Connecting students to learning situations outside of class not only gives them real life situations but also provides them with somewhere else they can go to learn. This chapter points out that a classroom and even a teacher are not always the best place for students to learn. Giving them opportunities to go out in the community allows them a new situation to learn in and other resources in which they can draw upon.
I think that students need to see how what they are learning is used in the real world in order to gain an appreciation for it. Also taking them outside the classroom or bringing in experts lets them see where their interest could take them. Bringing students into the community also reminds community member that students are part of their community and have a major impact on it.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Chapter 9 When Things Go Wrong
“We’re just gonna crush your hope and pride. Teachers need to get a harder shell. After that students won’t see that you’re scared.” Pg 168 Students will know if you are scared and as this student points out will have no problem taking advantage of it. They will respect you if you respect them and make sure you make it clear that you are in charge.
This is one of my favorite quotes in the entire book; it is just so direct and yet so true. A first year teacher might feel out of place or not fully prepared but they should act like they know what they are doing. As students we lead somewhat sheltered lives, no red pens, being told we did a good job, and having cute names giving to our academic tiering. Not taking everything too personally and a quick trip to the teachers lounge to vent can create the façade that you know what you are doing and cannot be walked all over.
This is one of my favorite quotes in the entire book; it is just so direct and yet so true. A first year teacher might feel out of place or not fully prepared but they should act like they know what they are doing. As students we lead somewhat sheltered lives, no red pens, being told we did a good job, and having cute names giving to our academic tiering. Not taking everything too personally and a quick trip to the teachers lounge to vent can create the façade that you know what you are doing and cannot be walked all over.
Chapter 8 Teaching Teenagers Who Are Still Learning English
“Teach us to take risks in our new language.” Pg 153 Students whose first language is not English need to be able to test the language out, and then be helped to fix it. The reason why some seem shy and do not speak in class is not because they actually but instead could be that they are afraid of making a mistake. The two students who spoke in this section, one took a chance and learned something and the other did not.
Creating an open classroom environment in which students are allowed to make mistakes can help ESL students fit in and try out their new language. The only way to learn a language is to use and misuse it. In a foreign language class students are not silent, for ESL students the entire school is their foreign language class. Creating a classroom environment that they feel safe in will not only improve their language but allows them to be more comfortable around their peers. This type of environment won’t just help ESL students but all the students in class.
Creating an open classroom environment in which students are allowed to make mistakes can help ESL students fit in and try out their new language. The only way to learn a language is to use and misuse it. In a foreign language class students are not silent, for ESL students the entire school is their foreign language class. Creating a classroom environment that they feel safe in will not only improve their language but allows them to be more comfortable around their peers. This type of environment won’t just help ESL students but all the students in class.
Chapter 7 Teaching Difficult Academic Material
On the section of teaching math and science the students say that they need to walked through steps and see concrete examples of what they are learning. They also discuss the need for having practice problems, but not so many that they just become drills. If something is difficult students need time to work through it and even have it presented in multiple different ways.
I liked that it talked about using concrete examples so students can see how the knowledge affects the world around them. Examples can also get students interest in learning the concepts, since it is no long just a bunch of numbers and formulas. Science and math have so many real world applications but we often take so much time learning formulas and facts that we forget why they are two very important and interesting subjects.
I liked that it talked about using concrete examples so students can see how the knowledge affects the world around them. Examples can also get students interest in learning the concepts, since it is no long just a bunch of numbers and formulas. Science and math have so many real world applications but we often take so much time learning formulas and facts that we forget why they are two very important and interesting subjects.
Chapter 6 Motivation and Learning
“I felt that school was keeping me from learning.” Pg 100 Students think that the work that they have to do for class interferes with what they want to do and learn. They do not see a connection to why they are learning something, and have no motivation to do it. They know that school is important but they do not always understand why they are learning something, only that they have to be their in it will effect their future if they do not go.
Students will not learn something that they are not interested in. They will memorize the information in order to pass an exam but this does not mean that they have actually learned it. Allowing them to have options so they can choose something that interests them makes them more willing to learn. If a student wants to read or research a topic and it is schoolwork that is keeping them from doing it there is something wrong. There needs to be a way to combine what students want to learn and what teachers need to teach.
