Final Learning Log

What?

My theory of how children learn based on the quiz that I took says that they learn cognitively and physically by feeling good about themselves and how they are acknowledged. Another term for this is humanism. While looking back through my blogs I realized that knowledge is really important for children, but not as important as believing in themselves and having a sense of self. My top score was in humanism which refers back to how learning occurs and what should be involved in school as a part of the learning experience. Which is a cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual development for children. Mix in both this theory with my second top score of cognitivism and you'll get my theory of how children learn best. I believe learning can only occur if students are having a active creation in their knowledge.

So What?

This theory will impact my classroom in that a new way of learning will be used. Songs, brain boosters, and storytelling will all be used to learn effectively. The students' will need to be organized in their work and show a general knowledge of a topic before they move on. I'll be someone that helps them learn other than lecture information. Material will connect to real life situations and their lives. Respect and caring play a big role in our classroom that learns to like everyone. Students will decide what things they need to improve on a set personal goals. They will also help come up with ideas to use in lessons and get a free day to make up a lesson. My classroom where the teacher and student learn together instead of a part and I'll do every assignment I give my students.

Now What?

The next step would be for me to apply how the theories will impact my classroom to my student teaching and strengthen my beliefs. Or realize that some things won't fit with my theories and need to be changed. I need to learn now to help in scaffolding children and how to make them stronger in struggling areas. I'll need to know what each students' background is like and their level in sense of self. I need to be a support system to those that don't have that anywhere else. I can improve on applying concepts of educational psychology to real situations, and viewing how they mold. I can keep looking for uses of educational psychology in the classroom and I think I'll learn a lot this way.

Ch. 4 Learning Log

What?

While reading chapter four and listening to the lecture I learned quite a few things about group differences. One thing that stuck out to me was how a teachers preconceived motions about students' determine how the studnet is treated. This is where you as a teacher need to evaluate yourself and note where you need to change and be careful, and realize that not one child doesn't fit into a group. This affects children drastically because often how well they perform is based on how safe they feel and seeing if the teacher thinks they can acheive hard things. We need to know the types of studnets in our class and from what backgrounds they orginate, so that in instruction and clss rules accommodations can be made. Not everyone has the same cultural beliefs and what is expected of students' need to be made explicit from the beginning. By knowing which students have to switch cultures from home to school would help you assess behavior and be more understanding. Bring new cultural insights into the classromm so that studnets of a certain ethnicity fell comfortable and strong in a area. Be a support system for students who parents aren't involved and try to be a motivator. By you caring it could help change one studnets' outlook on their troubling situation and start believing in themselves.

So what?
This chapter and the information in it is important for me to know as a future teacher in many ways. Since I want to work in a school with much diversity I'll need to understand the cultural views my studnets' have and help them look outside the box but be supportive as well. I;ll need to treat each studnet equal and make them all feel accepted and cared for. This way the will learn much more. This chapter is a part of the syllabus, because as individuals its important to be accepting of cultures different then ours and its people. With the world changing in ethnicity that means our classes will change also. We can help students' with differnet ethinicitys fell like other studnets' and not as a group name. Educate a new generation that will be more accepting of everyone around and the roles they play. This will help me to be a great teacher becaue I'll be loving to all types of children abd help each one as much as I can. By looking for those that fell isolated because of gender, ethnicity, intelligence and help them and the whole class by using morning mettings.

Now What?
I'll use this information in my future teaching by having morning meetings to make the class fell they are as one. By getting to know one another better will make each student not want to hurt eachother.More problems will be handled through being kind because they will all be closer to eachother. I'll teach my students' about differences and why it makes us special and important. I still need to learn which is the best wayto bring up family and other cultural beliefs that may contradictory without questioning students' as much. Also i need to learn about what ethnic groups value and think disdisrespectful, so I'll never be offensive or put a child down.

Learning Log Chapter 5

What? 

This week through reading and in class discussion I learned a few new things about disabilities I didn't know. One of them is that all types of disabilities are different, even in a group of one category. We as teachers need to judge intelligence on more then just a IQ test, because it doesn't include a student having to adjust one's behavior to accomplish new tasks. Distributed intelligence seems to me to be what gives you a learned behavior, because people are there being a support system. Never categorize students' to a certain label, they'll think they are seen as a disability and not a person. Each disability has different characteristics and instruction that can be adapted for the student. Be prepared for each student in your class each day even if that means accommodations having to be made. Having inclusion in the classroom can be of reward and a burden also. These children will see what behavior is required and be accepted by all students'. When you have gifted students' in class don't give them extra work, have them find something they are passionate about and adapt that to a chosen assignment.

