As I continue through this course I am continuously gathering more and more resources and tool which to implement in my GAME plan. This week's focus was Assessing student learning. Our text resource " Technology Integration for Meaningfull Classroom Use: A standards based approach" By Katherine Cennamo breaks down assessment into 4 major categories, "1) Forces Choice assessments, 2) open-ended response assessments 3) Performance-based assessments, and 4) project-based assessments" (p 143). While it goes through many different pros and cons for each approach I have found that there are two of these options that best fits my classroom and content that I teach.
As a science teacher there is a large databank of multiple Choice questions (forced answer) that are already aligned with the standards and curriculum I am expected to teach. By using technology programs like Gradecam.com I can instantly access my students knowledge and understanding and formulate lesson plans to better address their content needs. I have recently implemented this for review for the state exam. I gave my students a practice exam to complete and as they finished they could instantly grade themselves and begin looking at their wrong answers. In doing so they were able to have technology enhance their learning process. By getting instant results they could correct misconceptions on the stop and start looking for the correct information. I can now further the students immersion "in the light" (Prensky) by providing access to online resources for the correction of wrong answers. I will have the students go through and give a reason as to why they selected the wrong answer; what was it about that answer that made them want to select it. Then, using the internet and resources preselected by me to be on their level and beneficial to their studying, the students will begin documenting the correct information. I can ask them to not only document what the correct answer is, but provide an explanation of why that is the correct answer and supply the resources they used to correct their knowledge. They can then make a new question that will address the same content knowledge. As a summary of their new knowledge they can make a voicethread presentation of their previous misconception and how they came to the correct knowledge. By putting these all together the whole class will have a study resource that addresses the questions they struggled the most with and helps them prepare for the state exam.
In this way what they are doing is aligned with how they will be assessed, their learning is being driven by where they are weakest in terms of content knowledge. I feel that this meets my goal of continuing to immerse the students into a technological and digital age learning process. By using multiple forms of technology in the review process my students will have a learning experience that is similar to the world they live in outside of the classroom, "connected to the entire world around the clock" (Prensky 2008). This process also simulates how students can begin to facilitate their own learning when they have a question that they need or want answered. By modeling this with something that needs to be done in the classroom the students are not only learning content but also 21st century life skills needed to succeed in todays economic climate.
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.
Showing posts with label Walden University Posts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Walden University Posts. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
G.A.M.E. on!
My GAME goal is to increase Digital Age experiences, both learning and assessment based, for the students I teach. This goal is so broad and could take a life time to work on and even start to feel like any impact is being made. Technology is changing at an exponential rate and teaching in some ways is still stuck in the agricultural age (why do you think we have our vacations... Crop based). One material that I will definitely need a lot of is Computer access. A lot of what I have bouncing around in my head for these students to engage in is internet based student interaction software and media. By getting the students online and engaged with web 2.0 materials like blogging and wiki's they will be able to enhance their digital age mind and experiences while still meeting and achieving content goals. Vicki Davis (2010b) explains that teachers should look to enrich lessons with technology, not develop lessons to meet the technology and this will be the way assessment forms will be selected (from my last entry). In this way the technology will be used to enhance their learning. By using dynamic and interactive websites students will be able to experience things not possible in an inner city classroom. I am fortunate enough to have access to a full set of laptop computers that I can sign out for my class to use (as long as other teachers have not already signed them out). This has been an amazing tool that I have used repeatedly throughout the year.
Another material or resource that I will need is the schools permission to begin testing out some facebook interactive features. I have heard of other teachers creating a teacher page which students can add on facebook. The teacher will then send out current events, deadline reminders, homework help, interesting facts and quotes. It takes the classroom into the "light" that Marc Prensky discusses the students are basking in all day outside of the classroom.
In regard to information that I will need, I think I am chalk full of ideas of things to try and implement in the classroom. What I really need is someone to work the details out with and problem solve issues that may arrise. I have thought about blog discussions as review, Wiki's as portfolios, Facebook as an interactive extension of the classroom etc. There is so much that can be done, but what I really want to do is One thing really well. Then start a new GAME plan to include the next.
All of that being said I want to narrow down my GAME plan to focusing on the use of Word and email together for students to collaborate and work on one lab report/science fair project. This is a long term science investigation that the students will be working on for the next 4 weeks and they will have the computers out for 2 periods a week (fingers cross for availability). I will begin by teaching them the skills of creating a document and saving it. Then working on attaching the document to an email and ensuring it is sent before shutting down the computers. Later on I will introduce them to the "commenting" option on microsoft word and google docs. This way they can begin collaborating and having an academic conversation about the text without needing to be in human contact.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Enriching Centent Area Learning Experiences With Technology Part 2 [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Vickie Davis
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.
Another material or resource that I will need is the schools permission to begin testing out some facebook interactive features. I have heard of other teachers creating a teacher page which students can add on facebook. The teacher will then send out current events, deadline reminders, homework help, interesting facts and quotes. It takes the classroom into the "light" that Marc Prensky discusses the students are basking in all day outside of the classroom.
In regard to information that I will need, I think I am chalk full of ideas of things to try and implement in the classroom. What I really need is someone to work the details out with and problem solve issues that may arrise. I have thought about blog discussions as review, Wiki's as portfolios, Facebook as an interactive extension of the classroom etc. There is so much that can be done, but what I really want to do is One thing really well. Then start a new GAME plan to include the next.
All of that being said I want to narrow down my GAME plan to focusing on the use of Word and email together for students to collaborate and work on one lab report/science fair project. This is a long term science investigation that the students will be working on for the next 4 weeks and they will have the computers out for 2 periods a week (fingers cross for availability). I will begin by teaching them the skills of creating a document and saving it. Then working on attaching the document to an email and ensuring it is sent before shutting down the computers. Later on I will introduce them to the "commenting" option on microsoft word and google docs. This way they can begin collaborating and having an academic conversation about the text without needing to be in human contact.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Enriching Centent Area Learning Experiences With Technology Part 2 [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Vickie Davis
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
G.A.M.E.
A G.A.M.E. plan must include 4 major parts: 1) Setting a Goal 2) Decide on Actions to take 3) Monitor your actions and 4) Evaluate the results of the actions taken.
My G.A.M.E. plan surrounds the National Educational Technology Standards for Students and how I as a teacher will be implementing a section of the standards to support the students in their growth as 21st century students using 21st century skills.
The Goal I have chosen is to Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. One thing that happens in today's developed nations is that "today's kids grow up in the light. They're deeply immersed in it (technology) long before educators ever see them" (Prensky 2008). The technology allows students access to any information they might be curious about concerning the past or present world. This turns the light on to their own enlightenment. Prensky suggests that as students enter the today's classroom they are asked to "power down" and turn off their connection to the "light" as cell phones and technology are used much less in the classroom than what students naturally experience in their every day lives. My goal is to address this discrepancy in my classroom by providing more learning experiences and assessments that include technology that mirrors or enhances what the students are experiencing outside of the classroom.
Actions I have chosen to meet this goal include weekly research into new programs that teachers are incorporating in the classroom. Using computers 1 time per week in a format that uses the internet to open up a world of information. This includes facilitating student exploration of how to search the web using modifiers, different search engines, and analyzing sources of information. One time for every two weeks the students will demonstrate their learning through a digital age assessment. This will take the form of google documents, text messages, blog entries, wikispaces etc. Vicki Davis (2010b) explains that teachers should look to enrich lessons with technology, not develop lessons to meet the technology and this will be the way assessment forms will be selected.
