Showing posts with label educational theory of the week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label educational theory of the week. Show all posts

Monday, September 2, 2013

Types of Intelligences

One idea I strongly believe is that when parents understand why teachers do activities in the classroom, everyone involved is happier.



Explaining the "secrets" behind teaching and lesson planning has always been one of my goals with this blog - to encourage parents to teach and to create a bridge from the classroom to the home.

Lots of my writings on this blog deal with ways for parents to incorporate the eight intelligences into their children's lives. Completing a variety of activities with young children helps parents understand how their children learn, which then leads to parents helping their children more successfully with school work, and parents having confidence to speak to teachers concerning their child's strengths.

One idea I always stress is that parents should not pigeonhole their children into an intelligence. For instance, parents may want a little engineer. Working with math skills is fabulous, but only doing math skills may backfire. Work with your child in a variety of ways.

My mathematical-logical oriented child, camping and fishing.

Additionally, children will build connections between the intelligences parents won't see. A child presented with many learning opportunities (not necessarily costly ones!) will learn in different ways - an important part of life.

Teachers know this. A large portion of a teaching training program is studying different ways that children learn, and how to incorporate those ways into a classroom.

That is why your child may not care for every assignment. A teacher may assign work that you and your child groan over. It was hopefully assigned with a purpose, hopefully to teach a concept a different way, to hit different kinds of learners.

For instance, Ty would rather read a nonfiction book than a fictional book. He does not thrive on imaginative play like Za does.

This is rare for Ty to play pretend.
His teacher does assign him creative writing and drawing projects. He needs to develop those skills, and for other students, those projects are addressing their strong suites.

What I can do as a parent is to support his teacher, and encourage him to do these assignments well. Ty takes no probing to finish math homework, but he does draw out writing projects.

I understand that he has a preference, but it is detrimental for a child's parents to explain away an assignment or belittle the teacher.

Aside from building a skill he may not voluntarily concentrate on, he is learning that a part of any job requires completing assignments you may not love. (Ever have a job where you loved every bit of your assigned duties? I have not).

What do you think? Do you work to incorporate all intelligences in your child's life? Do you see this in your child's school work?

Monday, February 11, 2013

Using The Eight Intelligences With Your Child

Why do teachers incorporate Gardner's Eight Intelligences into lesson plans? Why should parents care about this learning theory? 

When teachers make lesson plans, one aspect they consider is how to incorporate ways that students learn. They do this with the Eight Intelligences, a very common educational theory. Knowing about this theory can help parents:

1. understand why teachers have their students do a variety of activities, and
2. notice ways to help their children learn.

Many "theories" can explain how children like to learn, this is just one.

Howard Gardner's Eight Intelligences is only one possible explanation of how students learn. Just like any other idea in education, teachers and administrators have different opinions about it.

This is a popular theory though, and many children (and adults) like to learn a learn a certain way. I like to read material, and I need to write it down if someone is going to speak to me. I know that about myself, and although I wish I was a person who could listen and remember, I am not. It helps that I know that when I need to remember information for a class, or go to the grocery store.

When working with your own children...

One aspect I love about children is they are not "set in stone." My children may lean toward a certain intelligence, but by working different ones, they may become stronger in a different area, or at least think of an idea in a new manner.

For instance when we read a longer story, I always try to do an enrichment activity. The kids and I are reading, but we also sing or dance out a part from the story, draw a scene, or research the science from the story.

Teachers will spread these intelligences across a unit or lesson, and parents naturally do a variety of activities with their kids too. People learn in different ways, and it benefits children to work their brains in new ways.

The different intelligences are below, and I attempt to label kids activities I put on this blog with intelligences I hit with my own kids, to show other parents how easy it is.

Logial- Mathematical
Naturalist
Verbal- Linguistic 
Spatial
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Bodily- Kinesthetic
Musical

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Reward Systems: Setting Kids Up For Failure?

Do parents and teachers rely on reward systems, and do they work?

An endlessly debated educational theory (or rather educational practice) is the reward based behavioral system. Parents and teachers use them, and I have used them in a traditional classroom, and at home.


Basically, a reward based behavioral system is when adults ask children to do a task or behavior, and when the child does it, he or she is rewarded. The reward can be a sticker, or candy. I've seen parents reward a child with a Power Wheel rider for doing a task.

You can probably see the debate: can you replace the word "reward" with bribe?

A perfect example of this is a potty-training sticker chart. (A child goes potty, gets a sticker).

Elementary teachers sometimes use "blurt posters" (for students not blurting out in class).

