Dear Readers,
Please click on the link so that you can view the article that was written by the Benton-Michiana Spirit. This article was written so that it could highlight the December 18th Book Signing at Union Memorial AME Church in Benton Harbor, MI.
Lessons on Church Folk Article
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Reflection on Module 6
As I read Bandura's article, I realized that our behavior will influence the way our lives will play out. This theory (social cognitive theory) has helped us to evolve from stimulus-response interactions to the interactions that occur based on our actions. Bandura (2008) and Harre & Gillet (1994) stated that "The sensory, motor, and celebral systems are tools people use to accomplish the tasks and goals that give meaning, direction, and satisfaction to their lives" (p.5). As noted, all three of these systems are important and they help us to make various decisions as we progress throughout our lives. No matter what happens, these three systems will helps us to determine our dreams and aspirations and how we can incorporate those dreams into a career that will fulfill our drive for success.
In the Pajares article, I realized that self-efficacy is important to children of all ages. They tend to gravitate more towards the things that they are already successful in. Investing time is something that they don't understand can be confusing to them. Children will spend more time on activities that will help them to increase their self-efficacy and overall person motivation. Pajares (2006) stated that "In school, teachers work to improve the competence and confidence of the students in their charge" (p. 340). As teachers, we need to assist students so that they can increase their confidence in learning. Increasing their competence and confidence can result in them looking at their learning a new light. If teachers can work hard through specialized instruction to improve a student's frame of mind, they can help students as they make important decisions in the future.
A great teacher is someone who raises the standards in the classroom. This teacher challenges their students to do their very best in the classroom. A teacher who lowers the standards of learning in the classroom is someone who could be setting students up for their future downfall. As teachers, we must raise the bar (through the growth mindset) so that students don't become complacent in their learning experience. For the parents, they need to raise the bar in their homes so that children will know that they have to study hard and get good grades. In Dweck (2006), Marva Collins stated that her students "Well, goodbye to failure, children. Welcome to success" (p. 189). We have to speak success into the minds of our students.
As I read the Gladwell article, I realized that rice is a part of the Chinese culture from agriculture to their daily meals. They eat rice as a part of their meals because it is a part of their tradition. But when it comes down to math tests, Chinese children are far ahead of American children. This is because these children have a wider memory space in order to remember more things. American children can remember more but we must begin training their minds as early as possible so that they can compete with children from foreign countries. Gladwell (2008) stated that "Four year old Chinese children can count, on average, to forty. American children at that age can count only to fifteen, and most don't reach forty until they're five" (p. 229). If we can begin this learning process when they are younger than four, we can position American children so that they can be ahead of their foreign counterparts.
References:
Bandura, A. (1986). But what about that gigantic elephant in the room? In R. Arkin (Ed.), Most unappreciated: 50 prominent social psychologists talk about hidden gems (pp.51-59). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bandura, A. (2008). The reconstrual of "free will" from the agentic perspective of social cognitive theory. In J. Baer, J. C. Kaufmann & R. F. Baumister (Eds.), Are we free? Psychology and Free Will (pp. 86-127). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.
Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The story of success. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Harre, R. & Gillet, G. (1994). The discoursive mind. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Pajares, F. (2006). Self-efficacy beliefs during adolescence: Implications for teachers and parents. In F. Pajares & T. Urden (Eds.), Adolescence and education, Vol 5: Self-efficacy beliefs of adolescents (pp. 339-367). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
In the Pajares article, I realized that self-efficacy is important to children of all ages. They tend to gravitate more towards the things that they are already successful in. Investing time is something that they don't understand can be confusing to them. Children will spend more time on activities that will help them to increase their self-efficacy and overall person motivation. Pajares (2006) stated that "In school, teachers work to improve the competence and confidence of the students in their charge" (p. 340). As teachers, we need to assist students so that they can increase their confidence in learning. Increasing their competence and confidence can result in them looking at their learning a new light. If teachers can work hard through specialized instruction to improve a student's frame of mind, they can help students as they make important decisions in the future.
A great teacher is someone who raises the standards in the classroom. This teacher challenges their students to do their very best in the classroom. A teacher who lowers the standards of learning in the classroom is someone who could be setting students up for their future downfall. As teachers, we must raise the bar (through the growth mindset) so that students don't become complacent in their learning experience. For the parents, they need to raise the bar in their homes so that children will know that they have to study hard and get good grades. In Dweck (2006), Marva Collins stated that her students "Well, goodbye to failure, children. Welcome to success" (p. 189). We have to speak success into the minds of our students.