Monitoring the actions chosen will be done in the form of blog entries tracking each category; Computer use, Internet usage, assessment techniques. This will take place in the form of a statement of what was done and a small reflection on the pros and cons of the process. By tracking in process all of the little successes and challenges a greater understanding of how to implement 21st century skills will take place.
To Evaluate the progress obtained through this G.A.M.E. process around Designing and Developing Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments I will review all of the monitoring entries on my blog. By synthesizing what was done I will be able to find the overall successes in terms of student progress as well as identify what it is that I need to focus on for my next G.A.M.E. process. This will help to highlight which of the "4 attributes of teachers with effective integration of technology" (Ertmer 2010a) I need to work on the most. Will it be my Knowledge of background skills, Confidence in what I can do with the technology pertinent to the students, Beliefs around what good teaching is and looks like, or whether I am in a supportive culture that encourages turning on the lights? Only through evaluating my process will I be able to find out.
Resources:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010a). Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences With Technology Part I [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Peggy Ertmer
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Enriching Centent Area Learning Experiences With Technology Part 2 [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Vickie Davis
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.
My G.A.M.E. plan surrounds the National Educational Technology Standards for Students and how I as a teacher will be implementing a section of the standards to support the students in their growth as 21st century students using 21st century skills.
The Goal I have chosen is to Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. One thing that happens in today's developed nations is that "today's kids grow up in the light. They're deeply immersed in it (technology) long before educators ever see them" (Prensky 2008). The technology allows students access to any information they might be curious about concerning the past or present world. This turns the light on to their own enlightenment. Prensky suggests that as students enter the today's classroom they are asked to "power down" and turn off their connection to the "light" as cell phones and technology are used much less in the classroom than what students naturally experience in their every day lives. My goal is to address this discrepancy in my classroom by providing more learning experiences and assessments that include technology that mirrors or enhances what the students are experiencing outside of the classroom.
Actions I have chosen to meet this goal include weekly research into new programs that teachers are incorporating in the classroom. Using computers 1 time per week in a format that uses the internet to open up a world of information. This includes facilitating student exploration of how to search the web using modifiers, different search engines, and analyzing sources of information. One time for every two weeks the students will demonstrate their learning through a digital age assessment. This will take the form of google documents, text messages, blog entries, wikispaces etc. Vicki Davis (2010b) explains that teachers should look to enrich lessons with technology, not develop lessons to meet the technology and this will be the way assessment forms will be selected.
Monitoring the actions chosen will be done in the form of blog entries tracking each category; Computer use, Internet usage, assessment techniques. This will take place in the form of a statement of what was done and a small reflection on the pros and cons of the process. By tracking in process all of the little successes and challenges a greater understanding of how to implement 21st century skills will take place.
To Evaluate the progress obtained through this G.A.M.E. process around Designing and Developing Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments I will review all of the monitoring entries on my blog. By synthesizing what was done I will be able to find the overall successes in terms of student progress as well as identify what it is that I need to focus on for my next G.A.M.E. process. This will help to highlight which of the "4 attributes of teachers with effective integration of technology" (Ertmer 2010a) I need to work on the most. Will it be my Knowledge of background skills, Confidence in what I can do with the technology pertinent to the students, Beliefs around what good teaching is and looks like, or whether I am in a supportive culture that encourages turning on the lights? Only through evaluating my process will I be able to find out.
Resources:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010a). Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences With Technology Part I [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Peggy Ertmer
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Enriching Centent Area Learning Experiences With Technology Part 2 [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Vickie Davis
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Learning theory, Instruction and Technology Reflection
At the beginning of this course I stated in an assignment that I believed firmly in Jean Peaget's explaination of schema theory. That is each person as different constructs within which they input new and existing information. New knowledge that doesn't fit into those constructs or schema either needs assimilation or accommodation. Each of these process require the modification of something; the schema construct or the knowledge being fit into existing schema. I continue to believe in this way of thinking as it visually makes sense to me. The idea of the current ability being based on each person's individual constructs I see as being a baseline from which to grow and learn more.
The Zone of Proximal Development [ZPD] (as shown in the image) once again helps me to visualize what is needed to help students to accomodate or assimilate new knowledge into their current repertoire.
Through this course I have learned the importance of the Social Constructivist approach to teaching. I feel this aligns amazingly well with that which I presented at the beginning of the course. My previous mental construct was that of me as teacher being the only one that can help to scaffold and support each and every student's access and growth through the ZPD. However, in a way social constructivism makes my job easier because I can now rely on and expect students to push each other to learn more through their own interactions. Glazer (2001) states this about constructivism in the classroom, “new ideas are most likely to be created when learners are actively engaged in building some type of external artifact that they can reflect upon and share with others.” Sharing with others helps students to open up their own schema's to different ways of thinking and processing information. The simple notion that it is coming from a peer seems to make students more open and receptive to new information. Rather than it coming from an "expert" teacher who has studied this way more than they have. I have seen this social constructivist approach actually broaden the ZPD of some of my most resistant students. In class they have been more actively engaged and readily dive into information they might not have in the past.
As a result of what I learned in this course I would like to make two long term goals of incorporating this into my teaching.
1. Use a social constructivist approach in every unit either as an introduction, exploration or culminating activity.
2. Ensure the use of technology as a tool to encourage students exploring knowledge on their own and producing external artifacts to share with their classmates.
Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 2-20-11, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
The Zone of Proximal Development [ZPD] (as shown in the image) once again helps me to visualize what is needed to help students to accomodate or assimilate new knowledge into their current repertoire.
Through this course I have learned the importance of the Social Constructivist approach to teaching. I feel this aligns amazingly well with that which I presented at the beginning of the course. My previous mental construct was that of me as teacher being the only one that can help to scaffold and support each and every student's access and growth through the ZPD. However, in a way social constructivism makes my job easier because I can now rely on and expect students to push each other to learn more through their own interactions. Glazer (2001) states this about constructivism in the classroom, “new ideas are most likely to be created when learners are actively engaged in building some type of external artifact that they can reflect upon and share with others.” Sharing with others helps students to open up their own schema's to different ways of thinking and processing information. The simple notion that it is coming from a peer seems to make students more open and receptive to new information. Rather than it coming from an "expert" teacher who has studied this way more than they have. I have seen this social constructivist approach actually broaden the ZPD of some of my most resistant students. In class they have been more actively engaged and readily dive into information they might not have in the past.
As a result of what I learned in this course I would like to make two long term goals of incorporating this into my teaching.
1. Use a social constructivist approach in every unit either as an introduction, exploration or culminating activity.
2. Ensure the use of technology as a tool to encourage students exploring knowledge on their own and producing external artifacts to share with their classmates.
Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 2-20-11, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Social Constructionism in the classroom?
I like the general concepts of social constructionism as presented by this link. The idea of having students work together to construct knowledge is very appealing as it is a skill and strength that students and learners at large will need in the global market. our world is progressively becoming "smaller and smaller" as technology gets better and better at connecting human beings. Students need the skills of collaboration and team work to be able to succeed in this world. As a teacher I feel that project based learning, inquiry, and group work all support the social constructionism approach to learning. By providing structured space for students to share their realities, explore their "zone of proximal development", and allow for one person to be the "more knowledgable other" students will be engaging in social constructionism as described by Dr. Michael Orey (2001).