Students will not learn something that they are not interested in. They will memorize the information in order to pass an exam but this does not mean that they have actually learned it. Allowing them to have options so they can choose something that interests them makes them more willing to learn. If a student wants to read or research a topic and it is schoolwork that is keeping them from doing it there is something wrong. There needs to be a way to combine what students want to learn and what teachers need to teach.
Chapter 5 Teaching to the Individual, Working with the Group
“Teachers sometimes fall into the pattern of asking questions that call for a brief, correct answer” pg 90. Asking yes or no questions or ones with only one answer that can be provided quickly is not the best way for students to learn. They need time and a question to think about in order to benefit from asking and answering questions.
We have read that you need to wait after you ask a question in order to give students a chance to answer, so I found it interesting that we also need to think about the questions we ask. Also when I read this I wondered if a brief correct answer was always the best way to learn. Sometimes I think that answering wrong or working your way through the answer can help everyone learn the answer.
We have read that you need to wait after you ask a question in order to give students a chance to answer, so I found it interesting that we also need to think about the questions we ask. Also when I read this I wondered if a brief correct answer was always the best way to learn. Sometimes I think that answering wrong or working your way through the answer can help everyone learn the answer.
Chapter 4 Creating a Culture of Success
“But also when you know the teacher cares about you and your future… when they act like they think you’ll be someone in life,” p. 84. The students want to know that you appreciate them and think they can make something of themselves. In order to succeed in the classroom and feel important students want to know that their teachers and peer think they will succeed in the real world.
A classroom should be somewhere a student feels safe and respected. They also need to know the work they do in it will have an impact on their future. Students should take pride in the work that they do and be encouraged to do so. By telling them they have a future not only are you complimenting them now for the work they are doing but also telling them that you thought ahead about them and think that they will succeed.
A classroom should be somewhere a student feels safe and respected. They also need to know the work they do in it will have an impact on their future. Students should take pride in the work that they do and be encouraged to do so. By telling them they have a future not only are you complimenting them now for the work they are doing but also telling them that you thought ahead about them and think that they will succeed.
Chapter 3 Classroom Behavior
In schools the dress code eliminates the possibility that students can wear hats, certain types of clothing and even certain colors. The students say that by putting restriction on these things is more time consuming then just letting them wear what they want. Their input is for teachers not to make a big deal about what they are wearing and they can be more focused on their work. They believe that the reason why some clothing is banned does not make any sense.
Though I agree that often time dress codes are too strict, and have restrictions that don’t make sense, there is not anything a classroom teacher can do about it. Teachers do not make these rules and if they do not enforce them they get in trouble. Wearing a hat might not offend or bother the teacher but if administration sees it the student is not the only one who will get into trouble. If students don’t agree with the rules they should speak to administration because the teachers on not the ones making the rules
Though I agree that often time dress codes are too strict, and have restrictions that don’t make sense, there is not anything a classroom teacher can do about it. Teachers do not make these rules and if they do not enforce them they get in trouble. Wearing a hat might not offend or bother the teacher but if administration sees it the student is not the only one who will get into trouble. If students don’t agree with the rules they should speak to administration because the teachers on not the ones making the rules
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Type I and Type II Technology
The difference between Type I and Type II technology usage is that with Type I it is just drills and practice, while with Type II it is the application of the knowledge. Type I would be teaching students how to write formulas for Excel, while Type II would have using Excel to do a project. In the end both ways would teach the student how to use Excel, but Type II would teach them how to insert formulas along with context it could be used in.
Examples of Type I:
Use Google to find the definitions of a list of words
Learn the formatting shortcuts in Word, and format a list of words
Online study guides
Examples of Type II:
WebQuest
Make own business, create business plan, brochure, business cards, and create first months budget
Create a Wikispace to present a report
Source: Type II Applications of Technology in Education: New and Better Ways of Teaching and Learning, Cleborne D. Maddux and D. LaMont Johnson
Examples of Type I:
Use Google to find the definitions of a list of words
Learn the formatting shortcuts in Word, and format a list of words
Online study guides
Examples of Type II:
WebQuest
Make own business, create business plan, brochure, business cards, and create first months budget
Create a Wikispace to present a report
Source: Type II Applications of Technology in Education: New and Better Ways of Teaching and Learning, Cleborne D. Maddux and D. LaMont Johnson
My MEL experiences
- Student/Teacher Relationship: In my fifth grade class our teacher used journals to get to know each of us. We had to do a certain amount of entries every week and she would respond to each of them. She knew what we did outside of class, what sports we played, what clubs we were part of and came to most of the important events. She was respectful and was always available to talk outside of class. Her teaching style and relationship with her student were so much appreciated that my parents requested her for my sisters fifth grade teacher, a decision they usually allowed the school to decide.