Secondary teachers (many critics claim) use grades. Critics contend that 'A's are merely stickers for performing tasks.

And critics of the critics claim the job market uses a reward based behavioral system: performance = paycheck.

Stickers when they are little, money when they are older. 

The overall debate centers on the "squelching" of the desire to learn. Do children learn or behave a certain way to get stickers, or learn because they are curious and humans innately want to learn?

Parents and teachers use reward based systems. For instance, we recently gave Za a goal, and she met it. Here she is with her "prize":


And she reverted right back to the old pattern. Reward system fail.

Do they ever work? Many say yes - and reward systems are still used. I've seen them work. But did the child understand the purpose behind the learned behavior?

Maybe, and that is where the other side criticizes the reward based behavioral system. With the above Barbie reward, Za knew why she was to do something, and can still explain why she should and can complete her task. She chooses not to do so.

Which leads us to the question parents and teachers debate: Are children marching through life, looking for the next sticker, or are they behaving and learning because they have a desire, and believe it is the right course of action?

Friday, January 4, 2013

Group Work and Christmas Trees

Group work is increasingly "pushed" in schools

I've sat through countless in-services as a teacher, and many of them "pushed" teachers to add group work to their list of activities. As far as educational theories go, the need for student collaboration and general cooperation is needed, thus group work. The reasons for teachers using group work are plentiful:

1. Students will experience different personalities and methods of learning from peers.
2. Students will learn how to get along with others and develop tolerance.
3. Students will work with others at a job some day.
4. Students will realize satisfaction from completing a large activity rather than a smaller one alone.

Alas, group work often fails, as this meme floating around Pinterest illustrates:



Students struggle with group work because students do not play fairly. Teachers feel bad about giving different grades to individual students in each group. Some students cannot work after hours or travel to other students' homes. Parents are frustrated. The entire situation lacks control. Even though teachers know students need skills acquired from group work, there are countless reasons why teachers do not assign group work.

The skills are still important, and teaching them at home may help the situation teachers face. Today I took down our two Christmas trees. The kids immediately clambered on the plastic containers and dumped out boxes. I almost banished them to the basement playroom, when I stood back and put it in perspective. As the "group leader" I established some rules:

1. Many ornaments and decorations are glass, so we must be careful.
2. Do not climb on the trees.
3. Do not run.
4. Everyone will have a job, and that is each person's focus.

This is the box of kid ornaments for their tree.
Overall, the process was a success. Just like with students, I repeated the rules a few times and had to halt the process because Ty or Za *forgot* to be safe and soft with glass. They worked together and neatly arranged their Christmas keepsakes. I encouraged them and applauded their efforts.

I'm very glad I did not send them to the basement to take down the trees alone, like I almost did.

Is group work a skill that needs taught at home? Should the basics be taught at home? Would this encourage more group work in schools?

I'm on Pinterest! <meta name="p:domain_verify" content="0d63dd02231247c581d950bb33e1eebf"/>

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Disney Live! Mickey's Music

My kids and my blog sweepstakes winners saw Disney Live! yesterday in Peoria. The kids had a blast, and sang and danced through most of the show. It was a very kid-appropriate activity that was not quite two hours - long enough to hold their attention.

Ready to go into the theater!

The theme surrounded music, which is wonderful, because most children are inclined to be musically intelligent. The performers told the stories of "Toy Story" and "Aladdin." My kids have never seen "Aladdin," but they had fun during those songs, and they were non-stop-giggly during the "Toy Story" part, probably because they adore those characters.

Our ridiculously cute sweepstakes winner in a Mickey Mouse outfit.

Mickey and Minnie performed, and had sparkly outfits on for the final number. I was pleasantly surprised when the characters danced to pop songs that kids would recognize, like "Who Let the Dogs Out." Sometimes I take my kids to movies or performances and fear that something will be sexual or inappropriate for a five and three-year old, but I saw nothing of the sort!

Like I mentioned, the theme was enjoying music. At the beginning, Mickey said, "Anything can be a musical instrument" and at the end he closed with, "Music brings us all together." True, and I understood that. I wonder if he should have mentioned that more during the show to emphasize the theme more.

The show was a huge success, and I also think it is great when kids get to experience live performances, where the audience interacts with the performers. We had a blast, and would go to see it again!  

Monday, October 31, 2011

Brain-Based Learning: Guideline Nine

This is it! The final guideline under Dr. Sousa's "daily planning, general guidelines." When I started this series, I wondered if each guideline differed enough to warrant nine separate posts. I think they do.



The final guideline:

Each brain is unique.

