Thursday, October 28, 2010
Educational Issue: Motivation
I love love loved this lesson!! I thought the links were extremely valuable, due to the awesome content. I thought that the interactive history/English games would definitely boost motivation in my classroom because they are not only fun and engaging but really informative and not too far off task. I thought the the 'true and false' segment was also well used to get our brain's engaged in the subject matter and thinking about the topic. I thought that the 'nightmare students' table was also very interesting because I truly wasn't sure how to react to the students in question, and I found myself wanting to go to the 'send him /her to the office' standby, which really shocked me because I do not think I am/want to be that kind of teacher. I was really thankful that I was faced with these issues because it really made me think about putting a student's motivation above punishment.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Educational Theories
Perennialism is an educational view that believes everything taught to students should build students as human beings, with a focus on principles and values. Liberal topics are taught widely, and perennialist teachers focused on the Socratic method with a balance of power between teacher and student.
Essentialism is an educational view which focuses on the fundamental subject of schooling (reading, writing and arithmetic) while still teaching students using progressive means. Essentialist teachers focus on the classics, believing that the classics contain points accessible by all, such as respect for authority, a sense of duty, and other values.
Behaviorism is an educational view made popular originally by B.F. Skinner, and teachers of this model believe that the student should be treated as an individual with not only educational needs but also emotional needs. Behaviorists also believe that behavior in students is greatly impacted by the school environment, and by changing that environment a teacher can change a student's behavior.
Positivism is an educational view that puts focus on the scientific method as the best way to teach due to the positivism belief that real knowledge comes from what students can see, smell, feel and hear, and that only by verifying facts and inquiring after truth can students truly learn.
Progressivism is an educational view that focuses on students as social creatures who learn best when they are collaborating with each other to logically work out problems using hands on projects and experiential learning.
Reconstructionism is an educational view that states that schooling should not be separate from the society outside the school. Reconstructionists believe that teachers should be involved in politics and other venues of social change, and bring that into the classroom. Reconstructionists also believe in the value of community service, believing that schools should prepare students for their roles in their communities.
Humanism is an educational view that focuses heavily on the whole child with an emphasis on the student's self esteem, built up by setting appropriate goals and seeing those goals through to the end. Humanistic classrooms allow students the opportunity to make choices based on their interests and spend the amount of time on that interest that they want, within reason. Humanistic classrooms also have a heavy focus on self-teaching and self-evaluation. Humanism has a goal of enhancing the 'good' in students.
Constructivism is an educational belief that stems from the idea that students learn based on what they process internally with their own ideas and also what they process from outside stimuli. Due to this belief, Constructivist classrooms believe in interaction with peers to help students see different ways to appreciate stimuli and process information, and emphasis is also put on hands on learning so students can experience things first hand. Teachers of this belief lead students to make their own assumptions.
Essentialism was the theory that I felt most connected to, in that I have great faith in the concepts and lessons of the classics, even if I do not always proscribe to the classic ways of teaching them. I felt that Perrenialism went hand in hand with this one, but I perhaps did not agree with the overall assessment point brought up for these two views. I feel that my assessment style (and some of my actual teaching style) leans more towards Constructivism, Humanism and Progressivism, with a dash of Behaviorism (only a dash). I feel that Essentialism and Perrenialism are more of a mindset and a way to go into teaching, not actual pedagogies.
Essentialism is an educational view which focuses on the fundamental subject of schooling (reading, writing and arithmetic) while still teaching students using progressive means. Essentialist teachers focus on the classics, believing that the classics contain points accessible by all, such as respect for authority, a sense of duty, and other values.
Behaviorism is an educational view made popular originally by B.F. Skinner, and teachers of this model believe that the student should be treated as an individual with not only educational needs but also emotional needs. Behaviorists also believe that behavior in students is greatly impacted by the school environment, and by changing that environment a teacher can change a student's behavior.
Positivism is an educational view that puts focus on the scientific method as the best way to teach due to the positivism belief that real knowledge comes from what students can see, smell, feel and hear, and that only by verifying facts and inquiring after truth can students truly learn.
Progressivism is an educational view that focuses on students as social creatures who learn best when they are collaborating with each other to logically work out problems using hands on projects and experiential learning.
Reconstructionism is an educational view that states that schooling should not be separate from the society outside the school. Reconstructionists believe that teachers should be involved in politics and other venues of social change, and bring that into the classroom. Reconstructionists also believe in the value of community service, believing that schools should prepare students for their roles in their communities.
Humanism is an educational view that focuses heavily on the whole child with an emphasis on the student's self esteem, built up by setting appropriate goals and seeing those goals through to the end. Humanistic classrooms allow students the opportunity to make choices based on their interests and spend the amount of time on that interest that they want, within reason. Humanistic classrooms also have a heavy focus on self-teaching and self-evaluation. Humanism has a goal of enhancing the 'good' in students.
Constructivism is an educational belief that stems from the idea that students learn based on what they process internally with their own ideas and also what they process from outside stimuli. Due to this belief, Constructivist classrooms believe in interaction with peers to help students see different ways to appreciate stimuli and process information, and emphasis is also put on hands on learning so students can experience things first hand. Teachers of this belief lead students to make their own assumptions.
