General Inquiry, Teaching and Assessment Methods Course Reflection

So far, my experience here in the Masters of Arts in Teaching Program at SPU has consisted of broad knowledge.  What I mean to say is that the knowledge has been mostly abstract, theoretical or grounded in history.  This quarter marks the beginning of more specific instruction concerning the everyday practices I will be using as a teacher.  This is exemplified by my general inquiry course with its emphasis on lesson planning and classroom management.  My education is going from the general to the specific, which mirrors that of a well-designed lesson plan.  The lesson plan starts with the Central Focus, narrows to the learning targets and then gets into the specific activities.  It makes sense then, that my biggest takeaway from the course involves lesson plan terms and the design process.

I am a person that thrives when given clearly defined paths in education, so it comes as no surprise that the most useful tool this quarter was the Glossary and Hierarchy of Terms for Organizing lessons that we were presented with in our second week of instruction(https://canvas.spu.edu/courses/18045/files/536146?module_item_id=137016).  The definitions that were provided were good for reference throughout the quarter, but I found the chart shown below to be extremely helpful:

It is very general, yet it helped me to organize my thoughts as I was creating my lesson plan submission for the quarter.  Aside from being a valuable resource the chart helps me to realize the importance of setting clearly outlined learning targets as well as illustrating and modeling strategies for my future students.  I myself am a student, and the examples this reference showed me were so helpful that it really drove home the point that I need to provide materials as comprehensive and clear as this for my own class.

This class also impressed upon me the importance of the backwards design process.  It seems counterintuitive at first, designing assessment before activities, but I learned firsthand while planning my own lesson plan this quarter just how difficult it is to design assessments and make a fun activity fit some standard.  An activity that I had previously thought had value turned out to be more of a distraction when I realized that I had no standards to align it to or assessments to determine its effectiveness.  It really forced me to think a little harder about what it is I wanted to accomplish, and given the small amount of time we have to teach everything in the class, I feel that backwards design is an invaluable skill for a teacher to possess.

Overall I am excited to be leaving the theoretical and entering the practical side of my teacher education.

A Reflection on my Instructional Strategies Course

When I started along this path of becoming a teacher I thought my schooling would give me a very clear idea of how to go about the day to day business of teaching kids.  As I began my classes it became apparent that there is no such thing.  There is no one way, and if I was looking to be handed all the answers then I would be sorely disappointed.  It stressed me out at first, but the more I learn, the more I realize that there is no end to what I can learn, and that the artistry of teaching changes dramatically and often, from forces both within and without.  I think my biggest takeaway from the course is that there is no one correct pedagogical strategy that will work for every situation.  Some situations might benefit from direct instruction, some from a more inductive standpoint.  Some students may not be able to learn as effectively in groups, others benefit from greatly from cooperative learning.  A student who learns best with visual advance organizers in certain subjects may not benefit as much if they are used in other subjects.  Everything is so up in the air that teaching is really the art of knowing your audience.  This course has really driven home the point that to be an effective teacher is to be one who is adept at a wide range of teaching styles, not just a master at one.

This course has taught me the importance of inductive learning and concept attainment over rote memorization and direct instruction.  I’m not saying that I plan on fully abandoning the latter practices, but memorization can only get you so far.  As Jerome Bruner writes in Some Elements of Discovery:

“We know perfectly well that there are good rote techniques whereby you can get the child to come back with a long list of information. This list is no good, however, because the child will use it in a single situation and possibly not even effectively then” (Bruner, 1996).

The whole point of effective instruction is not to teach a laundry list of facts, but to guide students to attaining real, lasting knowledge which they can apply in numerous setting and situations throughout their lives.  This is why the idea of teaching concepts over facts really resonated with me this quarter.  Since I plan on working with first graders, the picture word inductive model in particular is a strategy I see myself using time and time again.  The example in Lisa Mueller’s classroom in Models of Teaching gave me a very clearly outlines method for teaching important, broad concepts to my given age group, and gave me some of that specific direction I was seeking while at the same time letting me know this is but a single tool in an educator’s toolbox (Joyce, 2015, pg.94-98).

