What?
After reading back through my blogs, I found the ZPD(zone of proximal development) and scaffolding the most fascinating. I've always wondered how school impacts a child's upbringing: exactly how much of what people know about the world comes from school. Although I don't know percentages of what is learned from parents and what is learned from teachers, I can reflect back on what I've learned at school and recognize that I was always being taught with my ZPD. Math class comes readily to mind when reflecting on how I learn things. When I'd observe a teacher's lessons and examples on the board, it really didn't come to me. It was out of my scope of things I could do independently. When I got with a teacher/parent outside of class, I could learn easier because the one person I'd be with at that point could explain it in a way that I could understand. After getting so far behind without the luxury of having extra time to spend one on one with a teacher, I lost confidence in my mathematical abilities. I think I especially struggled in math when my parents couldn't help me with my homework anymore. I also think that scaffolding is a very important concept in the ways of history. Teachers must relate historical topics to what students already understand about the world around them.
So what?
I think I already explainted this in the first paragraph. It was kind of blended. Teachers should take more one on one time with students, especially in mathematics, and history teachers need to use scaffolding to ensure that students can continue to add upon what they already know.
Now what?
I'm going to have this zpd thing in mind, because it's how children learn, from my estimation anyway. It's a teachers goal to get students through this cycle so they have knowledge pertinent to the curriculum independent of any other person.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Chapter 10 Blog
What's going on with modeling?
Vigotsky probably likes the whole view of modeling, because it goes along well with his established theories. A role of teachers will be modeling for their students, because students will want to model the teacher's behavior. If a teacher is treating someone disrespectfully, it's natural that the students will begin to treat the teacher and their fellow students disrespectfully also. On the other hand, a teacher demonstrating respect for their students will more likely ensure that the students will be respectful.
So what?
There are four effects listed on how modeling affects behavior: observational learning effect, response facilitation effect, response inhibition effect, and response disinhibition effect. The response effects have to do with whether or not a student being observed by another student is rewarded for good behavior or punished for bad behavior. If someone sees someone get away with something, the observer will be likely to display that behavior also.
Now what?
I think teachers need to get involved with the parents to let the parents know what is expected of them. That way, if Johnny needs to do some reading to catch up in class, the teacher can arrange with the parents of Johnny to set a good example of reading in the home. A teacher must be very careful to not be bias and use the same reinforcements for all students in the class.
Vigotsky probably likes the whole view of modeling, because it goes along well with his established theories. A role of teachers will be modeling for their students, because students will want to model the teacher's behavior. If a teacher is treating someone disrespectfully, it's natural that the students will begin to treat the teacher and their fellow students disrespectfully also. On the other hand, a teacher demonstrating respect for their students will more likely ensure that the students will be respectful.
So what?
There are four effects listed on how modeling affects behavior: observational learning effect, response facilitation effect, response inhibition effect, and response disinhibition effect. The response effects have to do with whether or not a student being observed by another student is rewarded for good behavior or punished for bad behavior. If someone sees someone get away with something, the observer will be likely to display that behavior also.
Now what?
I think teachers need to get involved with the parents to let the parents know what is expected of them. That way, if Johnny needs to do some reading to catch up in class, the teacher can arrange with the parents of Johnny to set a good example of reading in the home. A teacher must be very careful to not be bias and use the same reinforcements for all students in the class.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Discovery Math at Lone Peak
Why do we do this?
This seems to be a more applicable kind of math that students learn in traditional schools. It uses more story problems to make more real-life comparisons using mathematics. I've definitely thought on these lines as I've wondered to myself if the things I learned in my traditional math classes would ever be repeated in a future career. Students use the discovery in trial and method as they try to figure out more difficult math concepts.
So what?
Lone Peak High school has an AP calcus math class based on the trial method. The class has created a lot of uproard because a smaller amount of students at this high school are passing the AP calculus math test. What are they learning if they're not being prepared to take the most important math test of their high-school careers? Even a BYU professor mentioned that while the program meets State math standards, it's "too much play and not enough work." My research has shown that there are some supporters of the program in the ranks of the math teachers in Alpine School District, but the majority of people seem to be saying it's not doing enough for preparing kids for what they'll need to know for state exams.
Now what?
They'll have to do some comparing of the discovery math program and traditional math programs. I think it's nice that teachers and administration are looking for ways to boost the amount of people that think that math has no applicable purpose in the real world. It's important for teachers to make those connections and have students enjoy math.
This seems to be a more applicable kind of math that students learn in traditional schools. It uses more story problems to make more real-life comparisons using mathematics. I've definitely thought on these lines as I've wondered to myself if the things I learned in my traditional math classes would ever be repeated in a future career. Students use the discovery in trial and method as they try to figure out more difficult math concepts.
