Constructivism Web Quest

Find our webquest on constructivism here

Behavioral Theory project Class 8

Teaching philosophy

I found an interesting philosophy on the internet in regards to teaching I loved it so much I've added it too my blog find the link to it here 

Cluster 14 CER

Create

Making strawberry milk

If I were using the strategy of direct instruction I would break my students up into groups and read them the directions listed below.

• Begin by getting a milk container, strawberry syrup, glass and spoon.
• Place items on the counter
• Open milk container
• Open strawberry syrup
• Lift milk container up and pour milk into glass about 75% to the top of the glass
• Place milk container back onto the counter
• Lift syrup container in your left hand and lift a spoon in the right hand
• Place spoon over the mouth of the glass
• Pour syrup onto the spoon
• Place syrup back onto the counter
• Place the spoon with syrup into glass and stir until incorporated into the milk
• Remove spoon from glass and place it back onto the counter
• Serve

If I was using the problem solving perspective I would give my students the materials to make the strawberry milk and tell them to break up into groups and figure out how to make it on their own.

Evaluate 

I would want to teach students to add or subtract. To engage them I would have them do it using their bodies.

Start teaching first graders about adding and subtracting by acting out equations with them. After gathering students together, invite three to come up and stand beside you. Ask for a volunteer to tell you how many students you are starting with and write that number on the board or chart paper. Next, ask two more students to join them and write "2" on the board or chart paper. Then ask the class how many students there are altogether and write that number as well. You can then encourage volunteers to help you fill in the "+" and "=" signs on the equations.

Repeating this activity until all students have had a chance to be a part of the equation and fill in the appropriate numbers and signs on the chart or board will help them make a concrete connection between actual numbers and addition equations. You can do the same activity when you begin teaching subtraction.

Read more here

Review 

For my journal reflection I would reflect on my teaching techniques. I would write down the lesson I taught that day, record how I taught it and what I used to teach it, and then record how many students were able to comprehend it how many questions were asked and then finally if I feel like my technique was effective

Cluster 15 CER

Create 
In this lesson, students will practice reading analog and digital clocks. This lesson also sets the stage for a fun BINGO game that can be played throughout the year.

 Goal

Students will read and write time on a digital and analog clock to the nearest five minutes.

 Common Core Standards

CCSS.2.MD.C.7 Tell and write times from analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes, AM and PM.

 Objective

Students will read and write times from analog and digital clocks to the nearest 5 minutes.

 Materials

• Prepare a whiteboard or large paper with a t-chart that has columns labeled Analog and Digital for use with the whole class.

Prepare enough for each student in your class:

• Hotchalk.com Clock time (prepare these ahead of time by filling in the times that you want students to identify)
• Hotchalk.com TIME game cards
• BINGO chips to use when students play TIME
• Scissors and glue

Lesson Introduction (5 minutes)

Remind students that when we count by fives we start at zero and count up by five. Have students stand in a circle. Model counting by fives to 60 and pair each number with a movement. For example, start by tapping your head and then tap your shoulders, knees, toes, toes, knees, shoulders, etc.

 Mini Lesson (10 minutes)

On the whiteboard, or on a paper on the document projector, draw a clock that is large enough for a student to stand in the middle. Add numbers around the clock. Write “Analog” on the top of the clock. Remind students that clocks have a short hour hand and a longer minute hand. When the minute hand goes around the clock, there are five minutes in between each number on the clock. Model a few times, explaining how we use the hour hand and the minute hand.

 Digital and Analog Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Tell students that there are two ways to show time, the analog clock, which you have just been practicing, and a digital clock. The digital clock uses only numbers to show time. Show students examples of digital clocks. Post the t-chart with digital and analog clocks on it. Pull a time card with a digital or analog clock on it. Have students sort the times according to the type of time it is. As you post them, for each option, write how an analog or digital clock would record the same time, so that you have a model of each type of clock. Ensure that students identify that analog and digital clocks tell us the same information.

 Digital and Analog Independent Practice (10 minutes)

Now, tell students that they will be working on their own t-chart. Have students work independently or in pairs to select and sort times onto their own t-chart.

