Week 5-Theory to Practice

IN CLASS:

How do you explain Akiana's virtuosity?

• She only works on what she is motivated to learn (painting)----> Pruning
• Her teacher( her mother) allows for her to pursue her desire to paint and disregards all other disciplines in her education.
• She is an example of Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. She uses her ability to learn artistically to create beautiful portraits.
• Mitra would explain her virtuosity through her curiosity and motivation. He believes children will self teach themselves because they have a natural desire to learn.
• Intrinsic motivations

Theory to Practice:

Today' s class wrapped up all the theorist and their respective theories of learning. In the beginning of class we focused on the "why" of the moral/ethical implications portion of our T2P statements. We took a moment to revisit this topic by first writing down our thoughts on what makes a "Good Teacher." After addressing these points she then explained to us the importance of providing concrete evidence supporting our statements. We were urged to make sure we follow through with our statements and make sure we answer the question "why?". One technique simply involves reading your statement aloud and asking the question why?

After this short lesson we took the time out to connect a few of the theorist and their definitions of learning to motivation. This weeks homework assignment introduced the motivation into the picture and how it directly correlates to learning. We all took down notes and made connections to previous studied theorist through critical thinking questions. I believe today's class was both beneficial and essential to wrapping up our thoughts in order to start thinking about our final papers. It is key for instructors to use classroom time review concepts and thoughts they want their students to grasp. Today's class did exactly that for the students and myself as well.

Finally, we were given three options for last portion of day. The students in class chose the option to watch a video on the teenage brain and discuss how we believed this relates to either learning theory or physiology theory. I enjoyed the having options in the way we wanted to finish class today. This allowed for the instructor and students to understand that day can deviate from the regularly scheduled plan but still be productive. We discussed how Nodding support this theory in her work as well.

Over all, today's class was productive, essential, and collaborative. Everyone gave insight into their thoughts on motivation and how it connected to studied theorist believes on learning. We were able to finish the finally pieces of our Theorist Spreadsheet giving me a sense of completeness and comprehension.

"If teachers connect classroom instruction with the motivation that drives students to learn, they will ultimately produce better work. Students are intrinsically motivated to learn topics that interest them and when given the option to pursue their personal interest, they will work hard at accomplishing their goal. This theory is supported by Pink and his theory of intrinsic motivation versus extrinsic motivations. When rewards are placed on tasks they can eventually lead to poor outcomes if the motivation to complete these tasks are not internalized by the students first."

Week 5- " A Good Teacher..."

A good teacher recognizes each student in her classroom as individual students with individual minds. A good teacher realizes that her are not only learning the academic concepts she teaches, but also the her moral and values. This is why teachers should display their best values in the classroom for all the eager learning minds ready to absorb information. A good teacher should have the ability to be compassionate and caring as well as honest with her students. She should give respect to students and expect nothing less than the same respect in return. A teacher should encourage her student to produce the best work they can as their future depends on it.

Week 4 T2P POST TO BE EDITED: If learners are made aware of errors present in their work with corrective feedback and ultimately a different presentation of the content, then students are provided with an alternate view of learning. When teachers are aware their is a collective problem and then addresses the issues in order to reiterate the goal of the material, then the teacher is demonstrating her desire for her students to be competent in the material she is presenting. Similar to Howard Gardner thoughts on multiple intelligences, students learn in various ways, and variety is beneficial to addressing the needs of all students.

ADDITIONS: If learners are made aware of errors present in their work with corrective feedback and ultimately a different presentation of the content, then students are provided with an alternate view of learning. When teachers are aware their is a collective problem and then addresses the issues in order to reiterate the goal of the material, then the teacher is demonstrating her desire for her students to be competent in the material she is presenting. Teachers should expect their students to become the best students they can be, asserting that they become completely competent in the material he/she presents. Similar to Howard Gardner thoughts on multiple intelligences, students learn in various ways, and variety is beneficial to addressing the needs of all students.

Week 4 Theory to Practice (in class)

Original Statement:

 "If  a learner needs specific and detailed directions for each task, but does not receive them from the teacher, then the student is forced to look deeper in their own knowledge and establish what they know and do not know which then, encourages the student to brainstorm ideas because every student should have the opportunity to interpret understanding in way that best suits their learning preferences."

