If I were to make a summative response over this article, I would like to retitle it "Quick Guide to Education." This article encompasses concepts and ideas that are taught through the Ed. Psych. course as well as in merely every education course offered. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the information, it is just repetition for a student half-way through the program. With that being said, any guide book is a quick and easy reference to a topic that can otherwise be extremely extensive and I intend on keeping this within my "files."
Some further clarification that I gained from this article is that Piaget views development as leading learning while Vygotsky views learning as leading development. The way the author worded it and put them simultaneously together, I was able to make sense of their differentiation. I must say that from this, I am leaning towards agreeing more with Vygotsky. Granted a three year old is not going to understand why the seasons exist because they have simply expereienced them all but I do believe that a child will excel mentally and potentially physically once they have absorbed and made sense of their surroundings.
I have to admit, I enjoyed Figure 2-3 (Social constructivist teaching suggestions) and Figure 2-4 (Constructivist strategies for teaching) so much for the fact that they were so inclusive, that I just printed them out and will continue to hold them in my binder of useful things. They encompass the basic strategies/concepts that I have ever learned through education courses. A few final things I found interesting from the article were that they mentioned a few of my favorite things together: experimentation and problem-centered activities. Hoorah! In one section it also talks about the use of language in the classroom and it relates to me because I find that essential for all classrooms and I fully intend to have a classroom FULL of posters with vocabulary, quotes and diagrams of all sorts.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Private Universe
What are my best understandings about? ((Classroom Exploration))
1. How the phases of the moon occur?
The moon is in constant orbit around the Earth. Due to the tilt in the axis of the Earth, the sun reflects light off of different portions of the moon. There are four phases of the moon:waning, waxing, full and new.
*The sun reflects light off the moon's surface depending on where the moon is in orbit around the Earth; creating different amounts of of surface showing towards the sun and to the Earth.
2. What causes the seasons?
This also depends on the orbit of Earth and it's tilt of the axis. When the Northern Hemisphere/pole is leaning towards the sun at most, in it's rotation, the Northern Hemisphere experiences summer and the Southern Hemisphere is then experiencing its winter. This goes vice versa for when the Southern Hemisphere/pole is at most facing the sun, the Southern Hemisphere is then experiencing summer while the Northern Hemisphere experiences winter. Spring and Autumn occur during the transitional periods between full leanings.
3. What causes a lunar eclipse?
When the sun gets in between the orbit of the moon and the Earth so we are unable to see the moon. ((BAD WORDING!))
*When the moon passes directly behind the Earth and is in direct alignment with the Earth and sun so that the sun is unable to illuminate the moon.
Notes about astronomy:
Galileo argued that the Earth is in the middle saying the sun is in the middle. This is called the heliocentric theory.
In OUR universe, the sun appears to be unmoving. The northern hemisphere faces the North Star: Ursa Major. We always tilt pointing toward it. Takes one year for Earth to orbit the sun.
The Earth's axis is 23.5 degrees.
Four imaginary lines on Earth: Equator, Prime Meridian, Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn.
Prime Meridian is made up by humans, irrelevant to science.
The tropic lines are the points on the Earth where the south (Capricorn) gets direct sunlight: the Winter Solstice. Tropic of Cancer is north.
Equator/Equinox: Equal days of sunlight and night.
Moon: The moon appears to rise in the East and set in the West. When the moon is directly between new and full, we call it the quarter moon and then in between full and new is three-quarter moon. Waxing= getting bigger, waning=getting smaller.
Solar eclipse is when the moon is in direct alignment between the sun and the Earth, so parts of the Earth cannot see the sun.
The moon's orbit is in a slight tilt enough to create eclipses.
"Once in a blue moon" = 2 full moons in a month
Pluto go booted because of its size as well as it does onto fall into the Solar Systems' orbital plane in agreement with the Sun.
*I will actually learn science in its entirety once I teach it.
1. How the phases of the moon occur?
The moon is in constant orbit around the Earth. Due to the tilt in the axis of the Earth, the sun reflects light off of different portions of the moon. There are four phases of the moon:waning, waxing, full and new.
*The sun reflects light off the moon's surface depending on where the moon is in orbit around the Earth; creating different amounts of of surface showing towards the sun and to the Earth.
2. What causes the seasons?
This also depends on the orbit of Earth and it's tilt of the axis. When the Northern Hemisphere/pole is leaning towards the sun at most, in it's rotation, the Northern Hemisphere experiences summer and the Southern Hemisphere is then experiencing its winter. This goes vice versa for when the Southern Hemisphere/pole is at most facing the sun, the Southern Hemisphere is then experiencing summer while the Northern Hemisphere experiences winter. Spring and Autumn occur during the transitional periods between full leanings.