Web 2.0 products like wiki's help students to share their knowledge more efficiently and to create a jointly produced external artifact that can be discussed and processed by the group at large. These are all great strategies to be used with students to increase engagement and enhance the social network of learning.
One draw back of these approaches is the lack of accountability. Unless all the students have created a common reality that everyone has their own strengths and they actively seek those out, some students will be viewed as less important and will not be able to become the "more knowledgable other" in a lot of circumstances. In this case the type of projects or artifacts produced are dependent on the classroom community and how learning is collectively approached.
Another draw back is the lack of individual assessment. In this model is it assumed that if groups are working on a product that all students are sharing, engaging and learning from one another. Thus assessing the group would equal assessing each individual separately. This is very challenging for me as a teacher to embrace as a sole approach to learning. Only using groups does not allow for full mastery of all topics presented. I feel that it assumes that some information will be absorbed by some members of the group and it is ok if they other rely on that person for this information.
In today's assessment driven classroom this is not an acceptable assumption or approach. Every student is treated as an individual and not simply a part of a larger social community/reality. Thus our teaching needs to reflect this and ensure that, while teaching sometimes in the social constructionism model is good, we are ensuring that EVERY one in the classroom is learning ALL information.
In this way I like the ideal of Social constructionism being used either at the beginning of a unit as an engagement and semi assessment or at the end as an extension beyond the base required knowledge has already been gained by ALL students.
M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved Feb 2nd 2011, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
“Social Learning Theories” Dr. Michael Orey, Laurete Education
__
Above in the post I mentioned something about the importance of students collectively deciding its important to acknowledge that everyone has strengths and something to contribute to the over all community. I have currently been struggling with one class that I teach where the students have steadily degraded to a view that no one is knowledgable enough to succeed. Because of this view point the are breaking each other down for any attempt to succeed instead of supporting and encouraging success in learning and sharing. Please check out my voice thread about this topic and comment/ reflect on some strategies of how to approach this problem. Thanks! http://voicethread.com/share/1703820/
Web 2.0 products like wiki's help students to share their knowledge more efficiently and to create a jointly produced external artifact that can be discussed and processed by the group at large. These are all great strategies to be used with students to increase engagement and enhance the social network of learning.
One draw back of these approaches is the lack of accountability. Unless all the students have created a common reality that everyone has their own strengths and they actively seek those out, some students will be viewed as less important and will not be able to become the "more knowledgable other" in a lot of circumstances. In this case the type of projects or artifacts produced are dependent on the classroom community and how learning is collectively approached.
Another draw back is the lack of individual assessment. In this model is it assumed that if groups are working on a product that all students are sharing, engaging and learning from one another. Thus assessing the group would equal assessing each individual separately. This is very challenging for me as a teacher to embrace as a sole approach to learning. Only using groups does not allow for full mastery of all topics presented. I feel that it assumes that some information will be absorbed by some members of the group and it is ok if they other rely on that person for this information.
In today's assessment driven classroom this is not an acceptable assumption or approach. Every student is treated as an individual and not simply a part of a larger social community/reality. Thus our teaching needs to reflect this and ensure that, while teaching sometimes in the social constructionism model is good, we are ensuring that EVERY one in the classroom is learning ALL information.
In this way I like the ideal of Social constructionism being used either at the beginning of a unit as an engagement and semi assessment or at the end as an extension beyond the base required knowledge has already been gained by ALL students.
M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved Feb 2nd 2011, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
“Social Learning Theories” Dr. Michael Orey, Laurete Education
__
Above in the post I mentioned something about the importance of students collectively deciding its important to acknowledge that everyone has strengths and something to contribute to the over all community. I have currently been struggling with one class that I teach where the students have steadily degraded to a view that no one is knowledgable enough to succeed. Because of this view point the are breaking each other down for any attempt to succeed instead of supporting and encouraging success in learning and sharing. Please check out my voice thread about this topic and comment/ reflect on some strategies of how to approach this problem. Thanks! http://voicethread.com/share/1703820/
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Instructional Strategies: Constructivism (constructionism)
As a teacher there are many people with different beliefs about how it is that we are supposed to teach the youth of today. These beliefs vary from project based learning, to inquiry learning, to teaching to the test, to wrote memorization etc. There are thousands of teaching strategies out there each with someone advocating for them in some form. A recently published article in the New York Times by Pam Belluck (January 20, 2011) stated that "students who read a passage, then took a test asking them to recall what they had read, retained about 50 percent more of the information a week later than students who used two other methods." She was citing a paper published in Science Journal. This paper compared one study session, concept mapping, retrieval practice (test taking), and repeated study techniques for retaining knowledge. The overwhelming results where that retrieval practices or test taking helped to produce the highest percentage of knowledge retention. (Hans 2001)
All of this is an interesting contrast to information I am currently learning in a course I am taking online about Educational Constructionism. This article states that learning (in the constructionist point of view) is more complex than just simply transmitting knowledge from teacher to learning, rather it is built or constructed by the learner by building an external artifact. This lends itself directly toward project based learning where a learner tackles a real world problem and "provides opportunities to address broader learning goals that focus on preparing students for active and responsible citizenship" (Glazer 2001). Both constructionism and project based learning are student centered approaches the rely on student engagement and ensuring that the project or artifact is meaningful to the student. In the constructionist model the student assimilating or accommodating new knowledge into preexisting schema (Orey 2001). For each student there is a different base of schema and so the learning process is individual and should be treated as such. In project based education the intent is to "engage students in relevant, realistic problems" (Hans 2001).
Now, I am struggling with the contrast of these three resources. On the one hand the NY Times/Science article that just came out states that all this concept mapping and study groups is for not. As simply studying for the test is enough 'engagement' that is needed to retain information. On the other hand I know as a life long learner the information I have retained the most is that which has personal meaning to me. When knowledge I have gained as real world application and I can see it, I tend to remember it more. Like coefficient of friction from physics. It recently snowed here in New York City and I can't help my dorky side but remember how the coefficient of static friction is always higher than that of sliding friction... What that really means is that when your tires are spinning they have less ability to move you forward. So all these people spinning their tires on ice should just slow down and wait for them to catch before punching the gas. That being said I still do remember the Pythagorean theorem because I was tested relentlessly on it.
My bottom line is as it almost always is: The solution lays somewhere in the middle of it all. A combination of all techniques is probably the best approach to learning and educating. This is why being a life long learner as a teacher is ever important. We should always continue to learn and incorporate new strategies into our "schema" as teachers.
Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 1-26-11, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Orey, Michael (2001) “Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories”, Laureate Education DVD,
All of this is an interesting contrast to information I am currently learning in a course I am taking online about Educational Constructionism. This article states that learning (in the constructionist point of view) is more complex than just simply transmitting knowledge from teacher to learning, rather it is built or constructed by the learner by building an external artifact. This lends itself directly toward project based learning where a learner tackles a real world problem and "provides opportunities to address broader learning goals that focus on preparing students for active and responsible citizenship" (Glazer 2001). Both constructionism and project based learning are student centered approaches the rely on student engagement and ensuring that the project or artifact is meaningful to the student. In the constructionist model the student assimilating or accommodating new knowledge into preexisting schema (Orey 2001). For each student there is a different base of schema and so the learning process is individual and should be treated as such. In project based education the intent is to "engage students in relevant, realistic problems" (Hans 2001).
