Common Core

It is necessary for all teachers to be familiar with the common core standards!  Teachers need to make sure they use it in the classroom.  The following video is about common core standards: 

The common core standards provide a clear understanding of what students are expected to learn.  It helps both teachers and parents learn what they need to teach.  The common core standards provide young people with skills they need for the future.  Standards reassure that students are receiving high-quality instruction.  I believe the common core standards are highly effective.

Pinterest in the classroom!

I think that teachers should always try new things in the classroom.  Teachers should consider using...

Social networking is very popular worldwide!  Teachers should use pinterest in the classroom to engage students and can also use it  as ways to make new lessons.  

There are different ways that teachers can use pinterest.

1) add images during a lesson or class discussion

2) Find crafts and projects for school

3) Get lunch idea for kids 

4) Find new books to read and recommend  

Native American Project

We were asked to figure out how geography influences the different African American tribes.  Emily and I were asked to focus on the Iroquois tribe.  

We learned the following information:

History

™They first settled in the north-eastern part of North America around 100 A.D.

™Homeland: upstate New York between the Adirondack Mountains and Niagara Falls

™They then expanded through conquest and migration and gained control of most of the northeastern United States/eastern Canada

™During the American Revolution they were forced back into their original land.

™They fought along with the British in the war with France

Culture

™Lived in longhouses: large wood-frame building covered with sheets of elm bark  

™Open space was left at the top of the house to allow smoke out when they were cooking

™Their beds were covered in skins and furs

™They had to stay in one place because they relied on agriculture

™Longhouses were long enough to hold 30-60 people

™The women were in charge of raising the children and harvesting the crops 

Dress

™Clothes were made from deerskin

™The women wore skirts and moccasins

™Men wore breechcloths with long leggings

™They wore snowshoes in ritual dancing

™They liked jewelry and make up

™Tattoos covered most of their bodies

Languages-The languages were named after the individual tribes

–Mohawk

–Seneca

–Oneida

–Onondaga

–Cayuga

–Tuscarora

Reflection

I think that as future teachers, we need to be very knowledgeable about content.I  think that this project deepened my understanding of Native Amerians which will help when I'm a teacher!  

Unschooling

What is unschooling? It is letting children learn through their own experiences!  It includes play, work experience, and social responsibility rather than a traditional school curriculum.  Unschooling provides children with more freedom and prepares kids for the rapidly changing future!  

How is unschooling different from tradition school?

1) School has classes, unschooling does not

2) The kid sets their own goals instead of the teacher setting goals

3) During unschooling, the student is empowered to learn from his/her own self

4) Unschooling is not structured 

5) During unschooling, learning happens all the time.  

Reasons to Unschool

1) It's how entrepreneurs learn- Entrepreneurs take charge of what they need to know

2) It's much more natural- The school system is modern and famous people of history were learning through unschooling

3) It's freer- The student is free to learn and do what they want

What do I think about unschooling?  

I do not agree with unschooling or home-schooling in general.  I think that children should learn among other students.  They will not efficiently how to communicate with others and how to work with others if they are in their own house all day.  For any job, one must know how to work with others.  Also, I think that learning needs structure.  The common core standards is an efficient way to teach children, which is not provided in unschooling.  Also, unschooling will put many out of jobs.  

Philosophy on Education Test

Perennialism:  

_3_	+	_3_	+	_3_	+	_1_	+	_4_	Total =	__14___
1		10		23		31		39

Essentialism:

_3_	+	_2_	+	_2_	+	_4_	+	_2_	Total =	__13___
5		7		12		16		17

Progressivism:

_2_	+	_3_	+	_5_	+	_3_	+	_4_	Total =	__17___
4		24		26		34		36

Reconstructionism/Critical Theory:

_2_	+	_3_	+	_3_	+	_5_	+	_3_	Total =	__16___
8		11		15		25		40

Information Processing:

_3_	+	_3_	+	_2_	+	_3_	+	_3_	Total =	__14___
6		14		22		29		37

Behaviorism:

_5_	+	_3_	+	_3_	+	_4_	+	_3_	Total =	__18___
20		30		33		35		38

Cognitivism/Constructivism:

_5_	+	_4_	+	_4_	+	_5_	+	_3_	Total =	__21___
2		9		19		27		32

Humanism:

_5_	+	_4_	+	_5_	+	_5_	+	_5_	Total =	__24___
3		13		18		21		28

WHAT IS MY PHILOSOPHY ON EDUCATION?

 HUMANISM!

"Humanist educators consider learning from the perspective of the human potential for growth, becoming the best one can be. The shift is to the study of affective as well as cognitive dimensions of learning. Beliefs include: human beings can control their own destiny; people are inherently good and will strive for a better world; people are free to act but must be responsible; behavior is the consequence of human choice; and people possess unlimited potential for growth and development. There is a natural tendency for people to learn, which will flourish if nourishing, encouraging environments are provided."

Effective Social Studies Lessons

After viewing a video on how to assess students, I learned different ways to assess students.  The amazing thing about assessments is that the students don't even have to know they are being assessed!

Essential Questions: 

1) How do we know students are learning?

2) How do we know our teaching is effective?   

Teacher #1

In the first clip, the teacher began by asking the students how bread gets to the store.

Then, she asked if there is a lot of bread of a small amount of bread.

Afterwards, she connected their plant lesson and asked what plants need to live and grow and what humans need to grow and live.

Mrs. Gonzalez made a chart of needs and wants and then had the students make their own charts.

She is modeling how to do the assignment by making her own chart.  

While students were working, she walked around to check their progress.  

Then, the teacher had students present their charts to the class.

The teacher did not make it noticeable that she was assessing the students.

She used questioning and activated prior knowledge to engage students.

The chart was a formal assessment.  

The students were constructing knowledge together and sharing their knowledge.  

Teacher #2

Mr. Rubio also effectively assessed his students.

He began by questioning his class.

He had the students come up with what they wanted to learn because he wanted to have them research what was important to them.  

They had to make a 5-10 minute presentation including a drawing, a poster, a writing, and a model of their choice.  

He also said they could make iMovies if they wanted.  

This group decided to make the movie!

While the students were presenting, the teacher asked them questions to receive feedback.

Students learned how to develop research questions and how to research.

This was a cooperative based research project.  

I think that both the assessments were great!  I think that both teachers developed skills that were necessary during that grade level.  The chart was effective for younger students and the research was effective for a 4th grade class.  

Powerful Learning

page 8- Meaningful- Engaging, connect students with real-world situations, current event activites
 Integrative- increasing skills in writing, thinking, speaking
Value Based- Strengthen students' sense of democratic values and social resposibilty
Challenging-
Active

How people learn?  What is learning?
knowledge is end result of learning
How much do people learn
My guess...
When they read? 15 %
When we hear? 25%
When we see? 30%
When we discuss? 15%
When we do things?  25 %
When we teach others?40%

The Answers: The learning pyramid

Lecture: 5%
Reading: 10%
Audiovisual: 20%
Demonstration: 30%
Discussion Group: 50%
Practice by doing: 75%
Teaching Others: 95%