3. What causes a lunar eclipse?
When the sun gets in between the orbit of the moon and the Earth so we are unable to see the moon. ((BAD WORDING!))
*When the moon passes directly behind the Earth and is in direct alignment with the Earth and sun so that the sun is unable to illuminate the moon.
Notes about astronomy:
Galileo argued that the Earth is in the middle saying the sun is in the middle. This is called the heliocentric theory.
In OUR universe, the sun appears to be unmoving. The northern hemisphere faces the North Star: Ursa Major. We always tilt pointing toward it. Takes one year for Earth to orbit the sun.
The Earth's axis is 23.5 degrees.
Four imaginary lines on Earth: Equator, Prime Meridian, Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn.
Prime Meridian is made up by humans, irrelevant to science.
The tropic lines are the points on the Earth where the south (Capricorn) gets direct sunlight: the Winter Solstice. Tropic of Cancer is north.
Equator/Equinox: Equal days of sunlight and night.
Moon: The moon appears to rise in the East and set in the West. When the moon is directly between new and full, we call it the quarter moon and then in between full and new is three-quarter moon. Waxing= getting bigger, waning=getting smaller.
Solar eclipse is when the moon is in direct alignment between the sun and the Earth, so parts of the Earth cannot see the sun.
The moon's orbit is in a slight tilt enough to create eclipses.
"Once in a blue moon" = 2 full moons in a month
Pluto go booted because of its size as well as it does onto fall into the Solar Systems' orbital plane in agreement with the Sun.
*I will actually learn science in its entirety once I teach it.
Monday, August 29, 2011
"Misconceptions Die Hard"
The best technique to addressing misconceptions is nipping them in the bud before they bloom. An effective approach to doing this is compiling a list of common or previous misconceptions that can be addressed to the class in the beginning when asking what students know about the content. This comes with effective teaching strategies that instruct students on the content areas through various forms such as closely monitored labs, probing questions and frequent formative assessments. I agree with the article that a student's preconceptions of any subject matter can interfere with their learning of science content, however it is the teacher's job to redirect their attention towards the clarification of such confusion. If a student is completely misled, that is fine because at times, students learn best from their mistakes. However, as a future educator it is my belief that they must learn conceptual understanding through a series of connections to previous knowledge and repetition of new.
The study in the article struck me as interesting and somewhat expected. Students today struggle the most with science content retention. This may be due to the fact that everything is so easy for them and that they do not have to think about how things work as they are using them. The relation of science is not as directly applicable to their lives unless they have a passion for it or a motivating teacher to open them up to the world. I found it interesting that the common areas of no understanding were the looped wire, crumpled aluminum and jar lid with holes. What about these specific items were the most confusing? All items are found in most typical homes in some form or another. The fact that the college aged students were not far higher in comprehension of the subject areas struck me as alarming because they are the ones with the "most education" and closest to the "real world." With a study and findings such as this I must ask, what is the point of elementary and secondary education if it is not retained throughout life? Or is this just the outlying issue with science? This is to be explored..
The study in the article struck me as interesting and somewhat expected. Students today struggle the most with science content retention. This may be due to the fact that everything is so easy for them and that they do not have to think about how things work as they are using them. The relation of science is not as directly applicable to their lives unless they have a passion for it or a motivating teacher to open them up to the world. I found it interesting that the common areas of no understanding were the looped wire, crumpled aluminum and jar lid with holes. What about these specific items were the most confusing? All items are found in most typical homes in some form or another. The fact that the college aged students were not far higher in comprehension of the subject areas struck me as alarming because they are the ones with the "most education" and closest to the "real world." With a study and findings such as this I must ask, what is the point of elementary and secondary education if it is not retained throughout life? Or is this just the outlying issue with science? This is to be explored..
Response to Krajcik's Social Constructivist Model of Teaching
I am not so sure whether it is that I have been constantly taught the social constructivist model of teaching or if it is because I truthfully agree, that this theory sounds pretty darn good. All of the main components; active engagment, use and application of knowledge, multiple representations, use of learning communities and authentic tasks, work right up my alley of an ideal effective classroom.
After working in various settings with children whether it being in an after-school reading program or a fun summer camp, I have found that students learn the best when their exploration is self-motivated. In agreement to the social constructivist theory, students need to get hands on in a variety of creative ways while communicating about the content with others. As for the teacher, it is their responsibility to probe the children with questions that do not force feed information but allow students to arrive at an understanding on their own. I am curious, is scaffolding just a fancy word for the expected form of teaching? I mean, what is teaching without scaffolding? Nowadays, it is forbidden for teachers to spit out answers and merely have students recite the responses. Must I explore the world of scaffolding more than what is given to me in this social constructivist theory or will I have it good and down once I have memorized and acted out the given strategies? I guess we shall see.
