Kendra Buddenberg Educational Psychology Sally Bender 20 March 2013

School Experience Journal-I

Chapter 2- Learning, Cognition, and Memory
Long-term memory is where we store our general knowledge and beliefs about the world, our recollections of past experiences, and things weve learned in school. Long-term memory also includes where we store knowledge about how to perform various activities such as riding a bike. Information stored in long-term memory lasts much longer than information stored in working memory. One way in which I feel students are able to enhance their long term memory is by teaching them things by linking the subject to something that they already have prior knowledge and understanding of. For example, if you are teaching them a set of vocabulary words that are unfamiliar to them, link the vocabulary words to a word that they know the meaning of. This will give them an understanding of what it means, and more than likely they will remember it. Giving them the list of vocabulary words with a definition next to them, expecting them to remember will probably not be as successful. During my tutoring experience I had to help a child with his math. He was working on multiplication. I explained to him how you can multiply 3 times 3 by adding 3 sets of 3. Addition was the prior knowledge that he had, and I connected it with what he was trying to learn.

Chapter 3- Learning in Context

My tutoring experience consisted of me helping the children to complete an assignment and then rewarding them with a piece of candy afterwards. This is an example of positive reinforcement. When a particular stimulus is presented after a behavior, and the behavior increases as a result, positive reinforcement has occurred. The students also received positive reinforcement throughout the day, for example; completing a task and/or demonstrating good behavior rewarded them with a behavior ticket. These tickets could then be used at the end of the week to choose from the prize box. These types of reinforcement worked well for the students. It not only allowed them to be rewarded but also taught them right from wrong, which is essential.

Chapter 4- Higher-Level Cognitive Processes

Self-regulation is an important factor in a childs learning process. They must be able to take control and evaluate their learning behavior. It is also important for them to internalize. One way in which the children internalized and worked on their regulation process was by reading me a short story and then taking an A.R. test over it. I was there to help them sound out a few difficult words but it was their job to read and understand the book. The test allows the teachers to evaluate how well they are comprehending the material. We can then help them further if they are having difficulties. Another example of self-regulation used in the classroom was when the teacher gave them a list of questions that they had to answer while watching a short film. The students knew what they needed to accomplish and listen for during the movie which helped them to pay attention throughout. This helps to create effective learners. They tie their goals to what they need to get done and progress tremendously.

Chapter 5- Cognitive Development

I was placed in a kindergarten classroom for my placement. The teacher explained to me how she was illustrating new ideas by providing objects/manipulatives. I could tell that the children enjoyed working with objects hand-on rather than learning through pencil and paper. This also enhanced intellectual development because the children were understanding and grasping things that they had misunderstood prior. Every child has a different way of learning. Some may learn best by doing, and some by seeing something be done. This is why adding that element of variety to lessons allows different kinds of learners to feel at ease. Another way in which the children grasped new material was by acting out scenarios and quizzing them. They were taught subjects and then put on teams and were required to answer questions and put their skills to test. The kids enjoyed the competition and had a great time.

Chapter 6- Motivation and Affect

While tutoring the students I did notice that some strived to understand the material being taught, while others simply focused on completing the task/assignment given. Learners with mastery goals are more likely to be engaged in classroom activity and be motivated to learn. Learners with performance goals are more likely to cheat on assignments to obtain good grades. I tutored in a younger grade level, so most of the children demonstrated mastery goals as long as the teacher kept them interested in the subject. They were all fascinated by the way she explained/demonstrated things which led them to be good listeners. I feel as though older students are not as easy to entertain and will do anything to get the assignment completed, whether it requires cheating or slacking. Anxiety in students mostly comes when they are trying to grasp a material and cant quite understand it. As a tutor I witnessed this first hand. Some students obtain the information and recognize how it benefits them, while others do not. I had to work with a few frustrated students. Calming them down and explaining things from a different perspective worked well. As a teacher you have to recognize the different learning styles and take them into action when teaching a lesson.

Chapter 7- Personal and Social Development

The students displayed the concept of self of self and its implications by showing pride and accomplishment in their work. They received encouragement after completing assignments which strengthened their self-esteem. Giving the students encouragement along the way helps them to feel as though they are accomplishing great things, which makes them strive to push further. In one of the classrooms I observed the students were able to read to one another which gave them a sense of pride. They pretended as if they were the teacher and were able to look at things from a different perspective. After reading to one another they would ask questions to make sure that the other was paying attention. This not only allowed them to further understand what they read, but also tested the other childs listening abilities.

Chapter 8- Instructional Strategies

Two of the instructional strategies that I used while tutoring the students were master and review basic skills and acquire computer literacy skills. In order to move on in a 6th grade math class we first had to review prior knowledge and make sure that the students understood the basics in order to move on to the new lesson. The students were able to acquire computer literacy skills at various times throughout the day, whether it included math games, reading tests, or educational websites. Computers are becoming very resourceful and useful in the classroom, even in the lower grade levels. Although subject matter is mostly taught by seeing or doing, the students put to test what they have learned through computer testing and games.

Chapter 9- Strategies for Creating an Effective Classroom Environment

Some of the ways in which the teacher and I enhanced the classroom environment were making sure that all the children felt a sense of belongingness and support, good communication skills, allowing playfulness along with educational strategies, and embracing social skills which allowed the students to feel connected. These are all very important strategies to keep in mind in the classroom. Teachers always need to be connected with their students in order to help them further understand lesson plans in the best way possible. If the students feel connected with the teacher they are more open and willing to ask questions and participate.

Chapter 10- Assessment Strategies

Some assessments involved 1 minute readings in which their speed and ability to articulate words correctly was tested. This encouraged the students to focus their time for a solid minute and try to accomplish as much as possible. I felt as though this was a good idea because long periods of concentration are nearly impossible in the younger grades. Another way in which the students were assessed was by computer operated games, tests, etc. These include scantrons and the opportunity to submit answers directly onto the computer.

Final Reflection

1.) I feel as though the concepts that we discussed in class helped me while tutoring the
students. It allowed me to witness some of the things that we had talked about first hand. The things that we discussed in class allowed me to understand some of my responsibilities as a teacher. Being in the classroom is a great way to incorporate the ideas and teachings of multiple teachers into your own lesson plan. Every teacher that I worked with did things differently, and there were a few beneficial things that I would incorporate from each. 2.) This school experience has made me look forward to my future even more. I am eager to start my career as a teacher and be able to change the lives of children. I have acquired many skills while tutoring the students and being in their classroom, in which I will incorporate into my classroom someday.