Group Forum

Something I learned from out group forum is how important self-concept is to all students but students with disabilities in particular. The article my group had posed a lot of questions and reasons why self-concept and self-esteem change throughout a students life. It is my job as a teacher to help students develop and have a positive self-concept. Students with autism have a very low self-esteem in social aspects and students with EBD do not think highly of themselves. The article was difficult to read because of all the numbers so I felt like it was hard to talk about. Our group focused a lot on the numbers and I think it confused the class. I would like to learn more about helping build self-concept. I have some ideas but I want to help the students with disabilities and I am not sure that I know how to do that. The forum was helpful for me because we all have our own opinions just like how it will be when I am working in a school. It was nice to hear others suggestions about my article along with everyone else's. A classmate can give me advice that I wouldn't have thought of. I liked the atmosphere that we had. It was nice to talk to my classmates. I can't think of anything that would have helped me learn more. The questions the classmates posed were thoughtful and everyone gave great suggestions. I liked the disabilities group but I wasn't crazy about the articles. I know we had freedom to find another article. I thought the forum was a good experience.

Ch. 2

I am in a kindergarten placement right now. I chose to look at the K-2 grade level from Table 2.2. A suggested strategy is to read age appropriate books as a way to enhance vocabulary. I learned this in my Reading education class also. In that class it was suggested to read books that are a little bit over the kindergarten level so they are getting exposure to new words. Another suggested strategy is to give corrective feedback when students' use of words indicates inaccurate understanding. I will use this in my classroom but not in a negative way. I don't want to discourage the students from using new words but just fix what the problem might be. I could use it in a sentence the correct way or help them learn the word that they meant or needed to use. A suggested strategy is to work on listening skills. This is important in all classrooms but at the younger grades such as K-2, it is our job as teachers to teach this skill. I think sometime this is expected but not taught. Listening isn't just sitting quiet but it is asking questions and trying to understand what is being said. Once students are listening and appearing engaged the teacher needs to ask follow up questions to make sure they understand and there aren't misconceptions from the lesson. The last suggested strategy from the table is to ask students to construct narratives about recent events. I would like doing this to start the day or to get focused after lunch. I think it is important for the students and teachers to talk. This doesn't have to be about school but having conversations about their weekend or plans helps them with conversation skills and narratives. I found a great source that helps clarify what is normal language in the classroom and what the teacher should try to address and fix. There are about 15 questions this website addresses. I think it will be useful in the future when I am trying to solve a language problem in my classroom. http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0006fillmore.html I have tried several different ways to link this website. I will copy and paste the URL.

Self-efficacy & self regulation

I think kids need to want to behave or change for there to be actual change. I know I won't do something unless I want it for myself. Students need to know what is expected and know how to regulate themselves. Self evaluation is very important in schools and this gives students a chance to monitor themselves. Students should have high self-efficacy. They will be more successful. Lisa needs to think she can be successful at all jobs. Once she does that she will be more open and willing to help. Once Lisa learns to self regulate, she can ask her self "am i doing what I am supposed to be doing?" "Am I engaged with the group?". She can help fix her own behaviors.

