Module 5

Chapter 12 was one of my favorite chapters because it was about motivation and setting goals. It is important as a teacher to understand the different kinds of motivation. The chapter gave an overview of intrinsic motivation, which is the willingness to learn or do something because you simply love to do it or for enjoyment. Also, extrinsic motivation which is based primarily on external factors such as tangible rewards like gifts, money and etc. The chapter also covers goals setting and how to properly set a goal Goals should be attainable, moderately difficult and specific. An overview of Maslow's Hierarchy of needs was also included in this chapter.

Chapter 14 focused on the aspect of teaching every student. Simply put, making sure everyone is getting an equal education and that entails knowledge of each individual student and his or her strengths and weaknesses. This chapter gives insight on how to develop the learning objectives using Blooms taxonomy. The chapter discusses appropriate ways to integrate objectives. It talks about planning by design, creating a step by step plan on how you will teach a lesson. Also making proper adaptations for students with learning disabilities using steps in the INCLUDE strategy. Lastly, the chapter discussed the two kids of expectation effects which will be very helpful in our teaching careers. One is the self-fulfilling prophecy effects, which student behaviors match the initially inaccurate expectation and the other is sustaining expectations effect, teachers unchanging expectations sustain the student's achievement at the expected level.

Chapter 15 gives an overview of classroom assessment, grading, and standardized testing. This chapter and chapter 14 aided in the creation of our final project in the class. the chapter discusses how to evaluate and measure the results of the assessments and how you can use them to improve on teaching and student learning. Describes how to properly use objectives to write the test. The chapter also explains how to interpret the scores on standardized tests.

Module 3

Chapter 7 discusses many ways to deal with positive and negative behaviors.  There are options to reward, reprimand, have positive reinforcements, negative reinforcements, or punish.  There are different kinds of reinforcements and punishments.  In the Woolfolk text, it shows positive reinforcement, where the reward is giving for good behavior.  My children’s elementary school has a program called tiger paws that they can use for different benefits.  I’ve also seen a process where they can be excused for homework.  The Woolfolk defines this as negative reinforcement (escape) being excused from assignment or chores.  Punishments are defined as presentation punishments, Type 1, for an example is in school suspension or after school detention.  Removal punishment is something like taking away cell phones or free time in class.  Some benefit to encourage positive behavior more than others. 

Punishment is also a tool used for classroom management.  Chapter 13 discusses the goals of classroom management.  Every teacher wants a class where everyone is interested in learning.  They wish to provide or be provided with; access to learning, more time for learning, and create a positive learning environment (Woolfolk pg. 492-493).  Setting rules for the classroom initially for behavior and work expectations and continuous reminders of those rules should lead to effective classroom management.  Also, as you introduce the rules and expectation review the rewards and consequences for meeting or not meeting the expectations.  If the students still decide to break the rules for the reason of being defiant, then necessary action must be taken to be consistent throughout the class.

K.C.

Module 5

One thing that I continuously learn as a coach is that players constantly need to be motivated.  You can do drills upon drills upon drills and be a great teacher of the game, and believe me that’s great, but being a great motivator gives the players the drive to want to perform.  The same goes for the classroom.  Chapter 12 gives us different ways to motivate students in performing at and beyond their expected level.  The TARGET approach was very intriguing to me.  The TARGET is an acronym that broke down to; T – Task that students are asked to do, A – Autonomy or authority students are allowed in working, R – Recognition for accomplishments, G – Grouping practices, E – Evaluation procedures, T – Time in the classroom.  The recognition I would believe is the biggest motivator.  Students should be recognized for improving on their own personal best, for tackling different, and for creativity – not just performing better than others (pg 473).  Good coaches and teachers are the same, they would rather recognize the student that improved the most over the year than the one that peaked and showed little to no progress.

Chapter 13 discussed creating learning environments.  Section 2 gave suggestion on effective classroom management.  Emmer and Everson gave 6 rules that students should follow for a positive learning environment:

1. Bring all needed materials to class -  The classes have a syllabus just like our learners guide that gives the flow of the classroom.  Place the responsibility on the students as they grow into young men and women.
2. Be in your seat and ready to work when the bell rings – At Joliet West High School we are trying to push the saying “Tigers are on Time”  encouraging the student to make an effort in being on time.  One thing that I mention to them is that life is about being where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there.
3. Respect and be polite to all people – I will give respect if you show respect.  There are too many students in secondary education that have a chip on their shoulder and expect everything to be given to them.  When everyone respects everyone, that makes for a smoother classroom and positive learning environment.
4.  Listen and say seated while someone is speaking – Especially me.  This shows respect and not causing a disruption in class.
5. Respect other people property – This also mean respect someone else’s space.  See 3 & 4.
6. Obey all school rules – Student need to understand that rules are set up for safety and for positive learning environments.  This needs to be explained at the level of the student.   They must understand that the rules are not set for restriction, just simply prevention.  Prevention of a negative learning environment. 

Very good rules to follow when trying to structure a positive learning environment.

K.C.

Teacher Interview

I tried to do a screen-cast of skype video conferencing, but it seems that screen-cast for free only records your voice and not the other person.  Sorry about that, but the information given was very informative and relative to the text.  Mr. Watson of Simeon Career Academy explained that the biggest challenges in classroom management was managing different cultures and backgrounds.  Although the school is predominantly Black there are differences in households of the students that attend the school.  Mr. Watson explained that he manages with positive reinforcement due to that was most effective for him and his peers when he was in school and this was the way his father managed his home.  So when getting licensed to teach in the state of Illinois, while attend school this management style fit him perfectly and he wanted to learn more about how to be effective.  In Chapter 7 it defines positive reinforcement as the reinforcement that occurs when the behavior or response produces a new stimulus.  Mr. Watson explained when his students follow the rules of his class and shows positive behavior in class, he rewards the students with a phone call to the parents with a glowing praise of how they are a positive effect on the classroom.  Even though he teaches in a High School, they are still care about what their parents think of them.

https://youtu.be/0VqbJHVFU8E

Kevin Cathey

Module 5

     Wow, has this been a ride or what?! I have to say that the Test Construction and Analysis project was quite a challenge, yet a very valuable experience. It is amazing just how much hard work it takes to be in this profession. I just had to say that 😉

     On that note, the concepts that stood out the most for me were those in chapter 12 (Teaching Every Student). There are so many differences and needs within students that effective teachers must be prepared for. Teachers should be enthusiastic and charismatic, caring and nurturing, yet stern in discipline when necessary. As we all know, there are many teachers who do not possess these qualities and I hope I am never one of them. Even the way we respond to students answers must be carefully thought out. According to our text, the most common verbal response to student answers is something like "un-huh" or "okay", which is not the best way to respond. There are opportunities to give feedback when necessary and prompt further thought and dialogue (Woolfolk, p. 549).