Ahh, clearly the obvious. Obviously the simple truth all teachers and parents know. Each child and his/her brain is unique.

Everyone brings unique perspectives and different experiences to each lesson, making each response unique. The other day I posted on Facebook a cartoon about fairy tales. Everyone chimed in, but it turns out that the way everyone interpreted the cartoon largely depended on each experience of growing up with these cartoons - old Halloween costumes, their parents' reactions, etc. (Even adults forget this fact that tons of experiences form an outlook). It is overwhelming to think that students and children have so many different experiences.

Each brain is unique, and every building will be unique as well.

That is the "nurture" part that contributes to each brain being unique. I feel like science is now impressing facts in education, that leads to the idea - what about the physical part of each brain? How is each brain unique, physically - perhaps "nature"?

It could begin in-utero, when brains begin to form. The research is strong on what happens to early brains. Zero to Three covers everything from abuse to general experiences form the physical aspects of the brain. What food the parents feed the child contributes to brain development as well.

How do we separate the nurture and nature aspects of the brain? I think this is what brain-based learning is telling parents and teachers - they cannot be separated. Everything influences children's brains.

Which leads us to a challenging, scary, and important fact: if each brain is unique, each learning pattern is unique. As a parent, as a teacher, that makes my eyebrows go up. Rarely do I teach a lesson and feel I reached every student. I keep trying, being patient, explaining different ways - am I alone here?

I fear that I leave this brain-based learning series with more questions than answers. Each brain is unique, which is wonderful and what makes each student special. It also makes teaching and reaching each student that much more important. That is a tough order.

So, does brain-based learning impress you, or does it overwhelm you? What do you think now that we have covered it all?

Photo Credit

Monday, October 10, 2011

Brain-Based Learning: Guideline Eight

This week's educational theory is the sixth brain-based learning guideline according to Dr. Sousa: 


Practice does not make perfect.
That might sound odd, especially since the previous week's post was rehearsal is essential for retention. Before I started applying this guideline to my children and students, I wanted to read more because it sounds misleading.
On page 99 in How the Brain Learns, Dr. Sousa states that practice does make permanent, not perfect. Students should practice learning correctly from the beginning, and not have to relearn, which is difficult. With this, Sousa suggests that educators give guided practice, and then independent practice. 


This immediately jump to shoe-tying and buttoning skills that my four-year old works on. I wonder what happens when you cannot give the guided practice first. For example, he has seen me tie shoes thousands of times. He tries to cram the shoe lace together and wave his hands; I know he thinks this is what I do. It is probably what it looks like to him. 

Now that I am trying to teach him, I wonder if I am teaching someone who is practicing incorrectly and must relearn. In situations like that, is is even possible to change? Will children automatically have to relearn some things in life because they have preconceived notions of completion?

This also made me wonder about the noun-pronoun-adjective differentiation assignments some of my students struggle to learn. Those words can be used interchangeably which makes them confusing. Originally, I did guided practice before I let them practice independently. We are still going to practice more this week, because the grades could be better.

So here is my question: even if teachers/parents follow this brain-based learning suggestion, how do we ensure that students are practicing correctly? If it is troublesome to have them relearn, how do we ensure they practice right?  

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Monday, September 26, 2011

Brain-Based Learning: Guideline Seven

This week's educational theory is the sixth brain-based learning guideline according to Dr. Sousa:  

Rehearsal is essential for retention.

The dictionary defines "rehearsal" as a session of exercise, drill, or practice; a repeating. I think we know what this rehearsal entails, and that is the part that kids so often dislike. Rehearsal is necessary, but how teachers and parents present it is what matters.


So how can we have students rehearse while still considering the other brain-based learning guidelines? I can think of several.

Guideline six states that lecture usually results in the lowest degree of retention. Yet how do so many parents and teachers (this one included) review before a big test? We run down the list of facts and terms students need to know. Perhaps while rehearsing we could spend time connecting material to prior knowledge (guideline two) and thus building links to students' emotions.

Plus, since I'm one who believes cramming before the big test often hurts rather than helps, doing a tad bit of rehearsal every day may ease a large rehearsal the night before (or morning of) a test - the testing of retention. I try to do this everyday in my classroom, when we review the part of speech we are studying, we actually review all that we have so far covered. I also do it with my kids when we run through colors, body parts, or safety rules.

What other methods contribute to honest rehearsal, rather than rushed and incomplete?

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Monday, September 19, 2011

Brain-Based Learning: Guideline Six

This week's educational theory is the sixth brain-based learning guideline according to Dr. Sousa: 

Lecture usually results in the lowest degree of retention.