The diagram posted in the reading on page 57 that shows the level of involvement with concrete materials and the percentage of retention really set in for me when I directly applied it to myself. I went through each "material" and thought back to previous times and found that the things I remember the most began with field trips then deomonstrations and it was the most prevalent with experiences I conceived myself. An example is when I was at YCamp as a camper and got myself into Stingy Nettles. Let me tell you, they were VERY uncomfortable! Luckily, my leaders were knowledgable to tell me about Jule Weed's magical juice and sent me on a hunt for it. From that moment on, I told every camper of mine as well as other leaders of the world's joy and never had to experience that discomfort again. I remember every detail about that experience to a tee because I created it first-hand and continued with it from there on out. Students of all ages and levels can gain similar understandings just as I did and will benefit at most with self-exploration.
If the social constructivist model of teaching has been coined as the official name for this theory, then I will continue on using that name, but if that is just the flossy title used to sound official, then I will continue on teaching students to be interested in their own self-fulfilling education.
After working in various settings with children whether it being in an after-school reading program or a fun summer camp, I have found that students learn the best when their exploration is self-motivated. In agreement to the social constructivist theory, students need to get hands on in a variety of creative ways while communicating about the content with others. As for the teacher, it is their responsibility to probe the children with questions that do not force feed information but allow students to arrive at an understanding on their own. I am curious, is scaffolding just a fancy word for the expected form of teaching? I mean, what is teaching without scaffolding? Nowadays, it is forbidden for teachers to spit out answers and merely have students recite the responses. Must I explore the world of scaffolding more than what is given to me in this social constructivist theory or will I have it good and down once I have memorized and acted out the given strategies? I guess we shall see.
The diagram posted in the reading on page 57 that shows the level of involvement with concrete materials and the percentage of retention really set in for me when I directly applied it to myself. I went through each "material" and thought back to previous times and found that the things I remember the most began with field trips then deomonstrations and it was the most prevalent with experiences I conceived myself. An example is when I was at YCamp as a camper and got myself into Stingy Nettles. Let me tell you, they were VERY uncomfortable! Luckily, my leaders were knowledgable to tell me about Jule Weed's magical juice and sent me on a hunt for it. From that moment on, I told every camper of mine as well as other leaders of the world's joy and never had to experience that discomfort again. I remember every detail about that experience to a tee because I created it first-hand and continued with it from there on out. Students of all ages and levels can gain similar understandings just as I did and will benefit at most with self-exploration.
If the social constructivist model of teaching has been coined as the official name for this theory, then I will continue on using that name, but if that is just the flossy title used to sound official, then I will continue on teaching students to be interested in their own self-fulfilling education.
"Rising to Greatness"
Initially when I read this article title, I thought it was going to be about how great the education system is in Iowa and that becoming a teacher here was the best choice! Too bad I was very mistaken. As an Iowan, I have always prided my state on being a top-performer in educational statistics and found it quite alarming that since the 1990s, we have not only stayed stagnant on our achievement levels but even declined in certain areas. I remember as an elementary student loving the week of ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) because that meant we got tastey snacks and I got to fill out tests that were a breeze for me. Are students today missing out on the snacks and therefore getting worse scores? I think this may be.
In reality, I agree with the Iowa DOE that the state has become too comfortable with strategies they used back in the day and while everyone else around the nation and globe have put in the effort to find new and improved techniques, we're staying put. The comment by Jason Glass that I found to be extremely encompassing ends with, "If you aren't getting better, you are getting worse."
I question however, is it the issue that the teachers are not able to teach a variety of learners or that the variety of learners cannot come to an agreement that school needs to be taught in a streamlined way?
What have we changed from the time that we were in the sufficient levels? Are these things that we need to go back and re-alter?
I have also wondered that is part of the reason the U.S. falls much lower on the achievemnt scale compared to other countries such as China and India due to our focus on a wider spectrum of education including community and societal understanding?
Is it an issue that we have learned to take pride in our country's diversity and promote differences?
Despite my devils's advocate of questions. I do believe that such statistics show truth to problems occuring that need action taken immediately in order for our country to produce the best of the best. I cannot say where I will be teaching in the future, but I hope someday that I will be in Iowa and that I can say my state's education system has gone up since 2010 and possibly back to where we were in the 1990s! It is going to take us educators to not only see the issues but create means to fix them and better yet techniques to avoid problems from the get go.