     I hope I will be able to meet the many demands and requirements that will be placed on me as an educator. Until then, all I can do is my best in these courses to get me there. For right now, I need to go to bed so this post is getting cut a bit short. It has been real...see you in the next class!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone!

Module 5

I know I have said this before, but these few chapters were the most interesting to read. I found myself being surprised and amazed more than I have been while reading the previous chapters. Chapter 14 was the chapter that stuck out the most to me within this module. When Woolfolk discusses the topic of homework, my interest grew. I think that I found so much interest in this chapter and this section might be because of my research topic- flipped classroom. While writing my research paper, I had to read a lot about homework and the benefits that it has. I also had to research the negative aspects that homework has which was not mentioned as much within this chapter. Another thing that stood out to me within this chapter was how important the presentation is rather than the actual information. Some teachers put in so much effort in their lesson plans when they really need to focus on how they present it to their students. It is so important to learn what your students like, how they take in information and what interests them. By forming this kind of bond with your students, it allows the teachers to have more success with teaching their students. As I was reading this chapter along with the other ones, I found myself taking many notes to better my future in the education field.

Module 5

Chapter 12 starts with motivation.  That is something that we deal with not only as teachers, but as students, friends, parents, children, etc.  Reasons for motivation are what changes its definition.  We see things like intrinsic or extrinsic or amotivation.  I think a lot of motivation, for children, is extrinsic.  They complete a task so they can go finish their center time, or they know they will get a sticker on their page or something like that. I find it in my classroom I try to avoid giving children rewards for doing certain things. I think that doing the actual work in the process of doing the work and then seeing the complete project should be their reward. Most of the time I don’t even give out stickers because then they will come to expect that doing this certain thing will get them the sticker and then there motivation will be ‘sticker….sticker’ not the behavior.  I want them to want to act the right way because it will make them happy.  I think that is a harder concept for children though.  The point could be made that the motivation to get the sticker or whatever reward could be part of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  They are searching for an esteem need or even a love and belongingness need.  It is a tough position to be in because we do not necessarily know why the student does something.  Usually it is to reach some sort of goal.  That could be in their education or in their personal life.  That usually motivates someone.  Different types of goals cause different motivations and actions.  Performance goals are all about the show and how someone presents themselves to others.  They are motivated to look and act and show their best selves.  I think we need to do our best to help the children achieve their goals, so long as they are not harmful to themselves or others.

Chapter 14 goes on to discuss effective teaching.  This is the hardest part of teaching: how to reach every student.  Many teachers have the experience of many years being inside the classrooms.  New teachers like us have to rely on learning from these teachers, and field experience.  I think you need to learn all you can about your students because then it will be easier to figure out the way to approach them.  Planning is essential.  Knowing the standards and goals you need to reach is imperative, as well as knowing what you want to achieve in your own classroom.  There are also better ways to present the material so that the children will understand it; citing specific examples of the topic, etc.  Rosenshine’s 6 Teaching Functions resonates with me because we do a lot of similar things in the preschool.  We talk about what we did yesterday, and then we do something today, and we constantly talk about the major lesson we have throughout the week.  We do some work independently and work out some things together as a group.  I think since the children I teach are so young, and our lessons may not be as specific, I may not use many of these methods.  That does not mean that I will not in the future though.

Chapter 15’s title had every teacher’s favorite phrase in it: standardized testing.  It just conjure a feeling of annoyance and despair.  That being said, assessments are very important to not only the teacher, but the school.  It shows a faculty what type of work needs to be done for future classes, and it shows subject teachers what types of skills they need to work a little more on.  Both formative and summative assessments are important each school year because it gives the teachers feedback at key points during the year.  I think as teachers we also need to keep in mind that standardized testing is not the exact measure of a child’s knowledge.  Many of these tests cause children to struggle.  I think writing tests will be the hardest part of becoming a teacher.  I want the assessment not only to be on the material at text book level, but to have a deep understanding of it.  As I’m going to teach elementary aged children, essay questions will be difficult, and occasionally short answer ones are difficult.  An assessment does not necessarily have to be so formal though, it can be verbal with a student during class as well.  I think overall testing is an important part of teaching and understanding what the children know.  In the classroom we get immediate results because we are the test graders, and we can see where the students struggle.  Standardized tests are mid to late in the year and the results often do not come back until that school year has ended.  I think that is one aspect that still needs to be worked out.

Module 5

In chapter 12, Woolfolk covers motivation in learning and teaching. Woolfolk (2016) states, " motivation is an internal state that arouses, directs, and maintains behavior" (p.444). The most commonly used forms of motivation are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. According to Woolfolk (2016), "intrinsic motivation is the natural human tendency to seek out and conquer challenges as we pursue personal interests and exercise our capabilities" (p.445). When we use intrinsic motivation, there is no need for incentives, or punishment because the task is already rewarding and satisfying to the person completing the task. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is completing a task for an outside reward or avoid punishment (i.e grade, pleasing a teacher, etc.) According to Woolfolk (2016), both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can be used at the same time, because it is determined by how the person is reacting to the particular situation (p.445). As a future P.E. teacher, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation will play a part in my lessons because students today are influenced by so many things in the world such as social media, magazines, favorite celebrity/athlete, etc.

Chapter 14 talks about teaching every student. Through this chapter, I learned that the first step to success is planning (p.533).  If you do not plan beforehand then, everything most likely is going to end up in chaos. I believe that taking the time to plan ahead allows a teacher to create more flexible and creative plans that will be beneficial to both the teacher and their students. Another aspect of teaching students is how effectively a teacher can present and explain the material to their students. If the teacher does not present or explain the material effectively then the students' education will suffer because they will less likely be willing to participate due to not understanding. I think that it is important for a teacher to show their students that they are approachable and the classroom environment is safe and warm to each and every student. I think that if a teacher shows that he or she is approachable then the students will open up more and will be willing to participate because the student may have grown to really like their teacher on a more personal level.

In chapter 15, Woolfolk covers classroom assessment, grading, and standardized testing.  I really have not had that much experience when it comes the topic of this chapter. As a student, I could remember not wanting to take standardized tests because it gave me so much anxiety, but as have gotten older that anxiety has decreased due to me learning different tips on how to take a test. The test analysis project will allow me to gain more experience in grading and assessment to use in my career as a future educator.