If-a learner needs specific and detailed directions for each task, but does not receive them from the teacher

Then- the student is forced to look deeper in their own knowledge and establish what they know and do not know which then encourages the student to brainstorm ideas

  

Because-every student should have the opportunity to interpret understanding in way that best suits their learning preferences.

Evidence Theory- Howard Gardner suggests that learning is achieved through his notion of multiple intelligences, students learn best according to their own personal learning preferences which are all unique from each another one. 

Contextual data- Order for teachers to allow students the opportunity to explore their own thoughts in their own learning preference, teachers should serve a guide, giving students the tools in order to figure out what their learning preference maybe be.

Moral Implications- When students are given the opportunity to create ideas and concepts in a fashion that best suits the way they learn they ultimately have a better understanding of the material and what is means to them. Overall understanding is achieved and students are able to walk away with something. Howard Gardner stressed the importance of students retaining the information presented to them instead of merely memorizing for sake of assessment. 

Ped. Language- Multiple intelligences, learning preferences, assessments.




Theory to Practice on Case Study

Formulate a theory to practice statement reflecting the relationship between pedagogy and students' self determination.

If students are allowed to explore their abilities to peer educate and even teach the instructor something new, then the students will build upon their abilities to think outside the box and express themselves in based on the knowledge they already know. Vick Davis' concepts of letting the students explore education through mirrors the think/pair/share model of instruction where students are given the chance to think about material presented, compare and contrast with their classmates and share the information they have gathered. The idea of sharing is not limited to their immediate classmates but they are even given the opportunity to interact with students on the other side of the globe. Order for teachers to afford this opportunity they must be willing to give their students the tools needed to understand the concept of self determination. It is important that teacher incorporate activities like the ones in Vicki Davis' classroom in because when students are encouraged to endorse one's actions they are truly being guided through the steps of self determination.

Theory to Practice Statement- End of Class

If learners are made aware of errors present in their work with corrective feedback and ultimately a different presentation of the content, then students are provided with an alternate view of learning. When teachers are aware their is collective problem and then address the issues in order to reiterate the goal of the material, then the teacher is demonstrating her desire for her students to be competent in the material she is presenting. Similar to Howard Gardner thoughts on multiple intelligences, students learn in various ways, and variety is beneficial to addressing the needs of all students.


Theory to Practice Essay

Today's class has essential for most of us. At the start of class we took a further look into a Theory to Practice statement and what it should include. Gna provide each student with a copy one of her own T2P statements and we identified each component of a healthy statement. A statement should include an if statement, a then statement, because, evidence theory, moral implications (level 7), contextual data, event/decision and ped. language. This re-teach of the correct way to write theory to practice statement is beneficial skill to remember when in the classroom for all teaches. Remembering that students abilities change from year to year and class to class will help students who do not grasp the material as students from previous classes did. Teachers who are flexible and use different approaches to learning will address all students.

We viewed a video in class about Vicki and her classroom. Vicki is a tech teacher who uses her class to teach her students about self determination. Her students are allowed to teach other through peer instruction and are also given the opportunity to teach the instructor skills they have acquired during the lesson. The use of Vicki's teaching strategies in classrooms today is essential to creating an environment where students are offered several different strategies to learning. The student in her classroom where also exposed to a classroom in India, broadening their horizons to new and foreign cultures outside of rural Georgia. All of the teaching strategies Vicki used in her video gave students a different outlook compared to traditional methods of learning.


Finally, we shared our presentation on our assigned theorist from last week's class. Each group was given roughly ten minutes to present their unique presentations on the theorist they researched making sure to hit all the important points on the excel spreadsheet. The method of delivering information was extremely useful. Instead of reading about each individual theorist on our own, our classmates were responsible for representing different ways of learning. Some of use used power point presentation, videos and audio voice over techniques in order to instruct our fellow classmates. Incorporating visual and audio presentations into the day really helped rely essential information on the six big theorist and also gave us new strategies to use in our own classrooms.

Theresa's Learning Theories Spread Sheet

Week 3 Theory to Practice

Monday's learning theory class began the third week of classes in the TCPCG program. Our brains are now filled with information from all of classes including Learning Theories. Monday's class including a wide range of learning theories from several influence theorist of our time. Class proved to be challenging based on the sheer amount of information being presented but at the end of the day I was able to walk away with a well rounded outlook on learning theories across the board.