There are really too many new concepts for me to fully appreciate their depth in a single quarter, which is exciting because as a teacher I have the privilege of learning as I go.  I am sure I will start out utilizing but a few as are outlined by the school and the district, but as I grow confident with their usage I can expand my pedagogical repertoire to utilize more and more as my career goes on.  I can see what works, what doesn’t, then revisit past methods based on the needs of my class.  The course has shown me that there is a wide and constantly evolving range of teaching methods available to me and it is gratifying and encouraging to know that even the most experienced and skilled educators are still searching for and devising new methods to reach their students.  Learning is about the pursuit of knowledge, it makes sense that teaching should reflect that.

Bruner, J. (1996). The Culture of Education (from SIS Session 3 Lecture notes EDU 6526: Survey of Instructional Strategies)

Joyce, B., Weil, M., & Calhoun, E. (2015). Models of Teaching. Boston: Pearson Education. Ed. 9

Is self-esteem earned or ascribed?

I think treating self-esteem as an ascribed status benefits no one.  It isn’t something that you are born with and carry throughout your life.  Self-esteem varies from task to task, from interactions with peers and authority figures and is a constantly changing status throughout your life.  If it was something you either had or you didn’t then people with high self-esteem would never face any doubt about their own abilities or self-worth, and low self-esteem people could never meet any challenges laid out before them – and this just isn’t the case.  The danger in assuming self-esteem is an ascribed status is that individuals with low self-esteem are doomed to have it forever and will constantly see this view reinforced when comparing themselves to the perceived ascribed statuses of others even if it doesn’t necessarily reflect reality.  Self-esteem is a result of what we have done and is very much an earned status.  In an article for the Los Angeles Times titled Self-Esteem is Earned, Not Learned Mike Schmoker makes a great point about fostering self-esteem in education:

“Like it or not, self-esteem is very much a function of such unyielding realities as what we can do, what we've done with what we have and what we've made of ourselves. And so the school--with every effort toward sensitivity, compassion and encouragement--should reinforce this, while cultivating ability, talent, decency and the capacity for sustained effort, the belief that you get what you pay for” (Schmoker, 1989).

It is not enough for a school to foster self-esteem by telling a student to feel good about themselves, or to tell them they are successful because this fosters a false sense of self-esteem which can easily dissipate the next time a student faces any struggle or conflict.  This doesn’t mean that it is fully up to the student to take charge in developing self-esteem, rather we should be giving them the tools to develop a sense of self-esteem through success and encouragement.  Focus on the positives and help them improve in areas of less confidence.  According to Carl Rogers in his essay Teacher effects research on student self-concept a student displays fewer disruptions, showed increased levels on tests of self-concept and made great gains on academic achievement if taught by teachers who had greater empathy towards, respect for and valued the opinions of their students (Rogers, n.d.).  The key lies in developing students that feel as if their opinion is valued, and this will help them see their own worth.

Rogers, C. (n.d.). Teacher effects research on student self concept. Handout from EDU 6526, Seattle           Pacific University, Feb. 24, 2017

Schmoker, M. (1989, October 7).  Self-Esteem Is Earned, Not Learned.  Los Angeles Times.  Retrieved        from http://articles.latimes.com/1989-10-07/local/me-394_1_esteem-earn-learned.

How does one take into account to student personalities and emotions?

We don’t teach in a vacuum. Students don’t walk into the classroom perfect blank slates waiting for us to fill in with knowledge. They are thinking, feeling human beings that bring a whole host of emotions and personalities that affect how well they learn. These factors may be constant or vary from day to day depending on the student in question. The question is, how do we account for the feelings of our students?

They key lies in building an “atmosphere of empathetic communication” in which the student feels safe to express these feelings (Joyce, pg. 289, 2015). By showing their emotions and giving their thoughts and opinions free from judgment, the student is able to join their teacher and peers in a community of open communication. Ideas and learning can flow more freely in such an environment. Students are nurtured to become confident free thinkers with thoughts that matter and have an impact on the world. This the goal of Carl Rogers’ nondirective teaching model which postulates that “positive human relationships enable people to grow, and therefore instruction should be based on concepts of human relations in contrast to concepts of subject matter” (Joyce, pg. 285, 2015).