Module 5

Chapter twelve talks about motivation in the classroom. Mainly into two groups; intrinsic and extrinsic. I did my research paper on these types of motivation. There are arguments for both types. Extrinsic motivation is based on when a student does something to please the teacher, avoid punishment, earn a reward that doesn't have much to do with the task itself. (Woolfolk, p. 445) Intrinsic is based on students desire and personal interest and solving their natural curiosity with the only reward being the learning and understanding of the task. Being a music teacher I realize that extrinsic motivation exists in music. There are competitions, performances, and solos. One can argue that going in front of a group of people and showcasing their skills as a way of extrinsic motivation. And with competition, one could argue that a student might have the desire to win, as opposed to playing well and practicing to become a better musician and gain a larger knowledge of music. For me as an educator, I feel that I need to find a balance between the two. The challenge is going to be getting students interested in music instead of the spotlight. I think the best way to do this is being passionate about the task at hand. Asking them why this is good. I think being able to teach in a cooperative learning style will help this, and make sure everyone is on the same page.

It's also important to be approachable as a music teacher. In studies of emotional climate in the classroom, students learn more when they are approachable, friendly and take students needs and perspective into account. (Woolfolk p. 530-531) This is pivotal for teaching music because for a lot of people music is abstract. So being approachable is important because students that aren't afraid to ask questions will be more inquisitive and more interactive with the learning process. This also gets you to know the students and zoom in on who they are, build relationships, and develop methods on how to improve. Overall I learned a lot in these chapters and am excited to implement them in my classroom. 

Module 5

          Chapter 12 defines motivation which arouses, directs and maintains behavior. In this chapter, we learn about the two different types of motivation and how they influence behavior. Intrinsic motivation is simply motivation to perform a task or to do something when we don't have to. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is where we are not necessarily interested in the activity for its own sake, but rather what doing that activity might gain us. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can be used at the same time in a given situation, and they both define a person's reason for acting. This is an interesting concept to think about and how different situations might be influenced by one motivation versus the other. An example of intrinsic motivation might be helping the lady across the street rake her lawn just because you want to help, not because you have to. An extrinsic motivation might be the lady asked you to rake her lawn for $20 in return for doing so this would be an extrinsic motivator.

          In Chapter 14, I learned a lot about how planning for the year before it starts is very important. It is important to think about how much time will be allocated for specific subjects. Another important aspect is not the knowledge a teacher possesses but how they explain and present the material that truly matters and leads to effective instruction. Now, of course, proper teaching certification and training are important but students learn by doing and so do teachers. They learn what works and what doesn't and what will be best for their students to succeed. Also, students want to know that their teacher is approachable and be provided with a warm and friendly environment. The climate of the classroom makes a big difference in how the class will respond. The teacher needs to show the students that he/she cares about them and not just about their grades. It is important for teachers to remember to be understanding because they will have a variety of students who from one day to the next can have hardship and they need to be understanding of anything at home that may be going on that is affecting their schoolwork and provide help or support when needed.

           Chapter 15 focuses on testing and grading. The two types of traditional tests are discussed which include objective tests which use multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank and matching. Then you have writing tests which use essay questions which require careful planning and should discourage a scoring bias. This week we had to construct a test of our own using both multiple choice questions and essay questions. Being that I have never written a test before I found it particularly challenging. However, when it came to grading obviously the multiple choice questions were much easier to grade because it was cut and dry either the test taker chose the one correct answer or they didn't. Where with the essay questions I had to give no credit, partial credit and full credit so it made it more difficult to grade. I found it interesting for the essay questions how some test takers interpreted the questions but even if they provided the answer partially correct they still provided a reason for why they felt that and connected it to the question.        

Module 5 - Chapters 12, 14 and 15 (Kirsten Zinzer)

Module 5 – Teaching Every Student

I enjoyed reading these chapters, but the one that really peaked my interest was Chapter 14 – Teaching Every Student. 

One characteristic of teachers that I’m drawn to is when a teacher delivers their subject matter with enthusiasm and passion.  I’ve always been perplexed when I’ve encountered a teacher that doesn’t seem excited or engaged with the subject matter they are delivering.  As a teacher, the job is to get your students engaged and deliver lessons with passion, that are powerful and if at all possible, entertaining.  I’ve had way too many teachers teach with no enthusiasm at all.  This always made me feel like the teacher didn’t like what he/she did for a living or just, plainly didn't like to teach.

In Woolfolk, it states that studies have been conducted that found ratings of teachers’ enthusiasm for their subject are correlated with student achievement gains (Woolfolk, Chapter 14, p.530).  This makes complete sense to me.  I’ve also been a big fan of teachers that are warm-hearted.  I understand not everyone is that way, but as a student, you look up to a teacher with respect.  When a teacher is warm, he/she seems more human and personable.  Within Woolfolk, researchers consistently find that students learn more in classes where student-teacher relationships are warm, caring and nurturing (Woolfolk, Chapter 14, p.530).  It’s wonderful to have a connection with a teacher.  The trust then can start to form. 

In Chapter 14, the topic of homework is highlighted.  Homework or no homework?  My kids are in the thick of it right now with homework.  As a parent, I don’t mind it at all.  Homework gives them a sense of accountability and responsibility.  I believe that students can benefit from homework.  Here are just a few ways in which homework can have a positive effect on a student: teaches students about time management, how to set priorities, gives students another opportunity to review the class material, gives parents a chance to see what their child is learning in school and teaches students how to take responsibility for their part in their education.  The list goes on, but from a parent perspective, I enjoy seeing what my kids are learning in school and the different types of activities that they are participating in class.  Sometimes the only way that I would know these things is through their homework.

In Module 5, I also enjoyed reviewing Bloom’s taxonomy levels.  It felt like a very long time ago when I studied these in undergrad, so it was a nice refresher to have to apply the levels when I constructed my test.  This is something I will keep in mind when I create my tests for my students in the future.

Lantz Week 5 Blog post

Week 5

Blog:

The readings and module resources were actually rough for me this time around. (Mostly due to personal stuff.) However, it was also being distracted by some specific sections that grabbed my attention more than others. Specifically the parts in chapter 12 that talked about, Flow, mastery, goals, and anxiety.  Chapter 13 was having or making more time for teaching and having a good classroom for the students to learn in.

For chapter 12 Flow and mastery goals, my family always made remarks about me spacing out or being in my own little world when I would work. I could be working in a loud busy environment and would not have any idea what else is going on. This is especially if I'm working in a studio setting. Nothing else matters. I think in some ways it is a really good thing but I guess for me I have to figure out the best way to get the students motivated to get maybe not that far into the zone but enough to keep a steady working pace with pride in their work.

The anxiety is something that kind of struck me hard. I did not really have a teacher until college approaches me about my fears in education and learning. It was never really discussed but I have found that I do have bad test anxiety and an issue with trying to focus well enough on the task at hand if I cannot connect it to something I feel strongly about. I feel it is lacking. I spent a lot of time thinking about this and how I can do something like that for my students.

