There are some things that I have done well from my course contract and there are some things that could use improvement. From my goals, I made an assignment to get all my assignments done on time, which up to this point I have done. I also made a goal not to procrastinate. This goal could use a little work. I am so crazy busy this semester that sometimes I genuinely don't have time to work on assignments or study for this class until close to when they are due. But when I do have free time earlier in the week, which I don't very often, I can use some of that time to get ahead in this class or to just get started on the assignments so I don't feel rushed when I'm trying to get them done right before they are due. My third goal to study to remember the material throughout my life could also use some work. When there is so much material, it is generally impossible to commit it all to memory so sometimes I just memorize for tests, however, there are some things that because I think they are important I will study more or find some kind of connection of the material to my life so I will remember it better. So this goal could use a little work.
My weekly preparation plan was shot after about 2 weeks of school. In all honesty I don't have time to devote to this class every day. I do try to spread things out over at least a few days so I am not cramming everything into one day. Sometimes having a plan in my life doesn't actually help. I feel that this semester, the reason I get things done is because I don't sleep and this isn't because I am a slacker or procrastinate, it is genuinely because i have so much going on that I don't have time to fit it all in normal day hours. So while I haven't really followed my preparation plan, there realistically hasn't really been a way for me to follow it and I'm not quite sure how to make it better because although my scheduling isn't ideal, I do get everything done.
I do think that overall, I have been doing well in this class and I am learning a lot.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Chapter 6 Learning Log
What?
Key Terms
Memory: The ability to save information mentally that has been previously learned.
Storage: The process of putting new information or what is being learned into memory.
Encoding: Modifying the format of new information as it is being stored in memory.
Retrieval: The process of finding information that has been previously stored in memory.
Model of Human Memory: Input > Sensory Register >Attention > Working (Short-Term Memory) > In depth processing (often involving connecting new information to prior knowledge) > Long-Term Memory
Attention: The focusing of mental processing on particular stimuli.
Sensory register: The component of memory that holds input in its original or unanalyzed form.
Short-term or working memory: The compartment of memory that holds, actively thinks about, and processes a limited amount of information.
Maintenance rehearsal: Rapid repetition of a small amount of information to keep it fresh in the working memory.
Elaborative rehearsal: The cognitive process in which you expand on new information based on prior knowledge.
Chunking: The process of taking individual units of information (chunks) and grouping them into larger units. Probably the most common example of chunking occurs in phone numbers.
Decay: Gradual weakening of information stored in long-term memory, happens the most with information that is used infrequently.
Interference: When the various pieces of information that have been stored in memory interfere with one another. Where something stored in the long-term memory gets in the way of remembering something else correctly.
Long-term memory: The component of memory that holds knowledge and skills for a relatively long time.
Declarative knowledge: Knowledge related to the nature of how things are, were and will be.
Procedural knowledge: Knowledge concerning how to do something, like a skill.
Meaningful learning: The cognitive process in which learners relate new information to prior knowledge.
Distributed practice: A technique whereby the student distributes his/her study effort in a given course over many study sessions that are relatively short in duration.
Massed practice: A form of practice of a motor skill in which there is relatively little or no rest between repeat performances of the skill.
Elaboration: The cognitive process in which learners expand on new information based on prior knowledge.
Mnemonic strategies: Memory trick designed to help students learn and remember a specific piece of information.
Automaticity: The ability to respond quickly and efficiently while mentally processing or physically performing a task.
Summary:Long term memory has enough capacity for anything we could ever need, but we must give something new that we are learning our undivided attention. To remember what we learn we must practice it over and over in different contexts. With out students it is important to know how they think and learn and remember things. We also must focus on the importance of understanding a concept rather than just rote memorization.
So What?
I think that it is important to understand how students learn, process, understand, and remember information. It is important to understand how the memory works so as teachers we can focus on how to get the students to understand the material and commit it to their long term memory. Knowing this information can help us better understand what teaching styles to use to help students not only learn the material but remember it and also to understand what teaching style might work best for a particular student.
Now What?
I think that I will use this information a lot as a teacher. I know that when I was a student I don't really remember being taught how to learn or how to remember things and I think that this information would have helped me as a student when I was younger. I know that for me I would just do rote memorization when I needed to and I didn't apply the things I was learning to my life or understand why the information was important to retain, so most of the stuff I learned and studied, I stored in my short term memory for a test but then would discard the information. If I can teach my students how to learn the material I am teaching them, and how it applies to them and will be useful to them, then they might have a better chance than I did to commit what they are learning to long term memory to be able to use way after they were a student in my class.
Temple Grandin Extra Credit
I went to hear the presentation by Temple Grandin and found it really interesting and I learned quite a bit about autistic learners.