I used to fall asleep in lecture classes. Head on the desk, pencil stuck to the cheek, asleep.


Perhaps one reason lecture results in the lowest degree of retention (I'm guessing the rest of the statement is "out of all types of teaching methods") is because it is boring. I struggle to retain information presented in a boring manner: someone talking, and not doing anything else.

The brain is a parallel processor which means it does more than one action: it controls tastes and smells; it works on both reading and typing. Is it that lecture just doesn't activate the brain enough? The brain could want to process more but have nothing else but to hear the words. When I would write, I would learn more - that is doing two things though. How many students don't take notes? Plenty. Lectures are difficult to sit through.

How can parents and teachers use this theory in life? I had a few ideas:

Preschool

At first I was struck that parents don't "lecture" to preschool children, in the way they do not sit a child down and drill them on notes. That is true, but do we lecture preschool children concerning behavior? What would happen if parents (myself included) role-played rather than gave rules? Instead of lecturing for a ridiculous number of times, I could try asking one of my children what he or she would do if someone ____ (insert behavior) him or her. We could discuss feelings and emotions to reaffirm the rule, which of course, is important too.

I'm not pumped up about word searches, so I need to keep searching for meaningful activities with spelling words.


Older Children

This week, I will be teaching my first spelling words ever. I have never taught junior high before, but I do have a junior high language arts class and we will be doing spelling words. I remember doing crossword puzzles and word searches with my spelling words, but I don't think that necessarily helped me. I need to find other non-lecturing activities.

I thought about doing board races, as this class seems to like activity. They like being "up" and not just sitting. I don't know what to offer as a reward, though, as candy seems like an outdated prize. I also though about playing "around the world" which again allows physical movement.

I'll gladly take tips for non-lecturing spelling word activities! (And possible prizes!)


High School Children

Alas, my high school students. I will teach slave narratives and Puritan writings this week. Instead of lecturing about the facts, I will have students read about the writings. I will assign each student a certain number of sticky-notes (I am thinking five each) to write facts. The class will assemble the notes and we will review them together.

There are different age groups and how I am going to avoid lecturing to them this week. Any ideas to add?

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Monday, September 5, 2011

Brain-Based Learning: Guideline Five

 The working memory and telephone numbers.

This week's educational theory is the fifth brain-based learning guideline according to Dr. Sousa:

The brain's working memory has a limited capacity. 

"Working memory" is a system for temporarily storing and managing the information required to carry out complex cognitive tasks such as learning, reasoning, and comprehension. Basically, working memory is the holding tank for important information. Students are using the information for a bigger task. For example, students might remember the list of supplies that they need to work on a poster that reviews a chapter from the textbook. They understand the textbook chapter, but their working memory is thinking glue, poster board, five key dates from the chapter, and five definitions. Their working memory remembers what it needs to remember. It will probably forget the list when it begins focusing on the actual information.

And that's ok - for the working memory to forget. The problem arises when students try to shove information in the working memory and leave it there. The information isn't attached to something else - it isn't truly learned. It's just sitting there in that holding tank.



Another way to think of the working memory is that it generally can hold seven pieces of information at a time. That is another way it is limited. That is also why phone numbers are seven digits. People truly know the area code (normally when they hear a new number) but can hold those new seven digits until they are put in a contact list. 

So what do we do with this guideline? We work on building the other ones. Last week I covered that past experience always affects new learning. While this can be positive or negative, educators and parents can try to connect the new idea they are teaching to a past one.

Encouraging Ty and Za to be patient for a ball game to start was difficult. We did however connect it to previous times we had to wait for something fun, like Christmas and going over to a friend's house.

How can we do this? If you are reading a story where a character is happy, ask your student to remember a time they felt excited about ___. (Having a party? Starting a new school? Getting a new pet?) If you are starting a science experiment, find a relation to a previously studied concept. If you will be gathering sticks to look at the layers, ask your students to recall or write about the way you once ___. (Gathered leaves? Looked at the layers of dirt?)

Getting information out of the working memory and making the information retained is the goal with this guideline. Those few minutes spent discussing previous experiences before diving into a new lesson are minutes well spent.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Brain-Based Learning: Guideline Four

The fourth brain-based learning guideline according to Dr. Sousa is:

past experience always affects new learning.

This is huge, maybe more than the brain based theory from two weeks ago that emotions affect aspects of learning, retention, and recall.