Chapter 13 was interesting in the sense that I am currently teaching at Trinity Lutheran elementary in Burridge IL. It is wonderful, I love the people, and my students but there is not enough time for me and them to work together for the projects I would like them to experience as well as I have no designated classroom or art supplies. It is Art on a cart but it is really difficult to make sure every class has materials when moving, especially if I continue working with each class to determine what kind of project or material they would like to learn about. The time constraint is rough too. I only work with them twice a month. I cannot grade them on such a short amount of time when I really cannot include much content for them to work off of other than modeling what can be done with the materials.

This time constraint also effects what would be considered classroom management. Art on a Cart is easier if there is a designated art program that is spaced into the curriculum. My cart does not belong to me in terms of no one is going to touch the materials on the cart or move them to use the cart for other things in my absence. Therefore the students cannot have a 100% guaranteed place to put materials or their projects in my cart if I have to rebuild it every time. Nor do I have the help of posters to remind my younger students how to take care of the materials like brushes and paints. It is rough and finding a way to organize everything in my current task while in the midst of teaching my students.

The other resources in this week's module were useful in figuring out the right way to ask questions about some things. I have realized however I am not good at asking questions on materials I am not 100% familiar with without calling it out off the top of my head. It was a lot of back and forth trying to figure out the right way to ask the question. It was rough and exhausting and I now know I need to practice and really think hard about the questions I am asking and how.  It was a great exercise as well as practicing using the google forms sheet again.

Module 5 Blog

Chapter 12 of the Woolfolk text focuses on motivation and goals.  The two types of motivation discussed are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.  Intrinsic motivation is the inherent tendency to seek out and conquer challenges as one pursues personal interests. One does not need punishments or rewards as the activity itself is fulfilling and rewarding.  Extrinsic motivation has little to do with the activity itself but includes when one does something for a grade, the teacher’s praise, or to avoid punishment (Woolfolk, p. 445).  The best type of motivation that leads to more positive outcomes and academic achievement is often thought to be intrinsic motivation.  It is important, however, to note that there may be positive aspects of extrinsic motivation, such as providing incentive for students to try new things or finish a task.  Students are often not motivated by just intrinsic or extrinsic factors but a combination of both. When thinking about goals and what an individual is trying to accomplish, the type of goals that one sets often influence the amount of motivation they have to reach those goals. The best goals are specific, elaborate, moderately difficulty, and attainable within a short period of time (Woolfolk, p. 452).

In Chapter 14, the text describes characteristics of effective teaching and teaching every student.  I think this is a key point that we as teachers must remember: we must teach each individual student as not all students are alike and there is not a “one size fits all” approach that we can take. I liked one teacher’s approach that they have a rule, “Ask three, then me.” The student in their class have to ask three other students for help before seeking help from the teacher (Woolfolk p. 545). This promotes students to work well with others in a group and can benefit both the student seeking help and the other students to be better able to understand the material by explaining it to other students in the classroom.  I also liked how the text stated that there is no one best way to teach.  Every student brings different challenges to the table and may require direct instruction some of the time and more open informal methods at other times to encourage creative and abstract thinking (Woolfolk, p. 550).

Classroom assessment and grading is reviewed in Chapter 15. The validity and reliability of a test are discussed as well as the many factors that may be errors or lead to bias when a student takes a test.  Writing a test is something I have had no experience with prior to this most recent project in class.  Writing multiple choice questions with good distractors and essay questions was discussed.  I liked the idea of including a grading rubric after an essay question so students know exactly what information you are looking for in their answers (Woolfolk, p. 579).  Also, grading all of one essay question before moving on to the next, shuffling the papers between grading essay questions, and having students put their name on the back of the paper so grading is anonymous and as fair as possible are some things that I could see myself doing in the future (Woolfolk, p. 579).  Standardized testing is also discussed and the controversy that surrounds the role of these tests.  Some problems with testing can be not teaching what is actually being testing and evaluating teacher performance based on student’s test scores when some students may be far below grade level at the beginning of the school year (Woolfolk, p. 600).

Teacher Interview

Teacher Interview

I interviewed Mrs. Mary Quinn, a 1st grade teacher at the school I work at.  I have known her since the day of my birth, because she is my mother.  She has been teaching for about 40 years and in that time has seen a lot of different things.  I briefly mentioned to her that I was going to interview her and gave her the questions that morning before interviewing her.  I did not want her to overthink and come up with the ‘perfect’ answer.  I wanted it to be more real and to have real answers based on what she can recall from that moment.

These are the questions I asked and the answers I received.

1.How long have you been a teacher, and what grades?

She has been teaching for about 41 years and has always taught first grade.  Ironically she has worked at 2 schools throughout her career and they both share the same name.

2. How do you manage your classroom?

She believes in what she calls ‘assertive discipline.’  I can speak from experience that she does everything in a positive manner.  When discussing classroom behaviors and goals she always lays out the rules and they are to be followed without question.  It sounds like it might be a difficult learning environment; Woolfolk (p. 497) discusses the idea of whether or not students should be involved in setting up the rules for the classroom.  Perhaps in older grades that might work, but she believes that children inherently want to do the right thing, and crave the structure that school provides.

3. What techniques have you found that do not work in your classroom, and do you think it was the technique or the class.

Room layout appears to be a big technique that Mrs. Quinn uses.  Who a child is placed near and where they are in the classroom can change the whole dynamic of the class.  Some of the groups might be more social and tables do not work so they try the independent, facing the board approach.  She is always willing to retry the method at a different time in the year, after they have developed a bit.

4. Have you ever used a type of rewards system?

She has tried a few things.  Marbles in a jar if the students were complimented in the hall or walked nicely and it was as a whole group.  It was to maintain good behavior; but she has found over the years in the way that she teaches her class, the students do not need a type of rewards system.  They just know what the expectations are and how to act the right way.  She also believes that students should not be rewarded for expected behavior.  That is a discussion we have constantly.  In school we have certain rules that are supposed to be followed, ‘Quiet in the halls’  ‘show respect,’ etc.  There is a sticker reward system the school is using for exceptional behavior, but there seems to be a debate on what that is, versus rewarding for what they should be doing.  There have been many faculty meetings debating that, and it still is unknown.

5. Do you change your management style student to student, or do you try to keep it consistent.

She tries to keep it consistent with all the students but occasionally an individual will need the extra support.  She has tried things like the stoplights, visual cues, sticker systems, parent reports.  But only when the other things are not working. But everyone has the same expectations.

6. Advice

Firm fairness works.  Expectations need to be always enforced for every student.

Module 5

Throughout this course I have gathered so much information that will be beneficial to me in my career as an elementary educator.  Knowing how to properly analyze and prepare students for their upcoming years of education is an important aspect of teaching as well as being able to identify potential learning disabilities.  