 Create TIME Bingo Card (10 minutes)

Pass out blank TIME cards. Read out sixteen different times. Have students record either the analog or digital time. Students can put each time wherever they want (they don’t have to go in order) to create their own TIME card. (Save these TIME cards for later use.)

 Play TIME (10 minutes)

Once students have their TIME cards, play a few rounds of TIME as a whole group (this activity can become a center activity after students have mastered it). During the game, circulate and take note of which students are able to read the times independently and easily and which require assistance. As students become familiar with the game, they can lead the TIME games as well.

 Extension Activities

• Draw a large analog clock face on the whiteboard. Have students come up one at a time and choose a time card. For each time card, students have to show that time and the class will guess which time they are being. Have students take turns coming up to “be” the clock.
• When you play TIME, rather than reading the exact time, read times and have students add or take away five or ten minutes to get to the time you want.

Evaluate 

Rubrics are needed in the classroom. I hope for my students to have better clarity of what is expected of them using rubrics. Students list what they expect in a completed assignment. they give scores  of what the highest amount of points you can get for an assignment and what you have to do to receive those points is. This can push students to do better by seeing what it takes to receive full points. 

Relate

 I believe in having a strong relationship with my students. I want them to be in a classroom where they know someone cares about them and that the teacher is not just earning a paycheck. By demonstrating a certain level of compassion for your students, they feel more comfortable with you as a teacher. 

By nurturing their open minds, a teacher can be successful. It is important to let the students ask questions and let them think for themselves. Children are full of imagination and ideas, and too often teachers take their intuitive instinct away from them by not letting them share their ideas or punishing them when they make a mistake out of the exploration of their imagination.

Goal setting should be instructed and reinforced. Without goals students are apt to stray from little educational endeavors that end up being the little holes that sunk the big ship. In high school, I was a student who was at the top of the class in subjects that I enjoyed and mediocre in subjects that I did not find appealing. As a teacher I want to make students enjoy my class no matter what their interests, by finding a common ground between their interests and the material.

Since the school community is viewed as a microcosm of the real world, I believe in letting students see the effect of their actions. In order to prepare students for the next step, I feel that their progress should not just be monitored from an educational aspect, but also a social aspect. I feel that many teachers set standards of achievement not only for the educational aspect, but also for behavior. Too often, a student who misbehaves early in the year is given lower standards of behavior from their teacher, who in turn allows the unacceptable behavior to persist on account of their expectations of the student.

Instead of isolating the troublemakers, I believe in using an approach to prevent rather than punish those who are continually a problem for teachers and students. 

Cluster 13 CER

Create

My rules and expectations will be outlined and communicated to my students in the beginning of the school year. I would want this to be a day that my students and their parents are present. I want both my students and their parents to understand what I feel is necessary for them to receive the most out of their learning environment.  I would want both my students and their parents to sign a contract verifying they have read and understood my expectations for the school year. Rules are not made to limit the freedom of my students but, to ensure they reach their academic potential.

In my classroom I would encourage individuality. If there is something that makes my student more comfortable and encourage them to stand out from everyone else in a healthy way I am in full support of it.  I would want my children to feel comfortable with the environment they are in because, they would spend so many hours of the day there.

There would be bathroom pass and only one of each gender would be allowed out at a time. I would also have a designated time for trips to the bathroom if my classroom did not have a bathroom already in it. 

The students will line up in alphabetical order to leave the classroom. There will be classroom chores assignments. The students will also have a big schedule posted in the front of the classroom that we will follow. 

Evaluate 

Find the article I researched here

"The use of group contingencies for preventing and managing disruptive behaviors."

This article says that the teacher should be allowed to focus on teaching appropriate behaviors to all students rather than focusing on suppressing behaviors that aren't desirable. Students may find more motivation in their school work if they are allowed to participate in group work. 

Relate 

I believe that everyone deserves a chance and separate accommodations to give them the best possible way to grow. No child should feel excluded or should have trouble following what is occurring. I t takes a great teacher to make students WANT to learn so I plan to be all that I can be

Cluster 12 CER

Create
Find my presentation on motivation here 

Evaluate

Alice from "Alice in Wonderland" is my motivation. Her primary goal is defeat the red queen who is pure evil and give the white queen back ownership of Wonderland. 

