Week 2 Learning theories

Week 2 scholarly activites

The articles assigned for Week 2 reading were engaging and though provoking.  When I reflected on how I might add value to students, these areas all came to mind.

Two of the most salient observations are that we are teaching and modeling behaviors in the classroom that will shape how our students interact with the world.  My initial thinking on this topic was quite contrary in that I didn’t believe that we teach children this life skill.  Yet we do and it is this hidden curriculum that good teachers address and authentically practice in the classroom. 

For me, the knowledge acquired in this program should help me be purposeful as a leader and a teacher.  The importance of teaching children what I have learned in the executive suite as it relates to the appropriate and under the radar skills needed to be successful in the world resonated greatly for me.  It provides me, as a student, the framework on how to best incorporate a learning style which should maximize examples and strategies that should improve knowledge assimilation of these skills.  One of which is literacy. 

A cornerstone or foundation for student success in the classroom as well as social success  is literacy.  As a special education teacher I will be highly engaged in helping students with LD to acquire this critical life skill. One resource that addresses knowledge transfer and content knowledge acquisition specifically dedicated to  improving literary skills.  on the classroom is www.FCCR.org.  The sight provides resources that focus on teaching reading and oral comprehension in children as young as 3 years.

One tab on the website is a repository of classroom activities and examples of lesson plans targeted to address specific learning styles.  As a preservice teacher this information provides a template of proven methodologies and delivery techniques that will facilitate student learning in reading.   Obviously, delivery and mastery of these guidelines and theories should enhance the learning opportunity in the classroom.

The second tab examines appropriate assessment tools, their proper usage and how the data can and should influence the teaching and learning methods that correlate to the individual student.  Knowing the proficiency of each student in core skills should absolutely be utilized for content and/or testing accomodations for children with special needs. 

 A very important issue that will only increase over time is students as English language learners.  This is a new content area for me and does need some different teaching, learning strategies.  The  textbook, “Teaching Reading Sourcebook”, Novate, R.,  Arena, Novato) has 2 chapters specifically dedicated to teaching English to students regardless of their age.  This material is important as it is very focused on parental involvement which is specially critical for children with special needs. 

The first 2 resources focus on preparing me to be a better teacher in the hopes that my acquisition of knowledge on how to best engage and interact with all students with special needs.

The last resource that provides a hands on, group centered approach to acquiring math skills is the website www.Coolmath4kids.org.  The interactive nature of the tasks are designed to scaffold information in a way that expedites the acquisition and retention of math skills.

As direct teaching is not the most successful and engaging strategy, the small group setting should provide not only content learning , it will expedite the learning process.  The group presentation and collaborate, peer to peer learning is a wonderful way to mix up the learning activities and acquire the skills of successful team interaction.

The majority of this document focuses on the teacher’s knowledge acquisition as I am a novice in teaching and learning techniques.  The fact being that if I don’t understand the multiple methods of teaching and the availability of resources designed to ensure success in the classroom, it does not matter if the content is properly arranged.  Whether assigned, I am going to come back to this lesson every 2 weeks so that I may continue to record and gather resources that will best help children learn.