Group Diferences Forum

For the group differences forum, each group was required to read 2 articles.

The article that the whole class was asked to read was titled "From the Achievement Gap to the Education Debt: Understanding Achievement in U.S. Schools" by Gloria Ladson-Billings and seemed to be written for researchers. It seems to me that the article is written for researchers because it talks about a popular, significant topic in educational research and why it exists. This article was also published in the Educational Researcher, a journal for researchers.

The article our gender group chose to read was "The Myth of Pink & Blue Brains" by Lise Eliot. I think that the Eliot article seemed more geared towards educators and parents because it provided background information for why the gender gap exists and gave suggestions for closing the gap.

The assumption that Ladson-Billings makes is that the achievement gap is caused by overall inequality. She discusses the historical ,economic, sociopolitical, and moral debts that all add up to the educational debt. She states that, while it may seem impossible, it is necessary for us as a country to look at all of the factors that affect the achievement gap and work hard to close it.

I found it surprising that Ladson-Billings says that slavery, something that happened so long ago, could affect the education of African Americans today. I just don't think about the past having such a strong effect on children's current educational success.

The assumption that Eliot makes is that the gender gap can be closed by treating boys and girls more equally from birth. We tend to treat boys and girls very differently and this behavior is what creates the gender gap.

I know that boys and girls engage in different types of play, mostly conditioned by the adults in their lives, but I had never thought about the effect that could have on their future educational success. The thing I found most surprising was the fact that playing catch and racing games are the types of activities that increase boys spatial awareness skills. This tells me that taking girls outside to play catch on a regular basis instead of encouraging them to play with dolls all of the time could help them score better in math.

 

Resources

Eliot, L. (2010). The Myth of Pink & Blue Brains. Educational Leadership.



Ladson-Billings. G. (2006). From the Achievement Gap to the Education Debt: Understanding   Achievement in U.S. Schools. Educational Researcher.

Chapter 3 Questions

Evaluate

Critique the effectiveness of the "Big Five" personality traits when determining children's personalities.

Apply

Use the suggestions for encouraging moral and pro-social development in the classroom (p. 97-99) to address the misbehavior in your case study.

Reference

Ormrod, J. E. (2011). Educational psychology: Developing learners. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Chapter 2 Questions

Creating

Use Piaget and Vygotsky's basic assumptions and your previous knowledge to create your own basic assumptions about the child in your case study.

Applying

In the future, how will you go about teaching children who are in different stages of Piaget's cognitive development? For example, if you work in a 1st grade classroom, you may have children in the preoperational stage while others have reached the concrete operations stage.

 

Reference

Ormrod, J. E. (2011). Educational psychology: Developing learners. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Chapter 5 Questions

Understanding

Ormrod (2011) talks about the influence that nature and nurture have on intelligence. Can you, in your own words, summarize the influence that nature and nurture have on the development of intelligence?

Synthesizing

Ormrod (2011) provides specific ways to adapt instruction for children with special needs. Use these adaptations in combination with your previous knowledge of lesson planning and disabilities to create a simple lesson plan for a child with a learning disability.

Reference

Ormrod, J. E. (2011). Educational psychology: Developing learners. Boston, MA: Pearson.





Field Trip: Screening of Girl Rising

Recently, I attended a showing of the film Girl Rising at the University Center. This documentary takes viewers into the lives of nine girls in various parts of the world. These girls live very difficult lives and do not always have the opportunity for education or even choice.

1. Wadley, a little girl in Haiti, absolutely loved attending school and learning with her peers. Then, one day, an earthquake ripped apart Wadley's life. The school that she loved so much was gone and she had to take on the responsibility of fetching water for her family, who was now living in a tent. One day, as she was walking to get the water, Wadley noticed that her former teacher was teaching a group of children in a tent. Excited at the thought of going back to school, Wadley ran home to tell her mother that the school was re-opened. Wadley's heart broke when her mother told her that she could not afford to send her back to school, but she did not give up. Wadley went back to the tent school and stood up for herself, telling the teacher that she would keep coming back until she was allowed to stay. The teacher must have admired Wadley's passion because she told Wadley to sit down and continued to teach. I was amazed by the persistence this young girl showed in the name of her education. She showed a great deal of strength and inspired several people, including me.
2. Two of the girls in this documentary were portrayed by other people because they were afraid to show their faces in the film. They said that their lives may be at stake if anyone saw them. This was a surprise to me. Girls could lose their lives for sharing their story? In the United States, people share their entire lives on social media on a daily basis, but these girls cannot share theirs. Another thing that shocked me was their willingness to still share their story in spite of the threat. That shows a great deal of courage and strength.
3. My favorite story from the documentary was about a little girl who lived in India. She and her family were living in a tent on the sidewalk in the slums if the city. They moved to the city from the country in order for the children to get an education. Ruksana was getting into trouble at school for doodling during class. One day, she was kicked out of math class for drawing and was afraid to face her father because she had promised him that she wouldn't get into anymore trouble at school. Her father looked at the drawings in the notebook, looked at Ruksana, took her hand and silently led her down the street. They ended up in an art store where her father bought her a sketchbook and some colored pens. I thought about where this family lived and how little they had and had to fight back tears. This family was living on the street, yet the father managed to find some money to support his daughter in what she enjoyed doing.

