am not working as hard as I could be. The only thing I can think of that needs to change is my need to prioritize my life better and make studying more important then some other things. This is something I will definitely continue to work on as I go throughout my career and education.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Teen Anxiety (Extra Credit)
What?
Teen anxiety is much more common than it was in the old days, the article even stated more common than in the Great Depression times. The article stated five times as many high school and college are dealing with more anxiety and other mental health issues. Many times where students are dealing with anxiety they can also experience depression and other issues that are destructible to a persons self-esteem and life. This article really hit home for me because it made me analyze my life and what life and school has to me. There are many times where I feel anxious and have major anxiety to the point I have literally made myself sick. The article also states that this is also happening because children at this age are held responsible for doing things on their own and taking responsibility in their life with money, school, and much more. Another factor that has an impact in anxiety is the role of fitting in with other students and with society. Money, where you live, what your parents do, all lead to how others look at you and treat you. For younger students, even all students, experience this happening at one time in their life if not constantly. This can cause a lot of stress which leads to your body shutting down and problems happening.
So What?
Anxiety and depression is not something that can be ignored. This is a serious issue that affects a persons self-esteem and success. The article talks about expectations and how destructive they can be. When high expectations are set, that sets the child up for either overwhelming physical break downs or mental break downs. The article depicts it perfectly of what this generation was led to do and believe, "Hunter says this latest generation has been raised in a "you can do anything atmosphere." And that, he says, "sets up a lot of false expectation" that inevitably leads to distress for some." This can ruin a students emotional well being, social well being, and just who they are in general.
Now What?
I think there can be a lot done to prevent or to help this situation. The first place prevention needs to start is in the home. We have always been taught the home is the first and best place of where children learn things. If parents encourage their children more and help them overcome challenges together then I believe there would be less pressure on the child which will lead to less anxiety and mental health problems. This will also show the children how much their care and want the best for them, in a healthy way. Another thing that could help is teaching children how they can succeed by doing things on their own. This needs to start at an early age and gradually lead them into being an adult and being independent. This will alleviate the sudden urgency to grow up and will help children to be more responsible in their schooling too.
Teen anxiety is much more common than it was in the old days, the article even stated more common than in the Great Depression times. The article stated five times as many high school and college are dealing with more anxiety and other mental health issues. Many times where students are dealing with anxiety they can also experience depression and other issues that are destructible to a persons self-esteem and life. This article really hit home for me because it made me analyze my life and what life and school has to me. There are many times where I feel anxious and have major anxiety to the point I have literally made myself sick. The article also states that this is also happening because children at this age are held responsible for doing things on their own and taking responsibility in their life with money, school, and much more. Another factor that has an impact in anxiety is the role of fitting in with other students and with society. Money, where you live, what your parents do, all lead to how others look at you and treat you. For younger students, even all students, experience this happening at one time in their life if not constantly. This can cause a lot of stress which leads to your body shutting down and problems happening.
So What?
Anxiety and depression is not something that can be ignored. This is a serious issue that affects a persons self-esteem and success. The article talks about expectations and how destructive they can be. When high expectations are set, that sets the child up for either overwhelming physical break downs or mental break downs. The article depicts it perfectly of what this generation was led to do and believe, "Hunter says this latest generation has been raised in a "you can do anything atmosphere." And that, he says, "sets up a lot of false expectation" that inevitably leads to distress for some." This can ruin a students emotional well being, social well being, and just who they are in general.
Now What?
I think there can be a lot done to prevent or to help this situation. The first place prevention needs to start is in the home. We have always been taught the home is the first and best place of where children learn things. If parents encourage their children more and help them overcome challenges together then I believe there would be less pressure on the child which will lead to less anxiety and mental health problems. This will also show the children how much their care and want the best for them, in a healthy way. Another thing that could help is teaching children how they can succeed by doing things on their own. This needs to start at an early age and gradually lead them into being an adult and being independent. This will alleviate the sudden urgency to grow up and will help children to be more responsible in their schooling too.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Social Cognitivism Case Study - Elementary
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.
The students use vicarious reinforcement when they are to get in line to go outside. Mr. Corbet encourages his students to walk to the line instead of running. When the students are being called to come to the line, Mindy observes the behavior she should be using. Also, the students all notice which tables got to line up first because of their behavior. This would be considered positive reinforcement. These students that were able to line up first are more likely to show this behavior again because they know what happens if they do and they are also pleasing their teacher.
An example of this type of punishment happens when Mindy observes the teacher blowing the whistle at some students misbehaving. From Mindy's observation, she is less likely going to misbehave on the playground because she saw the consequence of the students misbehaving by getting talked to by Mr. Corbet. She doesn't want that to happen to her.
I noticed that Mr. Corbet used Kohlberg's preconventional reasoning as well as Behavioral theory. As for Kohlberg, his students are showing little internalization dealing with their moral values. The kindergartners obey all of the rules. They are always in search for pleasing the teacher and is tyring to stay away from being punished. When Mindy broke Jonathon's crayon, he thought it was something that she should be punished for. He did not know the difference between an action that needs punishing and actions that do not. He was following the theories idea of "following the laws".
2. Describe one incident in the case study that represents vicarious reinforcement. Explain your reasoning.
The students use vicarious reinforcement when they are to get in line to go outside. Mr. Corbet encourages his students to walk to the line instead of running. When the students are being called to come to the line, Mindy observes the behavior she should be using. Also, the students all notice which tables got to line up first because of their behavior. This would be considered positive reinforcement. These students that were able to line up first are more likely to show this behavior again because they know what happens if they do and they are also pleasing their teacher.
3. Describe one incident in the case study that represents vicarious punishment. Explain your reasoning.
An example of this type of punishment happens when Mindy observes the teacher blowing the whistle at some students misbehaving. From Mindy's observation, she is less likely going to misbehave on the playground because she saw the consequence of the students misbehaving by getting talked to by Mr. Corbet. She doesn't want that to happen to her.
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 that Mindy has a low self-efficacy regarding to her kindergarten behavior. Mindy didn't know what was happening in the class and would follow the behavior of her classmates to react to something. She only know what recess was by observing others. The class showed excitement about recess so in return Mindy became excited and curious of what caused this enjoyment. In order for Mindy to do something is follows what others are doing. She is unsure of what is really happening and what she is suppose to do. This comes in handy for her by having an understanding of how not to act. She noticed in order not to get the whistle blown at her, she has to be good and stay out of trouble.
I think that Mindy has a low self-efficacy regarding to her kindergarten behavior. Mindy didn't know what was happening in the class and would follow the behavior of her classmates to react to something. She only know what recess was by observing others. The class showed excitement about recess so in return Mindy became excited and curious of what caused this enjoyment. In order for Mindy to do something is follows what others are doing. She is unsure of what is really happening and what she is suppose to do. This comes in handy for her by having an understanding of how not to act. She noticed in order not to get the whistle blown at her, she has to be good and stay out of trouble.
Sunday, March 7, 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 that Haley's fear of men is most likely due to classical conditioning. Haley's reaction is an emotional reaction any time she is around men or has thoughts of men. Haley's conditioned stimulus is she is afraid of men. Her conditioned response is she becomes hysterical. Her unconditioned stimulus is also she is afraid of men and her unconditioned response is she will not go to violin lessons (or anywhere she knows there will be a man there).