I learned that visual thinkers are good in the fields of visual arts, such as photography, graphic design, painting, sculpting etc. They are capable of doing geometry and trigonometry but do not do very well with algebra. Pattern thinkers excel in music and math but struggle with reading and writing. Pattern thinkers going into fields such as programmers and engineers. She also talked about word mind thinkers know facts. They know sports stats or know every movie. These thinkers go into journalism, or work in libraries. She talked about the importance of finding out what the student likes or obsesses over as autistic kids generally have some obsession or another and use what they like or obsess about to teach them. For example, if the student likes trains, then you can teach math with trains using word problems that have to do with trains.
Sometimes kids with autism have a difficult time with loud sounds or particular sounds that overwhelm them. This is called sensory overload. A way to work with this is to record the sound that the child has a hard time with and then let them play it on their own timetable and have control over turning it off when they choose. She also talked about the importance of structure for children with autism. They have a hard time with surprises so it is important for them to prepare them for any change that you know is coming.
Overall, this presentation was very educational and I found it interesting to learn about how the autistic child learns from someone who has had autism and has still done some pretty significant things with her life. I think that many times, society discards students with disabilities and it is important to know that these students are capable of much more than sometimes people think they can.
I learned that visual thinkers are good in the fields of visual arts, such as photography, graphic design, painting, sculpting etc. They are capable of doing geometry and trigonometry but do not do very well with algebra. Pattern thinkers excel in music and math but struggle with reading and writing. Pattern thinkers going into fields such as programmers and engineers. She also talked about word mind thinkers know facts. They know sports stats or know every movie. These thinkers go into journalism, or work in libraries. She talked about the importance of finding out what the student likes or obsesses over as autistic kids generally have some obsession or another and use what they like or obsess about to teach them. For example, if the student likes trains, then you can teach math with trains using word problems that have to do with trains.
Sometimes kids with autism have a difficult time with loud sounds or particular sounds that overwhelm them. This is called sensory overload. A way to work with this is to record the sound that the child has a hard time with and then let them play it on their own timetable and have control over turning it off when they choose. She also talked about the importance of structure for children with autism. They have a hard time with surprises so it is important for them to prepare them for any change that you know is coming.
Overall, this presentation was very educational and I found it interesting to learn about how the autistic child learns from someone who has had autism and has still done some pretty significant things with her life. I think that many times, society discards students with disabilities and it is important to know that these students are capable of much more than sometimes people think they can.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Chapter 3 Learning Log
What?
So What?
Knowing about the moral and social development of the students we will be teaching is really important as a teacher because during adolescent years, students are going through so many different things. They are still developing physically, their hormones are raging, and their emotions are out of control. All of these things affect such things as the way the students learn, how they concentrate in class, their behavior. It is important to be sensitive to where your students are developmentally in every aspect because it affects so much of how they function in every aspect of life including how they learn and function in school settings. Knowing this information can help us work better with them and help them toward being successful in school and ultimately in life.
Now What?
I know how important knowing how kids morally and socially develop is in working with kids. I work with troubled teens at a residential treatment center and knowing where they are in their moral and social development help us work with them. For many of them they are behind in their moral and social development or they have had things happen to them that have caused regression in their development and this affects every aspect of their lives, learning and education included. Many of the kids I work with were failing all their classes before they came to New Haven or had been kicked out of school. Many of them also have turned their schooling around while at New Haven because they have teachers that understand where they are developmentally and work with them to really learn the material and work through school, they are able to function in the school setting and succeed. This is important for me personally because when teachers are able to understand and work with their kids in a way that is appropriate for their moral and social development they can help them be successful in the school setting and I want to do all I can to help my students be successful.
Attachment: Bond that is formed between a child and their caregiver, generally strong and affectionate.
Sense of self: Perceptions, beliefs, judgments, and feelings about yourself as a person. Include 2 aspects self-concept (assessment of own characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses), and self-esteem (judgments and feelings about your own value and worth).
Imaginary audience: Believing that you are the center of attention in social situations
Identity: Definition created by oneself of who you are and what things are important to them and what they want to accomplish in life.
Erikson’s model of psychosocial development:
· Stage 1: Trust vs. mistrust (infancy) – Learn who can be trusted and who can’t be.
· Stage 2: Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (toddler years) – Develop self-sufficient behaviors if encouraged or develop shame and doubt if too much is expected too soon.
· Stage 3: Initiative vs. guilt (preschool years) – Develop independence in decision making and getting needs met or guilt about their needs and desires.
· Stage 4: Industry vs. inferiority (elementary school years) – Develop confidence in their abilities though perseverance, and diligence, or feelings of inferiority about their capabilities.
· Stage 5: Identity vs. role confusion (adolescence) – Develop a sense of who they are and where they want to go in life or questioning their place in society.