Part of chapter 12 covered the topic of my research paper, extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.  This is a controversial topic and very interested to dig into.  Extrinsic motivation is doing something for a known reward such as a paycheck, toy, praise, bonus, etc.  Where intrinsic motivation is the exact opposite, accomplishing something for the simple reason of it makes you feel good, there is no known reward.  I personally believe that there is a middle ground that can be met inside the classroom when it comes to extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.  When it comes to teaching younger children, elementary aged level (kindergarten through fifth grade) it can be greatly beneficial to have some extrinsic motivation and I believe that it can also create healthy competition and teach students that you may not always be first place and win at everything you do.  When extrinsic motivation is utilized excessively it can have a negative impact on students and their motivation.  When a child is praised every single time they, for example, walk in the hallway quietly as instructed or they receive a prize from the classroom treasure chest every time they raise their hand, it begins to lose its effectiveness.  I believe that the goal of most teachers, and definitely the goal for me as a future educator, is to be able to balance the two and give the confidence and knowledge to students where they can apply it to their work and not need to be constantly praised and rewarded, some things you just have to do because they are an expectation and you will not be rewarded for them and this is not just true in school but in nearly every aspect of your life.   

Motivation and determination tie into Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (figure 12.1 pg.449) starting at the top with self actualization, aesthetic needs, cognitive needs, esteem needs, love and belongingness, safety needs and physiological needs. Cognitive needs, for example, require a person to have knowledge and understanding.  In order to have knowledge and understanding you must be willing to learn and explore without rewards or praise because in the long run having that knowledge and experience is much more rewarding and motivating than having a teacher tell you good job for opening up your textbook.  Self-motivation is influenced by many different factors such as, classroom goal structure and the level of support from parents/guardians  (pg.450).  The classroom environment is directly associated with student self-determination (pg. 450).  The Woolfolk text created some guidelines to support students and their self-determination, allow and encourage students to make choices through designing different ways to meet lesson objectives (technology, tests, a paper, etc), help students plan actions to accomplish self-selected goals, hold students accountable by having consequences for their actions and choices, provide reasoning for limits, rules and constraints (why do you have rules), acknowledge emotions, both negative and positive, are valid and understand them as a teacher and use non-controlling and positive feedback void of negative language (pg. 451).

I found the explanation of the attribution theory to be interesting and they definitely make sense.  The attribution theories of motivation, “describe how the individual’s explanations, justifications, and excuses influence motivation (pg. 458).  Bernard Warner related attribution theory to education through three different categories, locus, stability, and controllability (pg. 458-59).  In order to properly encourage each student’s self-worth, there are some guidelines to follow, as teachers, emphasize that abilities are not set, but are always improvable, teach directly about the difference between learning goals and performance goals, make the classroom a place where failure is just diagnostic (it just tells you what you could improve upon) and always encourage students to seek help and also give help to others (pg. 462).  

This chapter was very interesting and helpful in learning useful ways to motivate diverse students from different cultures, different learning capabilities and different learning limits as well.  I will definitely keep these guidelines handy when I do become a teacher because each student is different and in order to properly motivate and utilize intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as well as reaching students who may suffer from anxiety or they may not have involved parents who are interest in their school work, I must be able to find a motivation inside each of them and bring it out so that they can reach their full potential.  

Module 5

     Chapter 12 of Woolfolk centered on motivation. The chapter discussed extrinsic vs.intrinsic (p.445-446) and explained the differences in students who are motivated by different factors. I think this is critical for me to take into consideration in my future classroom because understanding the motivation of my students will help me plan lesson strategies, activities, and assessments accordingly. This chapter also covered Maslow's hierarchy of needs (p. 448-449). I know there are people who are critical of this theory, but I agree with the text when it proposes that a person cannot achieve a higher level of needs if the lower ones are not met. The example the text gave was a hungry student not being able to focus on learning (p. 448). This is another key element that is important for us to keep in mind as future educators. At some point in our careers, we will encounter students who are having difficulty learning due to the force of external factors out of their control. As educators, we are also advocates for these kids. It's important to learn the signs of students who are having trouble focusing or learning, and provide resources or support that will help them learn. Even if that resource is food.
     On pgs. 452- 453 of Woolfolk, the text discusses goal orientations. This part of  the chapter really held significance for me because I think it is imperative to set personal and classroom goals for my future students. I believe showing students how to set and achieve goals, is a key component to success in life well after the students leave my classroom. Having goal setting as a norm in my classroom is important to me so the students can learn to establish clear thoughts on what they want to achieve, how to do it, and gain a sense of value in themselves in the process. Lastly, the text broached the subject of students with anxiety (p.469), and I was super happy to see that this subject was covered! Growing up, there were many student in my class that suffered anxiety, and the teachers were not prepared for, nor had any tolerance for it. Instead of working to help students learn coping strategies, or include activities in the classroom to help decrease stressful situations, they succeeded in increasing the anxiety of the students. I
     On p. 530 of Woolfolk, in Chapter 14, it begins by mentioning three characteristics that good teachers possess: clarity, warmth, and knowledge. Providing clear instruction, examples, and lessons is one of the most important things we can do for our students. I think this is lacking on the part of many teachers in classrooms today. I can't tell you how many times my son has come home from school and not understood what the teacher was asking him  to do on his homework. Furthermore, as a student, I have had many experiences where I needed clarification on the expectations or instructions for certain assignments, projects, papers, etc. This is a principle I will take with me into my future classroom. This chapter also focused on  Bloom's Taxonomy and lower and higher level thinking objectives in creative and flexible planning (p. 537). This is especially important for us as we work on our test construction in this class!
     Chapter 15 was all about evaluation. I thought one of the most important concepts in this chapter was the emphasis on validity and absence of bias (p. 574). When the text was providing examples of unfair penalization, it reminded me of the video from the 1940's we watched a couple modules back, and how the teacher used gender specific examples to explain ration and proportion to the students. I also paid special attention to the section dedicated to multiple choice testing (p. 577), particularly because I want to be sure I can construct great multiple choice questions for our test construction! I was unaware that 3/4 of education professors reject this method of assessment. This chapter forced me to focus on all the different types of ways I could measure or assess how well my students are learning the material. One of the key elements of this chapter I will take with me is to ALWAYS go back and restructure my assessments based on how my students do with the material!

Module 4

Chapter 9 was all about metacognition, and a breakdown of how to appropriately approach students to teach the use of metacognition in school. Metacognition is the ability to know your personal thinking processes and utilizes them to manage cognitive processes (i/e comprehension of material and solving problems) (Woolfolk 328). One thing I believe after reading the chapter is that it is going to be very important as a teacher to understand the cognitive baseline of the age group you are teaching in order to adequately develop their metacognitive capabilities. Younger students’ minds are less developed than older students. One way to get younger students to begin the metacognitive awareness process is by using the KWL stage. With this method, it is encouraged to ask the students what they already know, what they want to learn, and in the end, what they did learn from the studied materials. (Woolfolk, 330). By asking the two questions before, it heightens the student intrinsic motivation to pay attention to problem solve.

