Learning... I feel like I have learned so much this semester. I have felt that way before, taking other classes, but this semester is different. This time I actually feel like I can use what I have learned with success. We have all learned about these learning theories in our time, but now having been in the classroom, I now feel like I can use them. Each theory that was discussed I was able to imagine a student that I have had that would totally benefit from a particular theory's ideas and techniques.
Most of the theories had on thing in common, relate new knowledge to something the students already know. This is the key, in my opinion, to engaging our students in their learning. If the students feel like they can relate what they are learning to something they are interested in, they will have more interest in the new topic. My goal is to use these theories to get the students engaged in their learning, an active participant, not a forced participant.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Week 11
In order for a student to learn they need the appropriate amount of help. I remember when I was going to elementary school and jr. high school I had a really hard time solving story problems. I think my mind wasn't ready to apply knowledge into a real situation. When I was trying to solve these types of problems I encountered two types of teachers: One would just give me the answer because that was easiest (but I didn't learn any thing), the second type would say "just think about it, I'm sure you'll get it." Both of these situations frustrated me to the point that I would just give up. Well, maybe not the teacher that gave me the answer, but the second type for sure. In both situations I didn't learn anything.
The key for teachers is to give the appropriate amount of help to each student. I'm sure that there were students that were so much better and so much worse than me with story problems. If the teacher was giving all of us the same amount of help, I think none of us would achieve at our potential. I have found that the best way to give the appropriate amount of help for each student is to ask them questions so I have an understanding of what they do understand (and knowing my students). Once I know what they do understand I can direct them to ideas that they might not of thought about on their own, and absolutely not just handing them the answer. The students may think they just want the answer, but what they really want is the feeling of satisfaction after solving a problem they deemed as difficult.
The key for teachers is to give the appropriate amount of help to each student. I'm sure that there were students that were so much better and so much worse than me with story problems. If the teacher was giving all of us the same amount of help, I think none of us would achieve at our potential. I have found that the best way to give the appropriate amount of help for each student is to ask them questions so I have an understanding of what they do understand (and knowing my students). Once I know what they do understand I can direct them to ideas that they might not of thought about on their own, and absolutely not just handing them the answer. The students may think they just want the answer, but what they really want is the feeling of satisfaction after solving a problem they deemed as difficult.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Week 10
Learning... this isn't a one step process. Learning takes time. Students need more than one look at any topic they are taught. I can't expect my students to completely understand factoring the very first time I teach it to them. Luckily, students usually don't see a topic only once in their life. Going back to factoring, this topic is actually taught from late elementary until they finish their math classes in high school (and longer if they choose to continue taking math classes in college). At each level the students learn something different about the topic. In 5th or 6th grade they start learning about common factors, which continues through jr. high to encompass variables. Once they take algebra they start learning about factoring polynomials, and so on. At each step something extra is added in to make it just a little bit different, but the basic principle is the same.
As teachers we need to remind our students of their past learning experiences, so they know they aren't learning something for the first time. We need to help them make the connections between what they have learned up to the point we are teaching them. We can also give them problems where they have to use past knowledge that may help them figure out a the problem, but perhaps the key to solving the problem is for the student to recognize the one new difference. The key for teachers is to remember that we have tools and previous knowledge that we can use to help our students!
As teachers we need to remind our students of their past learning experiences, so they know they aren't learning something for the first time. We need to help them make the connections between what they have learned up to the point we are teaching them. We can also give them problems where they have to use past knowledge that may help them figure out a the problem, but perhaps the key to solving the problem is for the student to recognize the one new difference. The key for teachers is to remember that we have tools and previous knowledge that we can use to help our students!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Week 9
I have a real problem remembering people's names. I can always remember a face, but not names!!! It's really frustrating, especially being a teacher. I have to put a real effort into learning student's names. I usually have to relate something or someone to a student's name before I can remember it.
The same goes for students when they are learning a topic. I have found that my students remember a topic better when they have something to remember about it, something out of the ordinary. I had one student last year who would relate what he learned on a particular day to something unusual that happened on that day. He'd usually start out saying that he didn't remember a particular topic, then would say, "wait, I remember it. That was the day that .... happened. I remember now." I've never seen anyone who could do something so well. He really remembered how to do something by remembering what was going on around him.
Not all students can do this. But, as teachers, we can provide learning environments that create memorable situations. I wouldn't suggest doing something odd just to get their attention, but something hands on to explain topics. If the students are allowed to discover something, they are more likely to remember it.
The same goes for students when they are learning a topic. I have found that my students remember a topic better when they have something to remember about it, something out of the ordinary. I had one student last year who would relate what he learned on a particular day to something unusual that happened on that day. He'd usually start out saying that he didn't remember a particular topic, then would say, "wait, I remember it. That was the day that .... happened. I remember now." I've never seen anyone who could do something so well. He really remembered how to do something by remembering what was going on around him.
Not all students can do this. But, as teachers, we can provide learning environments that create memorable situations. I wouldn't suggest doing something odd just to get their attention, but something hands on to explain topics. If the students are allowed to discover something, they are more likely to remember it.
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