Essentialism was the theory that I felt most connected to, in that I have great faith in the concepts and lessons of the classics, even if I do not always proscribe to the classic ways of teaching them. I felt that Perrenialism went hand in hand with this one, but I perhaps did not agree with the overall assessment point brought up for these two views. I feel that my assessment style (and some of my actual teaching style) leans more towards Constructivism, Humanism and Progressivism, with a dash of Behaviorism (only a dash). I feel that Essentialism and Perrenialism are more of a mindset and a way to go into teaching, not actual pedagogies.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Philosophies of Education
Idealism
Idealism is a branch of philosophy that deals solely in the mind of the individual. A teacher who leans towards idealism believes that teachers need to show students how to discover things within their minds that are already there, and that students must be self motivated to learn and cannot be taught if they are unwilling. Idealistic teachers will teach students about the past to help them discover for themselves. Idealists believe that there are unchanging truths to the universe.
Realism
Realism is a philosophical school that deals with the physical body and world. A teacher who proscribes to this doctrine believes that knowledge is gained by taking in stimuli using the five senses and in no other way. Students should be taught to experiment and be logical, and teachers are invaluable as an outside influence that can mold students' learning. Realists believe that there are universal laws that cannot be questioned.
Pragmatism
Pragmatists believe that the world is naturally full of change, and Pragmatic teachers believe that all knowledge is in flux, changing with the changing world. Pragmatists believe that the act of learning is more important than what is being learned, and put a lot of stock on problem solving in groups.
Existentialism
Existentialists believe that the world and our existence are essentially meaningless, and as such education is more about discovering your own views and thoughts in an indifferent world. Teachers who are existentialists teach giving students the freedom to use their education to fill in the gaps of their understandings.
I feel that I am an Idealist with Pragmatic leanings. I feel that as an educator I definitely believe that students have access already to everything that we teach them, and that our teaching is just a way for students to unlock the doors in their heads that are keeping them from that information. I believe that even as children we are already who we are meant to be, but that as we grow different stimuli allows us to access the information we already have. I believe that the world, much like our minds, is full of concrete and unchanging truth that we are simply unaware or incapable of knowing at this time in history. I feel that the change that we see in the world is simply we as human beings becoming more aware of our own selves and of the Earth as an entity.
Idealism is a branch of philosophy that deals solely in the mind of the individual. A teacher who leans towards idealism believes that teachers need to show students how to discover things within their minds that are already there, and that students must be self motivated to learn and cannot be taught if they are unwilling. Idealistic teachers will teach students about the past to help them discover for themselves. Idealists believe that there are unchanging truths to the universe.
Realism
Realism is a philosophical school that deals with the physical body and world. A teacher who proscribes to this doctrine believes that knowledge is gained by taking in stimuli using the five senses and in no other way. Students should be taught to experiment and be logical, and teachers are invaluable as an outside influence that can mold students' learning. Realists believe that there are universal laws that cannot be questioned.
Pragmatism
Pragmatists believe that the world is naturally full of change, and Pragmatic teachers believe that all knowledge is in flux, changing with the changing world. Pragmatists believe that the act of learning is more important than what is being learned, and put a lot of stock on problem solving in groups.
Existentialism
Existentialists believe that the world and our existence are essentially meaningless, and as such education is more about discovering your own views and thoughts in an indifferent world. Teachers who are existentialists teach giving students the freedom to use their education to fill in the gaps of their understandings.
I feel that I am an Idealist with Pragmatic leanings. I feel that as an educator I definitely believe that students have access already to everything that we teach them, and that our teaching is just a way for students to unlock the doors in their heads that are keeping them from that information. I believe that even as children we are already who we are meant to be, but that as we grow different stimuli allows us to access the information we already have. I believe that the world, much like our minds, is full of concrete and unchanging truth that we are simply unaware or incapable of knowing at this time in history. I feel that the change that we see in the world is simply we as human beings becoming more aware of our own selves and of the Earth as an entity.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Teaching Hope: Rejuvenation
This section I found not quite as moving as the other sections, but I still enjoyed it very much. I really enjoyed the entry that talked about the teacher who wrote notes to all his students who were struggling and sent on a retreat, giving them all a copy of the 'Serenity Prayer' that has always been one of my absolute favorites and a true calming influence on my own life. I felt that by giving these students this prayer that the teacher was truly making a statement to them, telling them that they can only control so much in their lives and that they should strive to take life one obstacle at a time. I also loved that when the teacher was telling the student the overwhelming amount of work that the student still had to make up that the student put him back in his place, by handing him a pile of make-up work he had done so far and showing the teacher the Serenity Prayer.
I also enjoyed the entry that had the students going to a special over-night retreat that recreated the difficulties of life around the world, including in the inner-cities. Although I did not entirely understand the premise of the retreat or the details, I thought that it was a very powerful learning exercise. The student who refrained from 'raiding' (which I imagine was socially fun and challenging) to protect her 'baby', herself having home issues where her own mother abandoned her. I would love to set something up like this for my students, a sort of 'desert island' simulation or whatnot that is both fun but also gives students opportunities to make the tough decisions and learn about themselves and each other. I had some experiences like this in mostly middle school, and I enjoyed them very much. I feel that in high school an experience like this would be invaluable.
I also enjoyed the entry that had the students going to a special over-night retreat that recreated the difficulties of life around the world, including in the inner-cities. Although I did not entirely understand the premise of the retreat or the details, I thought that it was a very powerful learning exercise. The student who refrained from 'raiding' (which I imagine was socially fun and challenging) to protect her 'baby', herself having home issues where her own mother abandoned her. I would love to set something up like this for my students, a sort of 'desert island' simulation or whatnot that is both fun but also gives students opportunities to make the tough decisions and learn about themselves and each other. I had some experiences like this in mostly middle school, and I enjoyed them very much. I feel that in high school an experience like this would be invaluable.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)