Barbara

I have experience with kids who have autism but that was my first time being around someone who is older with autism. It was interesting because she didn’t let being mute stop her. She was very intelligent and funny. I like her honesty and it gave me hope for the kids I work with everyday. I often think about where they will be in 10, 20 years and I would like to think of them being successful like she is. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into the presentation but I am glad I went. She isn’t afraid to express how lonely she was and how hard it was for her not to communicate. I was surprised how well she listened to what people were saying. I could barely hear the questions that she was asked but she answered them with no problem. The presentation made me want to work harder to give all students the chance to express themselves. Technology now can help all types of people with disabilities. I am learning ways to help students who are having problems and using her as inspiration I can try to help students who have autism and students in general. I am assuming the lady that was helping Barbara was a therapist of some sorts. I never understood who she was but she could be a resource for teachers as could Barbara for helping kids with autism reach their full potential. The information I learned from the presentation helped me with thinking of ways to help students. Barbara was mute and was a slow typer but she was very smart and just needed a way to communicate. When we were listening to this lesson I was thinking about differentiating instruction and multiple teaching styles. I need to have a variety when I teach and think of ways I can help all learners. She likes books but can’t read or listen to them in ways that are normal to most. If I’m the teacher I need to consider that and make that change in the classroom. When she was in school she probably just had expository teaching but now teaching has changed so much I think she could get better help now. Most teachers are aware of disabilities and have the drive to help any way possible. This information was new to me because I didn’t know there was an app to say what you type. I was curious about her back and how touching it helped her. I would have liked to learn more about her and I wanted to buy her book but I didn’t have cash. I liked how her thoughts came out. They were random but honest. She was creative but communicated exactly what she wanted. I appreciated how she was honest with everyone around her whether it is her nurses or readers. That is a rare quality. Each person is different but the qualities that come with autism make them that much more special.

Ch. 9

I feel if I let her change groups or make sure she gets the ob she wants after she acts out that will encourage her behavior. I would like to avoid that. I would want to use positive reinforcement when she is behaving how she is supposed to. I want to catch her when she is getting along with the group or doing the job she doesn't want. She would receive compliments or a sticker or something of that nature. This might change her behavior for the better. Once she starts being productive in the group she can earn rewards that get her to the job she wants to be. I think behaviorism and constructivism could work side by side. I feel like I would use behaviorism more for classroom management more than education purposes but maybe that is because it is what I am familiar with. I like the idea of constructivism in the classroom because we give students 15 minutes of instruction but let them explore for 45 minutes or so on. Students need time to expand what they know and collaborate with partners. This could work with behaviorism because a student could be punished or reinforced from how they were learning or their group members. They use experiences to mold learning. I think constructivism is difficult for some lessons that need to be more lecture instead of hands on activities. Here is a link I used to help me wrap my mind around the two is posted below. I found this picture helpful hopefully it shows up large enough! It's a great web of 3 theories

Lesson involving metacognitive skills

Math lessons will be a great way to work on metacognitive skills and problem solving. Word problems when the solver doesn't know the method can improve these skills. Part of cognitive learning is realizing some things are harder to learn that others. Self regulation is a skill students need to work on and this becomes helpful on tests that are timed. Students need to be aware how much time they can spend on a problem before they move on or they need to be able to plan for a project. A lesson that comes to mind is a list of word problems like the ones that we were given in class. Some were easy to solve, some we didn't have all the information for and some took multiple steps. Students must know how to activate problem solving and apply many different types of math to find the answer. The can apply what they know and ways to solve it whether its drawing out pictures, using imagery or counting on your fingers. Each learner learns differently and they need to be aware of how they learn best. I am a visual learner so I would need to have manipulatives or possibly pictures to work on word problems. I have attached a link that I used to check my understanding of metacognitive skills. It has a 7 step check list of how to help students with work problems. I thought this would be a helpful resource in the future.

Constructivist ism in our group lessons

I am not 100% sure if I understand the question but hopefully this is in the ball park. Our group project was vocabulary words and we chose science and weather words. We wanted to start by activating prior knowledge and asking what the students know about weather. Then we give them a list of words and let them go look at the local weather or newspaper to see if they can construct meaning for those words. Skills they need are activating prior knowledge and looking at context clues. They need to use problem solving and critical thinking. They need to take and apply what they know to a new situation. They might think they know a word but they can test that idea out with the group. It is our job as a teacher to help the students learn how to learn and work cooperatively and collaboratively.

Once a teacher becomes the guide to the class instead of center stage the class has more freedom to learn creatively. I think the teacher can do activities that let then students have freedom for example our group added as an activity for the students to then make a weather broadcast using their words. The students are in charge of everything. This allows for creativity, independence, and group work.

I used a website from a data base to help me understand constructivism a little better. Here is the URL.
http://otec.uoregon.edu/learning_theory.htm#Constructivism

Cognitive Learning & Memory

What are the essential skills and/or learning outcomes you want your students to know and be able to do that relate to cognitive learning? 