After watching Wadley's story, I started to reflect on my own life. I have always taken school for granted. I never really thought about how lucky I am to even be able to go to school. It never occurred to me that some people do not ever get that chance. In the United States, children are required by law to go to school. I couldn't fathom a place where children did not go to school, but there are places like this all over the world. What made this even worse is the fact that Wadley was allowed to go to school, but a lack of money was holding her back. In the United States, education is free until college, unless you go to private school. Maybe this is the teacher in me talking, but money should never be the deciding factor when it comes to educating a child. I was very happy to see that Wadley's teacher, impressed by her courage , persistence, and passion, allowed Wadley to stay and be educated without paying the necessary fees. I think that this movie was very eye-opening and I would recommend that everyone, especially those in the field of education, watch it. Here is a link to the trailer. I hope more people watch this movie, reflect on their own lives, and decide to be advocates for children, especially girls, around the world.

I thought I posted this last week, but I only saved it as a draft. Sorry.

Chapter 8 Questions

Remembering:
According to Ormrod (2011), what are the six ways to foster creativity and why is creativity important?

Analyzing:
Outline ways in which you can accommodate for students with special needs using the categories listed in the table on page 280.

Project-Based Learning: A Constructivist Concept

Alexander (2006) describes constructivism as a theory of learning that suggests that "knowledge is created, or constructed, by individuals or groups and not simply acquired" (p. 68). Hatch (2005) says that teachers that implement constructivist principles "set up environments and activities that support children's development" (p. 8). One way to do that is to engage children in a project-based learning activity. This is a type of relevant, authentic learning activity, a very important aspect of constructivist teaching.
 
Ormrod (2011) defines project-based learning activities as "activities in which students acquire new knowledge and skills while working on a complex, multifaceted project that yields a concrete end product" (p. 231). Children will be spending a large amount of time working on these projects, so it is of great importance to incorporate it into all content areas.

Here is an example of a project-based activity that I could implement in my classroom. This is a webquest that asks children to research the possibility of designing a garden that would produce enough vegetables to use in their school cafeteria. The children locate a place for their garden, choose what to plant, and care for their gardens over the course of the project. This project incorporates math, science, writing, research and social skills. It is a very in-depth project in which the children will be engaged in a real-world activity and produce an end product.

I think that children would enjoy this activity because it gives them responsibility and choice. They would also be working in groups and learning from one another. One obstacle might be time, because this project would probably take a couple of months to complete. Another obstacle might be child interest. Because this activity would take place over a long period of time, the children may become bored with the topic.

References

Alexander, P. A. (2006). Psychology in learning and instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Hatch, J. A. (2005). Teaching in the new kindergarten. Canada: Thomson Delmar Learning

Ormrod, J.E. (2011). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Behaviorism and Social Cognition

Ormrod (2011) defines behaviorism as the "theoretical perspective in which learning and behavior are described and explained in terms of stimulus-response relationships" (p. 285). Behaviorism focuses on the environmental factors on learning. According to Hatch (2005), behaviorists break down learning "into manageable segments that adults teach using direct instruction and behavior modification techniques" (p. 8). In order to see if the children are mastering lesson objectives from a behaviorist perspective, there should be an observable difference in their behavior. I could use rewards and punishments to condition the children to act in a certain way, thus ensuring that they have learned something. I would not look at what they do in context because cognitive processes do not matter. Mastery would be strictly defined according to observable behaviors. Can the children do what I have asked or not?

Social cognitive theory is the "theoretical perspective that focuses on how people learn by observing others and how they eventually assume control over their own behavior" (Ormrod, 2011, p. 323). Social cognitive theory came from behaviorist ideas, but incorporates cognitive processes where behaviorism ignores them. How can you tell if students have mastered objectives from a social cognitive perspective? From this perspective, rewards and punishments only work if the children know what they are being rewarded and punished for. I would still use rewards and punishments, but I would emphasize the reasoning behind them. IN this theory, children can learn by watching others. So, if I rewarded one child for doing well, the other children would see it and change their behavior accordingly. In deciding whether or not a child has mastered an objective. I would look at their behavior in context. Why are they doing what they are doing? What are they thinking? This would have a significant effect on whther or not I believe that they have mastered a skill.