I also enjoyed the breakdown of problem-solving. I never thought about the process of problem-solving. I realize know that one of my biggest detriments in my problem-solving abilities in a classroom, even to this day, is my ability to incorporate a means-end analysis. I tend to look at a problem as a whole, instead of in its parts. I feel that if I was taught to incorporate a means-end analysis in my work, I may not have suffered from so may cognitive overloads which hindered my grades.

In Chapter 10, we learned about cooperative learning and constructivism in the classroom. There are two type of constructivism, cognitive and social. Cognitive constructivists focus on the inner psychology of an individual. In other words, these individuals use what they know to impose intellectual structure (Woolfolk 373.) Social constructivists are more interested in learning through public knowledge of a subject. (375). Vygotski was a social constructivist that believed that individual development increases through social interaction. (Woolfolk 374,375). I would have to agree with Vygotski. It is important as an educator to be aware of this importance of social interaction in the school envoronment, especially in the younger grades because of the limited social interaction the majority are involved in outside the classroom.

Which leads to Cooperative learning. With cooperative learning, students are broken down into small groupd of 4-6 members, engaging in peer learning to create a shared learning environment and complete tasks successfully in a social interactive manner. (Woolfolk 386). As a PE teacher it is going to be incredibly important to understand how to set up highly structured cooperative learning environments.

Module 5

Chapter 12 covers motivation in learning and teaching. Motivation is a huge part of education, on both sides, for students and teachers. Teachers have to be willing to put in long days and weeks and students must come ready to school every day willing to test their abilities and knowledge. According to the Woolfolk text, there are five general approaches to motivation. Those being behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, social cognitive, and sociocultural conceptions. (Woolfolk, pages 446-448) These different approaches are key to having success in motivation in education.

In chapter 14, the title is teaching every student. The first step is planning. (Woolfolk, page 533) Without an idea or plan on how to approach teaching every student you as a teacher will fail. Giving yourself flexible and creative plans will be beneficial to both you and your students. Many teachers big issue is the ability to work and teach all your students. The relation to your student's abilities to learn differently. For instance, certain students understand visual learning rather than hands-on learning and vice versa. A teacher must understand this and plan for different ways for all of your students to learn the material being taught. My experience with this is certain that certain students can only learn a specific way. I grew up being very particular about how I learned. Good teachers adapt to their students.

Lastly, chapter 15 of the Woolfolk text is about classroom assessment, grading, and standardized testing. Personally, I haven't had much experience doing any of this. Maybe a little bit of grading but not enough to where I feel comfortable. My last assignment for this class in which creating a quiz and test analysis report is going to help me so I'll feel more comfortable when I do start my career in teaching.

Module 5

In my years of working and observing in classrooms, I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to testing. I have seen teachers in struggling schools who do nothing but prepare students for standardized test and teachers prepping for a test like their jobs depended on it because it did. Testing can be stressful and put unnecessary pressure on the students but there is a right way to do it. Chapter fifteen gives some great insight into the benefits and functionality of student assessment. 

When I read the title of this chapter it brought me back to the stresses of my elementary days. As soon as I was aware of the letter grade system I began to compare myself with my peers. I went to a school where every paper was graded and sent home at the end of the week. Every worksheet was done independently and for a grade. I wasn’t until my work in schools as an adult that I realized the best teachers don’t grade the majority of the assignments. They use the assignments as to tool to help the students better understand the work. If a problem is missed rather than marking it wrong the teacher or peer group help the student understand the right answer.

According to Woolfolk, there are two types of assessments: formative- before or during the instruction, and summative assessment- at the end of instruction (p. 570). Prior to reading Woolfolk, I had never thought of the benefits of doing an assessment before teaching to see what your students already know. I think this type of evaluation can be very helpful in preparing lessons and curriculum. This feedback can also be used to track students progress at the end of the year.

I love some of the ideas for alternative assessments given in Woolfolk on page 580. Instead of young students a written evaluation, test them in “real like situation” like giving correct change at a pretend store (p. 580).  Students can also build a portfolio to showcase their accomplishments and progress. Exhibitions such as science fairs are a great way for students to display progress (p. 581).

Students should be involved in the assessment process as much as possible. I don’t believe grades or scores should be shared or rewarded publically. I also believe it is unethical to use scores in any way except to benefit the student (Woolfolk, p. 600). My goal as a teacher is to keep test taking and prep time to a minimum and spend as much time as possible on classroom instruction. 

Module 4

I’m sure we all strive to be awesome teachers in the subject we looking to be endorsed in.  We have a great understanding of the subject(s) and feel very confident in our ability to teach it to others.  Unfortunately, we will never have 23 kids that all think the same.  In Chapter 9 it explains the complex cognitive process, and how important metacognition is.  Before taking this course, I had no idea of the concept, I never even heard of the term, but it makes so much sense that we think about thinking.  Understand the way students process information is important for us to know so that we can deliver the information properly.  One strategy that I liked and used is the K.W.L frame.  K – What do I already KNOW about this subject?  W – What do I WANT to know?  L – At the end of the lesson, what have I LEARNED?  The KWL frame encourages students to look within and identify what they bring to each learning situation (pg. 330).  In the future, I plan on inviting students at the W phase to go ahead and mention that they WANT to know what another student already KNOW.  Meaning in the beginning when a student acknowledges that they KNOW something about the subject if another student does not know we can explore to make sure we all learn something new.

In chapter 11, I thought the text did an awesome job bringing it all together in the end.  The four main learning theories Constructivist, Cognitive, Behavioral, Social Cognitive all relying on each other like you can’t have one without the other.  Students must first understand and make sense of the material (constructivist); then, they must remember what they have understood (cognitive—information processing); then, they must practice and apply (behavioral) their new skills and understand to make them more fluid and automatic—a permanent part of their repertoire. Finally, they must take charge of their own learning (social cognitive). Failure to attend to any part of the process results in lower-quality learning (pg. 437).  One of the hardest things to do is to try to convince an uninterested student why the information being taught is useful.  When you overcome that feat getting them to make sense of the material will follow.