As I read the Gladwell article, I realized that rice is a part of the Chinese culture from agriculture to their daily meals. They eat rice as a part of their meals because it is a part of their tradition. But when it comes down to math tests, Chinese children are far ahead of American children. This is because these children have a wider memory space in order to remember more things. American children can remember more but we must begin training their minds as early as possible so that they can compete with children from foreign countries. Gladwell (2008) stated that "Four year old Chinese children can count, on average, to forty. American children at that age can count only to fifteen, and most don't reach forty until they're five" (p. 229). If we can begin this learning process when they are younger than four, we can position American children so that they can be ahead of their foreign counterparts.
References:
Bandura, A. (1986). But what about that gigantic elephant in the room? In R. Arkin (Ed.), Most unappreciated: 50 prominent social psychologists talk about hidden gems (pp.51-59). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bandura, A. (2008). The reconstrual of "free will" from the agentic perspective of social cognitive theory. In J. Baer, J. C. Kaufmann & R. F. Baumister (Eds.), Are we free? Psychology and Free Will (pp. 86-127). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.
Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The story of success. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Harre, R. & Gillet, G. (1994). The discoursive mind. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Pajares, F. (2006). Self-efficacy beliefs during adolescence: Implications for teachers and parents. In F. Pajares & T. Urden (Eds.), Adolescence and education, Vol 5: Self-efficacy beliefs of adolescents (pp. 339-367). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Blog Post #2: Reflection on Module 5
I believe that this week’s readings gave me a better impression on problem solving, metacognition, self-regulation, and multitasking. These four items play an integral role in the learning process. Each of these concepts are directly related to students and how they learn. These concepts are used in the classroom every single day by the learner. Students use these four concepts as they listen to lectures, work together in groups or individually, and as they complete various tasks during the day.
Multitasking is important to the success of the learner because students should be able to switch from one topic to another. But working on various projects at the same time can cause mental conflict in the mind of the learner. Rosen (2008) stated that “This steady and undissipated attention to one object, is a suremark of a superior genius; as hurry, bustle, and agitation, are the never-failing symptoms of a weak and frivolous mind” (p. 105)
Self-regulation is important because we need to help students learn more about how they learn so that they can get a clearer understanding on how they take in information. Noddings (2006) stated that “If we want them to learn to use their minds well, it is reasonable to help them understand how their minds function, how and why they learn” (p. 10). Teachers need to be able to motivate their students so that they can get excited about learning. Even though motivation comes from the inside, it should be reinforced by the teacher in the classroom as well.
Metacognition is important to the success of the learner because it helps students to understand the ways that they learn. Kegan (2005) stated that “If adult education would seek not so much to train for self-directed learning but to educate for the order of mental complexity that enables it, this might well constitute the most effective way to address the very “practical” aspirations of adult learners” (p. 275). If we can teach students and incorporate their life experiences , we will have a good chance of helping them to increase their cognition in their college classes.
Problem solving can contribute to the success of the learner because it will help them to find ways to complete a problem using the concepts that they have learned. “Problem solving does not usually begin with a clear statement of the problem; rather, most problems must be identified in the environment; then then must be defined and represented mentally” (p. 5). Our environment has a lot to do with the way that we handle the problems in our lives.
Connections to other theories:
James (1899) said to “Keep the faculty of effort alive in you by a little gratuitous exercise every day --do every day or two something for no other reason than its difficulty" (p. 62).
Vygotsky (1935) said that “A well-known and empirically established fact is that learning should be matched in some way with the child’s development level” (p. 85).
Skinner (1984) stated that “Most current problems could be solved if students learned twice as much in the same time and with the same effort” (p. 947).
Rosen (2008) stated that “Unlike many other researchers who study multitasking, Meyer is optimistic that, with training, the brain can learn to task-switch more effectively, and there is some evidence that certain simple tasks are amenable to such practice” (p. 107).
James, W. (1899). Talks to Teachers. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Rosen, C. (2008). The myth of multitasking. The New Atlantis, 64, 105-110
Noddings, N. (2006). Critical lessons: what our schools should teach. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Kegan, R. (1994). In over our heads: the mental demands of modern life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard College Press.
Pretz, J. E., Naples, A.J., & Sternberg, R. J. (2003). Recognizing, defining, and representing problems. In J.E. Davidson & R. J. Sternberg (Eds.), The psychology of problem solving (pp.1-30). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Skinner, B. F. (1984). The shame of American education. American Psychologist, 42, 947-954.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1935/1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Blog Post #1: Metaphor for Learning
Metaphor: Learning can be the medium between cognition and problem solving.