So What?

This chapter is important for me to know about as a teacher on so many levels. If I have students' with disabilities, I need to know how they'll be and how I can best teach them and realize what they can accomplish. Also if I have a class without student with disabilities I would teach them about these differences and how they should be treated. Treated of course as they want to be treated. This is a part of our syllabus because today there are many problems out their that students' can have, and we are likely to have students' that have certain needs. By knowing about these disabilities in depth it will help me to be a great teacher, in that I'll try to see where each child is coming from. And then help them achieve goals on their levels and let them know they are valued and children like their fellow classmates.

Now What?

I can use this material in my future teaching to be more knowledgeable about children's struggles and to educate others about these real life issues. It will help me to be more understanding and able to adapt instruction to different needs. I know it will take practice as I teach students' of all levels. I still need to learn how exactly you adapt instruction for differing disabilities and how to make it fit their needs. I know that many of them will have IEP's and maybe that is what I go off of as a teacher. I think I can learn more as I observe a variety of classrooms and see how teachers handle different levels of students'. I also think I will learn more as I teach and try it on my own. By doing this I'll know how I need to be around students' with my demeanor and what things push them to get work done and what things are hurtful to them.

Learning Log Chapter 10

What?      

This week in class and through the reading, I learned a new theory called social cognitivism. Its much like behaviorism, but also different in three ways. Learning is defined as a change in mental structure and is influenced by beliefs and expectations. The interactions of behavior, environment, and personal factors effects each other. Reinforcement and punishment cause expectations that lead to behavior. The basic assumptions of social cognitivism theory are people can by observing other, behavior is directed by certain goals, and its much self-regulated theory. Modeling can be used with a real person or a symbolic character that shape students' behaviors based on their actions, for example Kobe Bryant. When students' have effective models they learn only when four things occur they are; attention, retention, motor-reproduction, and motivation. As teachers its important to model the right way using its characteristics, because we help pass on culture to generations by what we teach them. The way you model can effect behavior for good and bad in students'. They observe you and then demonstrate things you do and when watching another get punished for a previous behavior they possess, they will do this behavior less often. Children have to have self-efficacy in the skills they accomplish, or els they will never become a self-regulated person in completing school and control behavior.

So What?    

This information about social cognitivism is important for me as a future teacher to know about to understand my students'. With them being in first grade a lot of them are still very young and probably still getting used to school environment. There behavior and self-efficacy aren't set so emotions are always up and down. It's good to know how to model behavior and academic skills, so that they can start to apply them to daily life. Using reinforcements will be handy when children achieve certain class goals or don't behave in certain ways during a assembly. This is a part of the syllabus, in that, the way that one behaves effects the way they learn and the friends they make. Children need friends to learn essential behavior qualities from, so this is important. This knowledge will help me to be a great teacher by helping to control my students' behaviors in the right ways and teaching them how to manage their own work each day.

Now What?   

 In the future I'll use this information in my classroom everyday to control class management and performance of students'. They will learn to accomplish tasks on their own, so they can gain a strong self-efficacy. They need a strong foundation in correct behavior and confidence to continue on with school and life. I think there still things for me to learn about this subject, but I'll have to learn it over time observing different classrooms. 

ch.9 Learning Log

What?
This week in class and through the reading I learned about Behaviorism and its characteristics. Operant condtioning is a part of behaviorism and a way to make good behavior reoccur again. This is done by a good response being followed by a reinforcing stimulus, which is a reward in a way to some. In any type od behavior teachers or students can behave in one of two ways: classical conditioning which is involuntary or operant conditioning which is voluntary. Reinforcement increases behavior no matter if its positive or negative. It's important to encourage behavior depending on the student development stage which will effect the reinforcements you use. For example by being a role of motivation and using it at the right times, not in fron of the whole class are examples of development levels. To be effective in changing students behaviors use shaping. This is done by breaking tasks into smaller sections so that students can accomplish them. Also by having a criterion that each student can reach eventually by the end of the year is considered shaping. While using shaping use sucessive approximation by reinforcing students behavior until it gets closer and closer to your goal.