Whatever it takes, which is why I am in school to learn, we need to get back on track and get the ball rolling to greatness! If not for Iowa's sake, for the children's.
In reality, I agree with the Iowa DOE that the state has become too comfortable with strategies they used back in the day and while everyone else around the nation and globe have put in the effort to find new and improved techniques, we're staying put. The comment by Jason Glass that I found to be extremely encompassing ends with, "If you aren't getting better, you are getting worse."
I question however, is it the issue that the teachers are not able to teach a variety of learners or that the variety of learners cannot come to an agreement that school needs to be taught in a streamlined way?
What have we changed from the time that we were in the sufficient levels? Are these things that we need to go back and re-alter?
I have also wondered that is part of the reason the U.S. falls much lower on the achievemnt scale compared to other countries such as China and India due to our focus on a wider spectrum of education including community and societal understanding?
Is it an issue that we have learned to take pride in our country's diversity and promote differences?
Despite my devils's advocate of questions. I do believe that such statistics show truth to problems occuring that need action taken immediately in order for our country to produce the best of the best. I cannot say where I will be teaching in the future, but I hope someday that I will be in Iowa and that I can say my state's education system has gone up since 2010 and possibly back to where we were in the 1990s! It is going to take us educators to not only see the issues but create means to fix them and better yet techniques to avoid problems from the get go.
Whatever it takes, which is why I am in school to learn, we need to get back on track and get the ball rolling to greatness! If not for Iowa's sake, for the children's.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
5 Good Reasons to Use Science Notebooks Reflection
I agree that science notebooks are essential for an effective science classroom. They cover all things necessary such as students being active in their own learning, teachers' use for formative assessment, enhancing student communication skills, supporting differentiation and the implementation of teacher study groups. As a future science teacher, I plan to use science notebooks to track students' observations in order to gain an understanding of what knowledge students have and don't have. I will also utilize them as stated above to collaborate with co-teachers to continue bettering curriculum and instruction methods.
The five good reasons listed in the article are extremely valid and will be useful to me for creating an effective classroom. I found it interesting that these points are nearly the same as the most important concepts that I have learned in many other subjects, especially mathematics. I intend to have my students do as much observation as they can and in order to create a deeper understanding for them, they must compile their thoughts and views which is best through a journal. With that, journal on!
The five good reasons listed in the article are extremely valid and will be useful to me for creating an effective classroom. I found it interesting that these points are nearly the same as the most important concepts that I have learned in many other subjects, especially mathematics. I intend to have my students do as much observation as they can and in order to create a deeper understanding for them, they must compile their thoughts and views which is best through a journal. With that, journal on!
Initial Vision Statement
Whether it has been through personal exploration of the outdoors or planned experiments with chemicals, science has always played a significant role in my life. As an elementary and middle school aged student, I was naturally drawn to the science curriculum because it allowed me to get my hands dirty with information. However, high school did not give me the opportunity to explore this world as thoroughly as I would have liked, so I went into college not thinking I had such a passion for the subject. When I was figuring out what I wanted to do with my future, I reflected back to my previous education and it finally came to me that science education was the best fit. I love learning, children, researching, playing anywhere in nature and especially like observing my surroundings. From there on out, I have continued to find ways to satisfy this interest through volunteering at the Museum of Natural History, teaching classes in the Discovery Garden at the IC Community Rec Center and being a summer camp counselor at the YMCA Camp for 4 years. As I continue to explore the world of science and education, I strive to pass on my enthusiasm and knowledge to children all over.
Science education must include exploration, observation, application and experimentation through a variety of forms such as research, sensory experience and self-discovery. I plan to implement all of these things into my future science classroom in order to maintain enthusiasm and understanding about the subject. This will be most effective once I have gained an understanding of what prior knowledge my students have and what topics will be most applicable to their life. I intend to hold hands on experiments and explorations, observation journals and open forums for discussion about the information being learned.
Science education is an ongoing process of inquiry that must remain an important concept for students of all ages and knowledge levels. Explore this:
Men love to wonder, and that is the seed of science. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Science education must include exploration, observation, application and experimentation through a variety of forms such as research, sensory experience and self-discovery. I plan to implement all of these things into my future science classroom in order to maintain enthusiasm and understanding about the subject. This will be most effective once I have gained an understanding of what prior knowledge my students have and what topics will be most applicable to their life. I intend to hold hands on experiments and explorations, observation journals and open forums for discussion about the information being learned.
Science education is an ongoing process of inquiry that must remain an important concept for students of all ages and knowledge levels. Explore this:
Men love to wonder, and that is the seed of science. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
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