In order to learn, cognition is the first step. A person needs to process the information that comes into their minds. Then, they must decide on what category they want to place the new concept into. After cognition, learning can begin. Over time, learning can give birth to the use of problem solving techniques in the classroom. Learning tends to involve associating new items with old items. James (1899) stated that “An educated memory depends on an organized system of associations; and its goodness depends on two of their peculiarities: first, on the persistency of the associations; and, second, on their number" (p. 89).
In contrast, Vygotsky (1935) states that “Learning is considered a purely external process that is not actively involved in development. It merely utilizes the achievements of development rather than providing an impetus for modifying its course” (p. 79). I believe that learning begins internally while Vygotsky believes that learning occurs externally first.
Learning in the classroom involves interacting with the teacher and other students within the classroom environment. Overall, learning can occur individually because some students prefer to learn on their own while other students prefer to learn within a social setting. Airisian & Walsh (1997) found that “Within the sociocultural perspective, knowledge is seen as constructed by an individual’s interaction with a social milieu in which he or she is situated, resulting in a change in both the individual and the milieu” (p. 445). As noted, learning can occur individually as well as with the help of those in the classroom environment.
Airasian, P. W., & Walsh, M. E., (1997). Constructivist cautions. Phi Delta Kappan, 78(1), 444-449.
James, W. (1899). Talks to Teachers. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1935/1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Module 4: Information Processing blog
King-Friedrichs (2001) stated that "new learning must be connected to what the students already know" (pg.1). We must make our classroom instruction relevant to their personal lives. Students must be able to relate to the content that they are being taught. We have to show students that what they are learning has a meaning and a purpose in their lives. We must elaborate on key concepts by showing students that they can apply what they are learning to their everyday lives. We can use food or strings to illustrate the concepts in our classrooms. We must use physical and mental cues so that students can use their memory in order to retrieve information when they are asked for it. Teachers can use portfolios and report cards in order to chart a student's progress in the class. The use of portfolios will show the parents that their child is learning various concepts in the classroom. Also, portfolios would show the parents that their children is able to use constructions in order to display their overall learning.
All of us can memorize things but we must note that it is more important for you to recall what you have learned over time. Recalling things can help you as you go towards placing things in your long term memory. The memory is exercised when we are able to process information in our minds at a slow pace. If we read materials quickly, it will be hard for us to bring it into our long-term memory. Overall, being a gamer is a serious thing. You have to create mental palaces that will help you to remember the information that you see. But it all begins with practice. If you do not practice memorization, you will not be able to master placing information into your long-term memory.
Guidance during instruction helps students as they begin to learn the concepts in a classroom. We must continue to guide our students until they feel that they are at a level where they can guide themselves through the use of their own prior knowledge. Kirschner (2006) found that "advocates of this approach imply that instructional guidance that provides or embeds learning strategies in instruction interferes with the natural processes by which learners draw on their unique prior experience and learning styles to construct new situated knowledge that will achieve their goals" (pg. 76). Minimal guidance could result in low student achievement and students could be guiding themselves in the wrong direction. Unguided instruction interrupts the human cognitive architecture/long term memory because the support from the teacher is minimal. Marsh & Butler (in press) found that "Performance during learning is a poor predictor of future performance because it reflects the momentary accessibility of knowledge (i.e. retrieval strength) rather than how well it has been stored in memory (i.e. storage strength)" (pg. 4).
As a student, I believe that I learn better when lots of instruction is given in my classes. The instruction that is given helps me to internalize the material so that I can apply my learning to the homework that I will complete later in the evening. The seals at Sea World are trained to do tricks for many hours each day. Because of their extensive training, they are able to perform with their trainers when people come to see them. Without the training/practice on a daily basis, the seal would not be able to perform (almost) flawlessly at each performance.
All of us can memorize things but we must note that it is more important for you to recall what you have learned over time. Recalling things can help you as you go towards placing things in your long term memory. The memory is exercised when we are able to process information in our minds at a slow pace. If we read materials quickly, it will be hard for us to bring it into our long-term memory. Overall, being a gamer is a serious thing. You have to create mental palaces that will help you to remember the information that you see. But it all begins with practice. If you do not practice memorization, you will not be able to master placing information into your long-term memory.