The simplest example I can think that supports this theory is that when children have a positive experience they are more willing to learn a similar task. For example, Ty does multiple puzzles a day. He naturally started with board puzzles and experienced excitement from the reward of seeing the puzzle together. He continues to work his way up to more and more pieces of jigsaw puzzles. Part of that is because he learned the skills. It is also because his past experiences were enjoyable and that transfers to his new learning with so many puzzle pieces.

So what is the flip-side of that? Children who were screamed at in the past for not understanding a new concept may react with fear when they do not understand a new concept. They may lie and say they do understand. They may shut down. They may cheat.

Emotions from past experiences, shame or joy, influences present learning.

Those are two extremes, the positive and the negative of past experience affecting new learning. Capitalizing on this guideline can help parents learn more, in better ways. 

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Brain-Based Learning: Guideline Three

Cherish your own emotions and never undervalue them. 
-Robert Henri

The third guideline concerning brain based learning is: emotions affect all aspects of learning, retention, and recall.

Who can forget first heartbreak, or fight with a best friend? What about your marriage proposal, or walk down the aisle? (I just had my wedding anniversary, can you tell?) I remember car wrecks, the day my children were born, and they day I moved into my house. All of these memories have incredibly strong emotions tied to them, good and bad. I remember them so clearly.

I can also remember vividly reading The Great Gatsby, loving every bit of it, and crying when the title character died. Why do I remember it so well? I was angry at times, cried at other times, and laughed during most of the reading. I remember it because I have emotions tied to it. Some of those emotions were already on my personal surface, and the story just intensified them.

You get the point.


Understanding this guideline, we can help our children learn better if we tie information in with an emotion. That is why teachers have students journal - so they can connect what they study to their lives and make it personal.

It is also probably why I disliked math class so much. Math to me meant that I would be in trouble later, and my parents would frown at how slow I was learning the material.

This brain based learning guideline needn't be negative though. We only need to be aware that it can be, and then avoid that. Think about our children and what they hold emotions to: pets, parents, friends, toys, books, cartoon characters, their house. Connect the emotions your child feels with those positive concepts to their learning.

This message is so simple and powerful, it needs little explanation or example from me. Parents do this already. Have you ever said to your child, "this is like... remember when you..."? You were connecting new material to an emotion.

I guarantee you have done this with your child. In what way? When did you use emotion to help with learning, retention, and recall?

Monday, July 25, 2011

Brain Based Learning: Guideline Two

I think I did this more at certain times in my life than others. Does that mean I was trying to figure life out more?

The second guideline concerning brain based learning states: the human brain seeks patterns in its search for meaning.

I saw this proven true in the classroom most often when I taught parts of sentence. A sentence normally follows this pattern:

subject + verb + direct object

This sentence follows that pattern:

Sally bought ice-cream.

Who is the sentence about? Sally - subject
What is Sally doing? buying - verb
What did Sally buy? ice-cream - direct object

So when I would add a dependent clause or phrase to a sentence, my students wouldn't like it. The sentence had other parts, other components that threw off their pattern. See?

Hungry for sweets, Sally bought ice-cream at the store because she was smart. 



Students like habits, familiarity, or patterns. Students (all humans) like knowing expectations, what's coming next, as in the cliche "creatures of habit" proves.

I see my preschool child seek patterns. He does when he assembles puzzles. He likes to sort pieces that are straight and build an edge and then fill in the middle pieces. One time he received an odd-shaped puzzle, shaped like an ocean wave, that really had no straight pieces. He didn't like doing it initially, because he was looking for a pattern.



If our brain seeks pattenrs, how can we put that knowledge to use in our everyday lives?

Preschool: When getting ready for the school day, connect this routine to prior knowledge, like getting ready to eat dinner. They both follow a pattern:

  • Wash up (for the day or for dinner)
  • Get material ready (for school or setting the dinner table)
  • Eat (breakfast or dinner)
  • Clean up (ready for the day or get ready for bed)

Elementary: Reading includes tons of patterns.

  • Sentence "shapes" or syntax
  • Repetitive words
  • Rhyming 

Middle School: As students advance in reading, find patterns in short stories.

  • Elements of suspense
  • Familiar plot diagrams
  • Presentations of protagonists/antagonists

High School: Students should have developed process that works for them that apply to other situations in life, like the writing process. Take getting ready for an extracurricular activity and apply to writing a paper.

Prewriting (deciding what to wear, eat)
Drafting (laying everything out together)
Revising (packing and settling it into a bag)
Editing (double checking supplies)
Publishing (taking the bag to school for after school practice)

What stage interests you? What other situations apply to the human brain seeking out patterns? 



