According to William Glasser, a notable psychiatrist and educational theorist, “Effective teaching may be the hardest job there is.” In this age of technology and testing, balancing the demands of accountability in No Child Left Behind while maintaining the attention and interest of the digital natives in the classroom is quite a challenge.
Bransford, Brown, and Cocking advocate that teachers must meet two criteria to be effective. First, the teacher must possess a deep understanding of the subject matter. As an eighth grade mathematics teacher, I feel that I not only thoroughly understand algebra, but I also have a solid background in prealgebra (for remediation), as well as geometry, trigonometry, and calculus (for enrichment or to appropriately relate current algebraic topics to future learning). It is an extraordinary moment observing students realize that the study of mathematics is an interconnected puzzle that all fits together, not a series of disjointed courses. I enjoy responding to, “Where are we ever going to use this in real life?” and having research and experience to back it up. Once the first brave student asks, I take an entire period to share the wonderful world of mathematics – and to excitedly inform them that algebra is just the beginning!
The second requirement of effective teachers is a thorough grasp of the pedagogical knowledge of how students learn. This includes adapting instruction to meet needs of students with various learning styles as well as creating activities that engage students through inquiry-based learning. Reflecting on my own teaching, this is an area in which I strive for constant improvement.
As an undergraduate, I earned my Bachelor of Science in mathematics. Fast forward to graduation and my decision to work as a technical analyst at Accenture, when my father took the opportunity to tell me that life is too short to do what you do not want to do. Later that summer I learned about New Jersey’s Alternate Route to Certification Program and I started teaching two weeks later. No educational background and here I was teaching America’s future Algebra and EARTH SCIENCE! (I can state with confidence that Bransford, Brown, and Cocking would not have wanted their own children in my Earth science class.)
As the school year progressed, I learned a great deal and I worked hard to become not just a purveyor of knowledge, but a teacher, through reading, studying, observing, collaborating with my amazing principal, and completing coursework through Alternate Route.
Eight years later, I hope that Glasser, Bransford, Brown, and Cocking would deem me an effective teacher. As illustrated by the model teachers in chapter 7 of How People Learn, effective teachers continually work to revise practices and ensure that each learner receives an education suited to meet his or her needs. I support Glasser’s assertion that truly effective teachers are in one of the toughest professions out there.
References
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R.R., Eds. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Blog#6: The Design of Eighth Grade Pre-Algebra
The general design process begins with an identified issue in need of resolution. It proceeds through a structured series of phases beginning with the acquirement of relevant research. Designers then reflect upon the information and utilize it to brainstorm possibilities until an optimal solution is determined. Instructional designers follow the same structured strategy, although the goal is more specific in that the process applies principles of learning to lesson planning.
In my Pre-Algebra class of 27 students, thirteen scored basic or below on the 2007 Mathematics PSSA. The remaining fourteen were on the borderline proficient. Eleven have IEPs, three are ESL, and one is deaf. The overarching goal, as dictated by administration, is to do whatever it takes to “get these kids proficient”.
I am fortunate enough to work in a district that has the resources to support students. There are four additional staff members assigned to this course and this amazing 5.4:1 student to staff ratio guarantees that students receive attention.
Bransford, Brown, and Cocking explain their four views regarding design of learning environments - learner centered, knowledge centered, assessment centered, and community centered.
The instruction is learner centered in that prior learning is recognized and built upon, using results of pre-tests and grouping students according to their current levels of understanding. Groupings change constantly.
Although I have always been “Ms. Yudt”, I am now “Miss”. We discuss that this term is one of deference and we marvel that yes – we can take the textbooks home to do homework! We emphasize the importance of being sensitive and respectful to all cultures.
Following the gauging of the students’ readiness levels, I design instruction that meets various learning styles. A recent lesson on angles was innately mathematical-logical, but I extended it linguistically (a-cute baby, obtuse moose), kinesthetically (“Aerobic Angles”), visual-spatially (pretzel stick angles), and musically (singing “All about Angles”– not especially popular with the eighth graders!). These knowledge-centered activities enhance the curriculum by engaging the learners in something other than textbook exercises, and the utilization of progressive formation ensures that the activities are developmentally appropriate.