Module 4

     I found Chapter 9 to be very enlightening. Of course the other chapters were enlightening, however, this chapter gave insight on how students learn and think. It broke down metacognition and some ways for students to understand what the read. KWL, What do I know, what do I want to know and what have I learned? This is an easy approach to do book reports or any report for that matter. This can be used in all the subjects for students to enhance their learning and increase their knowledge base. The chapter gave some tips on learning strategies, creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking. Note taking is a very popular learning strategy but there is a way to properly take note. Teachers need to come up with creative, innovative ways to teach a subject that are going to not only grab students attention but get them engaged. Problem-solving involves identifying the problem, defining goals and representing the problem, dissecting the results and searching for a possible solution to the problem using algorithms and heuristics. Critical thinking, finding reason in what we do and why we do, reflecting and argumentation.
     Chapter 10 discussed the learning sciences which are, psychology, education, computer science, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, neuroscience, and others. It also a brief overview of cognitive and social constructivism. The text states that the constructivist theory of learning is that one, learners are active in constructing their own knowledge, and two, Social interactions are important in this knowledge construction process. Vygotsky suggests the concept of the zone proximal development- which is the area in which a child can solve a problem with the help of an adult or more able peer. (Woolfolk, pg 375).
     I liked the information given about self-efficacy and self-regulation in Chapter 11. Self-efficacy varies depending on the task. I know that my own self-efficacy is high in singing because I know I am a very good singer and can hold a note and carry a tune. Whereas, my confidence with competing in a swim meet is low because my confidence level isn't there because I know I don't have the endurance to compete against someone who enjoys racing in the pool. Self-regulation says that students must have a combination of academic learning skills, self-awareness, self-control and motivation for learning, in other words, they have the skill and will to learn (Woolfolk, pg. 424). My will to become a teacher showcased my own self-regulatory skills mainly because I know that I am smart enough and equipped to learn anything taught to me in order to pursue my teaching career.

Module 4

In Chapter 9, Complex Cognitive Processes were the focus. One of the main parts of this chapter was discussing learning strategies. It was interesting to read through this chapter because I realized a lot of the learning strategies discussed were things that I have used throughout my time in school. Even when doing assignments for this class I often found myself trying to plan and focus my attention and pinpoint the key topics for each chapter and I did that by looking at the headings of paragraphs and finding the topic sentences that helped give the most insight on what was important for each section. I often found myself underlining and highlighting the main ideas or what I felt was important that I wanted to remind myself to look back on which always seemed like a great idea but like this chapter mentioned it can pose a big problem. In that, many tend to highlight too much and looking back it did become ineffective when it came time to review the information. Instead, Woolfolk suggests being selective. Try to only highlight or underline one sentence from each paragraph. The text also suggests transforming the information into your own and making connections between things you already know to help you remember the information. I found myself doing this a lot through this course when answering the discussion questions I felt like I was always relating the material to a past experience or finding some connection and just like the text suggests it helped me to remember what I was learning and made the information a lot more relatable. The text also says to create diagrams to illustrate the material, this is what we were asked to do this week and I was really surprised at how much I was able to learn from creating the concept map and felt it was a good learning tool/strategy to use in the future.

In Chapter 10, Psychological and social constructivism are discussed. Psychological constructivists like Piaget are concerned with how individuals make sense of their world it is based on their individual knowledge, beliefs, self-concept, and identity. On the other hand, social constructivists such as Vygotsky believe that social interaction, culture, and activity shape development and learning. The chapter discussed how to apply these constructivist perspectives. The inquiry strategy is when the teacher presents some sort of puzzling event, question or problem, the students then ask yes or no questions to inquire about the puzzle or problem. This helps the students reflect on what the problem is and what is needed to solve the problem. Problem-based learning comes from an authentic problem meaning one that matters to the students, so using the subject being taught whether it be math or science but relating it to a real-life problem with a solution. I think problem-based learning helps students learn better because it makes the problem more relatable and makes it so that students are more likely to want to solve the problem because it has something to do with a real-life situation. Another focus of Chapter 10 was the use of technology in learning. Being a teacher with the current generation means having students who are already surrounded by technology there is no avoiding it. I learned from the last class that there are a variety of tools that can be used by students to enhance their learning environment. However, as this chapter discusses these tools must be taught by competent teachers who know how to navigate these tech tools and be able to show their students how to use them. That is the way the classroom is going and the way of the world and we as teachers have to keep up.

Chapter 11 uses the four different perspectives on learning and brings it all together, using behavioral, cognitive, constructivist and social cognitive learning which make up the pillars of teaching. After the constructivist which is where students are making sense of the material students have to use the material they learned and remember it which would fall under cognitive, after that using a behavioral perspective they ahve to practice and apply what they have learned. Finally, students must take charge of their learning using the social cognitive perspective. The social cognitive perspective discusses how people regulate their lives and what motivates them. The social cognitive theory uses a system triarchic reciprocal causality which uses personal, environmental and behavioral influences that all intertwine and influence eachother. There can be a variety of factors that influence different behavior and what motivates a student.

Module 4

    In Chapter 9 of Woolfolk, on of the main focuses was metacognition: know when, how, and what to learn (p.329). The part that piqued my interest, obviously because I'm an adult learner, is the concept of metacognitive development for older students. I appreciated that the text provided examples of what kinds of questions we should ask ourselves to deepen our understanding of what we know (knowledge), how we learn (effective strategies), and when to apply those (appropriate strategies for varying situations) (p. 331). I think that all of us have something to gain by looking at those questions and reviewing our learning strategies. Woolfolk gave several examples of learning strategies such as: taking notes, highlighting and underlining,Venn diagrams, concept mapping, and tree diagrams ( p. 335).
     Next, Woolfolk tackled problem solving: identifying the problem, setting goals, exploring possible solutions and consequences, and evaluating (p.340). I recently saw these ideas in motion when I helped my son prepare his science fair project! My mind kept going back to all the problem solving we did together for his project when I was reading this chapter. Lastly in Chapter 9, I loved that Woolfolk discussed the importance of creativity relating to problem solving (p. 352-354)! I hear people say all the time "I'm just not a creative person" because they aren't the best painters or their drawing ability is limited to a  stick figure ( that would be me). It's important to understand that creativity is THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX!!!!
     Chapter 10 discussed cognitive and social constructivism, including ideas by Vgotsky and Piaget. It explained the two ideas most important to the constructivist view of learning: 1. Learners are active participants in gaining knowledge and 2. the construction of knowledge is influenced by social interactions ( p. 373). The most interesting part of Chapter 10 for me was learning about situated learning. It really made me reflect back to how I learned certain things, such as proper or appropriate social behavior. I also think the topic of  different knowledge being passed in particular cultural settings is intriguing. I will be teaching History, so I can definitely see myself using this concept as a tool explain how different eras in history believed in the knowledge that they were able to attain at the time. For example, for a long time people thought the earth was flat, until new knowledge came forth that it wasn't. This chapter also discussed how student centered approaches to teaching were an essential element in the view of constructivists, for example, giving students problem- based and complex activities, providing students with several different resources for information, allowing student to work collaboratively, and asking students to apply their knowledge in real life situations (p. 379). The teacher I'm observing utilizes several of these methods, especially providing students with a plethora of resources for information.
     Chapter 11 focuses on Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory. This theory proposes that by observing other people and learning consequences using people like teachers as models of behavior in collaboration with thinking, reasoning, and self regulating, people learn (p. 413). This theory uses the triarchic reciprocal casualty system to show how all of the facets involved in social cognitive theory relate to one another (p. 413).Chapter 11 also touched again on the topic of a teacher's sense of efficacy (p. 422). I truly think that this is one of the most important factors for us, as future educators. We need to believe our students can succeed, and actively instill that belief in them as well! I also think that an important factor we should take into consideration for our future classrooms in the idea of teaching for students to develop skills and attitudes that will move them forward in their learning well after they have left our classrooms. This idea is presented in Woolfolk (p. 433) when discussing self- regulated learners.