Operant conditioning is voluntary and so with that said, Meredith knows the outcomes of her behaviors. So when she becomes aggressive she knows what will be the ending result. Meredith always beats up on Haley and she continues to do that because she knows that Haley will do whatever she wants her to do. She has the control. Another example, is when she was throwing a fit because she wanted to wear her pop star outfit. Her mother gives in and will not say no, so again by acting out, Meredith gets her way. Growing up, Meredith has observed in order to get what she wants she has to act out and misbehave. She has learned and realized nobody will stop her and so she will always get her way.
Haley is a very complex girl and is experiencing a difficult situation. One of the best things that would work for her is shaping. Since this is a difficult task we are working with we would want to take baby steps instead of trying to solve this problem at full force. I also think the positive and negative reinforcers could work. I would try the token economy for the positive reinforcer. When she accomplishes a goal or a task she would get rewarded. For instance, you could mix that in with negative reinforcement by taking away a part of an assignment if she goes to her violin lessons. In this case we are taking away something she doesn't want to do which is negative and encouraging her go to her music class. Haley and her teacher could also fill out a contingency contract where Haley and her teacher will sit down and Haley will agree on certain behaviors, which the teacher agrees with and then the teacher will agree to provide what is necessary. There are several different roads you could experience with Haley.
I would say that Haley's fear of men is most likely due to classical conditioning. Haley's reaction is an emotional reaction any time she is around men or has thoughts of men. Haley's conditioned stimulus is she is afraid of men. Her conditioned response is she becomes hysterical. Her unconditioned stimulus is also she is afraid of men and her unconditioned response is she will not go to violin lessons (or anywhere she knows there will be a man there).
2. How might you explain Meredith's aggressive behaviors from the perspective of operant conditioning?
Operant conditioning is voluntary and so with that said, Meredith knows the outcomes of her behaviors. So when she becomes aggressive she knows what will be the ending result. Meredith always beats up on Haley and she continues to do that because she knows that Haley will do whatever she wants her to do. She has the control. Another example, is when she was throwing a fit because she wanted to wear her pop star outfit. Her mother gives in and will not say no, so again by acting out, Meredith gets her way. Growing up, Meredith has observed in order to get what she wants she has to act out and misbehave. She has learned and realized nobody will stop her and so she will always get her way.
3. What strategies from Behavioral theory might a teacher use in working with Haley? Be specific and describe how each strategy could be used.
Haley is a very complex girl and is experiencing a difficult situation. One of the best things that would work for her is shaping. Since this is a difficult task we are working with we would want to take baby steps instead of trying to solve this problem at full force. I also think the positive and negative reinforcers could work. I would try the token economy for the positive reinforcer. When she accomplishes a goal or a task she would get rewarded. For instance, you could mix that in with negative reinforcement by taking away a part of an assignment if she goes to her violin lessons. In this case we are taking away something she doesn't want to do which is negative and encouraging her go to her music class. Haley and her teacher could also fill out a contingency contract where Haley and her teacher will sit down and Haley will agree on certain behaviors, which the teacher agrees with and then the teacher will agree to provide what is necessary. There are several different roads you could experience with Haley.
4. What strategies from Behavioral theory might a teacher use in working with Meredith? Be specific and describe how each strategy could be used.
I believe Meredith is lacking something in her personal life, maybe the feeling of love. Some children act out because there is something missing and they are trying to replace it or get noticed. This pertains to Meredith. I believe the best strategy that would work for Meredith is following the schedule of reinforcement. I would start out with continuous reinforcement by smiling at her and letting her know when she is doing something right. This will allow her to feel good about herself. I would then gradually change the schedule. Meredith likes having her way and so she would eventually realize this is something she wants and she will seek for that approval.
Another thing that may work with her is a contingency contract. I would do both a group contract as well as a individual contract. This will allow the class to show management and will place more pressure on the students to do what is right. As for the individual, this is great because Meredith likes having what she wants. The teacher and her will be able to sit down and come up with tasks she is willing to work on and the teacher can put that into action. This will allow her to feel a part in her development and will help the teacher to hopefully see change.
I believe Meredith is lacking something in her personal life, maybe the feeling of love. Some children act out because there is something missing and they are trying to replace it or get noticed. This pertains to Meredith. I believe the best strategy that would work for Meredith is following the schedule of reinforcement. I would start out with continuous reinforcement by smiling at her and letting her know when she is doing something right. This will allow her to feel good about herself. I would then gradually change the schedule. Meredith likes having her way and so she would eventually realize this is something she wants and she will seek for that approval.
Another thing that may work with her is a contingency contract. I would do both a group contract as well as a individual contract. This will allow the class to show management and will place more pressure on the students to do what is right. As for the individual, this is great because Meredith likes having what she wants. The teacher and her will be able to sit down and come up with tasks she is willing to work on and the teacher can put that into action. This will allow her to feel a part in her development and will help the teacher to hopefully see change.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Course Contract Review #3
1. What are you doing well?
I am doing well with keeping track of my assignments and setting apart time to accomplish them. I am writing in my calendar and have started to use a time tracker to help me really schedule time to work on Ed Psych. I am also really understanding the information presented in class and am connecting it to things I have learned before. I am also doing well at attending all class meetings and making my learning meaningful.
2. What are you not doing well?
I am still struggling with not reading the entire chapters and if I do read the chapters it is still crammed in right before a test. The study guides really help me so at times if I am running short on time, I will focus on reviewing the study guide only and not reading all the material to help me.
3. Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
I feel I am making sufficient progress with my goals. I have done well on all of the tests because I have really tried to succeed in this class and take more time to prepare for it. I have been using tools to help me remember the information which in return I have seen the outcome. I have learned that my calendar is my new best friend. I am very lost without it and I would not know what to do or where to start without it. This class and taught me that. Time management is key and that has also helped me to progress with my goals.
4. List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
I would still state that I need to change my reading habit and patterns. I need to not let things bombard me or push out what is important. I am planning on reading the chapters ahead of time as well as review the past chapters. I know our last test is comprehensive so in order for me to meet my goals I will have to dedicate and manage my time better. I will also continue to use graphic organizers because I believe those help me the most.
5. How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
I feel my motivation is still strong and very much still there. I really want a good grade in this class but most importantly really want to understand and retain what I learn in this class. That has been a huge motivation to me as I attend class, study, and prepare for my tests. I have seen what we have worked with and I know that I will witness these theories and problems in the classroom. I have really enjoyed the case studies because it gives me real life situations and pushes me to use what I have learned over the course of time. That is motivation to me. I would say I am still working on mastery goals but at times see myself looking at the performance goals because it is closer. I can see the end. I would say that is what I need to change is not looking forward to the end but focusing on how I feel when I truly understand a concept and put it into action.
I am doing well with keeping track of my assignments and setting apart time to accomplish them. I am writing in my calendar and have started to use a time tracker to help me really schedule time to work on Ed Psych. I am also really understanding the information presented in class and am connecting it to things I have learned before. I am also doing well at attending all class meetings and making my learning meaningful.