Her motivation from two perspectives would be humanistic and cognitive. Alice was internally determined to save wonderland because all of her friends there that she met her first trip were suffering under the red queens rule. She failed wonderland in a movie previously before so in order for her to have self fulfillment, she must succeed. 

Relate 

 I believe in having a strong relationship with my students. I want them to be in a classroom where they know someone cares about them and that the teacher is not just earning a paycheck. By demonstrating a certain level of compassion for your students, they feel more comfortable with you as a teacher. 

By nurturing their open minds, a teacher can be successful. It is important to let the students ask questions and let them think for themselves. Children are full of imagination and ideas, and too often teachers take their intuitive instinct away from them by not letting them share their ideas or punishing them when they make a mistake out of the exploration of their imagination. 

Cluster 11 CER

Create 
I visited the websites youtube.com
efficientlifeskills.com
fieggen.com
I used the tags: shoe tying, 5 minute tying, 6 year old tying shoelace knots
These sits were all created for children one is created for a 6 year old in particular.
I especially liked you tube for shoe tying because it gives a video step by step how to tie a shoe. I think as teacher this is important because I am a visual learner and its better than just listening to instruction seeing it as well is a major help. However for those who aren't visual learners there can still be a list of printed out directions and for those who don't like to read directions someone can administer it to them orally.


Evaluate 
How to eat at a table.
Find the video here 
This video shows proper etiquette for using a knife continental style. The video shows the correct placement of the dishes that go on the table as well as the silverware. This video shows the proper way to hold silverware and use your silverware to eat.
it could be used with contstructivist learning because although there are proper way to do things, there are numerous ways to teach yourself how to do them so you are most comfortable. This video gives you the opportunity to teach yourself proper etiquette.

Relate

Such technology as Facebook, MySpace, and Linkedin are providing immediacy for our children to socialize and communicate with one another. Rather than pick up the phone to give someone a call to communicate or going outside to play with neighbors as we use to, these websites allow for us to chat virtually  Social development is affected, students are losing sight of the importance of face to face conversations, not everything should be communicated through internet or computer screens. I would tell my students that everything that write and post on their statuses is monitored and can be seen by everyone (including their parents.) Things that were written and published to the internet can never be erased and can haunt them in the future.

Cluster 10

Evaluate 

Evaluate
You can find my concept map here

From a teacher's perspective this means everyone is connected to everyone in more ways then other. Although naturally everyone will connect to one another in different ways. the main connection here is Dr. Smirnova and the class we are all taking. Relationships within classes are beneficial, the more a class is able to get along the smoother the classroom session should and would be. 

Relate 

A cognitive apprenticeship is a relationship that a less experienced learner acquires knowledge and skills under the guidance of an expert. This can be done though a math lesson. I could put a problem to be solved, after seeing who is struggling and who is excelling I can pair my students up one who is lagging one who understands to redo the question, then I can put more questions up and they can help each other. However the student who is doing well must realize they are there to help and teach so they have to be able to demonstrate the work they are doing so the other student has the ability to learn. 

Cluster 9 CER

Create 
An activity that can be done in pairs or trios is making a poster on the Erie Canal.
The students would get one poster per group, the poster should be decorated and colorful. The students would be required to read books and research information about the Erie Canal and fill up the entire poster board with facts. In the middle a space should be left to either draw or print out a picture of the Erie Canal. They can present their finding on the Erie Canal but they would not be allowed to read off the board they would have to tell me the facts they learned as if they were teaching the class so I would Know they aren't just repeating facts and they've actually retained information.

Evaluate 
website 1 Teachers corner
website 2 discoveryeducation.com
website 3 crayola.com
All three of these websites provided lesson plans and promoted engagement and discovery which is something I think is essential in the classroom. These websites also follow lessons based on the common core standard. I especially liked the crayola website for the age group I am working with because it is colorful and the activities include things that younger children would enjoy. The lesson plans are all free and any teacher is allowed and encouraged to use them. I do not see any weaknesses except for the crayola website is more geared towards art lesson plans and more for elementary aged students.

