Learning Outcome #3: Understand How Students Learn and Develop
Exceptional teachers understand how their students learn and develop; this shapes their curriculum and lesson planning so that all students are given a fair opportunity to learn. According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, "Accomplished teachers command specialized knowledge of how to convey and reveal subject matter to students. They are aware of the preconceptions and background knowledge that students typically bring to each subject and of strategies and instructional materials that can be of assistance. They understand where difficulties are likely to arise and modify their practice accordingly. Their instructional repertoire allows them to create multiple paths to the subjects they teach, and they are adept at teaching students how to pose and solve their own problems." By understanding how students learn, teachers are able to with students' skills and create meaningful lessons.
Bloom's taxonomy explains the process of human learning; the hierarchy creates a scaffolding that allows students to build their confidence and capabilities as they become more independent in their thinking and questioning. The beginning part of the learning process involves more of a teacher-centered approach, guiding students towards the construction of their own learning.
Bruner elaborated upon the necessity of scaffolding because of a paradox that he noted in Vygotsky's theory: "On the one hand the zone of proximal development has to do with achieving consciousness and control'. But consciousness and control come only after one has already got a function well and spontaneously mastered. So how could 'good learning' be that which is in advance of development and, as it were, bound initially to be unconscious since unmastered?" (Offord).
Teachers understand that students all have different strengths and weaknesses in learning; by incorporating the eight multiple intelligences (linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic), teachers are able to work with students' assets. Utilizing all of the multiple intelligences in lessons throughout the week allows students to develop stronger intelligences in the areas that they lack.
Bloom's taxonomy explains the process of human learning; the hierarchy creates a scaffolding that allows students to build their confidence and capabilities as they become more independent in their thinking and questioning. The beginning part of the learning process involves more of a teacher-centered approach, guiding students towards the construction of their own learning.
Bruner elaborated upon the necessity of scaffolding because of a paradox that he noted in Vygotsky's theory: "On the one hand the zone of proximal development has to do with achieving consciousness and control'. But consciousness and control come only after one has already got a function well and spontaneously mastered. So how could 'good learning' be that which is in advance of development and, as it were, bound initially to be unconscious since unmastered?" (Offord).
Teachers understand that students all have different strengths and weaknesses in learning; by incorporating the eight multiple intelligences (linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic), teachers are able to work with students' assets. Utilizing all of the multiple intelligences in lessons throughout the week allows students to develop stronger intelligences in the areas that they lack.
Putting Learning Outcome #3 in practice:
I put together a social networking site through SocialGo and had my students each complete a multiple intelligence test; throughout the course of my stay at Bainbridge-Guildford, I incorporated as many of the multiple intelligences as I could. This was the multiple intelligence test that I had my students complete (and discuss) in our online conversation.
I also created a genre study on "horror." This study scaffolds lessons for students so that they build up their knowledge through analysis, practice, and experience reading horror stories.
Genre Study on Horror
Appendix H for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix I for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix J for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix K for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix L for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix M for Genre Study on Horror
I put together a social networking site through SocialGo and had my students each complete a multiple intelligence test; throughout the course of my stay at Bainbridge-Guildford, I incorporated as many of the multiple intelligences as I could. This was the multiple intelligence test that I had my students complete (and discuss) in our online conversation.
I also created a genre study on "horror." This study scaffolds lessons for students so that they build up their knowledge through analysis, practice, and experience reading horror stories.
Genre Study on Horror
Appendix H for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix I for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix J for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix K for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix L for Genre Study on Horror
Appendix M for Genre Study on Horror
Works cited
Offord, L. "The Mozart of Psychology." Afraid.org. 5 May 2005. Web. 2 April 2011.
Offord, L. "The Mozart of Psychology." Afraid.org. 5 May 2005. Web. 2 April 2011.