Download - Understanding Each Other
Understanding Each Other
How People Learn
Using Basic Learning Theory to Enhance Your Teaching
When You Walk Into a School or Classroom Sights Sounds Smells Interactions
All tell you something about the way the teacher works.
It’s not unlike walking into a business or a restaurant.
The Physical Environment Seating Arrangement (Theirs and Yours) What Decorates the Walls Lighting Plants, animals, minerals, artifacts,
equipment, other stuff Learning Stations Compensations for Poor Space
The giant mural
The Issue is Reflection
The effective teacher is always intentional. Don’t let the conditions control you –
control the conditions as best you can. He/She asks how will this physical
environment effect my students? Does this seating arrangement stress
order, allow for activities, create community?
What is Teaching?
A Transformative Process
In teaching we get people together to learn.
From tutoring to large lecture, both student and teacher learn from the teaching process.
Teaching Provides
Content Skills Support
The Teacher Considers
The Learner The Curriculum
The Environment
Learning StyleDevelopmentAbilityMotivation
ContentSkillsSupport
SchoolCommunityExpectationsResources
What do we mean by “teaching methods”?
Underlying Principles Caring Consideration Positive Approach to Student
Potential Honesty Clarity and Fairness GRACE For Christian Teachers, Displaying
the “Fruit of the Spirit” is vital
Learning Theory Disclaimer
Many learning theorists have worked hard and discovered patterns of teaching and learning that are worthy of study. This does not mean that we accept or reject them without reflection upon our Christian perspective.
Some Theory
B.F. Skinner – Behaviorism Outcome-Based Education Systems Theory
Knowledge Construction Transformational Teaching
Behaviorism
B.F. Skinner Dominated American Education Humans are just a bundle of stimulus-
response Some important things were developed.
Behavioral Objectives Shaping – Breaking a task into components.
Systems Theoryand Outcome-Based Education
The behavioral model
Inputs Outputs (Outcomes)
In cognitive learning approaches the evidence seems to indicate that there is much more going on inside the learner.
Learner
Systems Theoryand Outcome-Based Education
The cognitive model
Inputs Outputs (Outcomes)
This makes sense if you study developmental psychology but in its extreme (humanistic) form the learner becomes the arbiter of all truth. While we must be very careful here, we must consider the learner’s individual traits and prior knowledge. Jesus did this without compromising his message.
Complex Processes Within the
Learner
The Learner – Modalities / Styles
Auditory Visual Kinesthetic
Interactive Intra-active
The Learner - Domains
Cognitive Affective Psycho-Motor
The Learner
Knowledge Construction The Zone of Proximal Development Scaffolding
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation
Teaching Methods
The Lesson Plan
A detailed plan for a single lesson, usually 20-50 minutes long depending on the level of the students.
Lesson vs. Activity
The Plan
Lesson Plans are designed to help us deliver needed information, skills, understandings, feelings, and perspective to our learners.
This is how we teach them. This is how we empower them. UNDERSTANDING is power.
How One Begins Makes All the Difference How things look How relaxed, warm, ready you are
How well you have planned What happens first The first things you say and do
Dead Poets Society The tone of the “pep talk” Pygmalion
Elements of the Lesson PlanMadeline Hunter
1. Specific Objective(s) based on previous Diagnosis and learner traits.
2. Anticipatory Set which helps students Perceive the Lesson Purpose
3. Learning Activities /Opportunities4. Modeling5. Check for Understanding (usually through)
Guided Practice6. Independent Practice (also known as
homework)
Presentation Skills “Teaching is more than telling.”
Even though clarity is basic it will not sustain you or your students.
Getting and holding students attention depends on certain things that you can develop and improve
Presentation Skills
Beginning / introduction Transitions Presentation skills Closure
The Skills Enthusiasm Clarity Smooth Transitions
Make every detail clear – where we go, what we do, how we do it. - Procedures
Timing Variation Interaction
Discussions, feedback, informal assessment Active, authentic learning experiences
Direct Instruction and “Chunking”
Alternation of Instruction / Reflection Rule of Thumb – One minute of direct
instruction for each year of age.
Discussion Strategies
Each has a slightly different purpose. Discussions must be planned not a
substitute for a planned lesson. Facilitating discussions is an art and a
science
Types of Discussions Problem –solving Group Investigations Critical Thinking Observation Skills Comparison Skills Classification Skills Identifying Assumptions Socratic Dialogues Creative Thinking
Imagination/inventiveness Pre-writing
Multiple Intelligences
Teaching Strategies for Authentic Teaching and
Learning
Components of Authentic Learning
Content Process Product An Effective Planning Format
Discovery Learning
Students learn best by doing Associated with open classrooms Real familiar and unfamiliar materials
used as manipulatives Often problem-solving approach
How do you make green paint?
Inquiry Training
Teaching students how to ask questions and carry out research
Critical thinking approach Questions and hypotheses
What happens if you drop raisins into water?
Role Playing Problem or dilemma Roles and techniques must be taught
to a great degree Getting into and “living” the role Choose role players carefully Students can expand their
understanding of the issue Cognitive and affective goals
Simulation Like a roleplay but more “gamelike”
Rules, tokens, time limits Monopoly, Risk, The Game of Life
Simulation kits available Zoo, Dinosaur, King Lexicon, Shopping Spree,
Classroom City, etc. City building
Stevens Co-op School Bank Street – City Country
Software – SimCity – loadsoft.narod.ru/games/city
Contracts for independent Learning
Good way to accommodate enrichment or honors goals
Group Rotations Using Learning Centers
Manipulatives Computers Instructions / worksheets Experiments Sign-up schedule
Cooperative Learning Strategies
Learning Teams Cooperative Learning of Basic Skills Cooperative Learning in Science Literary Groups Peacemaking Groups Balancing Groups
Heterogeneous grouping