So what?
The topic of behaviorism and its counterparts are very important to know as a future teacher, so that when you see bad behavior you'll know how to help change it. Studnets are always going to have bad days but by you knowing them ans what they may be going through shows them you care and want to help. You could have them keep a behavior chart and only you two would know about it. By knowing how to react and how punishment doesn't increase learing you'll help children by shaping their manners and view of work. This is included in the syllabus, because behaviorism is what plays into classroom management and if your kids can't learn to respect you and focus learning and improvement won't happen. I know that by using pratical reinforcers and knowing ways to eliminate behaviors ,the students will know how to treat others by how I respond to them, treat them, and except from them. By working with parents to guide behavior also at home and to have communication back and forth about concerns will improve my relationships with parents and eventually students because they will be improving. This is how I'll be a great teacher.

Now What?
I'll use behaviorism in my future teaching each day as I experience many behaviors. I'll be careful how I use reinforcers because each student is unique. I need to learn more about ways to communicate operant conditioning principles to students and its effect on them first hand. By reading more about classroom management and experiencing how its managed in classrooms, I'll learn how to use behaviorism correctly.

Learning Log Ch.7

What?
This week in class we learned about learning construction and how a big part of that is one's meaning behing their knowledge. If astudent doesn't know what a chair is they won't be able to describe one, for example. Learning is a process not something your born with and as you learn new concepts more pathways are made in your brain. Concepts are a way to help us learn what a word,feeling,action is, what it means, and what it does. It also helps one to start organizing knowledge with other similar memories. With the world filled with information different views and theories of that information come along with it. This is where misconceptions come into play and confuse children of the truth. Teachers especially need to be giving factual information and backing it up with primary sources for students to compare. Discovery learning is a good way for teachers to respond to students who don't quite get it. Instead of saying thats wrong , say that;s not quite what I'm looking for its a little different from what I'm thinking of. This way they will want to find out the real answer and not feel shut down. The students then will continue to ask questions and not feel dumb and picked on.
So What?
This weeks topic is of importance to a future teacher , in that everything you say to students is building up their knowledge. You're the one that helps to construct the learning that takes place either good or bad. By knowing that they' re going to have outside knowledge and different understandings you can decide how to best teach. By knowing these basics then you can incorporate them into authentic activities were they really get a different learning experience. This is a part of the syllabus because learning daily and how its constructed is a human behavior, without it we wouldn't function. We then can learn more about what ways we construct knowledge and then experiment with the students and find the ways they learn best. This will make me a great teacher, in that, I will constantly be looking for ways that can help my students get different kinds of experiences out of original lesson material, so that they remember.
Now What?
Lesson Topic: Seasons k-1st grade
Engage: Read the story, A Tree for all Seasons. Ask questions to students about the surroundings of the tree and what's different about them. Does the tree change being outside at different seasons? What happens to the leaves?
Explore: Have students all help to make a classroom weather chart where at the beginning of class one helper can write or draw a picture of the weather that day.
Explain:Studnets would tell about the weather and something they saw or found out. This would come from their seasons journal they keep at school. They would think-pair-share with friend.
Elaborate: Studnets will create their own collage of each season using crafts in class.
Evaluate: Students will show in their artwork and by what describing word they chose to describe each season in collage, what they have learned about the seasons and how they make them feel.