· Stage 6: Intimacy vs. isolation (young adulthood) – Develop close reciprocal relationships, and being willing to sacrifice one’s own needs for the other person or don’t form relationships because they can’t sacrifice their own needs
· Stage 7: Generavity vs. stagnation (middle age) – Working toward bettering and helping society progress through work or family to produce feelings of accomplishment or being self-centered and doesn’t help society progress
· Stage 8: Integrity vs. despair (retirement years) – Looking back on life’s accomplishments and feeling content or looking at life’s failures or disappointments and lack of productivity.
Cliques: Fairly stable group of friends generally consisting of 3 to 10 members.
Aggressive behavior: Behavior intended to hurt another physically or psychologically.
Prosocial behavior: Behavior intended to help others more than oneself.
Morality: What one believes about what is right and wrong.
Kohlberg’s stages of moral development:
· Stage 1: Punishment-avoidance and obedience – Make decisions according to their own needs with little regard for others needs.
· Stage2: Exchange of favors – Recognition that other people have needs and trying to fill those needs as long as their own are met as well.
· Stage 3: Good boy/good girl – Actions based on pleasing authority figures.
· Stage 4: Law and order – Looking to society for answers as to what is right and wrong.
· Stage 5: Social contract – Understanding appropriate behavior in relations to rules.
· Stage 6: Universal ethical principle – a hypothetical ideal stage that few people reach. Adherence to abstract universal principles that transcend specific norms and rules.
Summary:
So What?
Knowing about the moral and social development of the students we will be teaching is really important as a teacher because during adolescent years, students are going through so many different things. They are still developing physically, their hormones are raging, and their emotions are out of control. All of these things affect such things as the way the students learn, how they concentrate in class, their behavior. It is important to be sensitive to where your students are developmentally in every aspect because it affects so much of how they function in every aspect of life including how they learn and function in school settings. Knowing this information can help us work better with them and help them toward being successful in school and ultimately in life.
Now What?
I know how important knowing how kids morally and socially develop is in working with kids. I work with troubled teens at a residential treatment center and knowing where they are in their moral and social development help us work with them. For many of them they are behind in their moral and social development or they have had things happen to them that have caused regression in their development and this affects every aspect of their lives, learning and education included. Many of the kids I work with were failing all their classes before they came to New Haven or had been kicked out of school. Many of them also have turned their schooling around while at New Haven because they have teachers that understand where they are developmentally and work with them to really learn the material and work through school, they are able to function in the school setting and succeed. This is important for me personally because when teachers are able to understand and work with their kids in a way that is appropriate for their moral and social development they can help them be successful in the school setting and I want to do all I can to help my students be successful.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Chapter 2 Learning Log
What?
Neuron: A cell that transmits information to other cells.
Synapses: A bridge between two neurons that allows information to be transmitted from one neuron to the other.
Myelination: The growth of the myelin sheath around axons which causes faster transmission of information from one neuron to the other.
Schemas: Groups of similar thoughts or actions repeatedly used in response to the environment.
Assimilation: The process that involves dealing with a new events that is consistent with already formed schemes.
Accommodation: The process that involves dealing with a new event either by modifying an existing scheme or developing a completely new one.
Disequilibrium: Causes mental discomfort because you are unable to address new events with existing schemes.
Sensorimotor stage: The first stage in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. In this stage, schemes are based mostly on behaviors and perceptions.
Preoperational stage: The second stage in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. In this stage, children’s vocabularies increase and they are able to think about objects and events beyond their immediate view but can’t yet reason in a logical way.
Concrete operations stage: The third stage in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. In this stage, adult like logic is more developed than the previous stage but is limited to concrete reality.
Formal operations stage: The fourth stage in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. In this stage, logical reasoning can be applied to concrete reality and abstract ideas.
Self-talk: Talking to yourself to help guide you through a task.
Inner speech: Talking to yourself mentally to help guide you through a task instead of talking out loud.
Zone of proximal development (ZPD): Different tasks that an individual can perform if they are guided through the task but cannot yet do on their own.
Scaffolding: Some form of structure or guidance that allows a child to perform a task within their zone of proximal development.
Cognitive apprenticeship: The process in which a teacher not only helps a student complete a task but helps them with how to think about the task.
So What?
Understanding cognitive and the linguistic development of adolescents is really important. Understanding that students develop differently will affect your teaching style to accommodate those differences. If you want to be an effective teacher, it is important to understand the different developmental stages and through learning about them be able to better work with your students and teach them on a level where they will actually learn and retain the knowledge you are trying to give them. When we get out in the classroom, we are going to have students who are developmentally delayed or who are developmentally ahead and by learning about how students develop and how to work with the students at the different developmental stages it will help you to not focus just on one group and forget the other. The different theories help explain the developmental stages and having an understanding of different theories allows you to choose the theory that best fits a particular student or mix the theories to best understand and help the student. It is also helpful to understand language development because you might work with students where English isn't their first language and understanding how language develops will assist you in working with these students in your own content area.