2. What are you not doing well?
I am still struggling with not reading the entire chapters and if I do read the chapters it is still crammed in right before a test. The study guides really help me so at times if I am running short on time, I will focus on reviewing the study guide only and not reading all the material to help me.
3. Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
I feel I am making sufficient progress with my goals. I have done well on all of the tests because I have really tried to succeed in this class and take more time to prepare for it. I have been using tools to help me remember the information which in return I have seen the outcome. I have learned that my calendar is my new best friend. I am very lost without it and I would not know what to do or where to start without it. This class and taught me that. Time management is key and that has also helped me to progress with my goals.
4. List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
I would still state that I need to change my reading habit and patterns. I need to not let things bombard me or push out what is important. I am planning on reading the chapters ahead of time as well as review the past chapters. I know our last test is comprehensive so in order for me to meet my goals I will have to dedicate and manage my time better. I will also continue to use graphic organizers because I believe those help me the most.
5. How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
I feel my motivation is still strong and very much still there. I really want a good grade in this class but most importantly really want to understand and retain what I learn in this class. That has been a huge motivation to me as I attend class, study, and prepare for my tests. I have seen what we have worked with and I know that I will witness these theories and problems in the classroom. I have really enjoyed the case studies because it gives me real life situations and pushes me to use what I have learned over the course of time. That is motivation to me. I would say I am still working on mastery goals but at times see myself looking at the performance goals because it is closer. I can see the end. I would say that is what I need to change is not looking forward to the end but focusing on how I feel when I truly understand a concept and put it into action.
Constuctivism Case Study
1. Describe two similarities between the traditional lesson and the constructivist one as described above. What are two differences?
Two similarities among the two different forms of teaching are first, they were both learning about measurements and measuring a large object whether it was a whale or a boat. Another similarity was that both lessons were interesting and entertaining. The teachers were able to keep their students attention as they were doing the measurement activities. Both teachers also allowed their students to work as a class, not individually or in small groups but all together.
Two differences were the way in which the teachers taught the measurement lessons. The traditional teacher told the students what to do and what measuring device to use wherefore the constructivist teacher allowed her students to figure it out on their own. They were practicing discovering learning. Another difference between the two teaching styles is one felt very defeated and knew her students didn't come out of the lesson learning anything. The constructivist saw a rewarding and successful outcome. After her students worked hard to understand and come up with the measurement answer they all were able to recognize what should be used when measuring and the impact it makes on 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.
Two benefits of the the constructivist approach was one, the students really had to teach themselves and others by working together. They learned how to communicate and were open to all ideas. Another benefit is they were using real-life experiences by using themselves as the measurements. They were able to reason what could fit and what could not.
Two drawbacks of the constructivist approach was, the students sometimes got frustrated and doubted if they could accomplish this task or not. Also, those students who are shy are not going to participate but will sit back and not do anything and thus the teacher can not assess them and the progress or their understanding of the subject. Another is the misconceptions that happened, for example, when they measured using Mark's hands they thought they definitely had the answer. If the teacher would not have asked Sue to measure the other side they would have never known that what you use to measure makes a difference.
I think in order to be successful you have to take risks and try different things. The benefits in this case allowed the students to take those risks and in return was learning more than they would have if they wouldn't have taken those risks or if they would have done it alone. Communication is an essential tool in succeeding and they practice using this tool and achieved in doing so. The students are drawing personal connections from experiences and retrieving prior knowledge they had learned from before. Also, using real-life authentic activities makes it more meaningful to the students and they are able to connect to their learning better. It draws on their emotions, which in return allows them to achieve things they may have not been able to do without it.
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.
Critical thinking is the process of systematically examining available information and coming up with conclusions that are based on evidence.It promotes critical thinking because they are having to think outside the box. It presents a problem and then the students individually as well as together explore all the different options and steps they need to take. They are not having any guided instruction on what to do and so they are having to come up with ideas and theories on their own.There were many examples of critical thinking for instance, each student that came up with a different idea of how to measure the boat was using their critical thinking skills. When Tom was brave enough to state what he thought and what he knew to be true, it allowed every student in the classroom to understand and therefore really think about how to come up with the right conclusion. They all visualized it in their head and from that came up with different ideas to test their solution. For example, Mark suggested using his hands, Al suggested using feet, and the rest of the class worked off of their initial ideas. Each example tested their process and showed evidenced by physically being the measurement device.
4. Would the constructivist activity be considered an authentic activity? Why or why not?
This would most definitely be an authentic activity. An authentic activity is learning by doing (real-life experiences, problems, or activities). It is also not something that comes out of textbooks. The students are working with measurements which is something we do in real-life. They are also using solutions that involve working with the information they knew such as Tom knowing the boat was bigger than him and he was just measured at four feet. They were also able to connect that using the same object to measure, such as a hand or foot, will produce different outcomes because nobody is exactly the same size.
This would most definitely be an authentic activity. An authentic activity is learning by doing (real-life experiences, problems, or activities). It is also not something that comes out of textbooks. The students are working with measurements which is something we do in real-life. They are also using solutions that involve working with the information they knew such as Tom knowing the boat was bigger than him and he was just measured at four feet. They were also able to connect that using the same object to measure, such as a hand or foot, will produce different outcomes because nobody is exactly the same size.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Cognitive Psychology/Information Processing Case Study
Case Study 1
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?
The students will have a clear understanding of the civil war and the events that happened, which leads to remembering a lot of information. The students are re-enacting the Civil War which allows them to participate in cooperative learning. They are physically role playing the war and the events which allows them to make connections. The students that read the textbook will not remember as much information because the textbook loses their attention and does not build interest. The students are not able to make as clear of connections as those that are acting it out and making it a personal experience by wearing the clothing and participating in the events.
2. How does Mr. West’s use of a Civil War re-enactment engage students’ emotions? What is the relationship between emotions and learning?
Mr. West engages his students emotions by re-enacting as it brings an emotion of appreciation and admiration for those that fought in the war. It allows them to feel something they may never have felt before or it may recall past experiences which brings along the emotions felt during that time. When the students re-enact, they are able to focus and connect to the stories and situations which are real life. Emotion plays a huge role in the way people learn. If someone is having a hard time in life, they are going to struggle with remembering or having interest. If someone is happy and positive, those emotions will allow the learning to be easy because their brain is not "foggy" or unclear. They can focus on what is important. People need to be conscious of what is happening around them as well as what is happening deep within. Each of these situations can cause different emotions that can either hurt or help someone to succeed and learn.
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?
Some activities that would be effective would involve both using visual objects as well as verbal. These are both great ways to assess his students. For visual activities, he could have his students make posters or draw something they got out of the Civil War. Both pictures would have to include something that was meaningful to them. As for the verbal activities, he could have his students get into groups and discuss what they learned and what they found to be important. As his students are discussing, this would be a great opportunity for him to walk around and listen to their conversations. He would get a better understanding on whether his students learned anything from the re-enactment.
Case Study 2
4. Who do you think provides better instruction for his students? Support your answer from an information processing perspective.
