EDU 270 blog assignment 8

This week I have been thinking a lot about how I will use my blog in the future. What I keep coming back to is using it as a sort of book/music/activity review for my students and their parents. One thing that I think would be neat is an optional book club for my students and their parents. As a parent of elementary children we read aloud every night. We make it a family activity. I have seen all three of my children develop a love for reading and a love for exploring new worlds through literature. I have friends who have said to me that they wished they could put something in place for family reading time. I think it would be neat, as a teacher, to post a different book each month or quarter on my blog to encourage my students and their families to read at home and discuss. Of course this sort of thing would be optional for my classroom but I would recommend that they check it out.

I would also like to highlight different artists: singers, bands, visual artists, etc. I feel my students would enjoy or learn from. I love the idea of having a positive place full of ideas that my students can discover on the internet.

I believe that the best thing parents can do for their children is to be present and spend quality time with them. Sometimes parents get to feeling stuck about what they can be doing with their children. My goal with my blog would be to provide questions and activities for children and parents.

EDU 270 blog assignment 7

            After reading and pondering the debate about teens lacking adult reasoning and yet still being held to adult consequences I think my number one job as a teacher is to compassionate. I may not understand everything that my students are going through but I will do my best to educate them on how their brains work. I believe that when people are educated on how things work they process and think things through more. When my students understand that they are not abnormal and they are accepted for who they are they will feel safer walking through their emotions. My job will be to make every child I come in contact with feel accepted for who they are even if their behavior is unacceptable. I will try not to take things personally and I will encourage my students to not take things their peers do or say personally. I believe that when people are well rested and feel like their feelings are validated then they have an easier time adjusting to what is going on. I will encourage my students to get the rest they need and to acknowledge what they are feeling on a daily basis.

EDU 270 blog assignment 6

            Researchers have been studying the benefit music has on the brain and on learning skills. After the studies done at UC Irvine resulted in students who had listened to Mozart for 10 minutes before a test doing better on those tests than the students who didn’t, people got a bit carried away. Products came out, such as “Mozart for Babies” CDs and DVDs claiming that playing Mozart for young children would make them smarter. These products were not based in sound research but were hugely popular.
            Recent research has shown that children who study music do tend to do better at math and that music lessons may make people a little bit smarter. As a teacher I will utilize music in my classroom. I will encourage my students to pay attention to music around them and how it makes them feel. I will encourage my students to attend live performances when they are able. I would love my students to keep a journal in class to jot down notes of how they are feeling and if certain songs affect the way they feel. I believe this will aid in my students confidence in how they feel and allow their feelings to be validated.

            Something that will also build confidence for my students will be the strengthening of their math skills. I will play games with them that involve numbers and math. I will call attention to math in normal situations and will also encourage my students to use estimated in everyday life.

EDU 270 blog assignment 5

      As I watch more and more Changing Brains videos I acquire more knowledge to be not only a better teacher but also a better parent. I believe one of the most important things I have learned so far is about Dyslexia. I grew up with a few friends who are Dyslexic. Some of them were told that they were stupid and their brains didn’t work right. Some of them I had no idea were Dyslexic because they were really bright and pushed themselves to be better and overcompensate for their difficulty. I want to be the kind of teacher/parent that allows room for children to grow and discover how to better themselves. Every learner has to overcome something- whether it is a belief about him or her self (as learned in last week’s lesson) or something the individuals brain doesn’t process as well as other’s might. My job as a teacher will be to distinguish what kind of guidance my students need and how to provide it. I will monitor their progress and encourage my students to know and monitor their own progress as well.

EDU 270 blog assignment 4

        The number one quality a teacher needs to possess is the ability to be relational. Being relational means that a teacher is making and maintaining a positive, supportive connection with his/her students (Helping Kids Succeed, n.d., ¶12-14). I look forward to achieving this with my students by getting to know them. It’s not enough to know their names and know how well they do on class assignments. It is really important to know their likes and dislikes; to know their goals and dreams. This is especially true with elementary age children. A situation I see often is a child who is thirsting for attention. Children like this may not get enough positive attention at home. Kids yearn for someone to talk to, for someone that they can tell their favorite color to, etc. Everyone wants someone to notice what they are good at and to be encouraged to succeed. I look forward to doing this for my students. When students know that there is someone rooting for them to succeed then they will do better in school. 

Helping Kids Succeed, RioLearn. (n.d.). Retrieved June 04, 2016, from https://www.riolearn.org/content/edu/edu270/EDU270_INTER_0000_v5/lessons/lesson04.shtml?encrypted-sectionid=Y1A5bnJRd3lOd1NpYlZkc2tKeGdxWU8rSjZTQWRvNGpFYTRYZVM3b3YvVT0

EDU270 blog assignment 3

            There is no question that the role of parent and caretaker is a great one when it comes to a child’s developing sense of self. As a teacher it is my responsibility to fill this role of caretaker. It sounds silly to say that I will have to pay attention to make sure my students are paying attention, but it’s the truth. I love the portion in our textbook, Brain-Based Learning in which Eric Jensen writes that paying attention is, “giving to another person a precious commodity: our attentional resources” (Jensen, 2008, p. 133). I will be giving of my resources to my students to ensure that they are learning to the best of their abilities. By watching the way that they work I can make sure their abilities are being used to their full potentials.

            Another important role I have as teacher is to manage my emotions so that my students will be able to manage theirs. There is so much to be said for a teacher learning, and being proficient at, the same skills that the students need to know. I need to make sure that I am not exhibiting signs of stress and depression because that will make it more difficult for me to be the nurturing adult that my students need. I will frequently take my students out of the classroom for fresh air. I will lead them in breathing exercises to lower their cortisol levels. We will listen to music together and spend time discussing what they are learning and what they are feeling. It is just as important that I learn to manage my emotions and pay attention to my class as it is for my students to learn those things from me.

Resource:

Jensen, E. (2008). Brain-based learning: The new paradigm of teaching. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Corwin Press.

EDU270 blog assignment 2

The early years of a child's life are crucial when it comes to hearing and vision. As a teacher I will pay attention and notice if my students are having problems seeing. I will also be aware of students who may be extra sensitive to sounds or may not hear subtle classroom instructions. I am excited to incorporate sign language into my lessons. I think it would be amazing to teach children the second language of ASL/sign language. I am eager to incorporate rhyming games and listening to music as part of my lessons.

EDU270 blog assignment 1

The videos on brain architecture and plasticity by Changing Brains were fascinating. After watching them I have a greater understanding of the impact environment has on a child. I know this will change me as a teacher because not only will I be able to facilitate a healthy learning environment in my classroom but I will also watch for signs that a non-school environment may be inhibiting my student's learning. I am more aware now that if a particular student is struggling with his/her learning it may have something to do with either my classroom environment or the environment the student is going home to.