Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Module 4 - Due before 11:59 PM on July 26
Module 4 included an assignment where you created a lesson plan based on one objective you selected. Explain how Lesson Design contributes to Epistemological belief for our students either good or bad. In other words, your lesson design and implementation thereof (Pedagogy), can contribute to positive or negative Self-Fulfilling Prophecies for our students. EXPLAIN. Thank you for a great class. Splichal
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
First I have to admit that I had to do an internet search to determine what Professor Splichal was talking about with the term Epistemological beliefs. I had never heard this term before and honestly couldn't figure out the meaning from the explanation given. With that said, my understanding is this is a belief about knowledge and belief in how one acquires knowledge. Based upon that understanding, I would say that lesson planning has a strong impact on not only the knowledge that students receive, but also on their belief of how they each individually may gain knowledge. Students who come from a background of having high regard for their elders and those in authority will receive the knowledge that a teacher gives them through lectures because that is what they have learned. They know that someone in authority would only speak words of wisdom and truth.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, students who do not come from a background in which they were taught to respect their elders and learn from their experience will not have the same acceptance of lectured instruction. In these situations knowledge must be given in a different, not wrong, manner. Professional educators must know their students so well that they can learn enough background information to know what methods of presentation are going to be effective with portraying the knowledge of the classroom.
This is why differentiated instruction and individualized learning plans are so important in the classroom. Students are all unique in their learning and have been raised in a society that teaches them to embrace the individuality, no matter what the cost. I think this is great and I think it will better our schools, nation, and world, but it is not an easy battle for teachers to combat. Constant development and fresh knowledge must be attained in order to keep the epistemological beliefs accommodated in the classroom.
I really liked your post. I have to agree with you each child is different and they all learn in their own different ways. Some learn easier than others.I think it is very important that we as teachers do our best to learn about our students and find the most effective way to teach them all. There has to be some common ground or not all students will learn the material.
DeleteLearning to know students individually is so important as an educator. They are all different - they learn differently, they have different personalities, they have different backgrounds, and they have different interests. So we need to know what makes them tick in order to reach them. That will influence our planning, as well as the strategies that we use. As we get to know the students and plan our lessons accordingly, it will hopefully change their prophecy about themselves into a positive one.
DeleteYour post is very insightful! I agree that an effective teacher reaches out to their students to gain understanding of where they are coming from. When educators pay attention to their students on a personal level they will gain vital information that will assist them in preparing lessons that will truly engage their students. Educators who respectfully view their students as a source in the teaching process will develop a rich classroom environment where all learn. Lessons designed to provoke students to consider their intentions and be respectful of others will create a safe environment for students to grow both academically and socially.
DeleteKristi,
DeleteI too, had no clue what Epistemological beliefs were. In googling the word, I found the definition and had the same understanding as you "how one acquires knowledge." I agree student's backgrounds affects how they learn, but I did not connect it until I read your post. Knowing your students and adapting your lesson to best meet their needs will hopefully lead them to success and positive beliefs about learning.
I also had no idea what Epistemological beliefs meant. You bring up a good point stating that teachers need to know their students. With so many different cultures in our classrooms it is imperative that we can teach to everyone. We may need to adjust some lessons for different students. Great post and great comments.
DeleteI also will admit that I had no clue what Epistemological beliefs were and had to look this up. I also believe that knowing each student's background will have an influence on their attitude in the classroom and that each student needs to be individually accommodated for in certain situations.
DeleteI had to laugh after reading Kristi's post, as I had no idea what Epistemological beliefs are either! So I also googled it and found myself reading stuff I couldn't understand. So I went with what Kevin wrote after "in other words" as my basis for this post.:)
ReplyDeleteI think they are all related. How we plan our lesson plans and what we incorporate into them is going to affect how we teach them. How we teach our lesson plans is going to affect how well kids listen, learn, and pay attention. How well they learn is going to affect how they feel about themselves. If they have good self-esteem and feel they are learning and succeeding in the classroom, their self-fulfilling prophecy will be true. If they don't feel good about themselves and are falling behind in the classroom, their self-fulfilling prophecy will also be true. Students who feel they can succeed usually do, and students who don't think they can do it usually don't. So if students come into our classrooms with a mentality of thinking they are going to fail, we have within our means the power to change the outcome of that student. But that means planning creative lesson plans, incorporating ideas that will interest the students and getting them working together in groups. It means making it interesting, and making it practical so the students see the value in learning it. But the best laid lesson plans don't do any good if they aren't presented well, so how they are taught is also crucial. As teachers, we have so much potential to change students that it's almost scary. I don't want to be guilty of being the reason someone dropped out of school or quit trying or got bored with school. I want to take the challenge of being the best I can be - whether it's in planning my lesson plans or how I teach them. My desire is to make a difference in my students' lives.