I want my futures students to know how to take information and apply it to decision making and problem solving. In class, students won't know all the information given but if they have the skills to break it down and process pieces of a time it will help them in all subjects. I want my students to take new information and make connections to their life. Once students can do that it will help them retain the information. Memorization is key to cognitive learning. I would like to do activites to show the difference between long and short term memory. If they can recall memories, I will know more about their cognitive learning. Another major part to cognitive learning is concerntration. I would love to teach the students how to focus their attention on a task. The most important skill for me would be application of their cognitive learning. I want them to process, memorize, recall and concentrate but if they can't apply their learning, it is for nothing.

I knew about cognitive learning from other classes but I refered to a website for help. I got to dig in to what I think are essential skills that relate to cognitive learning.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/151537-cognitive-learning-in-children/

I learned several tips from the memory teaching projects. I have heard that studying before bed will help you remember the material for the test but you learn for a short time.I have done this plenty of times but I didn't realize there was research behind it. I also thought it was interesting to learn ways to improve memorization.I will definitely have my future students make connections with what they are learning and use imagery like Jordan did with his grocery list. That was creative but helpful. I also liked the idea for acronyms.

Assessment

Math and reading are most emphasized in classroom so I am going to think about a math lesson plan. Fractions seemed to be the most stressful from the time spent in observing and from my own experience.

I have watched the teacher at Spring Hill Elementary teach two fraction lesson plans now. She assesses them the whole time so most of my assessments are inspired by her classroom. Most of the assessing she does is informal. The teacher should pose questions at the beginning of the lesson to see if the student has any prior knowledge or to recap from what was taught yesterday. This gets their brains thinking and sees what they can remember. After some review is done, the teacher can teach the lesson such as adding or subtracting fractions. After the lesson or instruction is completed, a student could come to the board for practice and to "teach" the class. I have found that students can learn from each other easier than the teacher on some occasions. The student writing on the board and explaining their steps shows the teacher what they have learned. Another assessment can be a worksheet. The 4th grade teacher lets the students start on the worksheet individually then get with a partner or work as a group. As groups they can help each other and the teacher can walk around and see if there are any problems and she needs to reteach anything. A last assessment can be a formal one in the shape of a test. A test or a quiz can give feedback to the teacher one what the kids understood in the lesson.

There are many ways to assess students and math is an easy subject to assess. I have watched the teacher figure out what the students know without them feeling pressured to be perfect. She gives them hints so they don't get down on themselves. I have learned tons just from observing her classroom. I also found a website with 7 pages of assessment tools that I will use at a later date. The website says it is for a math classroom but they could be altered for multiple subjects. A to Z assessment list

Ch 13/ CSEL

When I think of creating a learning environment conducive to learning I think of a class room that is open with communication. My favorite classes were the ones I could talk to the teacher and not be worried I was wrong. Students should feel comfortable talking to one another and with me. Classes should be organized with labels where everything goes such as homework and assignments. I found some websites online but I couldn't get the pictures to work but the class and teacher came up with a list of 8 rules that the class would abide by. After they wrote out the rules everyone agreed and signed the bottom and they hung that up in the room. I really liked that idea. They get a say of what behavior should be like in the classroom. On that note I'll talk about the CSEL.

When dealing with the case study I would try to talk to the group as a whole without trying to single out Lisa in front of the other students. I think maybe the circles where the students talk would help this group. There seems to be problems with how they work together. If there is a break in the day or time to talk to Lisa, I would try to talk to her and see what is bothering her. She is having difficulty working with a group I need to try to understand why. I want to let her know I understand getting frustrated but not try to blame her for causing difficulty. Also with that she and the group need to learn that we don't always get our way and have to do things we don't always like but it is part of responsibility and growing up. They can work together and practice problem solving.