So what?
Lone Peak High school has an AP calcus math class based on the trial method. The class has created a lot of uproard because a smaller amount of students at this high school are passing the AP calculus math test. What are they learning if they're not being prepared to take the most important math test of their high-school careers? Even a BYU professor mentioned that while the program meets State math standards, it's "too much play and not enough work." My research has shown that there are some supporters of the program in the ranks of the math teachers in Alpine School District, but the majority of people seem to be saying it's not doing enough for preparing kids for what they'll need to know for state exams.
Now what?
They'll have to do some comparing of the discovery math program and traditional math programs. I think it's nice that teachers and administration are looking for ways to boost the amount of people that think that math has no applicable purpose in the real world. It's important for teachers to make those connections and have students enjoy math.
Research Article
What's going on with this here research article?
I found this one on the internet that is called "Kids With Down Syndrome Learn Language Behind Adolescence." It focuses on language development of down-syndrome children. For years psychologists have assumed that language learning for down-syndrome kids plateaus in the teenage years. It is true that language abilities for down-syndrome children varies moreso than normal children, but recent research has found that those language abilitities continue to improve into the young adult years.
So what with this new research?
With the assumed research of the last twenty years or so, teachers would ease off teaching more language skills to down-syndrome children. This kind of holds them back in a way, because they don't get enough opportunities to express themselves. When vocabulary and grammar aren't taught during this period of time, down-sydndrome children find it difficult to express themselves in social situations. Grammar and vocabulary should be continued to be taught to these exceptional students. It's also important to maintain the skills already learned during childhood.
Now what?
Chapman, the conductor of the study, mentions that down-syndrome children can accomplish a lot and that they shouldn't be held back because of a disability. It would take a good amount of government funding to have more qualified teachers teach a curriculum for this type of learner, but children with down-syndrome children will be able to be more successful linguistically, but overall.
I found this one on the internet that is called "Kids With Down Syndrome Learn Language Behind Adolescence." It focuses on language development of down-syndrome children. For years psychologists have assumed that language learning for down-syndrome kids plateaus in the teenage years. It is true that language abilities for down-syndrome children varies moreso than normal children, but recent research has found that those language abilitities continue to improve into the young adult years.
So what with this new research?
With the assumed research of the last twenty years or so, teachers would ease off teaching more language skills to down-syndrome children. This kind of holds them back in a way, because they don't get enough opportunities to express themselves. When vocabulary and grammar aren't taught during this period of time, down-sydndrome children find it difficult to express themselves in social situations. Grammar and vocabulary should be continued to be taught to these exceptional students. It's also important to maintain the skills already learned during childhood.
Now what?
Chapman, the conductor of the study, mentions that down-syndrome children can accomplish a lot and that they shouldn't be held back because of a disability. It would take a good amount of government funding to have more qualified teachers teach a curriculum for this type of learner, but children with down-syndrome children will be able to be more successful linguistically, but overall.
Fertile Minds-Extra credit
What's going on in this article?
New brain research has shown that brain activity starts a lot earlier in an embryo than previous though. Neuron activity is taking place at an amazing rate of speed. Children's brains are also more active at a young age, so it's important to continuously teach children in their early years, because they're more able to adapt to new situations and environments. No wonder it's so easy for little kids to learn a language at first.
So what?
Since the first 3 years are the fastest for rapid brain growth, it's important for parents to feed childrens' brains with good experiences. Children can often experience trauma due to how they were treated in those first three years of mortality. It's also important to stimulate the brain in a variety of activities: playing with children, as well as singing and talking to them. It's also important for these children to play. The whole experiment with the labrats was interesting, because the labrats who had the toys in their cages were more likely to have better brain activity. Daycares aren't the best way to raise kids, because it takes them away from an environment that i s critical to them learning with their parents.
Now what?
In the very end of the article it talks about how children should learn foreign languages when they're younger. Brain activity at a young age helps children learn something even advances as a foreign language. The brain is growing at such a fast rate that the best time for foreign language learning would take place at the age of six. That's incredible!
New brain research has shown that brain activity starts a lot earlier in an embryo than previous though. Neuron activity is taking place at an amazing rate of speed. Children's brains are also more active at a young age, so it's important to continuously teach children in their early years, because they're more able to adapt to new situations and environments. No wonder it's so easy for little kids to learn a language at first.
So what?