Guidance during instruction helps students as they begin to learn the concepts in a classroom. We must continue to guide our students until they feel that they are at a level where they can guide themselves through the use of their own prior knowledge. Kirschner (2006) found that "advocates of this approach imply that instructional guidance that provides or embeds learning strategies in instruction interferes with the natural processes by which learners draw on their unique prior experience and learning styles to construct new situated knowledge that will achieve their goals" (pg. 76). Minimal guidance could result in low student achievement and students could be guiding themselves in the wrong direction. Unguided instruction interrupts the human cognitive architecture/long term memory because the support from the teacher is minimal. Marsh & Butler (in press) found that "Performance during learning is a poor predictor of future performance because it reflects the momentary accessibility of knowledge (i.e. retrieval strength) rather than how well it has been stored in memory (i.e. storage strength)" (pg. 4).
As a student, I believe that I learn better when lots of instruction is given in my classes. The instruction that is given helps me to internalize the material so that I can apply my learning to the homework that I will complete later in the evening. The seals at Sea World are trained to do tricks for many hours each day. Because of their extensive training, they are able to perform with their trainers when people come to see them. Without the training/practice on a daily basis, the seal would not be able to perform (almost) flawlessly at each performance.
References:
King-Friedrichs, J. (2001). Brain-friendly techniques for improving memory. Educational Leadership, 59(3), 76-69.
Marsh, E. J., & Butler, A. C. (in press). Memory in educational settings. In D. Reisberg (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of cognitive psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Foer, J. (2011, February). Secrets of a mind-gamer: How I trained my brain and became a world-class memory athlete. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/02/20/magazine/mind-secrets.html?hp.
Kirschner, P., Sweller, J., Clark, R. (2006). Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work: an analysis of the failure of constructivist, discovery, problem-based, experiential, and inquiry-based teaching. Educational Leadership, 41(2), 75-86.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Activity 3: Blog Post: Learning "Styles"
As I read this article, I found it interesting that there are so many learning styles (auditory, visual, etc.). In any event, I believe that it is important to know the learning styles of the students that you will teach. Knowing their learning styles can help you to structure your curriculum so that your student's "learning styles" are being reinforced. However, it is possible for a child to have more than one learning style. But I think that it would be beneficial for students to have a working knowledge of all of the possible learning styles. They should be able to try out each learning style so that they can find a style/styles that work best for them. As I continued my reading, I realized that it is important for the teacher to know his/her learning style. Too often, teachers do not know their learning style and it can be difficult to explain a learning style when you are not familiar with your own learning style.
It was interesting to read that high ability students tend to learn better in low structure classrooms. This could occur because students with high ability tend to need less teacher instruction. But students with low ability need to be in setting where there is more teacher instruction. I found this scenario interesting because gifted students tend to work in groups or as individuals and the teacher allows them to explore their learning with little instruction. Whereas students who are in traditional schools (and they are not gifted) may need more teacher instruction so that they can be guided through the lesson. Overall, I enjoyed this article because it gave me a lot of current and background information on learning styles and how I can apply the concepts to my future classroom.
It was interesting to read that high ability students tend to learn better in low structure classrooms. This could occur because students with high ability tend to need less teacher instruction. But students with low ability need to be in setting where there is more teacher instruction. I found this scenario interesting because gifted students tend to work in groups or as individuals and the teacher allows them to explore their learning with little instruction. Whereas students who are in traditional schools (and they are not gifted) may need more teacher instruction so that they can be guided through the lesson. Overall, I enjoyed this article because it gave me a lot of current and background information on learning styles and how I can apply the concepts to my future classroom.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Activity 1: Blog Post: Resource on Perception
I chose this website because it discusses sensory registers and how we memorize things for a short period of time or a long period of time. Basically, this website speaks about how we memorize auditory and visual objects. Short term memory are those things that we have stored in our minds for a small amount of time. Long term memory are the short term memory things that we have repeated over a period of time and now, they are a part of our long term memory. The more we repeat them, the more the concepts will stay with us.
In terms of learning, this website is important because it shows us how we memorize things over time. But I think that this website is very important as teachers relate with students who have learning disabilities. Understanding how students learn is a key component in effective teaching.
James states that “In all primary school work the principle of multiple impressions is well recognized." This concept was taken from the PowerPoint presentation. In any event, multiple impressions will help the brain as it attempts to hold on to information for a long period of time. If you do not learn concepts repeatedly over a period of time, the information will reside in your short term memory and eventually it can float out of your memory bank unless you make associations with previously learned information.
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