Big Idea: Learning grows when kids have fun. What they have learned will stick in their head better when they associate it with something they have interest in.
Activity: A teacher takes her students outside to teach because she knows her small children like to play outside. They can then associate learning with the fun times they have playing outdoors.
Reflection:
I chose to keep my diagram and activity the same. I felt like they matched up with the readings. I did, however, add another big idea that fit in with my diagram. I added that "learning means making connections to other experiences or previous knowledge. Students will learn best from a teacher who has gotten to know his/her students backgrounds because the teacher would know what past experiences or knowledge the students are basing everything he/she teaches from. The teacher can better communicate with students when the teacher knows where the student is building from."
I feel that my previous diagram and activity, in addition to the one new big idea, went along with the readings because they draw parallels from the "Theories for...Educators" chapter. This chapter explains that learning is a process of active construction, a social and individual experience, and learning differences are resources not obstacles. My diagram and activity go along with the idea that learning is a process of active construction because the children are building off of their knowledge of how to have fun and play outside. It is safe to say that most children like to play games and have fun. Children all come from different backgrounds and so often their interpretations of what you teach vary because of this. However, having fun is a background knowledge all children share in common and a good common ground to teach from. My diagram and activity relate to learning being a social phenomena because fun activities involve social behavior and communication. Also, this means that learning happens when we are part of a community and apply it to real world situations. Children are going to play outside of class, so when you connect the learning to the types of games they enjoy, they can use what they have learned in class in their own lives, making it more useful and easier to understand. Finally, my diagram and activity relate to learning differences as resources because playing games with your kids gives you a better understanding of who they are. I feel that kids are more likely to be themselves when they feel comfortable and you can learn more about their various backgrounds. It is necessary to learn about their different backgrounds so you can better communicate with them and understand what's going on in their heads. It is important to remember that we as teachers have a lot to learn from our students.
Hello! It is awesome that your original diagram translated well with readings. I really that it was interesting how you interpreted the readings and what elements you drew from it. It shows me even more how differently people learn. I really enjoy how you used the outside connection as a way to learn about your students in their comfort zone. In the readings it also talked about how the difference in children and their backgrounds can lead to a more stimulating environment for children because they can learn from their classmates. This is something that can easily be fit into your explanation of your diagram. Because the students feel more at ease in their outdoor play environment they will also feel more comfortable with their fellow students. This would allow for more connections to be formed among your students. Allowing these connections to be made the students would more easily learn from each other due to their comfortable situation.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your thinking behind your diagram. I think that you incorporated the readings in a great way.