AnnaLaura

Constructivist Conversations Week One Hoosiers Clip One: Parents are often set in their ways and are not open to new or different styles of leadership. Sometimes new leaders are feared because their style is unknown. Clip Two: Allow insults to roll off your back. Don't get worked up. Don't be interested in being popular. Have thick skin. Clip Three: Show them who's boss. Stand your ground. Goodbye Mr. Chips. Be sure to structure your punishments to fit students' crimes. Being too harsh will result in fear and anger rather than your desired result of discipline. Find a way to show your authority without being tyrannical. Week Two INTASC Standard 3, Diverse Learners is NOT observed in this video. The instructors gave no allowance for different learning styles. All children were trained the exact same way. INTASC Standard 7, Planning, WAS illustrated here. Instructors planned each task meticulously with the definite goal of creating killing machines which would "aid" the community and country. "Soldier" 1. Babies are chosen harshly- no love or comfort. Aggressive babies win. This illustrates importance of nature over nurture. Desensitization and brainwashing occur. Videogames are a milder form of these problems in the real world. 2. Motorskills are a good indicator of development. 3. Survival of the fittest! how can we surround young people with ideas that rewire their negative conditioning? Week Three INTASC Standard 5 Motivation and Management - The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. The jockey in Seabiscuit understands his "student's" motivation and issues. He is able to manage the "student" by looking beyond anger and emotional issues to the heart and soul. INTASC Standard 10. School and Community Involvement - The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students' learning and well-being. The father in "Fly Away Home" recognizes his limitations as a new and inexperienced teacher and reaches out to more knowledgeable members of the community for assistance and support. "Seabiscuit" 1. Ignore external signs of weakness and anger; look within. Don't listen to other peoples' opinions of your students- form your own. Take all negative comments with a grain of salt. 2. Treating students negatively results in negative behavior. Train a student to lose and you will produce a loser. 3. Teachers must know where aggressive students are coming from. Maintain eye contact, use a soothing voice. Remind troubled kids "how to be kids again." 4. Use positivity to build up lost students. "Fly Away Home" 1. Everyone learns through imitation. Be willing to ask for help as a new teacher. Bonding is to humans as imprinting is to animals. 2. Form bonds with children from day one or you will lose them. Week Four "Billy Elliot" INTASC 3. Diverse Learners - The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. The ballet instructor understood Billy was a different type of child and supported him in his different interests. INTASC 5. Motivation and Management - The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. The ballet teacher understood Billy's deep motivation to learn ballet and reinforced his hard work with positive encouragement, resulting in his being very self-motivated. 1. He tries to act "normal" when others walk by. He doesn't want to be caught being different. 2. He found fulfillment and got positive reinforcement from adults after a lot of practice and dedication. Week 1 Observations Power Teaching Observation Task 1 College - Philosophy class and power teaching (whole brain teaching) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngCFr1TO62w&feature=PlayList&p=A30054F979B5DB02&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1 What tools for engagement do you observe? Requiring active participation throughout class, randomly calling on people to make sure they were listening. Moving quickly so students must pay attention. What strategy for encoding does he use most? Asking students to repeat what he has just said. College – Aristotle’s Four Causes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6rOIOW2Jf0&feature=related What do you perceive to be one of the essentials of power teaching from observing this clip? Asking students to summarize your points every few minutes. High School Math on Slope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6WJdsb0dfM&feature=related Make two more observations about the “essentials of power teaching” 1. students aren't given too much time to summarize each point to each other. there is no dead time during which the students could get off track. 2. visual aids are almost always used 6th Grade Math Class Operations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XroJtR9gQc8&feature=PlayList&p=A30054F979B5DB02&index=2 How long does she talk before she expects the Ss to review? A few seconds. What role does positive reinforcement play here? A fairly big role. The class is rewarded with negative or positive points. 4/5th Grade Teacher is 11 years old here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhvaDFwmfBY&feature=related How does she outline “expectations” or “standards” for participation? Students receive "dextra" credit for not getting involved by doing things like using hand gestures. How does she keep the discussion open ended? By asking for student's opinions and ideas. Critical Thinking Skills in 4th Grade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTwjFHorQhk&feature=related What impact would this style of teaching make in the schools you have seen? Zero misbehavior, active student engagement, virtually every student learning key concepts. Huge impact! College instruction on the Basics of Power Teaching http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBeWEgvGm2Y&feature=related What role do these elements play in this lesson? Humor: Keeps kids interested, happy, focused, excited. Gestures: help commit comments to memory and force students to focus on one another's summaries. Refocusing Keeps everyone on the same page. What is the most unique thing you see in this clip? The fact that students learn these concepts so quickly. Classroom Rules http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lHL78quPag&feature=related Compare and contrast the ways he presents the rules. What do you see? He powere teaches power teaching. He uses gestures and funny voices to teach his main concepts. Funny voices keep kids engaged, having kids come up and summarize the rules makes sure they're listening, as does having students teach each other. Smart Board