Now, I am struggling with the contrast of these three resources. On the one hand the NY Times/Science article that just came out states that all this concept mapping and study groups is for not. As simply studying for the test is enough 'engagement' that is needed to retain information. On the other hand I know as a life long learner the information I have retained the most is that which has personal meaning to me. When knowledge I have gained as real world application and I can see it, I tend to remember it more. Like coefficient of friction from physics. It recently snowed here in New York City and I can't help my dorky side but remember how the coefficient of static friction is always higher than that of sliding friction... What that really means is that when your tires are spinning they have less ability to move you forward. So all these people spinning their tires on ice should just slow down and wait for them to catch before punching the gas. That being said I still do remember the Pythagorean theorem because I was tested relentlessly on it.
My bottom line is as it almost always is: The solution lays somewhere in the middle of it all. A combination of all techniques is probably the best approach to learning and educating. This is why being a life long learner as a teacher is ever important. We should always continue to learn and incorporate new strategies into our "schema" as teachers.
Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved
Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 1-26-11, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Orey, Michael (2001) “Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories”, Laureate Education DVD,
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Behaviorism in the classroom.
Is it ok to use behaviorism in the classroom? First lets look at what behaviorism is, and what it was originally used for.
BF Skinnner was the first one to implement operand conditioning into what he called Programmed instruction. This is where the student begins working on a concept, is then assessed on the concept and based on the answer being correct or incorrect they are directed one of two ways. If they are correct they are reinforced and told that they are correct and here is why. If they are incorrect they are told so and then the concept is reexplained in a different way.
According to Orey this programed instruction has evolved and turned into what we call the tutorial. It is based in a similar format:
1. present a small amount of information
2. Ask a series of questions that gets a learner to have a behavior, make a decision about what the right answer is.
3. then based on the response the student either works towards building the behavior or moves onto a new behavior.
Dr. Orey says that behaviorism is really Operant conditioning which is founded on two major tenants; Reinforcement and punishment. Behaviorism is incredibly good at classroom management. This helps to specify what are undesired behaviors and punish them while also specifying what are good behaviors and rewarding them. The key to this use of behaviorism to to ensure that the later is being done. Very often teachers forget the most important and as Orey states "more powerful of the two mechanisms" is the positive rewards. Keeping things positive and reinforcing desired behaviors, not simply expecting them, is all to often forgotten or slips away in the classroom.
For things like Tutorials and Classroom management behaviorism is an appropriate technique to use. These are both based on the understanding that the behavior needs to be an "Observable behavior rather than internal thought process" (Smith 1999). In order for behaviorism to work in these instances the behavior needs to be observable. In the case of the tutorial the behavior can be demonstrating a skill on the computer or software. In the case of classroom management the behavior can be correctly following the classroom proceedures and being rewarded with 5 min of free time at the end of class. Either way the behaviors need to be clearly defined in order for this approach to work.
Behaviorism falters in the case of content knowledge where observable behaviors are harder to track and determine. The demonstration of knowledge is hard to judge in terms of behaviors. Although this can be clarified as Smith (1999) states that "learning is helped when objectives are clear". Clarifying objectives and framing the content into activities where the learner needs to demonstrate their knowledge in some sort of way.
In conclusion, I feel that behaviorism has a place in the classroom. I very clearly defined and limited place. In terms of student behavior in the classroom and how that relates to classroom management, there is a clear connection. Reinforce the positive behaviors and punish or ignore the negative ones. In terms of content knowledge and though processes the connection becomes a little bit more harder to negotiate. However, by designing objectives and lesson plans to illicit students to demonstrate their knowledge through a behavior or activity a teacher can then implement the behaviorist approach. This approach is best used in a one-on-one basis. As all too often a whole class is punished for the behavior of a few. This is the oposite of what behaviorism suggests.
Dr. Michael Orey, “Behaviorist Learning Theory”
Smith, K. (1999). The behaviourist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm
BF Skinnner was the first one to implement operand conditioning into what he called Programmed instruction. This is where the student begins working on a concept, is then assessed on the concept and based on the answer being correct or incorrect they are directed one of two ways. If they are correct they are reinforced and told that they are correct and here is why. If they are incorrect they are told so and then the concept is reexplained in a different way.
According to Orey this programed instruction has evolved and turned into what we call the tutorial. It is based in a similar format:
1. present a small amount of information
2. Ask a series of questions that gets a learner to have a behavior, make a decision about what the right answer is.
3. then based on the response the student either works towards building the behavior or moves onto a new behavior.
Dr. Orey says that behaviorism is really Operant conditioning which is founded on two major tenants; Reinforcement and punishment. Behaviorism is incredibly good at classroom management. This helps to specify what are undesired behaviors and punish them while also specifying what are good behaviors and rewarding them. The key to this use of behaviorism to to ensure that the later is being done. Very often teachers forget the most important and as Orey states "more powerful of the two mechanisms" is the positive rewards. Keeping things positive and reinforcing desired behaviors, not simply expecting them, is all to often forgotten or slips away in the classroom.
For things like Tutorials and Classroom management behaviorism is an appropriate technique to use. These are both based on the understanding that the behavior needs to be an "Observable behavior rather than internal thought process" (Smith 1999). In order for behaviorism to work in these instances the behavior needs to be observable. In the case of the tutorial the behavior can be demonstrating a skill on the computer or software. In the case of classroom management the behavior can be correctly following the classroom proceedures and being rewarded with 5 min of free time at the end of class. Either way the behaviors need to be clearly defined in order for this approach to work.
Behaviorism falters in the case of content knowledge where observable behaviors are harder to track and determine. The demonstration of knowledge is hard to judge in terms of behaviors. Although this can be clarified as Smith (1999) states that "learning is helped when objectives are clear". Clarifying objectives and framing the content into activities where the learner needs to demonstrate their knowledge in some sort of way.
In conclusion, I feel that behaviorism has a place in the classroom. I very clearly defined and limited place. In terms of student behavior in the classroom and how that relates to classroom management, there is a clear connection. Reinforce the positive behaviors and punish or ignore the negative ones. In terms of content knowledge and though processes the connection becomes a little bit more harder to negotiate. However, by designing objectives and lesson plans to illicit students to demonstrate their knowledge through a behavior or activity a teacher can then implement the behaviorist approach. This approach is best used in a one-on-one basis. As all too often a whole class is punished for the behavior of a few. This is the oposite of what behaviorism suggests.
Dr. Michael Orey, “Behaviorist Learning Theory”
Smith, K. (1999). The behaviourist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Course Reflection
Upon finishing this Walden University course, Understanding the impact of technology on education, work and society, I have learned a lot of new skills and ways of thinking that I will now be able to use in the classroom and beyond. From podcasting and producing a blog to using wiki pages to help students set up and create their own website. I feel that this course has helped me to take my base line understanding of a lot of these technologies and think about them in terms of the classroom. Many things change when they enter the classroom and this is also true of technology.
by keeping up with technology and science blogs through RSS I will be able to continue the education that I have already started here during this course. I have found that using RSS is very helpful and like a personalized newspaper in the morning. I can even access my RSS on my handheld whenever im in commute from one place to another. This makes keeping up to date and on top of things very easy.