Relate
I found my article here
Author: Vera Schneider
Title: Critical thinking in the Elementary Classroom: Problems and Solutions
Source: Educators Publishing Service
The article asks the questions and focuses on what is critical thinking, should we teach it, why and how? the article states that we as educators must equip young students with skills that help them think critically in order to solve problems. We can do this by seeking opportunities for brainstorming, encourage creativity, teach students to think critically, compare and contract everything and find solutions to accommodate all students learning.
This article was an eye opener. It helped me see what another teacher considers a good way to help students excel in class. I am always open to ideas and willing to try different strategies to find the best way to help my students so reading another viewpoint of a teacher who already is teaching is a great start and help.

Cluster 8 CER

Evaluate 

Steps to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich:

1. Get Bread Take out two slices of bread from the bag.  Place the two slices, lying down, on the plate. 

2. Adding the Peanut Butter
 Get the jar of Peanut Butter and the knife.
 Open the jar of Peanut Butter.
 Use the knife to scoop out a small amount of Peanut Butter from the jar.
 Transfer the Peanut Butter that is now on the knife to one slice of bread and
spread the scoop of Peanut Butter evenly on this slice with the knife.
o If more Peanut Butter is desired repeat taking the Peanut Butter from the
jar and spreading it on the same slice of bread.
 Put the knife down off to the side.
 Put down the slice of bread with the Peanut Butter on it back on the plate, next to
the other slice of bread, with the Peanut Butter side up.
 3. Cleaning the Knife
 Clean the knife using water from the sink and wipe it clean and dry with the
napkin or paper towel.
o CAUTION!! The knife is sharp so be extra careful when cleaning it to
avoid injury.
4: Adding the Jelly
 Get the jar of Jelly and the knife.
Twist and Open the jar of Jelly.
Use the knife to scoop out a small amount of Jelly from the jar.
 Transfer the Jelly that is now on the knife to the slice of bread that has nothing on
it and spread the scoop of Jelly evenly on this slice with the knife.
Put the knife down off to the side.
 Put down the slice of bread with the Jelly on it back on the plate, next to the other
slice of bread, with the Jelly side up.
 5.Putting the Sandwich Together
 Pick up both slices of bread by the sides that are not covered in Peanut Butter or
Jelly.
 Place the two slices of bread together with the Peanut Butter and Jelly facing each
other and touching.
o Fit the two slices so that the shapes match and all the sides are aligned.
 Place the sandwich back down on the plate.
 6. Enjoy the Sandwich
 Eat the sandwich and enjoy.

Relate 
I examined a geometry garden here 
I learned that a geometry garden is a cabinet of geometric curiosities from the geometry playground exhibition on this website. Natural specimens reveal the beauty that emerges from rules of geometry.
Learning about the brain will help me as a teacher because I saw examples of how to connect with students. How every student learns differently and requires different accommodations to do so. I also learned that giving to much work or saying to much at a student is useless because the brain can contain so much information at once and it will eventually start to cycle information out.
I need to offer variations in my lesson keeping in mind that everyone learns different and requires different information to learn. Also everyone works at different paces so lesson times should be planned accordingly.

Cluster 7 CER

Create

If a student participates in class and does his work he will receive good grades on his report card. This will require the student to do what he needs to do in class, pay attention, and in return be rewarded. 

Evaluate
I visited here
Charlotte Russe
This website is selling clothes, shoes, and bathing suits that are presently in fashion. They are marketing to female teenagers and females in their early 20's. The creators used pictures of girls in their clothing and numerous colors and flashing lights to draw attention to different sections of their website. they also have a celebrity on their with an outfit similar to one they are selling with the words "look like her." We all know that not one person will look exactly like the celebrity but putting on the same outfit as her will encourage people to buy the outfit. There is also a button on the side that says sign up for our website and get 10% off. This is like a reward and will encourage people to purchase their products.


Relate

I examined peoples profiles on Facebook. The 3 people I examined allowed everyone that sees their profile to see where they work, where they were born, where they live, and who they are in a relationship with. In my personal Facebook I don not allow anyone to see any of the aspects I posted above. I think its dangerous because anyone can search you (like I just did) and know all of your information. This is how people can be stalked. employers often search potential employees on Facebook to find out more about them. Anything you don't want a professional to see should not be put on social networking sites. 

