Kauchak Reading Post

#1

• Assessing Current Understanding:

To see where the understanding of the students are I feel it necessary to first explain the purpose of an introductory test, assessment, quiz or whatever you want to call it. Once the assessment is given, using electronic testing, results can be obtained within a few minutes. I think without prompt results this subject will get away from the students and the purpose is defeated. Once the test is graded it is important not only to go over what the students don't understand, but complement on their understanding of the ideas or topics they do understand. It is no fun just to be told "you were wrong", but to have a feeling of understanding. This forms a good beginning of class.

• Increasing Learner Motivation

In the science area, since that is my interest in teaching, by having each student get on line and go to certain sites containing java applets. A java applet allows someone to see how something works. Once they have spent a little time playing with it themselves they know already what the lesson is about and it helps them to be more motivated to learn that particular topic and they feel more confident in the topic. From experience in learning, it is a lot easier and more effective to learn something you are familiar with.

• Guiding New Learning

After introducing the topic through student involvement and the use of a power point presentation. By having only key-words in the presentation allows student questioning or even more student involvement. A class should be student-centered. Just like in the beginning of this reading how Jose went around asking each student some of their own observations. And when the desired answer wasn't given it was guided. All of this is done after the students have seen or been involved themselves.

Reiser Reading "TEAMS"

Viewing the link Integrated Final Projects, relate to the project TEAMS by linking one subject topic to all areas of learning such as: Science, Math, Language Arts, History, etc. In other words teaching all areas at the same time or tying every subject together. In order to teach in this manner it is necessary for the teacher to do more preparation for each lesson than if he/she were to only teach one single subject. Also during class it seams that it would be mostly baby sitting so to say. Just as mentioned by Bereiter in Roblyer's reading Roblyer: Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching, 2nd ed., Chapter 3, all students learn in different ways. I feel that the project TEAMS has its place, but for only certain students. I myself would not like this format of learning. If it was used as a class of students rather than the entire school, I think it would be great. But don't make me judge which students this will work for and not work for.

Rolblyer Post

Bereiter states the metaphor of the mirrors that extends to infinity. Which means that there are many different ways for students to learn. He says in order to escape this hall of mirrors we need a more expanded learning theory than those currently available.
In the debate of direct instruction and constructivist this idea is present. I think that both are necessary because without direct instruction the learning process will be longer than if tried by just allowing students to learn by use of technology alone. And on the other hand by teaching only by this method tends to make the students desire for learning leave. I think the real answer to this debate is "moderation in all things", a quote by Terence, Andria. And this agrees with the next metaphor of the blind men trying to describe an elephant. Each are correct, but only describing a different problem. Therefore I agree fully with Bereiter's view.

Teaching_Ya!

I believe it all began when I was in about 4th grade. I really wanted to be a math teacher and I never lost that desire. Even though my major is physics and not math I am planning to teach in mathematics as well. The reason I chose physics is because it is applied mathematics and besides it is super interesting. Most people ask me, "WHY PHYSICS!", but if you ask your self if it is interesting, I don't know of anyone who says that physics is boring, just hard. Forgive my run-on sentences, but this is why I did not choose to be an English Teacher.