This means the teacher needs to take on the role of a facilitator or guide for the student rather than a decision making, distant authority figure. The first step is to get to know your students through observation and conversation so you can recognize their individual personalities and notice when something is amiss. A great deal of empathy and genuine interest is required on the part of the teacher. There needs to be a lack of judgment or moralization – a student needs to trust the teacher enough to be able to express themselves. The educator then helps the student to work through their thoughts and assist them in clarifying why they are thinking or feeling the way they do. The teacher needs to take themselves out of the equation and make every effort to see things from the students point of view (Joyce, pg. 289, 2015). When employing this nondirective method one has to focus on listening rather than trying to identify and solve the problem for the student. Growth and learning only occur if a student is able to work through their thoughts and feelings on their own.

It really comes down to creating an environment where the student feels comfortable expressing their views and feelings about a topic, be it personal or academic, and the teacher guides them towards a better understanding and helps them find their own path to a resolution of some sort. This open dialogue is also immensely helpful in helping the teacher to design specific lesson plans for the individual geared to what works best for them. Most importantly we don’t want our students to “suffer in silence” because that can lead to a spiraling negative effect wherein the child doesn’t seek the help they need from their educator and problems learning at school multiply.

Joyce, B., Weil, M., & Calhoun, E. (2015). Models of Teaching. Boston: Pearson Education. Ed. 9.

Are values caught or taught?

The idea that values are caught, not taught, has a profound effect on our lives as educators.  We can teach children lessons on respect, honesty, generosity, kindness and forgiveness, but unless we as teachers are prepared to embody those same virtues we can hardly expect the students to.  Children don’t respond well to the adult command “do as I say, not as I do.”  Students need to see their teacher as a role model that embodies the types of behaviors they wish to emulate.  It really goes back to the strength of constructive teaching methods and the benefits of visualizing, discovering and exploring.  The children need to experience good morals in their day-to-day life in order to fully grasp the lessons.  It is impractical to think that we can espouse the benefits of good behavior when we don’t model that behavior in class.  These lies just serve to plant a seed of mistrust and can undermine your good work as an educator across the board.

I think most values education should take place in the home, with a child’s family.  However, with working parents and long school days we can’t overlook the fact that a child may very well spend the majority of their day with their teacher in the classroom community.  This community can and should be a microcosm of the larger society they will be interacting with, and as such it is important that teachers strive to develop people of good character.  Even though values education may not lend itself well to a lecture on what it means to be a “good” person I still think it is important that it is addressed directly, and modeled daily.

This sounds easy enough on the face of it, but since different values are held in higher regard than others depending on the culture or community in question, it can be in truth quite difficult.  Some of your student’s families may value cooperation and that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, whereas others may value competition and individualism.  Virtues like honesty, generosity and respect outlined earlier are relatively universal – others not so much.  This is why I think it is critical for a teacher to not only be involved in their community, but really get to know their students and their families on a personal level to better understand where everyone is coming from.  It not only helps you to become more knowledgeable, but helps to build a level of trust with the parents which will make them more comfortable with you helping them to shoulder the load of values education.

Does constructivism promote academic excellence?

I have been giving this a lot of thought recently.  I am just starting out on this path to become an educator, and as such have no classroom experience with which to realistically base my answer - all I can offer is my opinion on the matter.  If we judge academic excellence by test scores, then I suppose my answer would be no.  The constructivist approach with its emphasis on building knowledge through exploration and democratic cooperation does not lend itself to the rigors of testing.  I don’t see how a student could possibly learn all the things necessary to achieve high or even passing scores on tests given that constructivism seems such a slow process compared to lectures and text followed by memorization.  Allowing students to follow their own inclination, even if responsibly directed by a skilled teacher, seems like it would result in some of the “drier” subjects like math and history to be neglected.

I understand why teachers are reluctant to make the change from a more traditional approach to a progressive one.  It involves a lot more effort on the part of the teacher to find the best way to steer learning in the classroom.  A lot more planning has to go into the lessons, and the instructor has to be adept at reading their students and responding to their questions with appropriate nudges towards the answer.  It also flies in the face of years of schooling tradition which they themselves underwent.  I know that it is difficult to conclude that your own personal education is lacking in some way.