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Photo Credit Two

Monday, July 18, 2011

Brain Based Learning: Guideline One

Is this why I struggled in math?

Almost two years ago I introduced a series on brain based-learning. Brain-based learning is an educational theory. This theory puts forward that learning can be enhanced when teachers/parents understand the brain's functioning, and apply such knowledge when teaching.

The presentations in textbooks and websites differ concerning guidelines. In my previous exploration (I struggle to believe that was two years ago!) I wrote about principles. This series will focus on general guidelines presented by Dr. David A. Sousa.



The first guideline states: Learning engages the entire person (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains).

Before I continue, let me explain this teacher-talk. It isn't hard at all:

Cognitive: Relates to the ways a person learns, based on his experiences.

Affective: Relates to the ways people express feelings.

Psychomotor: Relates to a response dealing with physical and psychological parts.

The cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains are activated at science fairs.


You probably apply this guideline when working with your children everyday. Math lessons are often thought not to consider the entire person, as are grammar lessons.

Here are some examples of ways to apply this guideline for different ages.

Preschool: Apples
  • Talk about different colors.
  • Taste the apple. Decide if you like it or not.
  • Feel the apple and describe its texture.
  • Cut it and look at the seeds.
Elementary: Planets
  • Read about the planets.
  • Look at a poster or pictures of the planets.
  • Make a model of the system. Let your child arrange them and hang them.
  • Examine different sizes and colors. 

Middle School: Magnets
  • Work with magnets (play with them).
  • Read about their positive and negative fields.
  • Look at their properties and definitions.
  • Examine ways magnets are used in life - like on construction sites.

High School: Reviewing a novel
  • Read portions aloud. Have students reread with you or listen.
  • Have students read reread portions alone.
  • Have students take notes on characters, symbols, or themes. (Give them something specific to map. Maybe use a graphic organizer).
  • Plot the story as you review. 
  • Write a paragraph relating the connection of the story to your child's life.
Like I always believe, parents typically engage their children in these types of activities. They are entertaining and students like them. New research shows us why students enjoy learning this way - they actually learn more and better!


Photo Credit One Photo Credit Two

Monday, June 13, 2011

Educational Theory of the Week: Memorization

Memorization: to commit to memory, to learn by heart.

Memorization is a bit of a dirty word in most education circles. It's not fun, and it normally involves flashcards. People (not just kids) struggle to memorize facts, especially if they deem the information irrelevant or boring. So let's look at the first part of the equation - is memorization necessary?



Knowledge is the first component of Boom's Taxonomy, and comprehension is the second. A basic example is learning multiplication facts, a task I loathed completing, but am now happy I know. Following Bloom's Taxonomy with the multiplication tables would be:

Knowledge - knowing the definition of multiplication and the knowledge of numbers.

Comprehension - understanding the multiplication tables.

Memorization requires a bit of both. The first two stages of Bloom's Taxonomy (knowledge and comprehension) seem a bit boring, a bit uninteresting. Learning vocabulary terms? Remembering the periodic table of elements? Understanding bones and muscles of a body? Never my favorite activities. In all of my years of teaching, I've never seen students get excited over memorizing, either. Students do get excited over writing fabulous speeches with specific and distinct words, blowing up things, and dissecting beings. And such activities cannot take place until memorization has occurred. 

Students cannot analyze a frog leg or evaluate the effectiveness of a speech outline until they have a base to rely upon - a base of knowledge. As a teacher, yes, I think memorization is necessary. Not always fun, but quite needed in all classes, at all levels.

So this non-fun, often boring aspect exists in education. Do students rebel against memorization? Do their parents? What are the repercussions of such behavior? Is school more fun, or do students know less basic facts? Please contribute; I'm open to all sides!

(I did an entire series on Bloom's Taxonomy if you want to understand it better. It is a hierarchy of learning).

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Monday, March 14, 2011

Education Theory: Unschooling

Type 'unschooling' into the search field in Twitter (or see it hashtagged as I often do with all my education pals), and you will gleam that an education movement is gaining momentum. I clicked on a few posts concerning unschooling and found interesting websites. One stood out, Why Unschool.
The website gave the following as the definition for unschooling:


Unschooling is an educational philosophy which holds that all children are born with a natural and insatiable curiosity, and that people learn best in non-coerced, self-directed situations. Unschooled children and teens choose which topics to learn and when, with encouragement from their parents, and without a curriculum. In other words, learning occurs when the child is engaged and interested in a subject that they themselves chose to study.