I think Mr. Richards is a better instructor because he is teaching his students in different ways so all would be able to understand. Even though his students may not know what is happening in class the day before, they do know what is expected of them and what will be happening the minute they get in the classroom and read the board. Mr. Richards keeps learning active and entertaining which will help hold the students attention longer. He is also teaching with different processing perspectives by using role-playing, lectures, videos, group projects and demonstrations. These help the students gain a clearer understanding in the best form they learn in. He also assesses his students by giving a standard format on all the tests. The students also know what that format is.
5. How would you expect the students’ learning outcomes to differ depending on which teacher they had?
If Mr. Dunkin had all linguistic learners in his classroom his outcomes and scores would be greater but then we look at reality and that is all students are different and learn differently. I would say Mr. Dunkin would benefit from reading books together but it still would not come close to the outcome Mr. Richards students would have. Mr. Richards students would be well prepared, eager, and ready to learn. They would understand and remember what happened in class and what information was important to recall at another time. Mr. Richards is helping his students have positive transfer by using what was learned in the past to learning something now. He is also working more with a constructivism idea where his students actively use their knowledge from personal experience with others and the environment. Mr. Richards gives motivation to his students by making learning fun!
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?
The students will have a clear understanding of the civil war and the events that happened, which leads to remembering a lot of information. The students are re-enacting the Civil War which allows them to participate in cooperative learning. They are physically role playing the war and the events which allows them to make connections. The students that read the textbook will not remember as much information because the textbook loses their attention and does not build interest. The students are not able to make as clear of connections as those that are acting it out and making it a personal experience by wearing the clothing and participating in the events.
2. How does Mr. West’s use of a Civil War re-enactment engage students’ emotions? What is the relationship between emotions and learning?
Mr. West engages his students emotions by re-enacting as it brings an emotion of appreciation and admiration for those that fought in the war. It allows them to feel something they may never have felt before or it may recall past experiences which brings along the emotions felt during that time. When the students re-enact, they are able to focus and connect to the stories and situations which are real life. Emotion plays a huge role in the way people learn. If someone is having a hard time in life, they are going to struggle with remembering or having interest. If someone is happy and positive, those emotions will allow the learning to be easy because their brain is not "foggy" or unclear. They can focus on what is important. People need to be conscious of what is happening around them as well as what is happening deep within. Each of these situations can cause different emotions that can either hurt or help someone to succeed and learn.
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?
Some activities that would be effective would involve both using visual objects as well as verbal. These are both great ways to assess his students. For visual activities, he could have his students make posters or draw something they got out of the Civil War. Both pictures would have to include something that was meaningful to them. As for the verbal activities, he could have his students get into groups and discuss what they learned and what they found to be important. As his students are discussing, this would be a great opportunity for him to walk around and listen to their conversations. He would get a better understanding on whether his students learned anything from the re-enactment.
Case Study 2
4. Who do you think provides better instruction for his students? Support your answer from an information processing perspective.
I think Mr. Richards is a better instructor because he is teaching his students in different ways so all would be able to understand. Even though his students may not know what is happening in class the day before, they do know what is expected of them and what will be happening the minute they get in the classroom and read the board. Mr. Richards keeps learning active and entertaining which will help hold the students attention longer. He is also teaching with different processing perspectives by using role-playing, lectures, videos, group projects and demonstrations. These help the students gain a clearer understanding in the best form they learn in. He also assesses his students by giving a standard format on all the tests. The students also know what that format is.
5. How would you expect the students’ learning outcomes to differ depending on which teacher they had?
If Mr. Dunkin had all linguistic learners in his classroom his outcomes and scores would be greater but then we look at reality and that is all students are different and learn differently. I would say Mr. Dunkin would benefit from reading books together but it still would not come close to the outcome Mr. Richards students would have. Mr. Richards students would be well prepared, eager, and ready to learn. They would understand and remember what happened in class and what information was important to recall at another time. Mr. Richards is helping his students have positive transfer by using what was learned in the past to learning something now. He is also working more with a constructivism idea where his students actively use their knowledge from personal experience with others and the environment. Mr. Richards gives motivation to his students by making learning fun!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Brain Awareness Proposal
I am working with Kellie Anjewierden, Janelle K, and Katie G. We have decided to do our project on Neuroplasticity. We have decided to look at Neurplasticity in a general aspect and research deeper into the subcategories associated with it, such as how it works, including what genre of music can cause synaptic changes, how we're never too old to learn, and how the brain can restore and rebuild new information after a brain injury. We are still discussing how we would like to present our project but a few ways could include posters or a tri-fold.
Special needs Case Study
1. What classic symptoms of learning disability does Nathan exhibit?
He seems to have the symptoms of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) focusing on inattention disorder. Those symptoms include, fails to finish tests or quizzes, rarely completes written exercises, easily distracted, frequently loses or misplaces homework, and has trouble staying organized.
2. What accommodations has Nathan received in the past?
They discovered Nathan had a learning disability when he was in the second grade. He received special attention by being placed in the resource room away from the other students. He was also placed on drugs to help calm him down. It also seems to me that they set Nathan up on an IEP.
3. What strategies would you recommend to help Nathan work with his learning disability? Why?
Some strategies I think would benefit Nathan would be to first communicate with other teachers and schools. This is where I believe an IEP may help. It would help each teacher have the same understanding and would also help Nathan set goals and reach to achieve them. With Nathan, it is important to plan ahead and include Nathan in the process. Listen to what he has to say and work with him closely. Another strategy that could work is to develop a behavior plan that incorporates a reward system. Third, limit distractability by seating Nathan away from doorways, windows, pets or other distracting things. This will help Nathan to stay focused more on the important things. Incorporate movement into the lessons, don't just have writing activities. Allowing movement will help Nathan to have enjoyment as well as allows him to physically get his wiggles out. Write down specific tasks or information so he can easily see it and reference back to it in case he forgets or needs reminding. Allow frequent breaks. Divide assignments into little chunks instead or working on it all at once. When Nathan doesn't get breaks, he becomes not interested and doesn't care if he finishes something or not. Last, help Nathan become organized with his homework. We could get a folder to place his finished homework in, color code homework or any lose papers, and use checklists. Another thing that may help is to set specific times and places of when he can work on his homework. Be consistent! This will help him see what he has to get done and will also allow a place to put his homework when finished. All of these strategies will help Nathan become productive and not be so bored. These strategies will also teach him discipline and allow him to work on fixing his problems.
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).
Dr. Russell Barkley states, in a classroom containing 30 students, 1-3 students will have ADHD. He also expresses boys are diagnosed 3 times more than girls. Children with ADD will
affected emotional development and will slow them down to match children that are younger. One-fourth of those children with ADHD will suffer serious learning disabilities. He also states, some children who have ADHD will exhibit problems with people who have authority. They will also be likely of skipping school more frequent, dropping out of school, or having to repeat another school year. (http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/c/1443/13716/addadhd-statistics/)
He seems to have the symptoms of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) focusing on inattention disorder. Those symptoms include, fails to finish tests or quizzes, rarely completes written exercises, easily distracted, frequently loses or misplaces homework, and has trouble staying organized.
2. What accommodations has Nathan received in the past?
They discovered Nathan had a learning disability when he was in the second grade. He received special attention by being placed in the resource room away from the other students. He was also placed on drugs to help calm him down. It also seems to me that they set Nathan up on an IEP.