Jenny, I really like what you said about creative lessons that are interesting for our students. So true! And what interests one child might not interest another, so we have to mix it up and try to provide instruction that benefits a variety of interests and learning styles. I think that part of teaching is going to be fun and also challenging. I agree with what you say about making a difference in your students' lives. I want to be that impact teacher, too!!
DeleteSarah
WOW! I agree with you that teachers have the ability to empower students to see themselves as achievers. I think this is one of the motivating factors that inspires me to develop lessons will create a successful outcomes for all students. Teachers should be prepared to meet students where they are academically and build a bridge that they cross to see success. Engaging and effective lessons are important, however, the classroom environment should be safe where students feel they are respected and valued for who they are and what they bring to the classroom. That said, when teachers encounter students who possess an overwhelming belief that they cannot learn, the educator must creatively and sincerely reach out and develop a plan to slowly change their outlook. I had a student last year who came to me "damaged". He was very closed off and unwilling to engage academically. I consistently encouraged him and praised his small attempts. I wish I could say that by the end of the year he had made a full turn around, but he never quite opened up. So, I believe that the experience her gained in my classroom will be a building block for his growth. As educators, we have the opportunity to change lives. This is why I teach. :)
DeleteI think you hit the nail on the head when you said that it's not only important to have an organized lesson plan, but present it well. I think we sometimes forget that the planning and teaching have to work together.
DeleteYou are so right that teachers can empower their students. When you speak of the students self esteem it is so important to help the kids who are struggling with low self esteem. Sometimes it is so hard to make someone understand that they are great and can achieve something. I wish that lightbulb would just turn on for those kids. As teachers we need to keep encouraging them and hope that one day it helps.
DeleteI took a look in the Wong text and found the quote "self fulfilling prophecy suggests that what you expect from a student is what the student gives back to you." In other words, when we plan lessons, they must challenge our students and we should expect them to rise to those challenges. We need to stretch them and grow them. However, it is also important to provide them with a lot of positive reinforcement along the way so that they believe in themselves and in their abilities. I think this is part of the whole "scaffolding" idea. Don't let them go without a safety net until they are ready.
ReplyDeleteMy lesson plan was about healthy foods, and I presented a slideshow with pictures of some healthy foods and some unhealthy foods. Then before the assignment (a sorting activity--healthy food pictures in one pile, unhealthy in another), I let the students practice by giving me a thumbs up if I showed a healthy food picture and a thumbs down if I showed an unhealthy food picture. This way I could informally assess their understanding of the concept before turning them loose on their assignment. If they aren't catching on, I can't just give them the assignment--I have to re-think how to explain the concept first.
I think lesson plans should take time to build student confidence before assignments--giving them practice activities and assessing their understanding. When they master practice activities, they have a taste of success. They believe in themselves, therefore they will do better on the assignments. Their self fulfilling prophecy (I can do this, I understand this) will be lead to successful assignment completion and mastery of learning objectives.
I agree, giving students adequate time to practice and understand the concept will help build their confidence and success in the assignment. Creating this type lesson will help students begin to realize they can learn.
DeleteAlso, you spoke about challenging students to expand their knowledge and having high expectations that they are encouraged to achieve. I think that students feel empowered when they accomplish tasks that are perceived difficult at first. When educators properly prepare lessons that challenge students to explore and stretch their understanding, educators begin to change lives.
I agree that giving practice and making sure students understand exactly what you expect before turning them loose is very important. A confused student to me, will always feel like a failure. It is important to set them up for success.
DeleteReading your post reminded me of one of my favorite movies "Freedom Writers." This is a perfect example of a self-fulfilling prophecy. In the movie the teachers in the past had led the students to believe that they could be nothing more than gang members and sluts. All this changed when the new teacher entered the classroom and daily told the students that they could achieve whatever they wanted to achieve. She never had to come out and say the actual words, but her actions and her lessons portrayed to the students that she cared and believed in their ability to reach high levels of achievement. In the end, the students lived up to the expectations of the new teacher, not the previous ones.