Several ideas popped into my mind when I read that. One, I related it to myself. I did not really care for high school, but enjoyed college beyond any expectations. I have always credited this to the idea that I chose what I studied. My degree is in English, and I packed my schedules with literature and writing courses. I had fun, and I learned in an honest, soul-wrenching way. I did not just pass tests and quizzes, I understood the material. When I researched papers, I grabbed more books off the library shelves then I needed because the subject matter thrilled me. I voraciously consumed information.



The second thought was that I do a bit of unschooling with Ty and Za, especially in the way that I allow them to lead me in their learning. Ty loves vehicles, and I used that interest to teach him colors. He was curious about everything concerning vehicles, so once we discussed their colors, I added on the parts - windshield, tires, wheels, doors - and we covered the letters required to spell all those parts. This of course led to other conversations about who assembled cars, where they were made, and how they needed fuel to run.

Za learned her colors in a different manner. She was actually more interested in learning her letters first, so when we would read alphabet books or identify letters associated with her toys or the household, colors came secondary. The order that my kids learned colors and letters was reversed, but they learned them in a way that had emotional connections for them, which is actually a brain-based learning theory, but that is way off topic.

So slowing down my thoughts, I am excited that I stumbled upon unschooling and researched it a bit. As a teacher, I had never heard of it, but it seems that teachers are encouraged to use some of its properties.

Unschooling still isn't well known enough for my Google spell-check to stop underlining it in red as I type this post. Unschooling, however, does have roots and valid points. I believe that some instances I have unschooled my children, and other parents have as well without realizing so.

For this education blog, I would appreciate more information about this subject. Any unschooling bloggers or writers who would like to leave a comment - feel free. I have a hunch I will be covering this for years to come.

Photo Credit

Monday, March 7, 2011

Education Topic: Class Size

Small Classes vs. Large Classes: Another debate concerning education reform is class size. Bill Gates recently wrote for the Washington Post about education reform. In a later interview (again for the Washington Post) he had this to say:


If you look at something like class sizes going from 22 to 27, and paying that teacher a third of the savings, and you make sure it's the effective teachers you're retaining," he said, "by any measure, you're raising the quality of education as you do that."

No matter your opinion on Bill Gates' involvement in education, this is an important topic as it will influence our children. So... here are pros and cons concerning class size. Chime in with more examples in the comments and I will do a follow-up and give credit for your ideas!

Overall, positive associations with small class sizes deal with time. Teachers can devote more time to teach each student with a small class. Teachers can devote more time to each student, lesson planing to accommodate different types of learners, and grading for valuable feedback. Smaller classes also allow teachers to see more of what is occurring, like bullying. Sometimes small classes lead to close-knit groups which will also encourage group work and lessen bullying. The education is deemed personalized and tailored with small classes.

Negative associations with a small class size deal with student interaction. A problem exists if a small class has too many levels of students. If only one student out of fourteen continually struggles, she may be less likely to speak up, unlike if several students (more likely in a large class) had questions. A student may also be an outsider if cliques form in the small class. Additionally, teachers may finish material and not continue past where he would with another class he currently teaches, probably a larger class. This, however, may be an advantage for anti-homework advocates.

So are the advantages/disadvantages of large classes the exact opposite? Sure, and a bit more.


Positive associations of large classes deal with competition. If students are involved in a class topic or assignment, theoretically they will want to 'win.' The education is deemed realistic and preparatory for the students' next life stage. Large classes can create competition to drive students to study more, but that does not always happen.

Negative associations of large classes deal with how students get 'lost' among so many peers. Shy students may gladly blend into the rows of desks and apathetic ones will become more apathetic. Teachers cannot grade papers as thoroughly, even if they only have five extra to grade. Some schools do not have classrooms large enough to accommodate large classes, and students get the message that they are in the way.

Those are the positives and negatives I could think of concerning class size. So now it is your turn. What needs added to the pro/con conversation about small and large classes? Is Bill Gates right? Or should education continue aiming for small class sizes?

Photo Credit

Monday, February 21, 2011

Grades

I went to a party this weekend for my husband's work. I did not know many people there, but pretty soon I fell into conversation with a group of other spouses. Many of them are currently teachers. The rest are parents.

A health teacher began speaking about football. He wants his players to take ideas from the field and apply them to real life. Then he switched to discussing grades. He told the group of us that he did not flunk students unless they were "a++holes." Hmmmmm.



Someone asked him why and he responded: "It is important that kids know how to get along. If they treat people decent, that will get them far in life." He added that he tells students of this rule and that they overall like him for it. A small debate sparked with him and one other person. Most people drifted away and I hung around, making mental notes.

