Diffendoofer Day

1. What does it mean when someone knows how to think?

It means that the students are able to put together all of their previous knowledge and apply it to their thoughts about a certain subject. They are able to be unique with their thoughts and not to just recall facts. It is about forming an answer with previous knowledge.

2. How does a teacher teach a student how to think?

A teacher teaches their students how to think by showing compassion about their given subject. If a teacher has a positive attitude about a subject, then the students will see that and be interested in learning and thinking for themselves.

3. Have you ever been in a class where you really had to think?

I have been in a class when I was encouraged to be unique and not afraid to give the wrong answer. I was not necessarily given the correct answer in the past, but I am able to form the correct answer with my previous experiences, thoughts and knowledge.

Line of Learning

1.19.2012

Line of Learning Questions:

1. How do elementary students learn science? 

Elementary students learn science by interacting with materials and becoming hands-on learners. These activities allow them to make connections, observations, and conclusions.

2. What classroom environments facilitate elementary students science learning? 

I believe that an environment that fosters student-centered learning; where the students needs come before the teacher. It is an environment that exposes children to different things and allows children to explore and test theories.

3. What should teachers know and be able to do to design and foster effective elementary science learning environments?

Teachers should know that students work best when working with hands-on materials. They must also have Science notebook where write their thoughts on the subject matter. This can provide the student with a place to freely express his or her opinion and also a place for a teacher to assess the ability levels of his or her students and cater to those individual needs. A teacher should also know that it is okay for students to not know the right answer, but should give the students the time and opportunity to solve problems.

Rising to Greatness

To begin, I was surprised to learn that Iowa was a middle-to-low achieving academic state. It makes me feel like my career path is more important than ever and I am excited to begin to be an educator to Iowa students. I am most interested in the mathematics portion of the NAEP data presented in this article because this is my area of specialization. As the article states, "Mathematics achievement is flat-lining. Not enough 8th graders are taking rigorous mathematics classes in school." I believe that too often students are focused on their grade or GPA rather than the knowledge gained from courses. As a teacher I will encourage my students to take the more advanced route. I will remind my students that even though they may not receive straight A's, they will be benefitting in the long run with the knowledge they gain and use for ACT which will allow them to go to college and get better jobs. With this being said, junior high school grades may seem like the big picture to them at the time, but in reality, the big picture needs to be addressed. Overall, as a teacher, I need to become more aware to individual needs of my students. I want to become a highly effective educator that will not only instruct my students, but engage and motivate them to do their very best. Doing so will hopefully alleviate the long-term consequences that go along with low achievement, such as poverty, drop-out rates, crime and unemployment. 

Five Good Reasons To Use Science Notebooks

I can remember using Science notebooks in grade school, so it was interesting to understand the benefits a teacher receives from these fun tools for students. I can remember how fun it was to really express my thoughts on the subject matter on a piece of paper. I would write down the smell, touch, sight, sounds and sometimes, but not often, the taste of the objects that were shown before me. I was able to interact more deeply with the subject matter. It was my way to express my feelings, thoughts, and questions without feeling like I was being judged by other classmates or my teacher. As the article states, "the students notebook is for the student to make sense of his or her own learning."I think that this is one of the most important elements to remember as a teacher: a student's science notebook should be a place for students to explain their thoughts without judgement. This isn't to say that the notebooks can't be viewed by teachers as a tool to cater to the development and understanding of students. It provides a great inside look into the brains of students without having to individually ask each student one at a time (no teacher has time for that). I can absolutely see myself using the Science notebook in my future classroom.