3. What strategies would you recommend to help Nathan work with his learning disability? Why?
Some strategies I think would benefit Nathan would be to first communicate with other teachers and schools. This is where I believe an IEP may help. It would help each teacher have the same understanding and would also help Nathan set goals and reach to achieve them. With Nathan, it is important to plan ahead and include Nathan in the process. Listen to what he has to say and work with him closely. Another strategy that could work is to develop a behavior plan that incorporates a reward system. Third, limit distractability by seating Nathan away from doorways, windows, pets or other distracting things. This will help Nathan to stay focused more on the important things. Incorporate movement into the lessons, don't just have writing activities. Allowing movement will help Nathan to have enjoyment as well as allows him to physically get his wiggles out. Write down specific tasks or information so he can easily see it and reference back to it in case he forgets or needs reminding. Allow frequent breaks. Divide assignments into little chunks instead or working on it all at once. When Nathan doesn't get breaks, he becomes not interested and doesn't care if he finishes something or not. Last, help Nathan become organized with his homework. We could get a folder to place his finished homework in, color code homework or any lose papers, and use checklists. Another thing that may help is to set specific times and places of when he can work on his homework. Be consistent! This will help him see what he has to get done and will also allow a place to put his homework when finished. All of these strategies will help Nathan become productive and not be so bored. These strategies will also teach him discipline and allow him to work on fixing his problems.
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).
Dr. Russell Barkley states, in a classroom containing 30 students, 1-3 students will have ADHD. He also expresses boys are diagnosed 3 times more than girls. Children with ADD will
affected emotional development and will slow them down to match children that are younger. One-fourth of those children with ADHD will suffer serious learning disabilities. He also states, some children who have ADHD will exhibit problems with people who have authority. They will also be likely of skipping school more frequent, dropping out of school, or having to repeat another school year. (http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/c/1443/13716/addadhd-statistics/)
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Course Review #2
1. What are you doing well?
I am doing well with writing down what I need to do. I am doing well at keeping record of what is done and what still needs to be accomplished. My organization skills have gotten better. I am doing better at studying the material and finding connections to help me remember what I have learned. I am doing well with using graphic organizers to help me remember what I read and what I have learned about in class.
2. What are you not doing well?
I am still having trouble finding time to read everything in the chapters. I am seeing myself save the reading for the last minute because I do not have any time.
3. Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
I feel I am doing pretty well at accomplishing my goals. I am going to class every day, I am actually taking a step in my learning by really paying attention, and working hard to understand the material presented. The goal that I feel I am doing the best in is using my calendar to help keep me better organized.
4. List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
Specific things I feel needs to be changed in order for me to meet my goals more accurately is setting a time where I read the chapters. I need to start reading the chapters earlier on rather than saving it right before the test. I have noticed it is more overwhelming. Another thing I noticed I need to change is my mind set on the study guides. I need to focus and really think about the thought questions. I have notice this helps me on the test and so I need to work harder to answer them with more detail.
5. How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
I would say I still have good motivation. I am really enjoying this class and so my self-motivation is helping a lot. I have interest in what we are learning about and the activities we do in class have a lot to do with my interest in the subject. I am wavering more to focusing on my mastery goals. I know I struggle with the mind frame of getting something done and then I do not have to worry about it anymore. However, after taking this last test, I really got to see how well I did by taking the information I learned and studied into doing well and remembering it forever. For me to still do well with my goals, I need to review them more frequently and remind myself what I want to get out of this class and what I need to do better in on doing that.
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?
I think the most effective way to teach social skills is demonstrated by the first example where the outgoing child asks the more reserved child to play. I think this is the most important because it is working with two different type of students. One child is very social and does not get intimidated or scared to ask another child to do something. The other child is shy and is nervous about what others think of him or her. With the more outgoing child asking the reserved child to play, it will give them more confidence that someone does like them. This situation is similar to working with children in the classroom. As teachers, we often place the more advanced students with the less advanced due to getting the assignment done and learning from the other person, overcoming fear, having the motivation to succeed, and developing a friend. They work together well because they are there to help each other. They also learn well from each other because each has something different to offer.
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?
Children connect well with storybooks because they can visually see what is happening. They see the different situations and they see the ending result. They are also entertained and involved in the storybook because it is enjoyable and fun. Children's literature would help resolve a child's problem with Trust v. Mistrust. In the story they see how a child may be feeling and at first they may mistrust the situation or the person. The children can recall and connect their past experiences as well as their feelings at the moment. As they continue to read the story, they can see the steps the character in the book took to overcome mistrust. They realized in order to trust, the environment must be safe and that their needs will be supported by others. Children learn by observing others. In a way the character in the book is like a real person. The child observes what is normal and what is the best way to go throughout life. They notice by trusting people, they can succeed and they will be able to accomplish tasks. If they do not trust, they will digress and their progression in class, or the in situation, will be limited.
3. How might children's literature help them develop moral reasoning?
Children's literature helps them develop moral reasoning by using question and answers on what moral reasoning is. A good example of this would occur after reading a story to the class. The teacher would then have a discussion with her students and ask them how they felt throughout the story. They would also bring to attention important situations such as cheating in school, lying, stealing and ask them what is the right thing to do. The teacher recognizes what the character in the book did and then asks her students if that was the right thing to do or was there another way this could have been handled. The teacher is helping her students develop moral reasoning by helping them identify what is right and wrong. After seeing the situation and answering the question, the students then take what they have learned into real life and practice what they have learned.
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.
This is a great strategy because it brings in an account of a real life experience. Although the story may not be true, it does happen frequently to children in school. The children in the class can relate to Mr. Stone's daughter and can see what they can do to change the way they are feeling. As they discuss this subject they grow a bond that connects them as a class as well as friends. They are able to answer the questions honestly and those that are shy or scared are able to connect and recognize what it is the other students in the class expect or what they believe. Everybody in the class feels included and important and that is one of the most important skills to develop in a classroom. The potential cognitive advantages are the children are able to process the problem and think of the conclusions. They are able to think about what it is other students want or feel and in return are able to fix the situation. The advantages of social is the children see what it is that their other classmates do not accept. For example, Liam is too much of a bully and is does not have many, if any, friends. The teachers connected this to the letter they read to the students. They point everybody is working on something. They mention that Liam is working on how to make friends. This letter was a good stepping stone for the children to recognize that Liam wants to belong and have friends as well as gives Liam an opportunity to socially connect with his fellow classmates. Some moral advantages are the students can see bullying is not right. They are also seeing that belonging is something everybody wants. This strategy allows the students to see that although another student may have problems with socially connecting with others, doesn't mean that they do not have the tendencies to do good. They see that morally being rude is wrong but they also realize that that person may be working on their problem. All of these examples show Erickson's theories. People do go through different stages in life and we all have the same goal in the end.
I think the most effective way to teach social skills is demonstrated by the first example where the outgoing child asks the more reserved child to play. I think this is the most important because it is working with two different type of students. One child is very social and does not get intimidated or scared to ask another child to do something. The other child is shy and is nervous about what others think of him or her. With the more outgoing child asking the reserved child to play, it will give them more confidence that someone does like them. This situation is similar to working with children in the classroom. As teachers, we often place the more advanced students with the less advanced due to getting the assignment done and learning from the other person, overcoming fear, having the motivation to succeed, and developing a friend. They work together well because they are there to help each other. They also learn well from each other because each has something different to offer.
