Week 2 & 3
I found that the readings for this week were especially poignant for state of teaching today. Classroom Instruction that Works brought out that there are so many factors that enter into how and what a child learns and this is absolutely true. Because California has moved to a standards based, one-size-fits-all curriculum, it is essential to find strategies that will address the needs of the students in your class and help them to attain the needed information. I have found that exposure to technology can help students (especially those that are low and unmotivated) but can not be thought of as a panacea for students who are still struggling with the basic fundamentals of life such as food, shelter, security, and love.
Being a teacher of a SEI class at a Title 1 school, finding the right strategies are so important to help the students. Because many of the students begin with little or no prior knowledge or world view it is important to get them engaged using what they do know as a start. Finding similarities and differences is an excellent way to get students to better understand what is being taught to them. It allows them to use the information they do have to find out something new. Through comparisons students can use prior knowledge as a means of categorizing and diagraming what something is or isn't. I readily use things such as Venn Diagrams and category charts during lessons to help my students break down a subject and easily see what something is or isn't.
Strategies such as creating metaphors and analogies are definitely higher level but as Learning with Technology pointed out they are necessary as part of a student's total learning experience. All the learning that a student does can not be "simple". Learning must be a challenge but fun and engaging. I use analogies a lot, especially when discussing vocabulary. Many times the students do not even understand the dictionary definition of a word. I use analogies or metaphors to try and give them a clue without revealing the answers.
I was also glad to see that invention and curiosity were included as being fundamental to learning. I think that technology is a great tool to broaden the mind of a student. By using things such as the Internet, students are open to so much information. Because of the vast amount of information that is available, students are able to increase their knowledge. Almost everyday, I have a student come up to me with something new that they have learned. They feel proud to tell me and I can see that they are enjoying the method in which they learned their new subject. While computers can not solve problems on their own, it is up to teachers to use strategies combined with technology to help the students get where they need to be.
I found that the readings for this week were especially poignant for state of teaching today. Classroom Instruction that Works brought out that there are so many factors that enter into how and what a child learns and this is absolutely true. Because California has moved to a standards based, one-size-fits-all curriculum, it is essential to find strategies that will address the needs of the students in your class and help them to attain the needed information. I have found that exposure to technology can help students (especially those that are low and unmotivated) but can not be thought of as a panacea for students who are still struggling with the basic fundamentals of life such as food, shelter, security, and love.
Being a teacher of a SEI class at a Title 1 school, finding the right strategies are so important to help the students. Because many of the students begin with little or no prior knowledge or world view it is important to get them engaged using what they do know as a start. Finding similarities and differences is an excellent way to get students to better understand what is being taught to them. It allows them to use the information they do have to find out something new. Through comparisons students can use prior knowledge as a means of categorizing and diagraming what something is or isn't. I readily use things such as Venn Diagrams and category charts during lessons to help my students break down a subject and easily see what something is or isn't.
Strategies such as creating metaphors and analogies are definitely higher level but as Learning with Technology pointed out they are necessary as part of a student's total learning experience. All the learning that a student does can not be "simple". Learning must be a challenge but fun and engaging. I use analogies a lot, especially when discussing vocabulary. Many times the students do not even understand the dictionary definition of a word. I use analogies or metaphors to try and give them a clue without revealing the answers.
I was also glad to see that invention and curiosity were included as being fundamental to learning. I think that technology is a great tool to broaden the mind of a student. By using things such as the Internet, students are open to so much information. Because of the vast amount of information that is available, students are able to increase their knowledge. Almost everyday, I have a student come up to me with something new that they have learned. They feel proud to tell me and I can see that they are enjoying the method in which they learned their new subject. While computers can not solve problems on their own, it is up to teachers to use strategies combined with technology to help the students get where they need to be.