and Mr. Howard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx1H8JoINGs&feature=fvw Where can you find one of the boards to learn how to use them? It looks like an Ipad but bigger. Maybe practicing on an ipad would help. I can't see and information in the clip about where to purchase one. Another lesson on Power Teaching http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U25w2LIc9w&feature=related Variety….is part of this method’s appeal. What does this method do for his “enthusiasm” and “creativity”? He is always enthusiastic because that is the whole point of power teaching. You can't do it without acting excited, and this keeps kids excited. Constant variety is needed to keep kids interested, and this increases the teacher's creativity. Week 2 Observations J ean Piaget Stages of Cognitive Development http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKzJsQcbOUQ (Piaget) The little girl illustrates Piaget’s stages perfectly. She does not yet understand the concept of conservation of volume, and her deductive reasoning is not developed. The experiment with the candles in the crayon box shows that she is still egocentric, and could not perceive the problem from “Elmo’s” point of view. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpYQH_T2FWM&feature=related This demonstration showed Piaget’s four stages of development using a police siren. In the sensorimotor stage, the child’s perception is entirely defined by her senses- she is frightened by the siren but does not know what it means. In the preoperational stage, the child knows the siren has a negative connotation, but she does not understand this negativity on an abstract level. In the concrete operational stage, she knows the siren is bad because she has been told it is, but she cannot explain why it is bad. In the formal operational stage, the child understands on an abstract level what the siren means, why it exists, and what the consequences of not heeding it are. Montessori http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e3S8Z6j8CE (Montessori) The Montessori method is characterized by individualized program, freedom of the child to pursue areas in which he or she is interested, grouping together of multiple age groups, and lots of social interaction. The method places a lot of emphasis on music, art and other activities that engage all the senses. Kids are given jobs and projects that keep them constantly engaged. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2A3-z0qdCw&feature=related Montessori believed children learned through experiencing the world, not listening to words. Learning is a natural human process, and does not need to be forced. Normalization occurs when children learn at their own rate through use of all the senses. This process is created through a carefully prepared environment. Vygotsky http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6oQfZ-PrwM&feature=related Vygotsky believed that children could perform on a higher level through social interaction, than they could on their own. The level of independent performance refers to the amount of knowledge the child can display entirely on his own. The level of assisted development is the amount of knowledge he can display with assistance. The zone of proximal development is the level in between the two levels just mentioned. As teachers it is important for us to understand that a child’s independent performance is not the only indicator of how the child is developing, and we must also examine the child’s level of assisted development. Teachers should provide activities that are just beyond what a child can accomplish independently, and within what the child can accomplish with assistance. Lev Vygotsky BASIC information http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRvQ4_nPNcU Vygotsky studied cognitive and language development and their relationship to learning. He believed children’s intelligence should not be judged by tests alone, but through careful observation over time. Play-based activity that engaged the senses would lead to learning. Social Constructivist approach to learning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_205mQSLcA&feature=fvw Children learn through constant social interaction with peers and adults in their everyday lives. Theory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx84h-i3w8U&feature=related Encouraging children to write about, draw, and explain to others and themselves what they are learning, aids in development. SCAFFOLDING* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se6a9Q_37t4&feature=related Scaffolding provides steps to help a student in the learning process, by giving easier versions first, and providing assistance in the more difficult steps. Eventually, the scaffolding, which has provided a structure for learning, can be removed. Differentiation and Scaffolding (secondary) (benefits) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPl8OSCX_f8&feature=related It is important to differentiate your lessons based on students’ varied learning abilities and to provide scaffolding that allows each student to perform on a level playing field regardless of their previous skill levels. Primary Grades impact on a lifetime of learning (need for intellectual self-regulation) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXl7PP3bBKE&feature=related With the immense amount of technology available to children, learning through fantasy play is becoming less and less prevalent in children’s lives. It is important to acknowledge Vygotsky’s view that learning is a shard activity, not one solely undertaken only by the teacher or student alone. Learning progesses from teacher to child as the child becomes a more advanced, self-regulated learner. Teachers must focus their attention on the zone of proximal development. Scaffolding helps children move from the assisted to the independent levels of learning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9KDH8sHhtM&feature=related Learning is more than mirroring. Learners created their own representations. Piaget sees knowledge as occurring in child’s interaction with physical objects, whereas Vygotsky sees knowledge as an event occurring between more than one human. Behaviorists believe there is no structural distinction between learning and development. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwWrR1YQqN8&feature=related In this example training wheels were used as scaffolding for a child learning to ride a bike. Teaching the second student is more difficult, because their zone of proximal development does not involve training wheels- the student cannot ride a bike at all. The teacher in this case must assess what type of scaffolding (i.e. emotional, physical etc.) is needed to raise the child’s ZPD. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLi-vJSNP6U&feature=related (8 min, amusing) “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original. “ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBhQu_-_trE&feature=related (6 min, math lesson model on differentiation) Teachers adapt structure to students. Lawrence Kohlberg Brief Theory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1zLxQTIPEQ&feature=related Preconventional stage: takes place in early development, children are self-interested and learn right and wrong through fear of punishment. Conventional: teenage years, teens learn conformity and obedience to laws and rules. Post-conventional: stage of young adulthood, own ideas are formed, right and wrong is based on principal. Theory more in depth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYrfV-F3x_8 Preconventional: punishment and obedience- difficult to reason with children at this age, instrumental and relative: bribery and reward drive children. Conventional: interpersonal: peer pressure drives actions, law and order: decisions about good and bad are determined by legal structure. Postconventional: social contract- people have own moral principals but aren’t completely certain about them. Universal ethics: people have morals based on a “higher law.” 12 year old moral dilemma http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY4etXWYS84&feature=fvw The 7th grader, in stage 2, knows the man in the story did the wrong thing, but can’t really verbalize why. The adult, in stage 6, can list several ethical reasons why the man’s choice was wrong. The child, in stage 1, only knows what people are “supposed” to do. The young woman, in stage 5, reasons morally about the issue. The adult woman, in stage 5, is also very articulate in listing moral choices. another level, brief and it might introduce new vocabulary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f4xT8-0iGU&feature=related Four principals of bioethics. William Glasser Glasser himself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FckebmElMa8 Choice theory: healthy and harmful habits. Reality Therapy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZWGzWPqja0&feature=related A method of working with others based on personal responsibility, self-evaluation, and planning for change. Create the environment: know your students, stay focus on issue at hand, never give up. Questioning process: what do you want, what are you doing, is it helping, what else can you do. Needs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpxGGBuO7ao&feature=related Choice Theory: Basic psychological needs: love and belonging, power, freedom, fun. Relates to Student Behavior http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yto1-QUKi_s&feature=related Reality Therapy: establish involvement with the student, focus on the behavior, student must accept responsibility for the behavior, student should evaluate the behavior, student must make commitment to following the plan, follow-up and follow through. Week 5 INTASC 3. Diverse Learners - The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. Differentiation is a good example of adjusting the curriculum to the needs of diverse learners. The teacher who taught reading differently to children at different levels, was using differentiation in her classroom. INTASC 4. Multiple Instructional Strategies - The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills. Double doodle is an example of a technique teachers can use to help kids who are struggling in certain areas. In some cases, it may be more effective than trying to drill the subjects directly into the child. Emergent Curriculum Clip Curriculum based on social constructivist theory. All-inclusive: intellectual, social and moral. Long-term projects that continue throughout the school year. Teachers are partners and guides in learning. Teachers stay with students in three-year cycles. Artwork, photos, journals, portfolios used as documentation. Differentiation Clip Guided reading allows teachers to differentiate between students. Should be done in three, 15-minute segments a day. Students should practice reading strategies and skills. Gender Bias Clip Gender biases in children's books still exist. Analyze the underlying message of any book before you read it to a child. Presentations 1. Marjori- Double Doodle A good technique for kids who need help in writing, spelling or math, also a fun activity for any time. 2. Chris- Gravity Glider Increases posture, energy, classroom skills, and physical coordination. Releases tension, improves organization. Cross feet, breathe in, drop forward, and exhale, fall to left and right and slowly lift up. 3. Cana- Freud Freud: father of psychoanalysis. Id: conscious. Superego: moral, both conscious and unconscious. Ego: morals, social feelings. Week 6 Constructivist Conversations 7. Planning - The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals. Reviewing materials for gender bias is an important element of planning lessons before teaching. 3. Diverse Learners - The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. Differentiation is a key tool in working with diverse learners. Presentation: Carol Gilligan Internationally acclaimed psychologist and writer. Moral development in girls. Difference feminism: idea that men and women’s moral and psychological development patters differ. Stages of moral development: 1. Selfish 2. Social or conventional morality 3. Post conventional or principled immorality. Patriarchy is the antithesis of democracy. Presentation: Karen Horney Taught psychoanalysis. Associate Director of Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis (big deal for her time). Started her own institution but had to resign for refuting Freud’s theories. Theory of Neurosis. Clip 1: Differentiation: Content, process, products. Teachers adapt structure to students’ differences. Clip 2: Character Education: persistence is more important than I.Q. Teach it at an early age. Clip 3: M.R.F.: Memorize, regurgitate, forget. We are taught to be good test-takers and nothing else. Clip 4: Disney Gender Bias: violence, body image, masculinity all portrayed in Disney movies. Clip 5: Gender stereotyping in education: boys think playing field is more level today. Women think women perform better than men.