References

Hatch, J. A. (2005). Teaching in the New Kindergarten. Canada: Thomson Delmar Learning.

 

Ormrod, J. E. (2011). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners. Boston, MA: Pearson.





Environment and CSEL

Curtis and Carter ( 2003) tell us that a beneficial learning environment begins with a sense of belonging. This means that we have to create a "cozy, homelike environment" to help children feel safe (p.24). Making children feel comfortable optimizes learning. Several components are included in creating this environment. Teachers have to look at architectural features, furnishings, color, texture, lighting, and outdoor spaces. It is also important to provide children with engaging activities that incorporate their interests. Also, bringing in pictures of the children and their families to display in the classroom help children create a connection with the school without feeling too separated from their family units. I definitely plan on having a classroom that parents feel comfortable visiting and makes all of the children feel important. Some ways the book mentions to help me do this include having adult sized-furniture as well as kid-sized furniture, displaying children's work, using children's names as much as possible, and providing a wide variety of open-ended materials.

Guillaume (2012) says that teachers should create a classroom community and provide productive and efficient physical space. This book, written for educators of all grades, gave a wide range of suggestions for how to manage the environment. One thing I took away from this book and plan to use in my future practice is that we as teachers have to help children see school as a pleasant experience. It's such a simple idea, and I think that's why it can sometimes be overlooked.

Ormrod (2011) talks about "creating an effective psychological climate" (p. 464). I'm not sure how I feel about creating a businesslike atmosphere, but some of the ideas presented in this section are very appealing to me. I think that offering children choices is a great way to foster a love of learning. I am also a strong believer in making sure that every child feels like he or she belongs. Having that sense of belongingness allows children to take risks in their learning, and therefore, develop a greater understanding of the world.

Early Childhood Case Study

The first step I would take in helping Willard would be to create a picture schedule and hang it on the wall in the front of the room. I would use it during transitions and ask the children, as a group, to tell me what comes next. Hopefully drawing their attention to this timeline of events would help keep Willard on task.  I would also have a discussion and/or book about bullying and emphasize the importance of showing everyone respect.

After about a week, if Willard needed more intensive intervention, I would provide him with his own picture schedule at his desk. I would encourage him to look at it occasionally and do some self-monitoring.

Third, I would create a mini-lesson on routines and work with Willard. I would emphasize where things fall during the day and what comes before and after them. I would ask Willard questions like, "If we were outside playing, what would we do next?" and see if he can follow along by looking at his personal picture schedule.

If all of my previous interventions failed, I would ask someone to come in and observe Willard. This 3rd party observer might be able to see things about Willard, or my teaching, that I would miss. I would also get in contact with his guardian and ask him/her how Willard behaves at home. Does he behave in the same manner? Why or why not? I would let his guardian know what interventions that I have put into place and ask if they have any suggestions for helping Willard adjust to routines. I would also collaborate with the guardian on how we could implement our ideas at school and at home so that Willard has some consistency.

References

Curtis, D. & Carter, M. (2003). Designs for Living and Learning: Transforming Early

            Childhood Environments. St Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
Guillaume, A. M. (2012). K-12 Classroom Teaching: A Primer for New Professionals. Boston,
            MA: Pearson.
Ormrod, J.E. (2011). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Motivation

I think that the social cognitive theory is one of the most important theories related to motivation  in the classroom. Everyone enjoys doing things that result in some sort of reward, whether it is intrinsic or extrinsic. Also, children are around one another all day, so they are going to notice what the person next to them is doing. If something they do something or observe their neighbor doing something that results in a reward, they will be more motivated to do the same thing in the future.

Some of the most important aspects of motivation, in my opinion, are interests, competence, affect, and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. In order to motivate students, teachers need to capture the students' attention. That can be done by introducing material that the students are genuinely interested in or by changing the environment to increase interest. For example, some kids really enjoy reading, so if the teacher tells them to read x amount of books a semester, they are probably going to go above and beyond that amount. Other children may not like to read as much. In this instance, the teacher could let the children know that if they read x amount of books a semester they will be allowed to attend an ice cream party. Not every child is going to be personally interested in every topic, so it's the teachers job to increase that interest whenever possible. This goes hand-in-hand with intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Some children like to read because it makes them happy (intrinsic), but the ice cream party (extrinsic) helps motivate the children who do not like to read as much. Competence is also important when it comes to motivation. I know, personally, that if I  try to do too many things at once I get overwhelmed and lose every ounce of motivation that I started with. It is important for teachers to know what their students are capable of doing so the students feel like they can be successful. If the students think that a task is impossible they are not going to be motivated to try because they will see it as a lost cause. Affect is also important and relates back to interest and competence. If engagement in a certain activity makes the student happy they are more likely to do it. If they think that the activity will make them sad, angry, or confused they will not be as motivated to engage in the activity.