Cluster 6 CER

In my community is my neighbors and my family. I live in a location that there is nothing but bodies of water and house. There arent any stores near by everything requires a car to drive to. The children are very important in my community. They are always outside playing and we have signs all over saying we love our children please drive slow. The only thing that needs to be known are we are a big loving community and as long as you have a big heart and are willing to be helpful you'll be accepted. I have attached a picture of the local Newburgh Walmart because that is a place we shop at very often and the local Newburgh Applebee's because that is where I work and I consider all of my coworkers part of my community.

Evaluate

In Sudan a woman had been sentenced to death by hanging for marrying a Christian man. Although she is legally married in Sudan Christian marriages are not recognized so she is accused of committing adultery. She was giving the opportunity to convert to Muslim and live but she refused.
She was recently released.
On the defending Muslim end, this woman has committed a crime because she is pregnant by this man. This is considered a crime because her marriage is not recognized by Sudan officials although their marriage is legal
On the opposing side this woman is legally married and her marriage should be recognized and respected. She should not be pressured to convert to Muslim.
Although Muslim is the religion practiced in Sudan I do not believe everyone should be forced to practice it. If someone is married and practicing another religion as sentence of death is extreme and awful. Thank God she was released. I hope she finds resources to move elsewhere and practice her religion freely.
 relate

Relate 
I took my test here 
The test revealed that my hidden biased is in age. I prefer children versus teenagers.
I do not believe that if teachers had biases they would ever reveal it. However, they might score like me. teachers choose the grades they want to specialize in for a reason. Some find it easier to children versus older children and some are the exact opposite. Some teachers might prefer to teach in surburban areas versus city areas and that might influence which race or ethnicity they want to teach. teachers might impeade their biases on students without even knowing. This can affect the students negatively and cause them to change their viewpoints on what they previously thought and believed.

Cluster 5 CER

Create
Find 2014 awarding winning children's books here

Evaluate

Gifted programming is not mandated in my state. There is no gifted funding available.
Relate
June 2, 2014
Today I arrived in the United States. I came to the state of New York, there is so many people, cars and building here. the roads are also very wide. I almost got hit by car crossing the road. There are lights that tell us when we can walk and not to walk,I didn't know that. I have such a hard time understanding English here but I'm learning.  My mother told me in school I will be in a special class that will help me learn English so I am not to far behind. She also gave me a book that helps me figure out what words to say in English placed next to my native language. I will rely on the computer as well there are websites that help me translate. In school I will also get a translator she is going to help me communicate with others. She will be a big help to me. I hope the kids at school will be my friend even though I have trouble speaking. Well that's all for tonight.

Cluster 4 CER

Create 

Specific diagnosis that I might see for children placed in my classroom are:

Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning Disabled, Hearing Impaired, Orthopedic Impaired, Visually Impaired, Intellectually Disabled, Emotionally Disabled

Some may be observable behavior such as arms wailing, lack of control of body movements, lack of focus,drooling.

Some accommodations that I might need to do is give them communication devices, books with larger printed words,give them cushioned seats to keep them grounded, speak slow, and be willing to repeat questions and statements.

Some teaching styles that might be helpful are chinking and repetition. If lessons are broken up into separate chunks and taught at intervals and then constantly repeated and reinforced that can help students who have disabilities be engaged and concentrate. i would use ABA style teaching and the Millieu teaching style.

Evaluate
 website 1
website 2
website 3

These website seem to support the concepts of NCLB and the right to a free public appropriate education. If the child needs a little bit more than what the school is providing. The school needs to contact the state to have it provided. The IEP plan will make sure that no child will do without in school under any circumstances.

Relate


www.iqtest.com
Taking the test was actually a bit stressful. Questions that were asked were things that I was taught ages ago and had to motivate myself to remember. I can imagine what student  go through when they have to recall and remember and take tests that are cumulative. These tests are probably popular because students want to see how they measure out compared to other students. I think IQ tests are faulty.

Cluster 3 CER

Create

When people see people such as Miley Cyrus and Demi Moore with their tiny bodies and no clothes this influences them to think that the only way to be beautiful is to be skinny. Children who are much younger are also very impressionable. They think that going out wearing thin clothes and skimpy outfits are acceptable and makes them beautiful. Celebrities need to promote that you don't have to look like a barbie and not wear clothes to be beautiful.