DeleteSarah, I really like your post and agree with you. There are times when a teacher will already "know" which students will succeed and which aren't. By doing this those students who she thinks cannot be successful will already be behind because she/he will not allow them to reach their full potential.
DeleteYou give a lot to think about in your post. I like the idea of informally assessing them before actually giving them the assignment. Then you know whether they are really ready for this or not. Rather than letting them fail if they aren't ready, this gives an opportunity to go back and reteach the concept. When they feel confident they can do it on their own, you can let them go. You have some wonderful thoughts here and give me much to think about and consider when writing lesson plans for student teaching next fall.
ReplyDeleteAs the teacher we hold the key to our students futures!! We need to keep this mind as we design our lesson plans. We need to make sure that we are going to grab the attention of the students and keep it. It is our job to make sure they learn the material needed, it is also our job to make it interesting and possibly fun. I think that students learn and retain the information better if it is interesting and fun. Nobody like to listen to a boring teacher, at least I know I didn't. We have to keep in mind that our students are to get out of the learning what we as teachers put into it. It is very important that we take the time to prepare our lessons and how we are going to implement them. We also have to keep in mind that a student will only get out what they put in. This is why we need to make sure that we can get our students attention and keep it. We need to make sure they know that we want them to succeed so that they will want to succeed. If student thinks that he/she is going to fail then they will not put forth the effort to pass. I think if they know we believe in them then they will believe in themselves as well. What is all boils down to is we need to make sure we have not good, but GREAT lessons plans and we know how to feed the information to our students. We are a major stepping stone in their lives, and I want my students to remember me for the great teacher I am and not because my class was boring.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting thought - that we are major stepping stones in the lives of our students. A good analogy! And what you said is so true - we have to make the effort and spend the time to come up with great lesson plans and know how to implement them well. We need to make class interesting and yet teach them what they need to know. In theory, this all sounds good. But it makes me uncertain of myself. Am I capable of being and doing all these great things ALL the time? I have seen so few teachers who actually do this. But I can commit to trying my best to be that for my students.
DeleteI agree with you that lessons shouldn't bore students. However, there are some concepts that have to be taught that are "boring". I believe that is where the effective teacher stands out. The effective teacher has created a classroom environment of respect, understanding, and balanced where the students will engage in concepts because they know and trust the teacher. Therefore, educators must make the most of every opportunity to build the stage for learning to take place even when the concept being taught is not conducive to being any more than facts.
DeleteI believe teachers are remembered because they go the extra mile to reach out to students and make sure they are learning. Effective teachers are consistently working to provide each student with tips, tricks, and encouragement to succeed.
I think you are right about teachers being stepping stones. We have the privilege to help build up and strengthen the students in our classroom. We must make the most of this opportunity.
Alisha,
DeleteI also agree, lessons shouldn't always be boring. Now days it seems as if teachers have so much pressure due to testing that, that is all they can focus on. I think it is important to do well on testing, but I don't think it is fair when the "fun" in the classroom no longer exists. If teachers get creative with their lesson plans and allow some fun, I feel that the students will become more engaged, and enjoy learning more.
In googling the term, I found that epistemology is how we acquire knowledge. Everyone acquires knowledge in a different way and with a different attitude. It is important that this is considered when designing lessons. Lessons should be designed to best meet the needs of all students. Planning and implementing reteach and enrichment activities, differentiating instruction when needed and scaffolding will all contribute to the students’ attitude about learning. If they are bored, challenge them an enrichment activity.
ReplyDeleteThe saying “Students become what their teachers expect them to become,” came to mind when I read the assignment. Designing plans that have high expectations and that offer multiple opportunities for discussion will aid students in learning and mold their beliefs and attitude about knowledge. Teacher behavior with high expectations will affect students’ own beliefs about their success and subsequently their effort, equaling a positive self-fulfilling prophecy.
Very well said.
Delete“Students become what their teachers expect them to become”.
This is such a powerful statement. I believe that teachers who focus on positive behaviors and praise positive behaviors will see students living up to their expectations.
We can all think of a teacher who was grumpy and negative. When I was is their classroom I would count the minutes until I could get out.