One goal that I would like to set it to redesign 3 units that I teach next year to incorporate more of the 21st century skills. I would like to build on the problem solving and group work that seems very important for today's students to learn. I would also like to work on a grant that will create funds for the school I work at to have more computers for the students that attend. By having more computers it opens up the opportunity for teachers to start using them. The more teachers that use them the more conversation that happens among teachers etc. good things happen. I think that technology is making large leaps and bounds in my school and I can use what i learned here (and hopefully will continue to learn) to help support other teachers in incorporating tech in the classroom.
by keeping up with technology and science blogs through RSS I will be able to continue the education that I have already started here during this course. I have found that using RSS is very helpful and like a personalized newspaper in the morning. I can even access my RSS on my handheld whenever im in commute from one place to another. This makes keeping up to date and on top of things very easy.
One goal that I would like to set it to redesign 3 units that I teach next year to incorporate more of the 21st century skills. I would like to build on the problem solving and group work that seems very important for today's students to learn. I would also like to work on a grant that will create funds for the school I work at to have more computers for the students that attend. By having more computers it opens up the opportunity for teachers to start using them. The more teachers that use them the more conversation that happens among teachers etc. good things happen. I think that technology is making large leaps and bounds in my school and I can use what i learned here (and hopefully will continue to learn) to help support other teachers in incorporating tech in the classroom.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
21st century skills?
I just checked out this website: 21st Century Skills. I found it very interesting as a teacher to think about everything we are unable to teach as a result of the high stakes test taking environment that education is these days. As a teach more, as I read more, and as I think more about what it is my students really need these days I increasingly waver on the importance of content. Before I go any further I would like to say that we need to figure out a base line of content that all students need to have and be able to operate with. However, with the availability to information ever increasing from libraries, to bookshelves, to school computers, to home computers, to laptops, to smart phones... our students CONSTANTLY have access to information. What is more important these days is educating our students on how to access the RIGHT information to answer their questions or how to solve their own problems using that information.
I think that the p21.org website really starts to address these concerns and realities. The job market has become less and less of a specialization based process and more of an adaptability process. More and more jobs are not looking for the specialization of your college degree but rather looking at how you work in a group, how you adapt to difficult or challenging situations etc. These skills are fast becoming more important to gaining and maintaining a job.
By taking the existing curriculum and modifying it to include the following things a lot of positive things could happen in schools.
• Global Awareness
• Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy
• Civic Literacy
• Health Literacy
• Environmental Literacy
• Creativity and Innovation
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Communication and Collaboration
• Information Literacy
• Media Literacy
• ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy
• Flexibility and Adaptability
• Initiative and Self-Direction
• Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
• Productivity and Accountability
• Leadership and Responsibility
I believe these last one are the most important for always being ready for any challenge the world has to offer.
All and all, I am a very young and optimistic teacher. However, I can imagine that by the time this curriculum gets implemented it will be changed, modified and watered down to the point of being pointless. Right now the process is happening top down which is good in many regards. It will make it so the teachers will be provided curriculum to work with, time to incorporate it and support under which to do this. However, I feel this will minimize the potential impact this idea of 21st century skills can have in our classrooms. I think our classrooms really need to be updated (yeah with materials and technology but more so) with the way we approach curriculum and standards.
I think that the p21.org website really starts to address these concerns and realities. The job market has become less and less of a specialization based process and more of an adaptability process. More and more jobs are not looking for the specialization of your college degree but rather looking at how you work in a group, how you adapt to difficult or challenging situations etc. These skills are fast becoming more important to gaining and maintaining a job.
By taking the existing curriculum and modifying it to include the following things a lot of positive things could happen in schools.
• Global Awareness
• Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy
• Civic Literacy
• Health Literacy
• Environmental Literacy
• Creativity and Innovation
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Communication and Collaboration
• Information Literacy
• Media Literacy
• ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy
• Flexibility and Adaptability
• Initiative and Self-Direction
• Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
• Productivity and Accountability
• Leadership and Responsibility
I believe these last one are the most important for always being ready for any challenge the world has to offer.
All and all, I am a very young and optimistic teacher. However, I can imagine that by the time this curriculum gets implemented it will be changed, modified and watered down to the point of being pointless. Right now the process is happening top down which is good in many regards. It will make it so the teachers will be provided curriculum to work with, time to incorporate it and support under which to do this. However, I feel this will minimize the potential impact this idea of 21st century skills can have in our classrooms. I think our classrooms really need to be updated (yeah with materials and technology but more so) with the way we approach curriculum and standards.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Bloggin in Science
What purpose would the blog serve? Is it a place for students to interact about content? Is it a showcase for their work? How does using a blog enhance the lesson? Include your grade level, content area, and your rationale as to why a blog is a good tool for the instructional context.
So I am currently teaching two sections of 7th and 8th grade science. In all of my classes I have groups working on science fair projects. These projects are done outside of school and require groups to meet up and share ideas and document their findings together. They need to be in constant communication around any progression and results.
I think that this project is ideal for using blogs. The great part about blogs is that they encourage participation. Falling into the web 2.0 category multiple students can participate and contribute to the content being published on any particular strand. For the science fair I can see this being used as a common location and method to facilitate group communication around key topics of the science fair. Each major step of the science fair can have its own strand and all of the students can contribute when they perform research. Other students in the group can participate and ask questions about the next steps to take to make headway forward. At the end when it comes time to make the lab report all of the information is already categorized into each step of the scientific method. This will aide in the organization and creation of a good lab report. Some other benefits to this way of doing the science fair are; 1) The teacher can check in with the students and make comments helping the students to know where to go next, 2) students don't need to be in the same room or location or at the same time to participate and help the group 3) skills will be built for the future regarding how to use online resources to collaborate and turn out an end product.
I think Science Fair Blogging is a great set up for using the benefits of Web 2.0 and helps to do something different rather than doing the same thing only differently. I mean to say that the way students will "meet" is completely different. The skills needed to participate in blogs are very different and the students will learn brand new skills outside of regular group work in the class. Each student will feel accountable for their work rather than assuming their normal roles when getting together to work in groups. I anticipate seeing much more contribution from those students that generally are quiet. As a Teacher it will be must more clear cut when and how students participate in the science fair projects.
Let me know what you think?
So I am currently teaching two sections of 7th and 8th grade science. In all of my classes I have groups working on science fair projects. These projects are done outside of school and require groups to meet up and share ideas and document their findings together. They need to be in constant communication around any progression and results.
I think that this project is ideal for using blogs. The great part about blogs is that they encourage participation. Falling into the web 2.0 category multiple students can participate and contribute to the content being published on any particular strand. For the science fair I can see this being used as a common location and method to facilitate group communication around key topics of the science fair. Each major step of the science fair can have its own strand and all of the students can contribute when they perform research. Other students in the group can participate and ask questions about the next steps to take to make headway forward. At the end when it comes time to make the lab report all of the information is already categorized into each step of the scientific method. This will aide in the organization and creation of a good lab report. Some other benefits to this way of doing the science fair are; 1) The teacher can check in with the students and make comments helping the students to know where to go next, 2) students don't need to be in the same room or location or at the same time to participate and help the group 3) skills will be built for the future regarding how to use online resources to collaborate and turn out an end product.
I think Science Fair Blogging is a great set up for using the benefits of Web 2.0 and helps to do something different rather than doing the same thing only differently. I mean to say that the way students will "meet" is completely different. The skills needed to participate in blogs are very different and the students will learn brand new skills outside of regular group work in the class. Each student will feel accountable for their work rather than assuming their normal roles when getting together to work in groups. I anticipate seeing much more contribution from those students that generally are quiet. As a Teacher it will be must more clear cut when and how students participate in the science fair projects.
Let me know what you think?
