“In the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.”

 

 

This semester is finally coming to an end; and what a semester it has been! I can honestly say this has been one of the most challenging semesters of my college career thus far. From fieldwork, to lesson plans, to tests, to projects, the work was never ending. As i write my final blog entry I would like to reflect on this semester as a whole, and the person I have become after completing this Methods course.

In the beginning of the semester, I was hesitant to take this course because I knew it was going to be a lot of work. Once the semester had started, I was still nervous because I had found out that the course was all online, and it involved the use of a lot of technology. The use of technology was something that I was not used to in my previous experiences in college. Now, looking back at this semester, I realize that I have learned SO much about computers and different programs that are available to aid in my teaching. I had never used Gmail before, and now I believe it is so convenient when you are working on a group project. It is especially helpful if not all of the group members have the same schedule and it is hard to meet to work on the project. I can say that Gmail has saved my life throughout this course. Also, attending the Smart Board workshop has definitely opened up my eyes to the wonderful tool that is the Smart Board. Now, as many classrooms are acquiring this wonderful piece of technology, it is very important to understand how to use it, as a future teacher. I now appreciate the abundance of technology that was incorporated into this course. Students are becoming more and more tech-savvy and we as future teachers need to be one step ahead of them. I have changed a tremendous amount from the beginning of the semester to now, especially with regards to my new found appreciation of technology. Thank you, Dr. Smirnova!

I have learned so much about being a teacher. The number one thing that I have learned as a result of taking this course is that teaching is NOT an easy profession. To be a teacher requires one to have the patience of a saint, and a heart of gold. I have realized that teachers put a lot of time and effort into their lesson plans, and also accommodating them so that all students can learn to the best of their ability. I have learned the importance of accommodating lessons to fit the needs of many diverse students. For example, ELL students, students with learning disabilities, or even students with physical disabilities.

I enjoyed learning about the three methods of teaching in class. We studied direct instruction, information processing model, and social interactive model throughout the semester. In my opinion, each method of teaching has its own time and place in the classroom setting, and some methods are more effective than others. For example, I absolutely love the social interactive model of teaching. I believe that this method is the most effective form of teaching because it allows students to work together collaboratively in groups to learn, gather information, and teach each other. Since the SIM method is student centered, it is almost the complete opposite of the direct instruction teaching approach. I believe that learning should be student centered because they are the ones who are learning! Working in groups is a great way for students to share their thoughts, develop social skills, and grow as learners. Therefore, I believe that Cooperative Learning (Social Interactive Model) is the most effective and beneficial way that a student can learn and I look forward to using this method in my own elementary school classroom one day.

Although this semester has come to an end, there are some things that I plan to improve in myself in the future. For example, instead of waiting until the last minute to complete assignments, I plan on completing the assignments as they are assigned to me. Procrastination is one of my biggest downfalls. Even though everything gets done eventually, it would be to my benefit if I did not wait until the last minute to complete assignments. This is something that I WILL improve on in the semesters to come!

All in all, this course has given me the materials, skills and knowledge that I will need to become a technologically advanced teacher in my years to come!

 I believe that Winston Churchill said it best,

"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

 

 

DI > IPM > SIM > JIGSAW

       Throughout this course we have learned about three different methods of teaching. They are the Direct Instruction method, Information Processing method, and Social Interactive method. Each method is different in and of itself, and each method has the right time and place to be used in the classroom setting.

       The Social Interactive method of teaching, in my opinion, is the most beneficial method for the student. It allows cooperative learning among students, and allows for students to engage in group work activities. By implementing the social interactive model in the classroom, students learn different social skills and this is very important, especially for students when they enter the real world as adults.

       Because the social interactive model is student-centered, it is almost the complete opposite of the direct instruction model, which is strictly teacher-centered. I believe that it is crucial for the students to be the center of their own learning. When learning about the SIM model, we learned many different teaching methods. Some of them include: Think-Pair-Share, T-G-T, Numbered Heads Together, STAD, and 6 Thinking Hats. Together, working in groups, we demonstrated each of these teaching methods to the class. This exercise was very beneficial because it allowed us to see the methods in action. It personally helped me to better understand what the social interactive model of teaching was all about.

The following is a link to a youtube video in which the "Numbered Heads Together" teaching method is being used:

Youtube Video Clip

“Our treasure lies in the beehive of our knowledge. We are perpetually on the way thither, being by nature winged insects and honey gatherers of the mind.”

In class we were asked to design a treasure hunt teaching our peers about a specific teaching method of the Information Processing Model. Theresa and I decided to focus on the Socratic Method of teaching. This method is an inquiry (question based) method of teaching.



The goal of this method of inquiry is for students to internalize a mode of questioning that will enable them to achieve a higher level of understanding and realization through content related areas of study.

By making a treasure hunt, we were able to demonstrate what the socratic method of teaching is by actually using an inquiry based, interactive treasure hunt. When th assignment was first brought to light, I, as well as many of me peers had no idea what a treasure hunt actually was, with respect to teaching. As it was finally explained more in depth, and we were shown examples, it became clear, and actually fun to create. From making our own treasure hunt, and by looking at the treasure hunts that my peers created, I was able to learn so much about different methods of teaching from the

information processing model.

Here is the link to my treasure hunt:
Socratic Method TH
Please feel free to check it out for yourself!

What's in a WebQuest?!

While learning about the Direct Instruction method of teaching, we were assigned to make our own webquests. At first, this task seemed very intimidating. I thought,
"how on Earth am I going to create a complete, interactive, on-line activity that will keep students engaged and thinking creatively?"

I was relieved when we went over the process of creating a webquest in class. It didn't seem that hard after all. So then I began brainstorming and thinking about an interesting and fun topic that children would enjoy learning about. I came up with: the life cycle of a butterfly.