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?
Children connect well with storybooks because they can visually see what is happening. They see the different situations and they see the ending result. They are also entertained and involved in the storybook because it is enjoyable and fun. Children's literature would help resolve a child's problem with Trust v. Mistrust. In the story they see how a child may be feeling and at first they may mistrust the situation or the person. The children can recall and connect their past experiences as well as their feelings at the moment. As they continue to read the story, they can see the steps the character in the book took to overcome mistrust. They realized in order to trust, the environment must be safe and that their needs will be supported by others. Children learn by observing others. In a way the character in the book is like a real person. The child observes what is normal and what is the best way to go throughout life. They notice by trusting people, they can succeed and they will be able to accomplish tasks. If they do not trust, they will digress and their progression in class, or the in situation, will be limited.
3. How might children's literature help them develop moral reasoning?
Children's literature helps them develop moral reasoning by using question and answers on what moral reasoning is. A good example of this would occur after reading a story to the class. The teacher would then have a discussion with her students and ask them how they felt throughout the story. They would also bring to attention important situations such as cheating in school, lying, stealing and ask them what is the right thing to do. The teacher recognizes what the character in the book did and then asks her students if that was the right thing to do or was there another way this could have been handled. The teacher is helping her students develop moral reasoning by helping them identify what is right and wrong. After seeing the situation and answering the question, the students then take what they have learned into real life and practice what they have learned.
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.
This is a great strategy because it brings in an account of a real life experience. Although the story may not be true, it does happen frequently to children in school. The children in the class can relate to Mr. Stone's daughter and can see what they can do to change the way they are feeling. As they discuss this subject they grow a bond that connects them as a class as well as friends. They are able to answer the questions honestly and those that are shy or scared are able to connect and recognize what it is the other students in the class expect or what they believe. Everybody in the class feels included and important and that is one of the most important skills to develop in a classroom. The potential cognitive advantages are the children are able to process the problem and think of the conclusions. They are able to think about what it is other students want or feel and in return are able to fix the situation. The advantages of social is the children see what it is that their other classmates do not accept. For example, Liam is too much of a bully and is does not have many, if any, friends. The teachers connected this to the letter they read to the students. They point everybody is working on something. They mention that Liam is working on how to make friends. This letter was a good stepping stone for the children to recognize that Liam wants to belong and have friends as well as gives Liam an opportunity to socially connect with his fellow classmates. Some moral advantages are the students can see bullying is not right. They are also seeing that belonging is something everybody wants. This strategy allows the students to see that although another student may have problems with socially connecting with others, doesn't mean that they do not have the tendencies to do good. They see that morally being rude is wrong but they also realize that that person may be working on their problem. All of these examples show Erickson's theories. People do go through different stages in life and we all have the same goal in the end.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Cognitive Development Case Study - Elementary
1. Describe an episode in the case study that demonstrates disequilibrium. Justify your response. Describe an episode that demonstrates assimilation. Justify your response.
Disequilibrium is the state of cognitive conflict that arises when one's thinking is not consistent or when our current schemas are not confirmed by our experiences with the world. Disequilibrium occurs in this case study when Amy and Lucy realize Ringo is dead. Amy's schema recalls back to last summer when her grandfather died. She remembers her grandfather went to heaven and did not come back. She was confused as to why Ringo was still on earth if he had died. She then questions whether or not Ringo went to heaven because she can still see him. This shows Amy connecting what had happened in her own life to what is now happening to the class fish.
Assimilation is a cognitive process that takes place when an individual uses their existing schema to make sense of the events in the world. They relate something new to their existing knowledge. Amy indicates she is using assimilation when she is connecting what happened to her grandfather to what is now happening to Ringo. She is recalling a specific event, which in return will hopefully help to make sense of what is happening to Ringo. She connects since her grandfather went to heaven, so did Ringo. Another example is when the girls are discussing what happens in heaven. They are trying to connect what they know on earth to what they think heaven will be like. They conclude by implying, we all do the same things in heaven that we do here on earth, however, since we already went potty we won't have to do that again.
2. Identify a possible instance of preoperational egocentrism in the case. Justify your response.
Preoperational egocentrism is the inability to see a situation from another's point of view. An example of this in the case study occurs when the two girls are walking home from school after discovering Ringo is dead. They are talking about what happens in heaven and they both assume each of them have the correct answer as they are taking about eating and going potty in heaven. Lucy asks about having the need to go potty in heaven and Amy rolls her eyes, as if there is only one simple answer and replies, "of course not, silly...make us go potty before we go anywhere." And then at the end Lucy laughs and said, "oh, yeah, I forgot." This indicates Amy was being very egotistical as she wondered how Lucy could have thought there was any other way. Amy thought she was right and nothing was going to change that.
3. How might a Vygotskian theorist suggest Ms. Bowman address the death of the class pet?
Vygotskian theorists believe in sociocultural, so they would most likely analyze the situation and find out what the children know about death. They would also look at if the children had any personal experiences happen. After discovering their knowledge, Ms. Bowman would explain the situation and what had happened. Amy struggles with the idea about death and the fact that she can still see the fish. Vygotskians would guide her through this process just as Ms. Bowman did and ask Amy if she wanted Ringo to go to heaven. Her reply was yes and the teacher smiles and states, "well, then, I bet he'll go there just as soon as he possibly can." Ms. Bowman is showing how Vygotskian theorists would react to a situation like this. I also noticed ZPD and Scaffolding happening as Amy collaborates with Lucy as well as gets support and guidance from Ms. Bowman.
4. How might taking care of pets in the classroom promote students' cognitive development?
Taking care of pets in the classroom would promote students' cognitive development by teaching them to recognize and identify how to care for a pet or any other living thing. They start out with little knowledge, if any, about how to care for a pet. As they grow and develop, just as Piaget and Vygotsy believe, at the end their thinking process will change and mature. It will make sense of the world around us, which would include the animals. The teacher can give them problems and they will have to use their ZPD and come up with an example of why something is happening. For instance, if the class was to have a snake as a pet, and the teacher was to ask what they eat and how they digest their food, the students would have to think about their schemas and use problem solving skills to come up with an answer. They would use a lot of Vygotsky's theories.
Disequilibrium is the state of cognitive conflict that arises when one's thinking is not consistent or when our current schemas are not confirmed by our experiences with the world. Disequilibrium occurs in this case study when Amy and Lucy realize Ringo is dead. Amy's schema recalls back to last summer when her grandfather died. She remembers her grandfather went to heaven and did not come back. She was confused as to why Ringo was still on earth if he had died. She then questions whether or not Ringo went to heaven because she can still see him. This shows Amy connecting what had happened in her own life to what is now happening to the class fish.
Assimilation is a cognitive process that takes place when an individual uses their existing schema to make sense of the events in the world. They relate something new to their existing knowledge. Amy indicates she is using assimilation when she is connecting what happened to her grandfather to what is now happening to Ringo. She is recalling a specific event, which in return will hopefully help to make sense of what is happening to Ringo. She connects since her grandfather went to heaven, so did Ringo. Another example is when the girls are discussing what happens in heaven. They are trying to connect what they know on earth to what they think heaven will be like. They conclude by implying, we all do the same things in heaven that we do here on earth, however, since we already went potty we won't have to do that again.