- Helping Students Succeed: Last semester my art professor informed me that though I had a very good sense of color, my artistic talents were lacking. It was nice of her to add something nice to the insult, but it did not make me want to prove her wrong, it made me want to leave. Being in a beginning painting class I had assumed that my artistic talents were lacking and that the class was there to help me improve upon them, I was sadly mistaken. The professor alienated most of the class in some way and ended up having a entire class resent her and her opinions. Criticism is fine, when it is constructive, but to be told something is not up to par and then not be given the resources or knowledge to succeed is of help to no one.
- Hand's On: I learn so much better from hands on learning, since when I have to recall the knowledge I can envision the activity. At UMF the Physics class is workshop based, we discover the concepts for ourselves and then discuss them. When we were learning about acceleration we didn't just learn the formula or look at graphs, we made the graphs, varied variables and fully explored the different factors involved. After we did all that we learned the formulas, how to use them, and the mathematical reasoning behind them.
- Autonomy: In eighth grade science we were moving faster then the other class so the teacher gave us an extra assignment. We were able to explore something of our choice as a class and basically design the experience. As a class we found a place where we could send in bugs and then have them put under a under a large microscope, and then from our classroom we could explore them as well as talk to the scientist on the other end. It was one of the best experiences, because we did all the work to make it happen and got to choose what we wanted to learn and what we wanted to focus on. It was also nice to know the teacher trusted us with our own education.
- Connections: I am always wondering why I am doing something or learning certain information, how is it going to help me in life and what I can apply it to? I think this is why I enjoy physics so much. I enjoy mathematics, but am often wondering if I really need to know this and am I ever going to use this concept again. Physics gives you those real life examples and how the concepts you learn in math connect to everything you do. Not only are your questions of why certain things work answered but the questions of why did I learn this and will I ever use it again are answered as well. One of my favorite examples of this is when we explored why there are speed limits, especially on a curve. By changing speed we found that some of the posted speed limits on curves are only slightly below a speed that will not allow you to stay on the road.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Chapter 2: Respect, Liking, Trust, and Fairness
I enjoyed the first student comment in this section. There was a coach who didn’t make his team work hard and often took them out to dinner. Though they all liked this coach, they never won so a new coach was hired. This coach was not liked because he made them practice hard, but in the end they kept winning. Though they did not like this coach they grew to respect him.
This goes along with one of my favorite things said in our orientation session the other day. “You can be friendly with the students, but you can not be their friend.” Though we all want to be liked there is a fine line between being liked and getting results. In the example, the students didn’t practice so they didn’t get better, the same would go in a classroom. If a student doesn’t want to try something hard, you can’t just give them something else to do that they already know. Though they might not like you for being hard, they will respect you, because they have accomplished something, even though they didn’t enjoy it at the time.
Source: Fires in the Bathroom, Kathleen CushmanChapter 1: Knowing Students Well
The part that jumped out the most in this section was the part on the journals. The students would spend a little time every week writing from a writing prompt or choosing their own topic to expand upon. These journals would be collected, read and commented on, but not graded.
I really liked this idea, since it gives students a chance to express themselves and the teacher a chance to get to know each individual student. Since it is not in front of their peers or one on one with their teacher, a student might be more comfortable about opening up. I also like that the suggested topics to use weren’t just about the class its self, but also what is going on outside of class. Things that happen outside of class can have a huge impact on a student and how well they are doing, and a journal would give them an easy outlet to let their teacher know.
Source: Fires in the Bathroom, Kathleen Cushman
Learning Style Inventory Results.
These are the results of your inventory. The scores are out of 20 for each style. A score of 20 indicates you use that style often.
Style Scores
Memletic Learning Styles Graph: Information from learning-styles-online.com |
I didn’t find it surprising that my highest style scores were in the visual and logical categories. I have always thought of myself as a very visual learner, learning better if I see how it’s done, instead of just being told about it. Also logical makes sense, since one of my favorite subjects is mathematics. I was surprised that social and solitary received the same scores since they seem as though one would excel more at one then the other. After reflecting on it though it does make sense, because even though I enjoy working by myself I see the benefit of working with others and do not mind doing so.
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