Our homework before class was to research of a particular theorist and come class prepared and ready to discuss the information we found with a small group of our peers. This was an "ahhh haaa" moment for me as my team debated our thoughts about the material we researched before coming to class. As our group members took turns battling over who's research was correct, GNA intervened! She encouraged us to hear one another out, allow each one of group members the opportunity to express who they interpreted their research.  No only did my team agree to disagree about Piaget's theories, I was able to tie the material later read on a second theorist to my own personal "intelligence". I was able to truely understand H. Gardner's theories on the learner and how he/she learns. For most of us in the group, we all gathered information from a discussion session differently depending on the learning preference we are geared to. After interacting with my team mates I was able to come to a better interpration of the material. I used the facts I brought to the table to further expand on the basic theory of learning as described by Piaget. Others looking at tables provided by different team mates and websites shared from personal research. All in all, we all left the discussion with a deeper insight into our assigned theorist view on the learner and how they learn. Not only did I leave the discussion with a boarder outlook on Piaget's theory, I was also left Week 3 of class with boarder outlook on how individuals learn through Behavioral Learning, Developmental, Social Learning Theory and finally Emotional learning. I was able to gather the tools I need to practice these theories with my own students as I began to teach.

Becoming aware of all the possible avenues learners take in the process of gathering and obtain knowledge, I feel that I am capable of incorporating several different learning preferences and theories into my future lesson planning. Piaget's stages of development reminds us to stay with our cognitive abilities of our students and realize when were our students are lacking in grasping knowledge. Ultimately, the theories we investigated this week in class will open our minds to the endless techniques we should use in our lessons in order to explore the learning theories these theorist have broken down for us.

Week 3- Learning Theory 1

Question 2: Can you describe each of the two main elements of Behavior Learning Theory using your own words?

I agree with the level 2 placement of this question according to Bloom's Taxonomy.

The two main elements of the Behavior Learning Theory include changes in behavior or attitude based on the stimulus presented and instructors becoming aware of student reactions to stimulus presented.  For example, a teacher writes names of individuals on the board who are chatty during lesson instruction.

Question 4: Analyze why a four-year-old may wave their hand, palm facing instead of facing out when saying "hello" to a friend.

I would disagree with the level four placement and put it in level 3 placement because this questions really asks the student to recall previously learned topics and applying this to a new situation.

A four year old will wave with his turned in because according to Piaget's theory of development he has not yet phased out of egocentric thinking. This thinking says, children at this age look at the world only from one's own point of view. If the hand does not see his hand waving he does not believe he is actually engaging in the act of waving. In order to understand that he is waving to his friend he must actually see his hand waving.


Question 6: What did you learn from this article that will help you to become a better teacher.

I agree with this level 6 placement of this question. This question asks you to evaluate and then produce an idea from the material presented.

From the Kruse article, I learned that in order to understand comprehension in individual learners, we must grasp the basic learning theories outline by Kruse. Once we wrap your mind around understanding that people learning according to different theories and not just one works, you will be able to tailor your teaching skills to target all students.

Week 2 Theory to Practice Essay

Leaving class this week, concepts we've addressed today seems more understandable then week prior. I was prepared to think outside of my comfort zone and allow for personal interpretation of the concepts addressed.

A major concept addressed in class today dealt with the Hansen reading assigned for homework over the weekend. The author explained the notion that educators carry unconscious preconceived notions about morals, ethics, attitudes and so on which they unknowingly bring into their classrooms. Unknowingly, teachers introduce these preconceived notions in class their classrooms whether it is aimed directly at a student or indirectly at a group of students. Educating teachers on the disservice they do for students who are effected by their preconceived notions is critical to their success. This concept of allowing these emotions to enter the classroom really made me think of the unconscious learning some students are experiencing from the people who are supposed to be giving them the roots to education. I admitted in class my own experience with bringing my thoughts and feelings into a classroom and unconsciously imposing them on the students who are not "trying" or are the ideal student. Those students are the ones who need the attention the most, who need a chance for someone to reach out to them with any biases.

Allowing a student to "learn" they are not receiving attention and care as other students who have a track record of success who be a true crime. 

Theory to Practice Statement from List

If  a learner needs specific and detailed directions for each task, but does not receive them from the teacher, then the student is forced to look deeper in their own knowledge and establish what they know and do not know which then, encourages the student to brainstorm ideas because every student should have the opportunity to interpret understanding in way that best suits their learning preferences.