Learning Log Ch.6

What?
This week I learned about learning and memory. That in order for learning to happen there has to be a new experience and that meaning is constructed by the learner, rather than directly from the environment. Our certain beliefs and values are what play the role in making things meaningful to the learner. Memory in our brain literally forms pathways and the younger they're defined the longer you'll remember those memories. All of our memories don't go to one certain place they go to a few. First you need to be paying attention for it to get stored into working memory and then to long term. Once its here it needs to be applied to something else or it will be lost. Make the fact meaningful,connect it with a picture and organize it with other concepts. The model of memory is what taught me the correct process of information into two different categories. The brain has a lot of steps that have to work for things to be remembered. Using almost every part of it mostly the hippocampus ans amygdala are used to store memory ans retrieve it.
So What?
This weeks topic is important for a future teacher.say me, to know for a number of reasons. If I understand how learning and memory come and the strategies that help them move from short term to long term memory students will improve. Students will know some of these strategies and start to apply them on their own. By showing students a wide variety of helpful techniques they can use the one that works best with their learning style. Help them feel more confident with tests and with anything that required memorization. This is included in the syllabus so that we can see how we can understand learning and memory to help our students. This topic will help me be a great teacher by helping me see what level the students memory process works and incorporate them into class. Teach them different ways to organize information and how to retrieve long term memories while interacting with other students doing think-pair-shares.
Now What?
The information that I've learned about chapter six will be important in my future. It will help me know how to help my students retain their knowledge the best they can. By knowing each students learning style and what they enjoy this will help get their attention, which moves information into short-term memory. I need to learn how to respond to children beliefs that are incorrect and how to turn them in the right direction. I want to learn about ways to make lessons meaningful, all concepts organized, and emphasized. I think a lot of this learning will come from practice teaching, but also from reading. This will help me to get my students stretching to their full potentials.

Learning Log, Chapter 3

What?

While learning and reading about chapter three I really started getting interested in development. The factors that determine your sense of self and how you develop to figure yourself out are very important. I learned about a series of steps for social development and they are so crucial in daily life. Eriksons steps are helpful to evaluate which step your at and to help assess others. You can see that this is the way our lives tend to go and that we'll eventually move past a bad stage in life. Every stage has an opposite side to show that in different stages of life things can go either way. The friends and the huge role the play in every childs life is important for each one of them to establish. Children learn so much through peer interactions such as learning to be social and be emotionally supported. If children are unpopular, feel rejected, or are neglected sooner or later their behavior, lack of caring for improving, and attitudes will change. All children should always feel of worth in your care and while you are instructing them. With emotional and social development soon comes moral development. Kohlberg who came up with stages of moral development are good starting points to evaluate students moral behavior. They will be for boys but not girls since he didn't include girls in his study. These stages help give us a backbone for childrens reasoning behind misbehaving or abiding for certain reasons. Knowing your students backgrounds and friends as well as having these stages in mind will help you see why certain students act out the way they do.

So What?

The topic in chapter three is important for me to know as a teacher, in that each child is developing emotionally and socially each month. Many of these months which they will be in my care. Each one of them will be at different stages and I'll need to know what each stages characteristics are, so I can be of help. I could incorporate into my life different scenarios or stories about bullying or leaving others out. I feel this subject was put in the syllabus because we are learning to teach children, and every childs emotional and social development plays a factor in the way they learn. Knowing about this subject can make me a better teacher by being an advocate and someone students can talk to. Instead of being a teacher that only lectures and doesn't know what is going on in the students lives. I could let them know about how the same things they are going through I went through and be a support. Doing group activities where the teacher picks the groups is a good way to mix up those that hide with people who are more social. They will learn to work in groups and complete projects,each having a certain role, and get it completed. These activities could show them that not everyone is weird and that others have similar interests within the class. Making them learn to like others and themselves will make school and the classroom more enjoyable.

Now What?

This weeks information has a lot of material that I can apply as a teacher. I can be able to see where the age levels of students struggle, and incorporate values assignments that help them view true friends differently. I'll need to keep researching and reading books about development to get a well rounded view of it. Also I can volunteer in classrooms and see how different ages of children act socially and which things are hard for them to get used to. This way I'll get a better look at the ages I could possibly be teaching and start preparing better.

Learning Log #2 and Kim Peek "The real Rainman"