2. Identify a possible instance of preoperational egocentrism in the case. Justify your response.
Preoperational egocentrism is the inability to see a situation from another's point of view. An example of this in the case study occurs when the two girls are walking home from school after discovering Ringo is dead. They are talking about what happens in heaven and they both assume each of them have the correct answer as they are taking about eating and going potty in heaven. Lucy asks about having the need to go potty in heaven and Amy rolls her eyes, as if there is only one simple answer and replies, "of course not, silly...make us go potty before we go anywhere." And then at the end Lucy laughs and said, "oh, yeah, I forgot." This indicates Amy was being very egotistical as she wondered how Lucy could have thought there was any other way. Amy thought she was right and nothing was going to change that.
3. How might a Vygotskian theorist suggest Ms. Bowman address the death of the class pet?
Vygotskian theorists believe in sociocultural, so they would most likely analyze the situation and find out what the children know about death. They would also look at if the children had any personal experiences happen. After discovering their knowledge, Ms. Bowman would explain the situation and what had happened. Amy struggles with the idea about death and the fact that she can still see the fish. Vygotskians would guide her through this process just as Ms. Bowman did and ask Amy if she wanted Ringo to go to heaven. Her reply was yes and the teacher smiles and states, "well, then, I bet he'll go there just as soon as he possibly can." Ms. Bowman is showing how Vygotskian theorists would react to a situation like this. I also noticed ZPD and Scaffolding happening as Amy collaborates with Lucy as well as gets support and guidance from Ms. Bowman.
4. How might taking care of pets in the classroom promote students' cognitive development?
Taking care of pets in the classroom would promote students' cognitive development by teaching them to recognize and identify how to care for a pet or any other living thing. They start out with little knowledge, if any, about how to care for a pet. As they grow and develop, just as Piaget and Vygotsy believe, at the end their thinking process will change and mature. It will make sense of the world around us, which would include the animals. The teacher can give them problems and they will have to use their ZPD and come up with an example of why something is happening. For instance, if the class was to have a snake as a pet, and the teacher was to ask what they eat and how they digest their food, the students would have to think about their schemas and use problem solving skills to come up with an answer. They would use a lot of Vygotsky's theories.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Course Contract Review #1
What are you doing well?
I am doing well with my assignments and really trying to understand the key points on the study guides. I am also doing well with using my calendar. I am writing down my assignments and marking when they are due. I have also designated a box to check off when it is finished.
What are you not doing well?
I am not doing well with working with different study strategies. I have already noticed myself going back to my normal routine because I don't have enough time. I am not making flash cards. I am also only using a calendar to record my assignments. I have not used the time table calendar.
Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
I feel I am making progress on my goals just taking it one step at a time. I am allowing time to do my assignments and am achieving them all because of my calendar.
List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
Although I am doing well with some of my goals, there are still some that I am struggling with. Specific things I need to change is taking better notes. I am still highlighting and doing my study guides, but I am not using the studying strategies for everything I read. I also need to designate more time for this class to work on my assignments and read.
How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
My motivation was great at the beginning of this class and although it has only been two weeks, I am already seeing my motivation go down. This week was a hard week due to personal problems and I really noticed that it had an affect on my motivation to get things done. I didn't allow as much time as I should have to do things in this class. I didn't space out my study time but did do it all at once. I am still focusing on mastery goals because I want to understand and improve. I need to prioritize my schedule better. Since I am not fulfilling my motivation to the fullest, I think I should try and use extrinsic motivation to get me started.
I am doing well with my assignments and really trying to understand the key points on the study guides. I am also doing well with using my calendar. I am writing down my assignments and marking when they are due. I have also designated a box to check off when it is finished.
What are you not doing well?
I am not doing well with working with different study strategies. I have already noticed myself going back to my normal routine because I don't have enough time. I am not making flash cards. I am also only using a calendar to record my assignments. I have not used the time table calendar.
Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?
I feel I am making progress on my goals just taking it one step at a time. I am allowing time to do my assignments and am achieving them all because of my calendar.
List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.
Although I am doing well with some of my goals, there are still some that I am struggling with. Specific things I need to change is taking better notes. I am still highlighting and doing my study guides, but I am not using the studying strategies for everything I read. I also need to designate more time for this class to work on my assignments and read.
How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?
My motivation was great at the beginning of this class and although it has only been two weeks, I am already seeing my motivation go down. This week was a hard week due to personal problems and I really noticed that it had an affect on my motivation to get things done. I didn't allow as much time as I should have to do things in this class. I didn't space out my study time but did do it all at once. I am still focusing on mastery goals because I want to understand and improve. I need to prioritize my schedule better. Since I am not fulfilling my motivation to the fullest, I think I should try and use extrinsic motivation to get me started.
Educational Neuroscience
What?
I chose to research Willy Wood's perspective on attention. Willy is currently researching the impact distraction has on teenagers. He is researching the different types of attention and what can help students stay focused. He is observing teachers in a normal classroom and taking notes of what impacts distractions and what keeps the students attention.
So What?
Attention is one of the key factors in education. Willy Wood states the role of attention and learning is attention is considered to be the gate keeper. It is the starting point which later leads the student into the processing stage. In order for children to learn in the classroom, they have to first pay attention to what is being taught. Wood also states, better attention equals better learning. Wood states we as teachers need to be the managers of the flow of attention. We need to give away information and in return get it back. Wood mentions three types of attention, arousal, stimulus driven, and control. Each of these types of attentions will affect education and the learning process.
Now What?
I really enjoyed listening to Wood's presentation on attention. He gave a lot of valuable information to help attract my students to learning. A key point I liked was the fact we don't learn while teachers are talking or reading. The attention should not always be on the teacher. We as teachers need to give our students more time to process and less time on input. Teachers give too much direction at one time. Another tool he suggested was using novelties. He said they need to be balanced with routines. The last tool I would use in my future classroom is the affect music has in the classroom. He said music can be good if used in the right way. If playing music during class, look at the situation and make sure the beat is at the right pace as well as the volume. I really enjoyed his presentation and took great notes on what to do in my classroom to get my students attention.
I chose to research Willy Wood's perspective on attention. Willy is currently researching the impact distraction has on teenagers. He is researching the different types of attention and what can help students stay focused. He is observing teachers in a normal classroom and taking notes of what impacts distractions and what keeps the students attention.
So What?
Attention is one of the key factors in education. Willy Wood states the role of attention and learning is attention is considered to be the gate keeper. It is the starting point which later leads the student into the processing stage. In order for children to learn in the classroom, they have to first pay attention to what is being taught. Wood also states, better attention equals better learning. Wood states we as teachers need to be the managers of the flow of attention. We need to give away information and in return get it back. Wood mentions three types of attention, arousal, stimulus driven, and control. Each of these types of attentions will affect education and the learning process.
Now What?