INTASC 3. Diverse Learners - The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. Teachers who understand Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory will have a good grasp of diverse learning styles. INTASC 4. Multiple Instructional Strategies - The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills. Space button and cross crawl are examples of strategies for getting kids motivated and active in the classroom, as well as for improving sensorimotor and brain skills. Clip: Wicked: “For Good.” This song should inspire good teachers. Strive to be this way in life. Presentations: 1. Space Button: focus on centralization, helps with parking, arranging furniture, eye contact, communication, focus, motivation. 2. Cross crawl: helps use both sides of brain, language, critical thinking, sensorimotor coordination, balance and equilibrium, elbow to knee. 3. Howard Gardner: multiple intelligence theory. Eight types of intelligence: linguistic, logical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist.
 * Week 7 (10-6-’10)**

INTASC 8. Assessment - The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner. Anastasi believed that IQ tests were a type of formal assessment that was not actually affective or useful in assessing young children. 3. Diverse Learners - The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners **. ** Thurston is another theorist who understood the multiple types of intelligences that contribute to diverse learning styles. Presentations 1. Ryan: Charles Spearman. Good power-teaching, father of classical test theory. “G factor theory:” all intelligent behavior derived from one metaphorical pool of mental energy. 2. Chelsea- Binet 1. Binet-Simon test: IQ testing. Intelligence scale. 2. Good energy and power teaching. 3. Test used mainly on children. 3. Kimberly: Francis Galton. 1. Studies led to creation of the weather map. 2. Heredity, eugenics, nature v. nurture, finger-printing. 3. Awesome planning, activities and student interaction. Good preparation. 4. Anne Anastasi 1. Intelligence cultural-based and multi-faceted. 2. Good student interaction, good prep. 3. Didn’t think children should be judged by IQ tests 5. Sabrina: Louis Leon Thurston. 1. Theory of primary mental abilities. 2. Good class interaction. 3. Multiple types of intelligence. 6. Bryan: JP Guilford. 1. IQ tests can’t measure creativity. 2. Gifted and talented. 3. Good video. 7. Chris: Florence Laura Goodenough. 1. Minnesota preschool scale. 2. Questioned IQ. 3. Good power-teaching. 4. Children’s drawing used to study kids
 * Week 8 (10-13-’10)**

INTASC 5. Motivation and Management - The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. Carol Dweck’s belief in praise for students shows a good understanding of motivation and creation of a positive learning environment. INTASC 2. Student Development - The teacher understands how children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support a child's intellectual, social, and personal development. I would argue that Gottard’s view provides an incorrect theory of student development. Theorist Presentations: 1. Erin: Gottard. Hereditarian position, eugenics, Mendelian genetics, good class involvement. 2. Connie: Jensen. Good preparation, good teaching skills, cultural biases to IQ tests, racial differences in intelligence, hereditary view of intelligence. Two levels of abilities. 3. Marjori: Carol Dweck. Praise students for their effort. Students’ belief in their intelligence impacts how they do. Entity theory of intelligence. Good power-teaching, good gestures. Midterm Presentations 1. Marjori: toolbox. 2. Connie: POEM! Rhyming. 3. Bryan: humorous images. 4. Erin: diorama, toys/art to teach
 * Week 9 (10-20-’10)**


 * Week 10 (10/27/'10)**

Week 10 (10/27/2010) 1. Cana. Very creative presentation. Kids would love the painting activity! 2. Box, poems, painting as a group 1. Chris 2. Collage, unexpected music adds element of surprise and humor 1. Sabring 2. 2. “Our class” book to outline rules and class expectations and values. 1. Chelsea 2. Poem/story to illustrate key points of lessons. “Storyime” becomes elarning time for key elements of curriculum. 1. Kimberly 2. Collage box for class rules and expectations. 1. Ryan 2. Mountain-climbing theme/metaphor. Starting with least important/easiest ideas, moving upwards to more important/harder ideas.


 * Week 12 (11-10-'10)**

Conrack: Pat Conroy goes to an impoverished mostly black school. Principal is very strict and rude. Calls kids "babies" because she needs to feel in control and has low expectations. Teacher acts too casually for the principal. Rearranges the group to make it more intimate- changes the room configuration. In some cultures students give the wrong answers to save face for one student. Bruner (Connie) The process of education, the culture of education. 3 major ideas: constructivism, content structure, culture Good organization and power teaching. Bandura (Kimberly) Social learning (cognitive). Most behavior learned observationally. Good preparation. Nice clips.