Evaluate 
video 1
video 2
video 3
These videos provided statistics on the violence that is happening in our schools. 77% of students are bullied in school. Also, at least one student in the eight grade are missing school from fear of bullies. Teachers are also targeted when there is stabbing and shooting occurring in school. Students committing violence start at as young as 5 years old. School violence is constantly on the rise. Every other week you see school shooting on the television. It is a sad case, and we as teachers need to notice warning signs before things escalate.  

Relate

Key factors in the development of identity and self-development for students that are six years old are that they begin to transitioning from the "me" stage to the "us" stage, becoming aware of the needs and interests of the group.  Children are now able to use words to communicate their needs and feelings.

 Erikson thinks that at this age children are capable of learning, creating and accomplishing numerous new skills and knowledge, thus developing a sense of industry.

Students at this age could use the moral reasoning Industry vs. Inferiority. Students begin to develop a send of pride and can initiate and complete projects. Teachers are especially important during these students development period. Children must be reinforced and constantly encouraged.This is necessary for them to achieve all their goals and excel.

Cluster two CER

Create 
Find my webmap on Piaget and Vygotsky here
Evaluate 
Find my social bookmarking here

Relate 
The age range I selected and that represents whom I would most likely work with is Middle Childhood (6-10 years)

Physical Development- Children become taller and stronger. They are more equipped to learn.

Piagetian Cognitive Development- Children are ending the preoperational stage and beginning the concrete operations stage.  In the preoperational stage children are developing their language and using symbols.  

Sociocultural Perspective on Cognitive Development- Vygotsky’s theory on development depended largely on the sociocultural interactions of children.  Vygotsky feels children this age need to interact with those who are more capable and advanced in their thinking.  

Putting it into Perspective- Imagination is one thing that should be stressed when teaching children this age. Talking and interacting with peers and being hands on is extremely important as well. Using manipulatives in the classroom is also important. It’s very important that children are given the time to play and interact with others during this stage.

Maria Montessori and her Legacy

Montessori schools believe in children blooming, learning is nurtured by the environment they are learning in and there is a specific time for children to mature. In a Montessori classroom children are the center of the classroom and creativity and uniqueness is essential. Montessori schools also believe that the things that come from within a child are the most important aspects of development. In a Montessori classroom the student chooses their own work, works at their own learning pace, and discovers their own concepts from self-teaching materials. The child also has the opportunity to work on their chosen project for as long as they’d like. Students also have the ability to work where they’d like and group activity is especially encouraged.  Montessori schools also have organized programs that encourage care of self and environment. This helps students learn concepts such as cleaning items. Teachers are encouraged to have an unobtrusive position in the classroom and to be there as a guide and not necessarily a teacher. Maria Montessori has a concept which states that children go through 4 planes of development.I couldn't have chosen a greater person to research. Maria Montessori has left an amazing legacy and her concept to me is brilliant. 

Podcast Reviews

One of the tasks for this course was to listen to podcast's the author of our textbook recorded in regards to each chapter. We were asked to listen to each podcast prior to reading the chapter. This gave us an insight on what the chapter would pertain and a first hand listen on what the author was trying to explain in each chapter personally rather than just reading the material and trying to understand it ourselves. I think her podcasts were a wonderful idea and I honestly wish every textbook came with this option. Listening to her podcasts were like engaging in a  personal conversation with the author herself. These were like mini cheat sheets on what to expect out of the upcoming chapter. These podcasts give you a brand new outlook on the material you are getting ready to discuss and how you interpret it. It was a personal like of mine to hear the summary rather than read it like everything else. 

Anita Woolfolk's Podcast's

Podcast 3 NCLB

                The teachers begin by having a teachers meeting that discusses the results of the previous year’s testing. They then develop staff development for the next year depending on the prior year’s testing scores. For example if the previous year’s scores showed that the students scored low in reading they will devise a plan to improve the reading scores for the upcoming year.  Students need to make adequate progress towards goals previously set. This is measured using standardized testing. The students need to meet annual progress goals, if by 2014 the goals aren’t met the school could risk being shut down. Her assumption is that by 2014 about 60% of schools will achieve the required standards. Teachers are required to get more educational certificates to prepare them to be teachers. Teachers are required to meet a number of standards before they are allowed to teach. I support this whole heartedly. One of their goals is to learn how to engage and assess students efficiently.