Our students will follow our lead and if we create a positive and safe environment they will be willing to engage and therefore learn.
When we design our lessons we must consider how it will lead our students to learning and understanding. We should build our lessons to benefit all students. Lessons should be systematic in their approach. Students should be able to "connect the dots". This is when teachers have to be insightful and read their students for understanding. If teachers are getting the "blank stare" they should get creative and try a different method to teach the particular concept. Lessons should be simple but structured. The lesson should be appropriate in instruction time length and also allow time for students to practice the concept while in class. The practice time is important so teachers can help with further understanding. During this part of the lesson teachers should provide options for students to extend and stretch their knowledge and extra practice to help struggling students master the concept. This is the part of the lesson that requires teachers to be organized and prepared. This part of the lesson can become chaotic if teachers are not prepared.
ReplyDeleteWhen teachers prepare effective lesson plans they are able to assess students' understanding. These visual assessments are critical because they allow teachers to help students promptly.
Teachers must be ready each day with lesson plans that will create a positive learning environment. Teachers must be aware of each of their students ability and a make conscious daily effort to reach each student. Teachers must provide opportunities for each students to succeed. These successes will encourage students to continue to work hard and thrive in the classroom.
Michelle,
DeleteI agree, teachers must be ready each day with lesson plans. Lesson plans are one of the key factors to teaching successfully, without them you will fill unorganized, therefore your classroom will be that way.
I was also initially confused by the word Epistemological. I was glad for the "in other words" clarification.
ReplyDeleteI think that clear lesson plans allow the teacher to be more focused. With a clear focus on the desired outcome behaviors and minor distractions are less likely to derail the lesson. By thinking ahead and planning for possible questions and necessary adaptations, nothing will take you by surprise. I believe it is important to make students aware of the daily objective. This allows them to know point-blank what you expect of them. By using modeling and letting students practice as a class before doing an assignment on their own it builds confidence and allows the students to be sure of what you expect. I think that allowing students to discuss and share to wrap up a lesson gives students confidence and reassurance that what they are thinking and doing is correct. To me, building confidence and a community classroom are the two most important things to help students succeed in school.
Jennifer
DeleteMy statement purpose for our classroom is also based on a community where we are all respectful of each others differences and learn to work together to complement them so that we are a functional society. I think it is very important for our students to understand that.
Jennifer, I completely agree with you about the two most important ingredients for students' success.
Delete** Building Confidence ** & ** Community Classroom **
Students will work hard for teachers who have invested in getting to know them. When we take the time to assess student's needs, we are able to help them along and ensure their understanding.
This concept is appropriate for all classrooms. I teach kindergarten and know that building a caring and safe classroom is just as important for them as it is for a high school classroom.
All that said, organization and preparation are a very close second to confidence building and community classroom. Educators are responsible for preparing engaging lessons that will challenge students to expand their knowledge.
All these components work together to create student success. Educators can achieve this type of classroom; they just have to be deliberate and consistent.
I also had a hard time with the term, Epistemological, the more I tried the more I would confuse and second guess myself. So with that said, I did what Jenny did. Writing out a lesson plan is one of the key factors in teaching to staying organized and on top of what you are teaching. When the teacher is unorganized the students feed off of that, they talk out of turn, out of their seats, jabbering, etc. Also, when writing out a lesson plan, it is important to the play the game “what if I am not here tomorrow”? Will your sub be able to come in and teach the students just where you left off, this should be an easy flow. I have been in classrooms where subs come in and it is chaos, the lesson plan was all out of sorts, which in turn the students were too, even more so than just a typical substitute teacher kind of day. As we know most of the time, at least one student will try and see what they can get away with since the teacher is gone. Anyways, back on track here, a lesson plan isn’t just for fun, this is so important. By being creative, planning, being on top of things, lesson plans can be fun, therefore teaching and learning can be fun. In my lesson plans I would like to have just as much fun, hands on activities as there are reading activities. This means lots of creativity! I want to bring back the “fun” in the classroom. Teachers have so much pressure now days with testing and scores that all they can focus on is preparing for the tests, which in turn our students get burned out. We need to mix things up a bit, and make learning fun!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about teachers needing to focus on making learning more fun. Students are never going to have positive feelings about going to school if they only feel pressure on them to perform well on tests. I sometimes forget what it was like when I was younger and how hard it can be to focus on one activity for a long time. Teachers have pressure on them to teach the test material, but if the teacher does not find a way to put a positive spin on the learning, it will be the students who suffer.