Kim Peek the real "Rainman" is 57 years old and lives with his father. His four brain lobes are fused together and aren't separate. His brain is constantly making connections that don't get sorted into certain areas of the brain. No synaptic pruning occurs, so everything stays in his mind and he doesn't know the depth background. He is remarkably talented and memorized anything from six topics. One is reading which he loves and can remember 98.3% of what he has read in one hour. Another category is music which he just started doing and can play pieces he remembers hearing in his childhood and can hear different instruments. His father want to show Kim to as many people as he can, so they can learn from him and meet an amazing person. Traveling all over the world he went to England and was given an award to become a honorary alumni. This was because he was asked one question to name all of englands monarchs up until the present. He did this and started in the 800's with the Saxons all the way up to Elizabeth. He is inspirational and I really enjoyed going to listen to him.
What?
This week through the reading and in class dicussion, I learned a lot about cognitive development and its function in the brain. It has four main functions first that learning changes neurons and causes more synapses that occur, which make new connections. Changes in the brain allow our minds to have more educated thoughts, which are caused by synaptic pruning and myelination. Many parts of our brain work to together to enable behavior and thoughts to happen. Lastly the brain is contines to remain adaptable and change throughout life. Neuron networks are only strengthened through use, which means, teaching students unique instruction and taking htem new paths that will cause new sparks.
One thing I knew had an effect on students and everyone was if you think of yourself in certain ways, you end up becoming them. We talked in class about fixed versus growth mindset and this ties back to into self-talk and self-esteem. Teachers have a very bug impact that can cause children to have fixed mindsets causing their learning to decrease. We as teachers sometimes think we are helping a student by telling them"You're smart", but in fact its hurting them. We need to tell them how well they improved or did a certain assignment, and this will give them the correct confidence. The confidence to be challenged and acheive greater tasks.
The last thing I learned was that equilibration is important to understand, so you can gage where students levels are. Then use your data to accomodate them and see if they understand what goes next and how to get there.
So what?
Cognitive development, mindset, and equilibration are important for teachers to know about to help them learn in the right ways. Students all are growing cognitively each day and you want to know that they are using them correctly. Your teaching needs to be information that causes dendrites to keep growing. This will happen if each student has been shown that they are hard workers and can accomplish tasks. High expectations will push students and they will be learning more. This is included in the syallbus because these are all major factors that start learning and make it progress. If we are teaching students we want to be of benefit ans that's why we are here. This knowledge will help me to be a great teacher by realizing the best tools and theories that have made children learn and remember more. I will see where they are in the process of equilibration and judge off it.
Now What?
I still need to continue reading about cognitive development and what needs to be happening at each age level. I need to see wher their ZPD is and how to challenge or simplify something. I need to be around children more and see this students learning processes first hand. Scaffolding is also something that I need to understand and the way it works.

Brain Learning Log

What?    

This week in class I've learned what the reticular activating system was and how it is so important, because it is what effects if you remember or not. It also effects motivation, learning, and self-esteem, which are all very important to be having go on if a child is to learn. I never knew or heard of synaptic pruning and found out that it is when synaptic connections weaken or degenerate. It seemed that synaptic pruning would be a bad thing but it isn't it helps clear them aside, so functioning synapses can move faster. Without learning about the brain teaching can't work well you need to know what is going on and how each child makes connections through their preferred process. While having in class lecture I learned a new skill used for teaching and it's called RAD. R stands for reticular activating system, A stands for amygdala, and D stands for dopamine, which is a feel good transmitter. Researchers have said this is a good formula for students to learn the most. Their reticular activating system, memory, and the chemical release all need to be used in order for the technique to work. Some strategies that help use this technique are physical activity, music, fun, peer interaction, and using the students prior knowledge. Through instructing students their brains can be molded and changed to act smarter.

So what?  

This topic of the brain is important for me to know about, as a future teacher, in that each student will have a brain that learns differently from all the others. I'll need to incorporate different learning techniques into lessons, so each child progresses. Also since brains can be molded I want to help them by teaching correct principles and not molding them the wrong way, or creating bad habits. If we should use prior knowledge and include experiences where they are fully emerged and then their high level thinking skills will grow. The brain is include in the syllabus to teach us its importance and how everything in teaching comes back to the foundation, the brain. This will help be to be a better teacher, because I will make sure each child understands concepts even if their way is different then others. I want each child to love learning, not get lost, and believe in themselves.

Now What?

I will use this information about the brain in future teaching to look back every time and learn something new. I need to relate it all back to my classroom and students so that they understand how they learn. I will continue to read information on the brain and about how children learn best. The RAD teaching technique fascinates me and I want to read up on it and find how it is working and what type of teachers instruct it best. I want to include this technique someday in my classroom and I'll will try to research more about the brain and its amazing abilities.

Final Reflection Blog: what? so what? now what?

What?