I really enjoyed listening to Wood's presentation on attention. He gave a lot of valuable information to help attract my students to learning. A key point I liked was the fact we don't learn while teachers are talking or reading. The attention should not always be on the teacher. We as teachers need to give our students more time to process and less time on input. Teachers give too much direction at one time. Another tool he suggested was using novelties. He said they need to be balanced with routines. The last tool I would use in my future classroom is the affect music has in the classroom. He said music can be good if used in the right way. If playing music during class, look at the situation and make sure the beat is at the right pace as well as the volume. I really enjoyed his presentation and took great notes on what to do in my classroom to get my students attention.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Motivation
I am in the teacher education program because I love children and I want to make a difference in their lives. I think teachers are one of the most influential people in a child's life and I find that to be important. When I look back on my childhood, I can recall those who have made an impact in my life and many of those people are teachers. I believe learning is one of the most important tools and I want to give my students the motivation to achieve that. I want to help them realize how important learning really is. I am in Educational Psychology because I am here to learn. I am here to learn how to be a great teacher. I am here because I want to learn important tools for success, not only for my students, but also for myself. I do not know everything and this class will give me insights and extra knowledge, such as, learning styles, communities, behaviors, etc. This will be helpful as I work with my students. I am at UVU because I heard this is one of the best schools. I chose UVU because I heard the staff was great to work with and they have excellent teachers to learn from.
What motivates me is seeing people happy and seeing progress made. Learning motivates me. Other people also help motivate me. I seem to do better when I know others have faith in me, which in return gives me faith in myself.
I succeed because I study hard and work for what I want. I am a perfectionist and I have to finish everything I am assigned to do. I do not give up. I fail because I doubt myself. "Attribution Theory suggests that students attribute academic success and failure to four main factors: ability, effort, luck, and task difficulty." (Pg 342) Some children develop learned helplessness and believe they cannot change and they are destined to fail. They doubt their ability, which leads to lack of effort and the clear distinction of difficulty. I can relate to this because there are times when I have low self-esteem and believe I cannot accomplish something. That is why what motivates me is seeing people happy and making progress. I would never want a child to feel helpless when learning.
I would say my course contract reflects mastery goals because my goals focus on improvements and increased understanding. As a teacher, I do not think you ever come to an end result because there is always something new to learn or something to improve on. I want to remember what I worked on rather than passing something off and forgetting about it soon after. I believe what this says about me is I work for myself to feel happy. I know I am not perfect and I do not know all of the answers so I am working to improve for myself. I am going to be a teacher and therefore need to constantly increase my understanding and remember it.
What motivates me is seeing people happy and seeing progress made. Learning motivates me. Other people also help motivate me. I seem to do better when I know others have faith in me, which in return gives me faith in myself.
I succeed because I study hard and work for what I want. I am a perfectionist and I have to finish everything I am assigned to do. I do not give up. I fail because I doubt myself. "Attribution Theory suggests that students attribute academic success and failure to four main factors: ability, effort, luck, and task difficulty." (Pg 342) Some children develop learned helplessness and believe they cannot change and they are destined to fail. They doubt their ability, which leads to lack of effort and the clear distinction of difficulty. I can relate to this because there are times when I have low self-esteem and believe I cannot accomplish something. That is why what motivates me is seeing people happy and making progress. I would never want a child to feel helpless when learning.
I would say my course contract reflects mastery goals because my goals focus on improvements and increased understanding. As a teacher, I do not think you ever come to an end result because there is always something new to learn or something to improve on. I want to remember what I worked on rather than passing something off and forgetting about it soon after. I believe what this says about me is I work for myself to feel happy. I know I am not perfect and I do not know all of the answers so I am working to improve for myself. I am going to be a teacher and therefore need to constantly increase my understanding and remember it.
I need to change my motivations and mindset for this class by being positive about everything that comes my way. I need to look forward to the reading and doing all the assignments and not just look at it as another thing to do. I also need to focus on what is happening now rather than looking towards the future and wishing that to come more quickly. By doing all of this, it will help me to become a better teacher.
Hidden Assignment #1 Goals
My goals for this class are first, to go to class everyday and participate in the lectures. I am normally quiet in class because I am afraid I might say the wrong answer. My goal is to not be afraid to say what is on my mind and to ask questions and to join in on the discussions. Next, I will read all of the material required and use different note taking strategies to help me understand the text better. I do not know what type of learner I am so I would like to figure that out while I am in this class by using the note taking strategies found on the website you gave to us in the first class session. I want to really understand the content given and therefore my goal is to work hard and to not settle with the easy route. Last, my third goal is to use my calendar. I am a very organized person but for some reason when I have a calendar, I never use it. I tend to have a difficult time following through in doing the items I have scheduled. My goal for this class is to actually use a calendar and follow through with what I have written down. I want to use two different calendars; one with just the days and another with times to schedule specific studying periods. This will help me organize my time so I am less stressed and it also allows me to see what assignments I have and what I have completed.
I will set up a plan that will not set me up to fail. I plan to arrange at least 30-45 minutes a day to study the material from the text and work on assignments. I bought a notebook calendar that I can carry around with me so I can automatically see what needs to be done. I will also use my Google calendar and arrange specific times for this class.
I plan to use different study strategies. A few of those strategies include, scheduling time to study, using the 4R's and either take notes on what I read or make a map. I will also highlight what I find important. I will ask more questions and place boxes in my text to stop and reflect on what I have just read. I plan to use flashcards for the definitions and connect that word with something that has meaning to me.
I know there are going to be several times when I will not understand a topic so my plan is to first research and try to find the answer on my own. If I cannot figure it out, then I will ask someone for help, whether I ask a classmate or an outside source. We are designing a Facebook account for our Cohort so that will be beneficial for quick responses. My last resort would be to ask my professor (Dr. Cox) for help.
I will reach my goals in this course by working hard and being organized. I will try hard to understand every subject and not do things just to get by. I will reach my goals by being an over-achiever.
I will set up a plan that will not set me up to fail. I plan to arrange at least 30-45 minutes a day to study the material from the text and work on assignments. I bought a notebook calendar that I can carry around with me so I can automatically see what needs to be done. I will also use my Google calendar and arrange specific times for this class.
I plan to use different study strategies. A few of those strategies include, scheduling time to study, using the 4R's and either take notes on what I read or make a map. I will also highlight what I find important. I will ask more questions and place boxes in my text to stop and reflect on what I have just read. I plan to use flashcards for the definitions and connect that word with something that has meaning to me.
I know there are going to be several times when I will not understand a topic so my plan is to first research and try to find the answer on my own. If I cannot figure it out, then I will ask someone for help, whether I ask a classmate or an outside source. We are designing a Facebook account for our Cohort so that will be beneficial for quick responses. My last resort would be to ask my professor (Dr. Cox) for help.
I will reach my goals in this course by working hard and being organized. I will try hard to understand every subject and not do things just to get by. I will reach my goals by being an over-achiever.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Introduction
Hello, my name is Angie Bake! I am just starting UVU's Elementary Education program and have mixed emotions. I am really excited yet really nervous. I have lived in Utah my entire life and am the youngest of 6. I love all sports especially basketball. I am a big fan of the Jazz and just recently went to a game and sat in the suites. It was awesome! I also love the outdoors and all the activities involved with being outside (camping, hiking, boating, etc.). I have 8 nieces and nephews and one more niece on the way. I love playing with them. I love children and can't wait to teach them!
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