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Setting up a blog for class usage
I am very interested in setting up and using a blog to help enhance and improve the classes I teach. There are so many resources, concepts, ideas, and fun facts I learn as I design/modify lessons that I will never have the opportunity to introduce my students to. In thinking abut a blog I started to brainstorm some items or categories of thing I would want to include to make it functional and interesting.
- One blog for each grade level/curriculum.
- Links to fun websites and other sources of science games and information for the kids.
- Pictures: in class work (don't know if this is legal or not), general pictures that relate to units.
- RSS feeds to great publications that I don't have the funding to have delivered to the school.
- Possible Podcasts: My own (if I ever get to that level), itunes, or Laboutloud.com
- Frequency of updates... This one I would love to be optomistic and say once a week by in setting up a class website this year, I have found that these extra resources QUICKLY get forgotten in the multitude of other teaching responsibilities I have. Instead I am thinking 3 times per unit, beginning, middle and end.
- Questions Board- I hope to make a questions board similar to a commonly used post-it note practice in class called a Parking Lot. My hope is to have this be a section where students can post and answer each others questions.
WOW... I guess my goals are extremely lofty... maybe I will take it one step at a time and start with just 3 posts per unit and a links section.
One thing that I have found interesting is how blogs that initially were set up for students morphed and became shared teacher resources. I really desire a functional way to store and display all of my worksheets and lesson plans so they can be accessed and get feedback from others.
- One blog for each grade level/curriculum.
- Links to fun websites and other sources of science games and information for the kids.
- Pictures: in class work (don't know if this is legal or not), general pictures that relate to units.
- RSS feeds to great publications that I don't have the funding to have delivered to the school.
- Possible Podcasts: My own (if I ever get to that level), itunes, or Laboutloud.com
- Frequency of updates... This one I would love to be optomistic and say once a week by in setting up a class website this year, I have found that these extra resources QUICKLY get forgotten in the multitude of other teaching responsibilities I have. Instead I am thinking 3 times per unit, beginning, middle and end.
- Questions Board- I hope to make a questions board similar to a commonly used post-it note practice in class called a Parking Lot. My hope is to have this be a section where students can post and answer each others questions.
WOW... I guess my goals are extremely lofty... maybe I will take it one step at a time and start with just 3 posts per unit and a links section.
One thing that I have found interesting is how blogs that initially were set up for students morphed and became shared teacher resources. I really desire a functional way to store and display all of my worksheets and lesson plans so they can be accessed and get feedback from others.
Education Blogs... Hard to find
I have been looking up education blogs for the past 1.5 hours. No, this is not something I normally do in my free time. I am currently working on research for a grad class I am taking. I have found this process very interesting.
Either I am very inept at searching for blogs that pertain to education in an regard or the search engines struggle with providing good sources for blog searches. I found plenty of hosting sites for education blogs, but once there had a hard time finding functional blogs to read and comment on. I guess I am curious to know why it is so easy to post online, but so hard to be found once you have posted? Are there communities out there that help to keep bloggers connected and read?
I hope I can find a blog in time to complete the assignment. Maybe I am just being too picky and not participating in one that looks like simple teacher ramblings. I want to find one that is mainly factual and a good structured resource for my teaching and endeavours as an educator.
5 hours later ----
After finding a blog of another NYC educator I finally found something to comment on and participate within. This blog ranged from random video postings to anecdotes about the classroom to major commentary about the functioning of the teachers Union. It was the later of these that I chose to comment on. I have found a fascination with the teachers union and how passionate people get around politics. As a New York City teacher I feel I have benefited greatly from the power and influence of the UFT. By reading this blog, however, I became informed that the union itself has many factions or groups that are competing for power and jobs within the larger union. It was very interesting to see two opposing members of the union attack each other verbally on mental prowess and factual basis. I interjected in hopes of learning some more about the divisions within the union I am apart of. My naivety became drastically apparent when responses came back. I am not inspired to learn more about the organization I take for granted.
Either I am very inept at searching for blogs that pertain to education in an regard or the search engines struggle with providing good sources for blog searches. I found plenty of hosting sites for education blogs, but once there had a hard time finding functional blogs to read and comment on. I guess I am curious to know why it is so easy to post online, but so hard to be found once you have posted? Are there communities out there that help to keep bloggers connected and read?
I hope I can find a blog in time to complete the assignment. Maybe I am just being too picky and not participating in one that looks like simple teacher ramblings. I want to find one that is mainly factual and a good structured resource for my teaching and endeavours as an educator.
5 hours later ----
After finding a blog of another NYC educator I finally found something to comment on and participate within. This blog ranged from random video postings to anecdotes about the classroom to major commentary about the functioning of the teachers Union. It was the later of these that I chose to comment on. I have found a fascination with the teachers union and how passionate people get around politics. As a New York City teacher I feel I have benefited greatly from the power and influence of the UFT. By reading this blog, however, I became informed that the union itself has many factions or groups that are competing for power and jobs within the larger union. It was very interesting to see two opposing members of the union attack each other verbally on mental prowess and factual basis. I interjected in hopes of learning some more about the divisions within the union I am apart of. My naivety became drastically apparent when responses came back. I am not inspired to learn more about the organization I take for granted.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
CREDE standards and Culturally Responsive Teaching
I will address the last unit I have taught in my middle school science classroom and determine the level of success in meeting the standards set forth by CREDE and Dr. Eugine Garcia.
The student population I teach is 7th and 8th graders living in New York city. These students come from many backgrounds and bring a lot of different levels of knowledge to the classroom on a daily basis. My classes have approximately 30% special education students in them. A few receive special services for speech, English language development, and OT. Our school is a small middle school (225 students) located in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. The population of students varies widely from class to class containing different majority/minority demographics.
In this past unit I have worked with the students in preparing them with the skills they will need to complete this years science fair. I started by going over the requirements, goals, purpose of the science fair as I saw it with them to preface the whole unit. We then went into some scientific method review by putting different experiments they have learned about or done in the past into the correct order based on the sci meth. We then worked into learning about the two types of science fair projects they would be able to choose from; Field study and Controlled experiment. The controlled experiment they have ample experience with. For field study I used PowerPoint presentations and demonstrations (where I personally acted like a baboon) to create opportunities for the students to practice the different ways a scientist can observe an animal in its habitat. The students later went on a field trip to continue this practice at the NY aquarium while doing some background research on what animals they might want to study or use for their project. After the students did a think-pair-share activity about good and bad group member qualities. Students then selected their own group partners using a ballot request format. I ensured that all students were included in the groupings and set them off to researching their topics using computers, books, and magazines. The rest of the work will be driven by goals and deadlines. The groups will be required to meet before or after school to complete the project.
Areas where I feel I am meeting standards-
Connecting to students lives: Creating opportunities for students to participate and do science in the world around them rather than simply inside the classroom. This was done by taking all of the students to the NY aquarium where they got to practice using science skills needed for the science fair.
Developing literacy and language: Students spent time breaking down the words that describe the types of field study they would be using. For example, Zonal Ethogram: Zonal sounds a lot like zone and they brainstormed other words for ZONE and created a new definition using their knowledge that an ethogram is a list of animal behaviors and therefore a Zonal Ethogram must be a list of places or zones that animals behave within.
Responsive: letting students select their own groups. This allows students to use their own knowledge of who they get along with and who they could see themselves succeeding with to select their groups. This also Shows a level of Respect and trust in the students to take the knowledge from the group member qualities activities to make good decisions that will impact their over all project.