Students have the opportunity to demonstrate understanding on summative assessments (1 quiz/test per unit) as well as on standardized tests. Formative assessments, such as a 3-2-1 tickets out and math jeopardy games, provide valuable, immediate feedback to both the students and me.
Parental involvement and support are key components to a successful working relationship with the students. For every “bad” call I make home, I make one “good” call. If parents are on-board, students are more likely to put forth effort in studying mathematics. We work as a community to increase the likelihood of success in the classroom.
Designing quality instruction takes time and energy. However, the investment is well worth it as students benefit and learning increases with effective teaching and clear, measureable goals, all incorporated into the instructional design process.
References
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R.R., Eds. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
In my Pre-Algebra class of 27 students, thirteen scored basic or below on the 2007 Mathematics PSSA. The remaining fourteen were on the borderline proficient. Eleven have IEPs, three are ESL, and one is deaf. The overarching goal, as dictated by administration, is to do whatever it takes to “get these kids proficient”.
I am fortunate enough to work in a district that has the resources to support students. There are four additional staff members assigned to this course and this amazing 5.4:1 student to staff ratio guarantees that students receive attention.
Bransford, Brown, and Cocking explain their four views regarding design of learning environments - learner centered, knowledge centered, assessment centered, and community centered.
The instruction is learner centered in that prior learning is recognized and built upon, using results of pre-tests and grouping students according to their current levels of understanding. Groupings change constantly.
Although I have always been “Ms. Yudt”, I am now “Miss”. We discuss that this term is one of deference and we marvel that yes – we can take the textbooks home to do homework! We emphasize the importance of being sensitive and respectful to all cultures.
Following the gauging of the students’ readiness levels, I design instruction that meets various learning styles. A recent lesson on angles was innately mathematical-logical, but I extended it linguistically (a-cute baby, obtuse moose), kinesthetically (“Aerobic Angles”), visual-spatially (pretzel stick angles), and musically (singing “All about Angles”– not especially popular with the eighth graders!). These knowledge-centered activities enhance the curriculum by engaging the learners in something other than textbook exercises, and the utilization of progressive formation ensures that the activities are developmentally appropriate.
Students have the opportunity to demonstrate understanding on summative assessments (1 quiz/test per unit) as well as on standardized tests. Formative assessments, such as a 3-2-1 tickets out and math jeopardy games, provide valuable, immediate feedback to both the students and me.
Parental involvement and support are key components to a successful working relationship with the students. For every “bad” call I make home, I make one “good” call. If parents are on-board, students are more likely to put forth effort in studying mathematics. We work as a community to increase the likelihood of success in the classroom.
Designing quality instruction takes time and energy. However, the investment is well worth it as students benefit and learning increases with effective teaching and clear, measureable goals, all incorporated into the instructional design process.
References
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R.R., Eds. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Blog#5: Mind and Brain: Early Language Immersion Programs
Southern Lehigh School District was the first district in Pennsylvania to offer a Spanish immersion program to its elementary students in grades 1-5 beginning in 1989. All core subject teachers in math, science, social studies, and language arts instruct students in Spanish. I recall reading in The Morning Call about the immense popularity of the program amongst the parents in the community. The article included pictures of numerous parents camping out in the school’s parking lot prior to the enrollment day in order to guarantee a slot for their children.
As the mother of a seven-year-old, I wish my daughter had the opportunity to experience a Spanish immersion program. If it existed in her school, I would most likely be pitching a tent in the parking lot - just like the parents in Southern Lehigh. Why? Bransford, Brown, and Cocking explain that young children learn new languages faster than older students because their synapses develop at a faster rate. Although most of the brain's cells are formed prior to birth, the majority of connections among cells are made in infancy and early childhood. This is the optimal time for developing and establishing language skills.