So, by all conventional measure constructivism does not promote academic excellence.  However, I think academic excellence is what happens when knowledge is retained and can be utilized for the good of society.  I don’t remember many of the facts I learned in school.  They were put into my short-term memory, and since the knowledge wasn’t used, it faded.  Facts are not as useful without concepts to ground them.  It seems to me that maybe it is more important to have depth of knowledge rather than breadth.  I think a constructivist approach with a focus on concept formation and discovery, coupled with direct instruction for those subjects that benefit from it the most, can be a powerful tool indeed.  I don’t see it working well unless there is a fundamental change in standardized testing.   The focus on measuring a teacher’s effectiveness through test scores means that any progressive approach could result in teacher terminations.  Constructivist teaching is difficult to assess in such a simple, straight forward manner.  I don’t know how it can work unless embraced by the entire educational system, which I am learning, is very reluctant to change.  I hope to see constructivism being used in more classrooms in the future because any approach which stimulates curiosity and can be both effective and fun is a practice I want to adopt.

Reflection on Cognitive Development

Children are all unique individuals.  They don’t develop at the same rate, they are all raised in different household and cultures, have different physical traits and distinct personalities.  Most researchers agree that these differences are due to both the child’s biology (nature) as well as their environment (nurture).  With all these differences, it seems almost futile to try and generalize the process by which a child’s mental capacity grows yet many theories of cognitive development have been created to do just that.  What I am learning most during this quarter in class is that there are very few hard and fast rules on how a child develops, but a teacher needs to use these development theories as a framework to guide their lessons with enough flexibility to allow for the individual differences.

I am planning on teaching early elementary so I was most interested in reading about Piaget’s preoperational and concrete operational stages of development.  How well a child performs on conservation tasks or the level of abstract knowledge that a student possesses are great tools for evaluating their level of cognition.  This can help me, as a future educator, determine how to tailor the lesson so as to maximize its effectiveness.  Knowing that most children in the concrete operational stage can readily solve problems when given concrete objects to manipulate yet struggle with abstract or hypothetical situations stresses how important it is for me to provide them with lessons that are highly creative and visual (Pressley, p. 64, 2007).  Counting currency, practicing place value with groups of objects and picture book story times are all beneficial for students in the first grade.  Another proposal of Piaget’s which really resonated with me was that of cognitive conflict, which is “the situation that occurs when a learner does not have cognitive structures that permit understanding of environmental stimuli” (Pressley, p. 90, 2007).  If a student encounters a problem that requires just slightly more cognitive ability than they possess then this results in cognitive effort being put forth to solve the problem.  This in turn causes their mental capacity to grow and they start off towards the next level of development.  This helps me understand why it is important to challenge a student with a lesson, yet not to overwhelm them with a feeling of hopelessness by giving them something too far beyond their ability.  It’s a fine line to tread.

My growing knowledge of cognitive development theories is being paired with that of the biological processes by which the brain functions.  I find Medina’s Brain Rules to be the most fascinating (and entertaining) information this quarter.  By viewing everything through the purely biological lens of how a brain works, Medina has really opened my eyes as to how we should be teaching the next generation to be successful learners.  I will certainly make every effort to implement practices that align with the brains ability to function to its fullest capacity in my classroom.  This will mean properly spacing the information in manageable chunks, with lots of rest and repetition, as well as separate environments and stations for different subjects.  Most importantly I intend to implement lessons that contain a lot of exploration and discovery involving a lot of “learn by doing” activities.  School should be less about the memorization of facts and more about the development of concepts through inductive learning.  My favorite brain rule of Medina’s is the one he isn’t able to prove and that is the importance of curiosity (Medina, p. 259, 2014).  Fostering that desire for knowledge without squashing it is my number one goal as an educator.

Medina, J. (2014). Brain rules. Seattle: Pear Press.

Pressley, M., McCormick, C.B. (2007). Child and Adolescent Development for educators. New York: The Guilford Press.