DeleteIt is very true that, by being prepared, a lesson can be fun. I tend to stress myself out when I don't come to class prepared, and I can only imagine how much that stress would increase when I am not prepared and a group of 20 (+) students are relying on my preparedness. I think we owe it to students to be at our best when teaching. When a teacher is happy and excited (and prepared) to teach a lesson, the students definitely feed off of that and in turn the lesson becomes fun. In saying all of that, I agree that coming to class prepared will help the lesson to be potentially fun.
DeleteFirst of all, the way the teacher treats the students, independent from the teaching itself, is very important. The teacher needs to make all students feel that they have the power to be successful. Second, the students need to receive reinforcement for what they do correctly and receive gentle guidance for what they need to do to correct their behavior. The way a teacher sets up and creates a lesson plan can either be a positive or negative experience for students. The focus needs to be on the students’ needs and abilities. The positive self-fulfilling prophecies will be seen in whether the teacher creates realistic goals for the students to reach and sets them up for success. Negative self-fulfilling prophecies are seen when the students are not given opportunities to succeed and learn.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog and I think you made some very good points. It is very important that we let our students know we want them to succeed and that they have the power to do so. I like what you said about the lesson plans need to be realistic goals for the students to reach. If they are unattainable goals, then you are basically setting your students up to fail and that is not the kind of teacher you should want to be. Very nice job!!
DeleteShannon, I really like how you said, "The teacher needs to make all students feel that they have the power to be successful." I agree and I don't think teachers should lower their expectations for any student regardless of the situation. I think that if a teacher lower the expectations she/he will also allow the student to miss opportunities.
DeleteI agree teachers should provide many opportunities for students to practice skills before they are assessed.
DeleteAlso, teachers with a positive attitude who treat students with kindness and respect create a classroom environment that promotes student success.
I think it is important to have an effective, organized, well thought out lesson plan in order for the teacher to be successful in teaching it. If the teacher feels confident about her lesson plan,then she will feel better at teaching it. Teachers should include the what ifs in their lesson plan. For example, what if Sue doesn't understand the lesson plan? What if Rob finishes early? How will I accommodate exceptional students? In doing this students will feel they are being treated equally and will result in positive behavior, hence having a better learning environment. A productive teacher will have more interested and willing students.
ReplyDeleteI agree teachers who think about the possible ways their students might require extra assistance will be ready to meet their needs. There will be times when a student throws you a curve ball. When this happens, teachers who are well organized will be able to think about what manipulative or alternate method may be helpful.
DeleteAs we've learned from this class, there are a lot of factors to being a successful teacher. Preparedness, Organization, Classroom management, Discpline and Compassion all work together to create a successful bond between teacher and student. All of these factors should work together to be the foundation of your classroom while lesson plans should be the daily motivation behind keeping the classroom running smoothly. In regards to the question, as best I understand it, The clear and focused organization of a lesson plan gives the students a better line to follow for success. I believe "success breeds success;" Therefore, when a teacher can positively and passionately implement the steps of a clear lesson plan, students feel more persuaded to complete assignments with positive attitudes and accuracy, giving them the self fulling belief of success in the future. The opposite is also true when the negative is present. Hence the importance of creating, implementing and following clear and positive lesson plans and daily routines.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Lesson Design is a critical component for the classroom. It lines the regulations lined out by the state, ie. standards. The design allows the teacher to think about the little things, like what the teacher should provide and what the students should already have and ready to use. The design allows the teachers to line out accommodations for those that need them. The accommodations would allow the students to perform the assignment or a similar assignment without bringing attention to the fact that there is a modification. Therefore the student feels included and as an equal to his or her peers.
ReplyDeleteMeagan, I think it's great that you addressed the importance of accommodations in lesson design. Sometimes I feel like I have a wonderful idea for a lesson, but forget to address potential gaps in my lesson. My lesson plan involved a mixer being used, and it wasn't until I got to the accommodation tab that I realized a loud mixer could send a student with autism over the edge. Being prepared and coming with a lesson plan allowed me to address potential situations before they arose.