Bransford, Brown, and Cocking assert that synapses increase through learning and are shaped by experience. Exposure to new situations allows for the formation of more complex synapse structures, another benefit the children enrolled in the Spanish immersion program receive. Since more complex environments have a greater impact on development of the brain, the brains of the children enrolled in the Spanish immersion program produce an increased number of intricate synapses compared to those in less complex environments, such as traditional English-speaking classrooms.
I wonder why other local districts have not offered similar immersion programs. Has long-term research been conducted on the effects of enrollment in the Spanish immersion program? Since the immersion ceases in sixth grade, do students lose the synapses developed in the earlier grades? Or, is it a simple matter of cost-effectiveness within the district?
I am interested in learning not only how to consistently increase synapses (through learning and experience), but in determining how to prevent deterioration of the brain, such as dementia. I often hear that the elderly people complete crossword or Sudoku puzzles daily to keep their brains active. Does this truly work? The infamous “Nun Study” conducted by Dr. David Snowdon, an epidemiologist at the University of Kentucky, and his colleagues found, among other things, that that early language ability as demonstrated by more detailed early autobiographies written by the nuns, may lead to lower risk of Alzheimer's later in life.
The mind and the brain are truly fascinating topics. The importance of lifelong learning and experience new events amplified upon reading this chapter. Even though my daughter did not have the opportunity to enroll in a language immersion program, I will work with her to stay active – both physically and mentally – to ensure that her brain develops to the fullest extent possible during these critical early years.
References
Brandsford, J.D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R.R., Eds. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Snowdon, D., Kemper, S., Mortimer, J., Greiner, L,. Wekstein, D., & Markesbery, W. (1996). Linguistic ability in early life and cognitive function and Alzheimer's disease in late life: Findings from the nun study. Journal of the American Medical Association, 275(7), 528-532.
As the mother of a seven-year-old, I wish my daughter had the opportunity to experience a Spanish immersion program. If it existed in her school, I would most likely be pitching a tent in the parking lot - just like the parents in Southern Lehigh. Why? Bransford, Brown, and Cocking explain that young children learn new languages faster than older students because their synapses develop at a faster rate. Although most of the brain's cells are formed prior to birth, the majority of connections among cells are made in infancy and early childhood. This is the optimal time for developing and establishing language skills.
Bransford, Brown, and Cocking assert that synapses increase through learning and are shaped by experience. Exposure to new situations allows for the formation of more complex synapse structures, another benefit the children enrolled in the Spanish immersion program receive. Since more complex environments have a greater impact on development of the brain, the brains of the children enrolled in the Spanish immersion program produce an increased number of intricate synapses compared to those in less complex environments, such as traditional English-speaking classrooms.
I wonder why other local districts have not offered similar immersion programs. Has long-term research been conducted on the effects of enrollment in the Spanish immersion program? Since the immersion ceases in sixth grade, do students lose the synapses developed in the earlier grades? Or, is it a simple matter of cost-effectiveness within the district?
I am interested in learning not only how to consistently increase synapses (through learning and experience), but in determining how to prevent deterioration of the brain, such as dementia. I often hear that the elderly people complete crossword or Sudoku puzzles daily to keep their brains active. Does this truly work? The infamous “Nun Study” conducted by Dr. David Snowdon, an epidemiologist at the University of Kentucky, and his colleagues found, among other things, that that early language ability as demonstrated by more detailed early autobiographies written by the nuns, may lead to lower risk of Alzheimer's later in life.
The mind and the brain are truly fascinating topics. The importance of lifelong learning and experience new events amplified upon reading this chapter. Even though my daughter did not have the opportunity to enroll in a language immersion program, I will work with her to stay active – both physically and mentally – to ensure that her brain develops to the fullest extent possible during these critical early years.
References
Brandsford, J.D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R.R., Eds. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Snowdon, D., Kemper, S., Mortimer, J., Greiner, L,. Wekstein, D., & Markesbery, W. (1996). Linguistic ability in early life and cognitive function and Alzheimer's disease in late life: Findings from the nun study. Journal of the American Medical Association, 275(7), 528-532.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)