I have taken my time to post this week because I wanted to change something in my model but really didn't know what needed to be changed based on the Schema theory. I have already emphasized the unique perception of the student and the importance of making multiple connections along with the teacher's responsibilty to connect what the student already knows from past experiences to the newer bigger picture. I'm going to highlight the parts in my text that seem specific to this Schema theory. Please feel free to post ideas as to what I could add to fit this theory in better.

Observation and Introduction The boy watches and listens to his elder fish.

The student observes members of a community before becoming a member of the community.

The boy wonders about fish.
The student uses what he already knows to weed out what isn't known. Creates questions for exploration. It is the teacher's job to make subjects relative to students.
Example: Who here has ever been fishing? Caught a fish?

Exploration and Practice: The boy fishes.
The student takes his learning into his own hands. Children are not always naturally active participants in their own learning. It is the teacher's job to inspire, tap their interests, get them involved and actively participating so they can get past any anxieties and enjoy learning. (tapping their interst means relating it to something they are already familar with)

 Teacher gives guidance without dictating or hindering possible perception differences. Every child has a uniqueness that is a resource to the classroom community.

Reflection Analysis and Furthering learning
The student reflects on what he learned during exploration and practice; making connections and seeing the broader picture. The teacher should collaborate each unique experience to make the most out of the common experience. Teacher uses a questioning method to both facilitate discussion and open up doors for future learning. Student should have something to show for his learning be a new skill, a poster, presentation, paper, project. This gives them something visual to sum up their specific learning experience and also something tangible to be proud of their achievement. Self pride is the best positive reinforcement and motivates them to learn more.

Robin's model altered from reading week 2

I read both readings thinking they were both required for this assignment. Upon reading the "Theories for...Educators" chapter, I began to think that this assignment (although I understand why it is helpful in building our theories and developing our identities as teachers) is impossible to perfect. It clearly said "We need multiple metaphors for learning and throwing one in favor of another is dangerous" Moreover, I was patting myself on the back for including modern ideology in my original model but was very happy to finally have some examples and data knowledge behind my ideas. For example I previously acknowledged  differences among students as "resources" and knew that people learn first through example before participation. However, as the brain research module pointed out, there needs to be repetition and practice in order to go from just information to genuine skill. To clarify, I do believe there has to been a skeletal structure for "what students should learn" since critical thinking and problem solving even in it's natural context, "the real world problems", assumes a genuine understanding and even mastering of basic knowledge. Jerome Bruner's spiral effect still holds a loose truth even in today's more personal and exploratory theories of practice. I still believe teachers should try to know and appeal to her all student's learning styles but at this point I'd like to move beyond that kind of basic task. With all this acknowledged, I'd like to make my model more specific, inclusive, and alter it slightly.

Observation and Introduction The boy watches and listens to his elder fish.

The student observes members of a community before becoming a member of the community.

The boy wonders about fish.
The student uses what he already knows to weed out what isn't known. Creates questions for exploration. It is the teacher's job to make subjects relative to students.
Example: Who here has ever been fishing? Caught a fish?

Exploration and Practice: The boy fishes.
The student takes his learning into his own hands. Children are not always naturally active participants in their own learning. It is the teacher's job to inspire, tap their interests, get them involved and actively participating so they can get past any anxieties and enjoy learning.

 Teacher gives guidance without dictating or hindering possible perception differences. Every child has a uniqueness that is a resource to the classroom community.

Reflection Analysis and Furthering learning
The student reflects on what he learned during exploration and practice; making connections and seeing the broader picture. The teacher should collaborate each unique experience to make the most out of the common experience. Teacher uses a questioning method to both facilitate discussion and open up doors for future learning. Student should have something to show for his learning be a new skill, a poster, presentation, paper, project. This gives them something visual to sum up their specific learning experience and also something tangible to be proud of their achievement. Self pride is the best positive reinforcement and motivates them to learn more.

Robin's 1st model for learning

As a teacher, it's important to appeal to as many learning styles as possible. Perhaps reading about a subject in class and discussing it is enough for some but others might need more than this. In fact, most kids probably will need more in order for the information to really "stick".  I think the most effective model for learning will have something for every type of learner and should push students to further their knowledge and think critically. Teachers should create opportunities for both individual and group thinking. The most effective educator will have a curriculum flexible to the interests and findings of the student. He or she should be able to guide learning experiences without dictating. This can be done through instigated and guided discussion matched with stimulation and hopefully inspiration (my favorite word).

Use the example of a boy learning to fish.

Observing and analyzing a problem.

Here the boy watches an elder fish.They might also actively discuss what they are doing to address aural and oral learning. Using examples is one way to make connections in the mind so that the information less likely to be lost. In a classroom the teacher has many possible ways to introduce a subject. This might be reading and reflecting individually and or collaboratively on the subject. Later though, the students need some way to explore this subject outside the pages of a book.

Exploration

Critical thinking happens here to solve problems first hand.  

I have two photos here to illustrate that exploration of a topic can be guided by the teacher but should not undermine the student’s unique perception. There is nothing like “learning the hard way”  The most effective way is having the freedom to explore one's interests. One way for a teacher to have loose guidance would be to ask the student to create something from his/her findings even if its just a couple sentences to share. Which brings us to analysis.

Analysis and Questioning

Again every student has a unique contribution to discussion. However the teacher must guide discussion and analysis though questioning in order to bring it home for the students and wrap up the experiences. I emphasize QUESTIONING  here because it’s important to bring them to the destination rather than point straight at it. Questions might also open new doors for further learning.

Critical thinking happens here to further learning with new questions or problems based on student’s interests and experiences.

 

 

Robin Stroud

Hi everyone!

I'm Robin; I have lived in Bloomington my whole life. Graduated from Bloomington High School South in 2008. I volunteered often in High School at several elementary schools, Wonderlab, Bradford Woods, and a horse stable for disabled kids and adults. I knew I wanted to be a teacher my senior year of high school. Now, I'm still working on my undergraduate degree except I have a whole new challenge! I'm a new mother. I have a one year old son named Dayln. He is the light at the end of my tunnel. I cant wait to graduate college and prove to him that hard work pays off! I want him to grow up already knowing what took me some time to figure out: that education is both a privilege and duty to oneself. I hope my next two years at Indiana University will turn me into the professional educator I have always dreamed to be.