Now What?
I want to keep my students engaged in the material I am teaching in my classroom and if I am not working with them at a developmentally appropriate level then the students will disengage and stop being active participators in their own learning process. Learning about different theories allows me to have multiple resources to draw from to work with a particular student or class. It allows me to apply the information I have and pick and choose what fits in a particular situation. For example I might have a particular student in which Vygotsky's theory best helps me understand where they are developmentally and how to help them, but I might have another student where Piaget's theory will be more helpful. Also, I'm sure that I will encounter students where English is their second language and it will be important to apply my knowledge not only to help them with the English language in and of itself but also in learning vocabulary or concepts that might be specific to my content area.
Neuron: A cell that transmits information to other cells.
Synapses: A bridge between two neurons that allows information to be transmitted from one neuron to the other.
Myelination: The growth of the myelin sheath around axons which causes faster transmission of information from one neuron to the other.
Schemas: Groups of similar thoughts or actions repeatedly used in response to the environment.
Assimilation: The process that involves dealing with a new events that is consistent with already formed schemes.
Accommodation: The process that involves dealing with a new event either by modifying an existing scheme or developing a completely new one.
Disequilibrium: Causes mental discomfort because you are unable to address new events with existing schemes.
Sensorimotor stage: The first stage in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. In this stage, schemes are based mostly on behaviors and perceptions.
Preoperational stage: The second stage in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. In this stage, children’s vocabularies increase and they are able to think about objects and events beyond their immediate view but can’t yet reason in a logical way.
Concrete operations stage: The third stage in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. In this stage, adult like logic is more developed than the previous stage but is limited to concrete reality.
Formal operations stage: The fourth stage in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. In this stage, logical reasoning can be applied to concrete reality and abstract ideas.
Self-talk: Talking to yourself to help guide you through a task.
Inner speech: Talking to yourself mentally to help guide you through a task instead of talking out loud.
Zone of proximal development (ZPD): Different tasks that an individual can perform if they are guided through the task but cannot yet do on their own.
Scaffolding: Some form of structure or guidance that allows a child to perform a task within their zone of proximal development.
Cognitive apprenticeship: The process in which a teacher not only helps a student complete a task but helps them with how to think about the task.
So What?
Understanding cognitive and the linguistic development of adolescents is really important. Understanding that students develop differently will affect your teaching style to accommodate those differences. If you want to be an effective teacher, it is important to understand the different developmental stages and through learning about them be able to better work with your students and teach them on a level where they will actually learn and retain the knowledge you are trying to give them. When we get out in the classroom, we are going to have students who are developmentally delayed or who are developmentally ahead and by learning about how students develop and how to work with the students at the different developmental stages it will help you to not focus just on one group and forget the other. The different theories help explain the developmental stages and having an understanding of different theories allows you to choose the theory that best fits a particular student or mix the theories to best understand and help the student. It is also helpful to understand language development because you might work with students where English isn't their first language and understanding how language develops will assist you in working with these students in your own content area.
Now What?
I want to keep my students engaged in the material I am teaching in my classroom and if I am not working with them at a developmentally appropriate level then the students will disengage and stop being active participators in their own learning process. Learning about different theories allows me to have multiple resources to draw from to work with a particular student or class. It allows me to apply the information I have and pick and choose what fits in a particular situation. For example I might have a particular student in which Vygotsky's theory best helps me understand where they are developmentally and how to help them, but I might have another student where Piaget's theory will be more helpful. Also, I'm sure that I will encounter students where English is their second language and it will be important to apply my knowledge not only to help them with the English language in and of itself but also in learning vocabulary or concepts that might be specific to my content area.
Rainman Extra Credit
Today I went to see the presentation by Kim Peek, the real Rainman. It was so cool. I was amazed at the things that he could do, such as read 2 pages at once, with his left eye reading the left side and his right eye reading the right side, and retaining most of what he read and committing it to memory. It was amazing to hear some of the stories about him growing up and how at a really early age he had memorized so many things and how now that he was introduced to music he can play with 85% accuracy all the music he had heard between the ages of something like 18 months and 6 years. I also loved how his dad talked about how Dustin Hoffman told him that he had to share Kim with other people and his dad didn't feel that he couldn't because he was severely mentally retarded. But when he finally did, it was a great experience for him and Kim and all the people that they came into contact with. It's incredible all the people that Kim's life has touched and all the people he has shared himself with. Kim and his father are so generous in sharing themselves and in sharing the Oscar that they have from the movie Rainman. They wanted everyone to be able to hold it so that we could say that we had held an Oscar. So Lindsey and I took a picture holding it together. Kim had a personality that just made you love him from the beginning. He is an inspiration to all and I feel very lucky to have been there today to hear him.
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