I found a great article from the National Association of School Psychologists. It is written for parents, but the ideas can be very helpful and effective in the classroom. It talks about the characteristics of motivation in young children, how motivation is developed, and it also gives tips for how to enhance motivation in children. My favorite tip is "do not give children excessive rewards." It's so easy to just say, "If you do ________, you will get________," but is that really helping children in the long run, or is it detrimental to their self worth and intrinsic motivation?

The Many Forms of Assessment

Informal vs. Formal Assessment

A form of informal assessment would be observation during an everyday routine in the classroom, like lunch. Cohen, Stern, Balaban, and Gropper (2008) encourage us as teachers to make note of the stimulus of the activity, the setting, the child's reaction, and what the child does immediately after in order to gain a real insight into what the child might be thinking (p. 15-18). This allows teachers to see how the environment might affect children and how they might adapt it to help the children succeed. A test is a type of formal assessment. It is something that the children know about ahead of time and are able to study for, and it lets the teachers see how much of the information the children are understanding.

 

Paper-Pencil vs. Performance Assessment

In my German class, we were assessed based on paper-pencil and performance activities. We were given written tests in which we had to answer questions based on a piece of German text. We also had to engage in a German conversation with a partner while the instructor observed. The paper-pencil test showed the teacher that we were learning the vocabulary while the performance assessment showed that we understood the grammar and were able to speak somewhat fluently.

 

Traditional vs. Authentic Assessment

An example of traditional assessment might be to give children a worksheet of math problems to see if they understand how to solve them. An authentic assessment of the same example might include engaging children in a board game where they have to count the dots on the dice and move their piece accordingly. Both of these activities assess the child's ability to work with numbers, but playing a board game is more likely to happen outside of class than a worksheet.

 

Standardized Tests vs. Teacher Developed Assessments

A standardized test could be a reading test provided to the teacher by the textbook company or a history test that is created from software that accompanies the book. These tests ask questions about what children should be learning from the materials that they are using, but they don't always accurately measure what they do learn. Teacher developed assessments are tests that teachers create that more accurately assess what the children learn from the materials. For example, the children may find something interesting, that the textbook company did not find relevant, and spend most of their time talking about that piece of the story. Using the standardized test in this situation would not accurately measure what the children learned.

 

Criterion-Referenced vs. Norm Referenced Assessments

Over the summer I completed my practicum with the infant classroom at the Early Learning Center on campus. I completed both criterion-referenced ad norm-referenced assessments on the children in my class. The norm-referenced assessment was called the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). I had on for each child and the questionnaires are based on what's "normal" for children of a particular age in months. For example, the 12 month ASQ asked if the child was walking or showing signs of being able to walk. This allowed me as a teacher to see where the children were at developmentally in relation to peers of the same age. The criterion-referenced assessment involved a lot of observations. I created lesson plans and wrote out the objectives that I wanted the children to meet during the activity. I recorded when the children met an objective and entered it on the assessment website used at the center. This type of assessment allowed me to see how a child met an objective and if they didn't how to help them be successful the next time. It also helped me to reflect on my teaching strategies and adapt them if they seemed to be failing.

 

Reference

Cohen, D. H., Stern, V., Balaban, N, & Gropper, N (2008). Observing and recording the behavior of young children. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Post #1

Reflecting back on our first class, I thought that the introduction activity was a great way to start the class. We received information about each person and what we will be learning over the course of this semester. I noticed Brian taking notes and that really meant a lot to me. It was great seeing a teacher who wasn't just going through the motions, but actually cared about what we were saying. I also thought that talking about professionalism was a great way to begin the semester. There were some words that I would have never come up with on my own, so I really liked that we collaborated as a group to make the list.

What I'm looking forward to most this semester is learning about different learning strategies and the most effective teaching strategies so that I can be the best teacher I can be. I know a little about theory and creating authentic learning experiences, but I'm excited to add to that knowledge this semester. I am never particularly excited about presentations, but I have seen a couple of topics that I do not hate, so I'm looking forward to presenting and participating in these presentations. I'm also very excited to talk about communicating and collaborating with parents. I didn't mention this in class, but I was happy that other people did. I was surprised to hear how many people seem to have the same hesitancy when it comes to parents that I do and I'm looking forward to putting an end to that hesitancy.