Engaging students with challenging work: the great part about science fair is that students will be able to self select topics of interest and design the project that will meet their needs and strengths. I have found that with the smallest amount of guidance most students will end up picking topics that are challenging for them. Some of the time it is hard to get students to back down from a project that is simply beyond their means.
Areas for improvement-
Emphasizing Dialogue over lecture: in the beginning of the unit there was too much direct instruction where I simply handed out information through lectures. From the expectations and reasons for science fair till the students started practicing their field study techniques the students mainly receive knowledge through lecture.
Teachers and Students working together: While this will happen now that the groups are set up there were not enough times during this unit where the students were working in small groups. They spent lots of time engaged in call and response with me as their teacher/leader. In this way I feel I could also work on being Resourceful as Dr. Garcia mentions, and use the students as a resource for input and direction while going through the unit.
While I feel that the students have done a very good job with this unit and are well prepared for the science fair and working in groups, I have a great many qualms with the way that this unit went. Even within the standards that I feel I am meeting there are definite areas for improvement. I think that I need to use tools like the CREDE assessment tool to look at my teacher theory. As Dr. Eugine Garcia said in a video I watched today, our preconceived notions will impact everything from our planning to the way we interact with students and peers on a day to day basis. I would like to look at what my notions are that keep leading me towards lecture and whole class instruction.
The student population I teach is 7th and 8th graders living in New York city. These students come from many backgrounds and bring a lot of different levels of knowledge to the classroom on a daily basis. My classes have approximately 30% special education students in them. A few receive special services for speech, English language development, and OT. Our school is a small middle school (225 students) located in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. The population of students varies widely from class to class containing different majority/minority demographics.
In this past unit I have worked with the students in preparing them with the skills they will need to complete this years science fair. I started by going over the requirements, goals, purpose of the science fair as I saw it with them to preface the whole unit. We then went into some scientific method review by putting different experiments they have learned about or done in the past into the correct order based on the sci meth. We then worked into learning about the two types of science fair projects they would be able to choose from; Field study and Controlled experiment. The controlled experiment they have ample experience with. For field study I used PowerPoint presentations and demonstrations (where I personally acted like a baboon) to create opportunities for the students to practice the different ways a scientist can observe an animal in its habitat. The students later went on a field trip to continue this practice at the NY aquarium while doing some background research on what animals they might want to study or use for their project. After the students did a think-pair-share activity about good and bad group member qualities. Students then selected their own group partners using a ballot request format. I ensured that all students were included in the groupings and set them off to researching their topics using computers, books, and magazines. The rest of the work will be driven by goals and deadlines. The groups will be required to meet before or after school to complete the project.
Areas where I feel I am meeting standards-
Connecting to students lives: Creating opportunities for students to participate and do science in the world around them rather than simply inside the classroom. This was done by taking all of the students to the NY aquarium where they got to practice using science skills needed for the science fair.
Developing literacy and language: Students spent time breaking down the words that describe the types of field study they would be using. For example, Zonal Ethogram: Zonal sounds a lot like zone and they brainstormed other words for ZONE and created a new definition using their knowledge that an ethogram is a list of animal behaviors and therefore a Zonal Ethogram must be a list of places or zones that animals behave within.
Responsive: letting students select their own groups. This allows students to use their own knowledge of who they get along with and who they could see themselves succeeding with to select their groups. This also Shows a level of Respect and trust in the students to take the knowledge from the group member qualities activities to make good decisions that will impact their over all project.
Engaging students with challenging work: the great part about science fair is that students will be able to self select topics of interest and design the project that will meet their needs and strengths. I have found that with the smallest amount of guidance most students will end up picking topics that are challenging for them. Some of the time it is hard to get students to back down from a project that is simply beyond their means.
Areas for improvement-
Emphasizing Dialogue over lecture: in the beginning of the unit there was too much direct instruction where I simply handed out information through lectures. From the expectations and reasons for science fair till the students started practicing their field study techniques the students mainly receive knowledge through lecture.
Teachers and Students working together: While this will happen now that the groups are set up there were not enough times during this unit where the students were working in small groups. They spent lots of time engaged in call and response with me as their teacher/leader. In this way I feel I could also work on being Resourceful as Dr. Garcia mentions, and use the students as a resource for input and direction while going through the unit.
While I feel that the students have done a very good job with this unit and are well prepared for the science fair and working in groups, I have a great many qualms with the way that this unit went. Even within the standards that I feel I am meeting there are definite areas for improvement. I think that I need to use tools like the CREDE assessment tool to look at my teacher theory. As Dr. Eugine Garcia said in a video I watched today, our preconceived notions will impact everything from our planning to the way we interact with students and peers on a day to day basis. I would like to look at what my notions are that keep leading me towards lecture and whole class instruction.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Who am I? What the cultural lens through which is see the world?
I am currently taking an online course about multicultural education. In this course I have been asked to reflect on what my culture is. So here goes...
Who am I?
I am white male who speaks English, to be more specific I like to call myself a northern European Mut. Sweedish, Swiss, a bit o' German, and possibly some English in there too. There have been times when I have been ashamed of my white heritage due to the calamities (crusades, genocide, slavery, etc) produced by my 'race' in the past. Because of this and my apparent love for other cultures I have always had a hard time defining what culture I am apart of. Over the years I have reached out to other cultures and been influenced by and incorporated many aspects of different cultures into my own. I think the largest piece of my personal culture comes from living in a small town in New Hampshire for a large portion of my life. I have a small town way of connecting with and valuing the people around me. I feel it is important to make a personal connection with those around you. I place a very strong and vital emphasis on family and the role it plays in my life. My family is my support structure and my mainstay that allows me to venture out and make the risks I do in my life while still feeling grounded and centered.
I feel that due to my initial aversion to associating with being white (high school age) I made it a point to go out and experience and learn about other cultures. Each and every time that I came in contact with another culture I had a desire to learn and try to understand that culture. In college I had a large group of friends who were Jamacian. This wats quite a learning experience. These people were so accepting of me and it was amazing to be the odd man out in the midst of another culture. I feel that this experience was the beginning of learning how beneficial it is to break down any boundaries keeping different groups apart. I have learned more about myself through my friendships with people who are different from me than I have from those that are similar to me. I have found that the attitude I present when coming in contact with other cultures directly influences the response I get. If I go in with an acceptance of differences and a desire to learn more I generally get a positive and open response from people of different cultures. However, those times when I have categorized groups of people or been preoccupied with perceived negative aspects of culture I have had negative interactions that further my concept of that culture.
My value system stems from two major religious systems: Christianity and Buddhism. The former is the belief system I was raised on and the latter is what I draw on more recently. I feel that the combination of the two has allowed me to have a much more open perspective to the world around me. By having compassion (Buddhism) for myself and others I have been able to connect and interact with many different 'types' of people due to the fact that we are all the same; Human. By seeing all people as having a need for love and compassion including myself it is much easier to accept and work through differences that might exist in the finer print of belief systems.
I come from a family of what could be called 'new money'. This means that my family is not accustomed to having money but rather gained money through socioeconomic advances made by my parents. I feel blessed that in spite of having more than what was necessary to survive monetarily my parents made a point of teaching my brothers and I responsibility around money. I was never allowed to think of money and the privileges that come with it as something that I have a right to. On the contrary, I was taught money is something that one needs to be responsible and strategic with. It does provide luxury and security that can make life easier. However, money is transient and can just as easily disappear (as we have all seen with the recent stock market crash). As a result I have learned to place focus on things other than money as what keeps me satiated and feeling satisfied.