I first presented the students with background information about butterflies and their life cycle. I included a bunch of pictures throughout the webquest to keep the students engaged. The ultimate goal of this webquest is for the student to find out as much information as he can about the life cycle of a butterfly, and then create a detailed poster of this cycle. Throughout the webquest, the student is asked to print out worksheets and complete different activities in which they will learn more and more information. To assess the students' work when they are finished, I have included a rubric at the end of the activity. Click here to check out my web quest!

More Method's Adventures! Wrapping up Direct Instruction

The last month has flown by and we have wrapped up our behavioral model: direct instruction lesson plans and now we are on to the next method of teaching which is the information processing model.

To recap direct instruction...

I thought the idea of a completely teacher-centered lesson was going to be hard to create. I also thought that this type of lesson would not be beneficial to students' learning because they are not actively involved in the lesson. It is NOT a hands-on approach to teaching. Direct instruction is almost completely a lecture based approach to teaching. The main goal of direct instruction is AUTOMATICITY.

>>This refers to working or practicing a task or skill until it is learned completely and can be performed automatically.<<

The process of creating my direct instruction lesson plan was a long one. Many revisions and corrections were made throughout the process before the final product was done. The Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Frame served as my guide throughout this process. I referred back to the frame quite frequently and it helped me a lot. I am very pleased with the final product and how my direct instruction lesson plan turned out.

"Teaching is the profession that teaches all other professions."

The month of September has come to an end; but what an information jam-packed month it has been! I have learned a great amount of information from many different sources including: class meetings, Dr. Smirnova, online readings available for this course in Methods of Teaching, online resources, and most importantly, my colleagues.

                         

We started off the semester with a short creative t-shirt project. This simple project allowed us to get to know each other a little better, and better understand our motives for wanting to become teachers. From completing this project, I have learned many things about myself in relation to teaching. I realized where I would like to teach and specifically which subjects. This project also brought to light the anxieties that come with the job of teaching. It makes me anxious knowing that I will be dealing with uncooperative students sometimes, as well as the parents of these students. It is scary having to deal with parents because we may not always see eye to eye when it comes to their child, but this is something I will have to contend with once I become an elementary school teacher.

During the month of September, we also learned about formulating goals and objectives for our lesson plans. This is a very important skill to acquire because it is a huge part of preparing your lesson plans and making them as good and detailed as they can be. I learned that goals are broad statements that tell what you, as a teacher, want your students to learn by the end of the lesson. The objectives are a more specific goal that the students will learn by the end of the lesson. The exercise in which we were asked to formulate our own goals and objectives for an imaginary lesson plan was effective because it allowed us to practice this skill. I enjoyed working in a small group with my peers to compare our goals and objectives because we were better able to help each other understand the process.

From here we began to learn about Direct Instruction and more specifically the many parts of a direct instruction lesson plan. We broke ourselves into small groups, each focusing on one aspect of a direct instruction lesson plan. My group was the Guided Practice aspect. We completed a power point presentation and shared it with the class, discussing guided practice and how it fits into a direct instruction lesson plan. I thought that by breaking into smaller groups and teaching the class was a great way to learn about direct instruction.  Sometimes it is easier for us as students to learn things when being taught by our peers, as opposed to the professor. Our peers can explain the concepts to us in ways that we will most likely, better understand. This experience was extremely beneficial and I can now tell you all about the different parts of a direct instruction plan.  A direct instruction lesson plan first begins with an anticipatory set in which the lesson in introduced, or prior knowledge is expanded upon. Then there is content delivery, followed by guided practice, and drill and practice. The lesson plan concludes with independent practice and sometimes a homework assignment. Then there is closure to the lesson plan. 

Through the use of online readings and a group presentation on Direct Instruction and the Behaviorist Model I learned so much. For example I learned that direct instruction is a more teacher-directed approach which gives time for less seatwork. Also, direct instruction allows for constant assessment of student understanding, which is key. I think direct instruction is most effective because it is a step by step progression of topics, and it breaks complex skills into sub-skills. I think students can learn most effectively through the use of direct instruction because it allows for them to practice what they have learned little by little. I have learned all of this information through the use of online readings, group presentations, and the completion of a Concept Map on Direct Instruction. The concept map allowed me to define direct instruction using many examples. It also allowed me to prove what I have learned from the reading materials and explain why and how I will utilize this knowledge in my future teaching career.

So far in this course, I have learned many different things that I can do with technology that will be helpful in my upcoming teaching career. I have never been good with computers; you could say I am somewhat computer illiterate. During this course so far, I have learned how to use googledocs which was extremely helpful when it came time to make a group power point. We all made our Google Gmail accounts, which opened up a new world of communication for my peers and me. It was hard for my group members to find a time for all of us to meet to work on our presentation, but googledocs allowed us to make our power point from our homes. I have also learned how to use the Smartboard and incorporate it into my lessons (if the classroom has a Smartboard).  This makes a lesson more interactive and fun for the students.

First Blog Entry!

I have never made a blog before so this is all really new to me! So here goes...

The first two weeks of school have gone really well so far. I am enjoying our methods class and getting to know everybody!

Our first assignment was to make a "t-shirt" that told everyone a little bit more about us, without the use of words. I believe this assignment allowed us to reflect and think about why we really want to be teachers. We had to answer 4 questions: Where and what do you plan to teach? What teaching or similar experiences have you had? What has made you proud? and What makes you anxious about teaching? It was a challenge not being able to use words, but it also made the project fun and added a creative aspect.


This project allowed us to gain experience presenting in front of a large class. It also served as good practice for using the smartboard. I enjoyed seeing everyone elses t-shirt presentations!