Module 4 - KWL, Cooperative and Collaborative Learning Styles (Kirsten Zinzer)

Module 4 

Chapters 9 and 10 in the Woolfolk textbook covers a lot of different types of learning strategies.  Since my focus is secondary English, I enjoyed reading about the section in Chapter 9 that covers developing metacognition.  According to Woolfolk, metacognition means "knowledge or awareness of self as knower" (Woolfolk, Chapter 9, p. 328).  In a nutshell, metacognition is the ability to think about your thoughts with the end goal to improve learning.  As a future educator, my job is to help get my students excited about their learning path and become independent thinkers in many aspects of their lives: school, future careers, and life.  Chapter 9 highlights that being metacognitive can be linked to being more conscious, reflective, and aware of one's progress along the learning path. My goal is to not only teach my students the subject matter, but also real-life strategies that can be applied to all aspects of their lives in and outside of school.

I liked the strategy that is used to guide reading that's mentioned in Chapter 9 called KWL.  These steps include:

K - What do I already know about this subject?
W - What do I want to know?
L - At the end of the reading, what have I learned?
(Woolfolk, Chapter 9, p. 330)

I remember using this strategy in many of my college and high school English courses.  I believe the KWL strategy helps students identify prior knowledge and encourages them to monitor their own progress.  This strategy can help students explore a topic and become engaged in a metacognitive process. 

Within Chapter 10, I enjoyed reading about cooperative and collaborative learning.  I plan to operate my classroom with a lot of group work, so it was great to review and read about these types of learning styles.  There are five elements that define true cooperative learning groups: positive interdependence, promotive interaction, individual accountability, collaborative and social skills and group processing (Woolfolk, Chapter 10, p. 388).

What I like about cooperative activities is that students look for outcomes that are beneficial to themselves and beneficial to the other group members.  It also allows students to work together to maximize their own and each other's learning. 

In Chapter 10, cooperative work reflects in students when they work collaboratively with others, compete for fun and enjoyment and work on their own from time to time.  With cooperative learning and collaboration, teachers can create lessons based on that mindset.  I look forward to creating my lessons based on cooperative and collaborative learning activities.  The possibilities are endless! 

Module 4

While reading these chapters as I was writing my research paper, what stuck out to me the most was the cooperative learning groups. On page 388, Woolfolk describes the five elements of true cooperative learning groups as positive interdependence, promotive interaction, individual accountability, collaborative and social skills, and group processing. Although these groups are interesting on their own, I found them to be even more interesting because of my research topic being about Flipped Classrooms.

A brief summary as to what a flipped classroom is- a flipped classroom is just how it sounds, flipped. The students take on the roles of their teachers and instead of learning during lectures at school, the students take on the responsibility of teaching themselves the lessons at home. I am relating this to our reading because it is important for students to not only participate in group activities but to feel comfortable in them as well, especially if flipped learning is becoming more and more popular.

These particular groups that Woolfolk describes give the students certain roles to take on. A majority of these roles require the students to cooperate while having group time. This form of active learning not only helps the students learn from one another, but it also allows them to step out of their comfort zone- just like flipped learning would. Another similarity that cooperative learning has with flipped learning is the timeliness lesson planning. These two particular learning techniques require the teachers to not only step outside of their box but to devote even more time to broadening their lesson plans. Carefully planning out these activities is important.

Module 4

Chapter 9 in the Woolfolk text focuses on complex cognitive process. Some of the main key topics in this chapter consist of metacognition, learning strategies, problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking and argumentation, and transfer. One topic that really stuck out to me was metacognition; I have never heard of it before reading about it this week. According to Woolfolk (2016), "metacognition is the knowledge or awareness of self as knower” (p. 328). There are many different skills that a student can learn/use through metacognition such as "judging if you have the right knowledge to solve a problem, deciding where to focus attention, determining if you understand what you just read, devising a plan, strategizing with mnemonics, asking for help, reevaluating your plan and making changes to it if need be and then looking at your skill set and reaching your goal" (p. 328).I believe that this is a good way for students to develop their so-called learning style by trying out new skills associated with metacognition. This will help me out a great deal with the physical education students because there are some students, who just do not like playing sports or participating in physical activity. Allowing students to practice using metacognition and then determine what their passions may be; this relates to P.E. because we have many different units which allow students to play a wide variety for a select period of time, thus allowing them to improve on a certain skill.

Chapter 10 in the Woolfolk text focuses on learning sciences and constructivism. Woolfolk (2016) states, "learning sciences encompass research in psychology, education, computer science, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, neuroscience and other fields that study learning” (p. 370). As the chapter goes on to go into greater detail of learning sciences, Woolfolk mentions some common assumptions about learning sciences such as "experts have a deep conceptual knowledge (learning facts will not make you an expert), learning comes from the learner (processing information), schools must create effective learning environments (students in an active role), prior knowledge and beliefs are key (preconceptions) and reflection is necessary to develop conceptual knowledge (express and perform) "(p. 370-71).  I believe that students should take an active role in their education and should be able to have a wide of variety of knowledge such as the topics in the learning sciences or whatever they might choose. According to Woolfolk (2016), "constructivism is used to describe how public knowledge is created" (p.375). It is based on individual learning and is believed that through this individual learning, people use their knowledge and experience gained to help improve their thought processes and problem-solving skills. I think that constructivism would work better with older students because they are more capable to learn on their own outside of the traditional classroom.

In chapter 11, Woolfolk talks about social cognitive views of learning and motivation. This chapter was very interesting to me mainly because of the motivational aspect, because being an athlete for most of my life and working with athletes on a daily basis. I think that it is important for students and athletes to have a role model that they can model themselves after. This chapter talks about how a student can become self-efficient. Woolfok (2016) states, "self-efficacy is how one perceives his or her abilities in certain things" (p. 418). I hope that all of my students and athletes will beileve that they can accomplish anything that they set their mind to because they know they have the abilities to do so.