I have learned that educational research is important in all aspects. It tests areas around you as a teacher and it is constantly giving up to date information and facts. Descriptive research is just studying current situations in and about where you live. It shows the way things are and is the first step in any scientific process. Correlational research is a research where two items are compared. It is a research that is used in everyday life. You can see which variable out weighs the other and look at their differences to see why. You can see the information given and predict why the outcome is what it is. Even though the problem isn't shown and you can't see why it's there.

Experimental research shows that different variables have a cause and effect. And usually one variable is changed and has an effect on the other. In scientific research it is documented in graphs or charts. Unlike any other it has a direct starting and ending point. You have to realize that other factors can play a role and may be the reason the research turn out a certain way. Action research is the one out of the four that relates directly to any teacher. It helps find reasons for issues at school and how they can be fixed. This will in turn effect the students work, learning, and school atmosphere.

So what?

I  feel that the importance of what I've learned about educational research is mostly in how I'll apply it. You can use it when you need to write research papers or give a speech about statistics. It plays a big part in our world and its good to know each type of research and what each one shows. This way you can look a chart and say "Ok they are comparing these different stocks based on their interest rate." If you want to stay up to date with the news of this world we need to know educational research. Action research is increasingly important since it deals with the field I want to be a part and make a difference in. By reading and studying it will help me as a teacher be more prepared and cautious to certain circumstances. We can also do our own action research if we have a stirring problem and record notes in our class journals. Not just about our students, but about our lessons and if they are helping them to grow or make the problem worse. Also with different management techniques and which ones they respond to all these things are important to apply to you and your future classes.

Now What?

As I reflect about what I need to still learn about educational research it's hard for me to gage. I don't know everything that is out there and of what benefits they could be to me. I think I need to learn a lot more about action research, because I know it will benefit me when I become a teacher. I need to try and find connections that can apply to me and the future schools I work at. It would be good information to know before choosing where you feel you should teach, and its data on the environment and school background.

Why am I here?

 I'm here at UVU because I wanted to be away for my college experience, but still be close to home. I feel the reason I'm doing elementary education is because of my love of children and desire to help them. Ever since I can remember, I have had a connection with children and feel they start to trust me immediately. With service being one of my passions, I have seen children who don't have the opportunity to go to school to learn. I've seen how this affects them socially and environmentally. This has sparked something inside of me to help children love to learn and reach their potential. I believe we have the opportunity to become anything we can imagine.

What motivates me?

I am motivated by focusing on others and helping people feel loved, by seeing single mothers with children getting degrees, and by wanting children from all walks of the earth to succeed in learning to help themselves and their families. Love and the excitement that children have are the things that motivate me.

Why do I succeed?

I succeed because I'm constantly pushing myself and won't stop. I have a hard work ethic and like the feeling of completing something difficult. My upbringing and the values I've been taught also play a role. Serving others and not expecting something in return makes me feel I've done some good.

Why do I fail?

I fail through fear, vulnerability, lack of self-esteem, and not thinking I'm qualified enough.

How do I need to change my motivations and mindset for this class in order to become a great teacher?

I feel I need to be able to trust my instincts and know that I can eventually become a great teacher. I also need to remember that after putting in hard work and personality it will be worth every minute. 

 

Educational Psychology Course Contract

The three specific goals I have for this course are: 

• To complete the course knowing more about how children think and how I can teach them better.
•  To learn more about myself and what kind of teacher I want to be. 
• To continue changing my mindset knowing that everything I do can make me grow and improve to become the kind of teacher I want to be.

My weekly preparation plan for this class is to start on the assignments right when they are given, so I won't be stressed waiting until the last minute to complete them. Also I'll read the assigned chapter before class, so I know what is going to be covered that day. At the same time while reading the chapter I'll make flash cards of the vocabulary terms to study until the test comes up. If I have questions or concerns I'll first ask my study group on Thursdays and if I can't find my answer there I'll contact the professor.

The study strategies I'll be using will be the 4 R's to help me really comprehend the text and get something out of it. Another strategy I'm going to use is a study group throughout the week to go over what we have learned in the chapter and to talk about the information and assignments given. Flash cards are my other study strategy to review the terms of psychology in relation to education.

The process I'll take if I don't understand a topic, will be, to try and solve it myself first and if not, ask the other girls in the cohort if they understand the topic I'm struggling with.

I will reach my goals in this course by pushing and stretching myself to get everything done, making the information internally meaningful, and participating fully to learn from what's taught.