I wasn't sure what to do if Lisa still refuses to work with the group so I went to google. I found an article that provides dialogue and advice on how to work with kids that aren't wanting to work with the teacher or group. Here is the link but I added the main portion of the article.

http://www.sheknows.com/how-to/articles/5992/how-to-handle-a-stubborn-kid

Don't set yourself up to lose
Let's work backwards on this. We will study a situation in which a teacher creates a minor disaster in her classroom. Her attempts to control a situation result in a "blowout" by the student, creating a need for other professionals to be involved. Then we will look at how this could have been avoided in the first place. Once we have done this, we will take a look at the use of this technique in our own homes with our own children:
Teacher: (speaking from across the room.) "Jessie, why are you moving your chair? You don't need to do that. Move it back where it was!"
Jessie: "Brittany is going to help me."
Teacher: "You don't need her help. Now move your chair back where it was!"
Jessie: "But I need help on this."
Teacher: "Move that chair, or you're going to get sent to the recovery room."
Jessie: "I don't have to. You can't tell me what to do. You're not my mother!"
At this point the situation deteriorated. Jessie was ordered to leave the room. She refused, and was threatened with disciplinary action. Hearing this, she ran screaming out of the room and other professionals were drawn into the situation.

A "nobody loses" approach

Here is another approach to the very same situation. No battle line is drawn. Regardless of how the child reacts, she is actually obeying the adult's request. Both the dignity of the adult and the dignity of the child can be maintained. Disciplinary action to help Jessie learn the wisdom of cooperating with the teacher can be provided at a later time if necessary:
Teacher: (walking up the student and whispering.) "Jessie. I need you to move your chair back. Would you consider doing that for me? Thank you." (The word, "consider," takes away any threat and eliminates the opportunity for Jessie to be defiant.)
Jessie: "But I want Brittany to help me."
Teacher: (still whispering.) "I'm sure that's true, and I'd like you to consider moving."
Jessie: "No. I don't have to."
Teacher: (still whispering.) "Thanks for considering it. Do you really think that it's wise to refuse when I ask in a nice way? Personally I don't think that's a wise decision. We'll talk about that later." (The teacher walks away and Jessie remains where she is provided she does not create a disturbance.)
Since Jessie was not ordered to move, she has already complied with the teacher's request. She was not told to move, only to consider moving. Nobody has lost a battle at this point. The other students are not aware of the problem and the teacher's authority has not been challenged in front of the group. Jessie's teacher now has the time to muster her forces and figure out how to deal with Jessie's lack of cooperation. If discipline is necessary it can be done in private.

The teacher added some character education into this confrontation and the situation never got out of hand. 

Motivation

The theories of motivation that were most helpful for me were the extrinsic/intrinsic motivation and goal theory. I feel like I learn and am more motivated by rewards and my interests in the material. If I like the subject or assignment then I put more effort into it. Also if I am competing or working towards a prize I will work harder. I think kids will be motivated the same way. If the student or class sets a goal then the motivation will follow. The homework passes work as motivation for better grades or a class pizza party if everyone makes the goal. I also think reinforcement is a great motivator. Reinforcement needs to come after a specific behavior like staying on task and it needs to be at random. Reinforcement can be stickers, pencils, candy or any treat that will motivate the kids.

I found a video on youtube that I thought was a great motivator for the individual kids along with the whole class. It is about 4 minutes long but worth watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVHVUSizMa0

The teacher is helping the students prepare for standardized testing coming up. This is a stressful time for teachers and students. She uses their review packet to make a game for the kids. The kids are motivated to find the right answers so their team can win the prize. The students rely on each other to be right and together they earn points. Each child enjoys getting theit time at the board and can show the class what they know. If they get the answer wrong they get to see how they missed it and fix their error. The competition motivates them but also helps them review in a less atressful way.  

PLE #1

When I think of assessment these pictures sum up my thoughts. A goal for me this semester is to learn more about assessment and see what the kids know without stressing them out about standardized tests. I also want to explore classroo management more.  It is overwhelming to think about my own classroom but I think educational psych will help with that. I am concerned about the CSEL but I think it will make more sense as the semester moves along.