As I have grown up I can see so many ways that having money has eliminated possible problems or strife when it comes to the options I have before me at certain junctions in my life. In the other hand I can see how not having money can be a self perpetuating situation. Those with lower Socioeconomic status (SES) statistically have more health problems, and lower achievements in education. The combination of these three things are strong predictors for 'success' in the capitalistic society that is the USA. I feel that education is one avenue to try to equalize the playing field. By attempting to educate and provide skills to those children/students who may not have the money to back them these children will hopefully be able to rise above and find another way to exist in the world than that they came from. I would like to say that I feel too much emphasis is placed on money in our culture. I see education as a way to help children achieve what it is their hearts desire rather than being forced into one specific realm of work or SES.
Sliding on to another area of culture; Language. I love language. I love to encourage the use of many different types of language and feel it is important to value and learn new languages. I envy those people who know and are able to use multiple languages. I personally am only fluent in English and can partially understand conversational Spanish. I have found it improves interactions with parents and students when I attempt to communicate with them through their native language, even if it is broken and horrible. They almost always smile and open up to more and more interaction. It is amazing to see the difference. It is a wonderful role reversal most of the time. Instead of conversing and operating on my playing field I allow myself to show that I understand what it is like and I desire to work with them.
As a man I have an experience a very similar situation to that I have previously describe for race in the 1st paragraph. Due to all of the oppression men have done toward women I have a tendency to over compensate by trying to make up for all of the insensitive mistakes of my fellow males of the past. I fell ashamed when I hear men 'cat calling' a female across the street, or eying a beautiful woman as she enters the room. I feel this sort of objectification boxes women in and limits how they can be perceived. As I have stated before I have begun to come to terms and learn that by keeping and open mind to women and learning from them I am able to become a better man and start to set a positive example for those around me.
So there it is... My Cultural, Personal, belief system lens that I see the world through. As with anything associated with a human mind it is constantly shifting, growing and changing. I can only imagine how this blog will look tomorrow, this weekend, or next year. In fact I am really happy to have this to come back to. I want to see how I will change and be able to see where I am at currently. I feel that many of my beliefs and experiences have set me up to be a very understanding and compassionate teacher. I hope that I am able to take my understanding of cultures, class, language, gender, religion etc. and make a positive impact on the world I come in contact with.
Who am I?
I am white male who speaks English, to be more specific I like to call myself a northern European Mut. Sweedish, Swiss, a bit o' German, and possibly some English in there too. There have been times when I have been ashamed of my white heritage due to the calamities (crusades, genocide, slavery, etc) produced by my 'race' in the past. Because of this and my apparent love for other cultures I have always had a hard time defining what culture I am apart of. Over the years I have reached out to other cultures and been influenced by and incorporated many aspects of different cultures into my own. I think the largest piece of my personal culture comes from living in a small town in New Hampshire for a large portion of my life. I have a small town way of connecting with and valuing the people around me. I feel it is important to make a personal connection with those around you. I place a very strong and vital emphasis on family and the role it plays in my life. My family is my support structure and my mainstay that allows me to venture out and make the risks I do in my life while still feeling grounded and centered.
I feel that due to my initial aversion to associating with being white (high school age) I made it a point to go out and experience and learn about other cultures. Each and every time that I came in contact with another culture I had a desire to learn and try to understand that culture. In college I had a large group of friends who were Jamacian. This wats quite a learning experience. These people were so accepting of me and it was amazing to be the odd man out in the midst of another culture. I feel that this experience was the beginning of learning how beneficial it is to break down any boundaries keeping different groups apart. I have learned more about myself through my friendships with people who are different from me than I have from those that are similar to me. I have found that the attitude I present when coming in contact with other cultures directly influences the response I get. If I go in with an acceptance of differences and a desire to learn more I generally get a positive and open response from people of different cultures. However, those times when I have categorized groups of people or been preoccupied with perceived negative aspects of culture I have had negative interactions that further my concept of that culture.
My value system stems from two major religious systems: Christianity and Buddhism. The former is the belief system I was raised on and the latter is what I draw on more recently. I feel that the combination of the two has allowed me to have a much more open perspective to the world around me. By having compassion (Buddhism) for myself and others I have been able to connect and interact with many different 'types' of people due to the fact that we are all the same; Human. By seeing all people as having a need for love and compassion including myself it is much easier to accept and work through differences that might exist in the finer print of belief systems.
I come from a family of what could be called 'new money'. This means that my family is not accustomed to having money but rather gained money through socioeconomic advances made by my parents. I feel blessed that in spite of having more than what was necessary to survive monetarily my parents made a point of teaching my brothers and I responsibility around money. I was never allowed to think of money and the privileges that come with it as something that I have a right to. On the contrary, I was taught money is something that one needs to be responsible and strategic with. It does provide luxury and security that can make life easier. However, money is transient and can just as easily disappear (as we have all seen with the recent stock market crash). As a result I have learned to place focus on things other than money as what keeps me satiated and feeling satisfied.
As I have grown up I can see so many ways that having money has eliminated possible problems or strife when it comes to the options I have before me at certain junctions in my life. In the other hand I can see how not having money can be a self perpetuating situation. Those with lower Socioeconomic status (SES) statistically have more health problems, and lower achievements in education. The combination of these three things are strong predictors for 'success' in the capitalistic society that is the USA. I feel that education is one avenue to try to equalize the playing field. By attempting to educate and provide skills to those children/students who may not have the money to back them these children will hopefully be able to rise above and find another way to exist in the world than that they came from. I would like to say that I feel too much emphasis is placed on money in our culture. I see education as a way to help children achieve what it is their hearts desire rather than being forced into one specific realm of work or SES.
Sliding on to another area of culture; Language. I love language. I love to encourage the use of many different types of language and feel it is important to value and learn new languages. I envy those people who know and are able to use multiple languages. I personally am only fluent in English and can partially understand conversational Spanish. I have found it improves interactions with parents and students when I attempt to communicate with them through their native language, even if it is broken and horrible. They almost always smile and open up to more and more interaction. It is amazing to see the difference. It is a wonderful role reversal most of the time. Instead of conversing and operating on my playing field I allow myself to show that I understand what it is like and I desire to work with them.
As a man I have an experience a very similar situation to that I have previously describe for race in the 1st paragraph. Due to all of the oppression men have done toward women I have a tendency to over compensate by trying to make up for all of the insensitive mistakes of my fellow males of the past. I fell ashamed when I hear men 'cat calling' a female across the street, or eying a beautiful woman as she enters the room. I feel this sort of objectification boxes women in and limits how they can be perceived. As I have stated before I have begun to come to terms and learn that by keeping and open mind to women and learning from them I am able to become a better man and start to set a positive example for those around me.
So there it is... My Cultural, Personal, belief system lens that I see the world through. As with anything associated with a human mind it is constantly shifting, growing and changing. I can only imagine how this blog will look tomorrow, this weekend, or next year. In fact I am really happy to have this to come back to. I want to see how I will change and be able to see where I am at currently. I feel that many of my beliefs and experiences have set me up to be a very understanding and compassionate teacher. I hope that I am able to take my understanding of cultures, class, language, gender, religion etc. and make a positive impact on the world I come in contact with.
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