Since the first 3 years are the fastest for rapid brain growth, it's important for parents to feed childrens' brains with good experiences. Children can often experience trauma due to how they were treated in those first three years of mortality. It's also important to stimulate the brain in a variety of activities: playing with children, as well as singing and talking to them. It's also important for these children to play. The whole experiment with the labrats was interesting, because the labrats who had the toys in their cages were more likely to have better brain activity. Daycares aren't the best way to raise kids, because it takes them away from an environment that i s critical to them learning with their parents.
Now what?
In the very end of the article it talks about how children should learn foreign languages when they're younger. Brain activity at a young age helps children learn something even advances as a foreign language. The brain is growing at such a fast rate that the best time for foreign language learning would take place at the age of six. That's incredible!
Chapter 2 Blog
1. What's this nonsense I'm hearing about zone of proximal development(ZPD)?
Well, I'll tell you what that nonsense is. The zone of proximal development is a range of the tasks that a student can perform with the guidance of others, but can't quite hack it independently.
2. So what with this zpd?
If there's some good teacher and student supervision going on, a child can take their range of proximal development and put that task into a category where they can perform it all by themselves. A child needs to go through a that range to continually learn experiences that are necessary for their upbringing. A teacher needs to have a keen eye for things that a student still can't do on their own.
3. Now what?
Teachers need to assign some tasks that students can accomplish successfully with someone else's support. Teachers and older students can help out with that. Students will also need assignments that are designed specifically for their individual ranges. They can't be given assignments that don't challenge them but shouldn't be given students they can't accomplish even without some supervision, ya know what i'm saying?
Well, I'll tell you what that nonsense is. The zone of proximal development is a range of the tasks that a student can perform with the guidance of others, but can't quite hack it independently.
2. So what with this zpd?
If there's some good teacher and student supervision going on, a child can take their range of proximal development and put that task into a category where they can perform it all by themselves. A child needs to go through a that range to continually learn experiences that are necessary for their upbringing. A teacher needs to have a keen eye for things that a student still can't do on their own.
3. Now what?
Teachers need to assign some tasks that students can accomplish successfully with someone else's support. Teachers and older students can help out with that. Students will also need assignments that are designed specifically for their individual ranges. They can't be given assignments that don't challenge them but shouldn't be given students they can't accomplish even without some supervision, ya know what i'm saying?
Chapter 5 blog on intelligence
What is this measuring intelligence stuff?
Well, I'll tell ya. Measuring intelligence is kind of a big deal in the secondary education lifestyle. Scores on standardized tests can set the stage for life by determining what schools a student will be able to attend. There are other kinds of intelligence tests too. The IQ test was created to help determine if a student had any disablities. If scores are very low on an IQ test in all areas, experts can determine that a student is mentally retarded. That student may be put in the classes he/she needs to develop socially and academically. The IQ test is a widely accepted way of measuring intelligence even though it has some flaws. Psychologists are still debating what intelligence even means.
Why is this important to schools?
Believe it or not, research shows that high IQ stores often have correlation with high school achievement, completion of years of college after the high-school level, and scores on standardized achievement scores. I'm one of the exceptions. I score rather high on IQ tests, but the only standardized test i ever took, I only scored close to average. Teachers could use an IQ test to help determine school achievement, but they shouldn't rely on it as a scepter of truth.
Now what?
IQ tests will continue to be used, but i think people place too much emphasis on them. As for standardized tests, it seems like the best method we have right now to give everyone an equal chance to get into good colleges and all that. Students with test-anxiety are obviously at a disadvantage, so it's not standardized in a perfect sense.
Well, I'll tell ya. Measuring intelligence is kind of a big deal in the secondary education lifestyle. Scores on standardized tests can set the stage for life by determining what schools a student will be able to attend. There are other kinds of intelligence tests too. The IQ test was created to help determine if a student had any disablities. If scores are very low on an IQ test in all areas, experts can determine that a student is mentally retarded. That student may be put in the classes he/she needs to develop socially and academically. The IQ test is a widely accepted way of measuring intelligence even though it has some flaws. Psychologists are still debating what intelligence even means.
Why is this important to schools?
Believe it or not, research shows that high IQ stores often have correlation with high school achievement, completion of years of college after the high-school level, and scores on standardized achievement scores. I'm one of the exceptions. I score rather high on IQ tests, but the only standardized test i ever took, I only scored close to average. Teachers could use an IQ test to help determine school achievement, but they shouldn't rely on it as a scepter of truth.
Now what?
IQ tests will continue to be used, but i think people place too much emphasis on them. As for standardized tests, it seems like the best method we have right now to give everyone an equal chance to get into good colleges and all that. Students with test-anxiety are obviously at a disadvantage, so it's not standardized in a perfect sense.
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