Podcast 5 Negative reinforcement

It is important to note that negative reinforcement is not a punishment. It is a reinforcer, which is anything that follows a behavior and causes the behavior to be maintained or to increase. There are two types of reinforcement, one is adding something after a behavior. This is called positive reinforcement. An example of this is if you study a book before a test you will receive a good grade in return. Negative reinforcement is an attempt to escape an unpleasant situation. This will encourage the behavior occurring in the future.

Podcast 4 Learning

There are 3 kinds of learning. Behavioral which understands consequences, cognitive which is attention and memory, and constructivist which makes sense of what you learn and how you understand information.  Constructivist and cognitive relate to one another because information needs to be understood and remembered.  This further relates to the behavioral aspect because you need to practice what you understand and remember. All three functions relate and intertwine with each other are important for teachers.

Podcast 1 The importance of teachers

In this podcast Anita discussed quite literally the importance of teachers, beginning with educators as a whole. She states every student needs to own a sense of belonging in one way or another. They should feel comfortable when they walk in a classroom, this can occur by teachers doing things as simple as greeting them when they arrive. Teachers should always provide a safe learning environment for their classes. School itself can be a safe haven for some students and teachers may be oblivious to things like this. Teachers can form appropriate and healthy bonds with students by earning their trust and respect. Doing thinds as simples as this can help teachers encourage their students to want to engage further in what they are being taught. It is a win, win situation.

Podcast 2 The importance of Culture

Anita Woolfolk addresses an important aspect of a classroom in this podcast, cultural diversity. Teachers can make their students feel more at home if they take time to acknowledge and welcome the different cultures of their students into the classroom. Although there are numerous different cultures and languages there is a way to encompass this into the classroom. Every student has their own cultures and this can help promote individuality and show students their teachers appreciate and respect them. There are sometimes 10 different languages in one classroom! 18% of the U.S. population currently speaks a language other than English in their homes. Anita speaks about a Colombian student. At school in Columbia it is disrespectful to address a teacher by their name. So instead they call their teachers, “teacher.” In Argentina it is considered disrespectful to look teachers in their eyes, so Argentinean students might have problems doing so. Students from Somalia either have not attended school or did not have chairs to sit in at school, so sitting in chairs for long periods of time maybe difficult for them. Students from Saudi Arabia, may not be comfortable working in groups with female students because it is an insult to work with females in their country. These are things I may have never known if I didn't listen to this podcast and could have interpreted wrong in my classroom.

Blog Reflections

This semester class was filled with some very intelligent students. Check out some of the blogs of my classmates as well as my responses to them.
April:  here
Lisa: here
Deanne: here
Matt here

My Pre and Post Test Scores

Pre and post tests were taken to access our knowledge in every chapter. I began by listening to Anita's podcasts, some information I was familiar with and some I had no idea about. After reading the chapter I was successfully able to change every grade to a perfect 100! The learning sciences and constructivism was the most difficult chapter for me. Anything science related always throws me for a loop. I have grown to love the theory of constructivism however.

Russian (what do we remember)

Russians native language is Russian
They are pessimistic
It is rude to extend your hand in front of them during a conversation
They like to wear American shorts
Call each other by full name
Are polite and address each other Mrs and Mr. and like to be called by such
Impolite to talk and have your hands in your pockets
Orthodox primary religion
Bad luck to shake hands across the doorway
Like to dress formally

I found this image here.

Cluster 1 CRE

Reflect

A Qualified Teacher 

NCLB

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the main federal law affecting education from kindergarten through high school. NCLB is based on four principles: accountability for results, more choices for parents, greater freedom for states and communities for more local control and flexibility, and an emphasis on using proven education methods based on scientific research.

Coming at a time of wide public concern about the state of education, the NCLB legislation set in place requirements that reached into virtually every public school in America. It expanded the federal role in education and took particular aim at improving the educational lot of disadvantaged students.

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/