I am sure you can imagine how the debate continued:

What do other teachers think of this? Are the students truly learning health? Does the grade reflect a knowledge of health, or the overall student? Do students still complete their homework? Do parents complain?

This health teacher factored in attitude (I think that is a nicer term) and nothing else, so he claims. This becomes murky water. Some teachers take points off for spelling, others do not. Some take points off for no-named paers, other do not. The list continues.

So I pose the question to you: what should teachers factor into a grade? Is this black and white, or lots of gray? Do tell. This is important!

Photo Credit

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Teaching Every Day

For Christmas (yep, I am still catching up on my blog) I went to my husband's office and printed some worksheets for Ty and Za. They were simple activities, like the letter 'C' and a cookie. Then I went to an office store and bought two folders and sticker books on clearance. These folders went over huge with the kids and we work on the pictures and alphabet letters together throughout our days.

Note the doggie paws and ears - not part of the present.


I don't have a printer at my house, so I cannot print worksheets and lesson plans for what so many think of as standard teaching. I teach my kids every day, intentionally or just through example. I try to share my successes and failures with my blog world. I think when parents reflect together it is much like when teachers do, and that can create wonderful results. Printing off worksheets as Christmas presents got me thinking (ok, reflecting) about my reasoning behind my approach.

I look for everyday, simple, run-of-the-mill, natural parts of life to be teaching moments. I understand formal lesson plans that are out there for parents to do with their kids. The plans are well developed, creative, detailed, and educational. I sometimes do them with my kids. I see their purpose and I am grateful for them.

This blog does not focus on formal plans for parents to do with their children. Instead, this blog focuses on every room being a classroom because I believe that teaching kids from your environment is possible and important, for several reasons:

1. I dislike the idea that learning and teaching stops when a bell rings. In the same way, I don't like the idea that when I finish a lesson plan with my child, he gets up from the table and thinks learning is done. Learning is everywhere, and I try to point that out with my children.

2.   When concepts (language, math, science, history) are part of every day life, children are less likely to see them as subjects. For instance, if a parent is a doctor and a child grows up hearing the proper anatomical, surgical, and pharmaceutical terms, he will be less intimidated in fifteen years when he takes advanced science courses, like anatomy. In the same way, I hope that when my child hears the literary term 'protagonist' for the first time, he is comfortable with the word, as I have mentioned it in our reading together.

3. Not all aspects of learning are fun, but children need a desire for learning. Memorizing and knowing basic facts play an important role in education. (I disliked studying the multiplication tables, but I am very happy that I memorized them). Education needs a balance - it cannot be fun all the time, but learning overall is interesting. I don't feel the need to complete formal lessons with my children yet (they are four and two) but realize the time will come when I sit down with them to memorize from flashcards. I hope to create an energy in them that stays with them for life.

Basically, I think formal and informal lesson plans have a place while working with your children. What do you think about formal vs. informal lessons? Is it possible to have a balance?

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Naturalist Intelligence

My son Ty (he is almost 4 years) has a huge interest concerning anything he can sort: cars, blocks, trucks, books, tractors, crayons--if they are the same concept but different, he will organize it. I normally attribute this as a mathematical-logical strength, but I try to hit different intelligences when possible. 

Since another love of Ty's is nature (like any little boy, he will dig in dirt and run outside for hours), I wanted to weave some of his passions together. I found a way to use his naturalist intelligence, which deals with sensing patterns in and making connections to elements in nature. Combining the two, I did think of a way to involve two of Ty's passions-organizing and dirt, or mathematical-logical and naturalistic intelligences.  


Sorry for the darkness! The green container (it is the hardest to see) is 'trash'-the rest is recycling! All of it!!
Enter Christmas. We attend at least six Christmas celebrations, including ours. At each one, our children receive gifts from others. (My husband and I try to limit this, but no ploy has worked. I suppose we could have worse problems). The amount of stuff does not bother me, mostly because we do a huge donation for some of our church's outreach programs and I don't have any qualms about giving away "too nice" of toys. What really bothers me is the packaging, the sheer amount of trash.

This year, very little of the packaging went in the actual trash. Ty and I sorted it into the recycling bins, paper and plastic. He was thrilled that the trash would not hurt the ground, which is what he gathered from our environmental discussion.


As a bonus, my brother gave Ty (or Za, I am not sure) the books "The Five Senses" which is about the environment.
Green Start: The Five Senses 


All of the combination led to a very happy little Ty and mama. Do you ever try to "hit" on your child's intelligences at the same time? How?