DeleteLaynna, I agree with you about having the combination of aspects that create the effective teacher. I believe that the aspect of creating a safe and caring environment is most important. But, it is "wasted" if I come to class unprepared. My students may feel comfortable in my classroom, but what are they achieving? Educators must aspire to be proficient in all the aspects that promote student success. We all have our strengths, but we must diligently strive to be balanced to ensure we are creating the right environment for our students to succeed.
ReplyDeleteI think that when designing a lesson plan we have to take into consideration several things, such as ones personal enthusiasm, whether all the students have at least some concept of the subject, how we should teach it and what is needed in order for all of the students to understand what is being taught and leave with a sense of confidence in themselves. This in turn will have a positive effect on our confidence allowing us to pass along the confidence and enthusiasm to the students. For example last semester I had to teach a math lesson to the 3rd graders that included physical activity, I was so excited about the lesson and the activity that I didn’t realize I had taught the class longer then needed. When I asked the children to give me their opinion about it they said they liked that I played along with them and they wished that some of their teachers were as excited about teaching multiplications as I was. So, I think that the students will model whatever they see us doing and this will effect what they learn and how they act, not only in the classroom, but also also out in the community.
ReplyDeleteI agree, if we are excited about the lessons we present; students will mirror that enthusiasm. When we develop lesson we must thoughtfully anticipate how students will perceive our approach, our method, and how they will benefit from the practice provided. We must systematically lead students to achievement and mastery. Knowledge of our students will assist us in what and when we teach them.
DeleteWhen writing lesson plans it is important for the teacher to write objectives that are going to challenge the students academically. If the teacher expects they students to learn and master the concepts they will rise to the occasion. It is also important that the lesson plans be organized and that they teacher teaches the lesson smoothly and know what they are teaching. If the teacher expects the students to know the concepts and has confidence in them they will what to achieve more. Students live up to the expectations they are given. If there is any doubt or down time by the teacher in the lesson the students will pick up on that and become disruptive or get of task and lose focus. I feel like how the teacher presents and teaches the lesson is more important than the lesson itself. If the teacher teaches with enthusiasm and passion the students will pick up on that and stayed focused and try to achieve more as well. If the teacher is having a bad day or doesn't what to be there, they students will notice and think that if he/she doesn't want to be here than either do I. Students will perform however the teacher sets the tone for and part of that is the lesson plan and what it expects and demands from the students.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the objectives should challenge the students. Mastering concepts is important for their academic growth and it helps that the teacher is supporting them. I also believe that if you walk into that classroom on the first day of school expecting excellence out of them and expecting nothing less, you will have a group of students who are striving to achieve an academic standard that they have not been able to reach before.
DeleteWhile designing a lesson plan there are many things to keep in mind. Not all children learn the same. It is important to incorporate multiple medias and techniques that will help aide all learners to grasp the knowledge in a way that suits them the best. It is also very important to have goals and objectives. When you set goals, and the students know what goals are set then it gives them a sense of ownership and accomplishment. When they are told what they are going to be learning that day and what they should get out of it then they are able to prepare themselves to take in the most pertinent information. They are able to say hey, I understand what we were supposed to learn and can take pride in that. Lesson plans should be able to have adaptations available. You never know when a new student could walk in who may need a little extra help. All students should be able to learn in the least restrictive environment and have just as high expectations as other students do. The teacher is the one that sets the pace. They need to help motivate students to want to learn by making instruction fun, while having clear and concise expectations of the students!
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe that lesson plans correctly done can help increase the academic success that students will have. Just in creating this lesson plan alone, I put a lot of thought into every aspect of the lesson, so if I were to teach this, I would know exactly what I would be doing at each part of the lesson. The fact that lesson plans create goals for the students is very important also. I feel that if you express these goals to the students, they will strive to reach them. Knowing that you believe they can achieve a certain academic standard makes them feel like they can strive for more success academically and you want to help take them to the next level. The lesson plans keep you organized, and allow you to maintain control of the classroom, being prepared for all sorts of students. If they finish early, you have a plan, if they struggle to understand, you also have a plan. And having a clear grading scale will help students understand what you are looking for them to complete in their work, and helps them achieve a higher standard of excellence.
ReplyDeleteTaylor- I agree that having a clear grading scale will help the students understand what is being expected from them. I also agree that lesson plans should help create goals for the students!
ReplyDeleteLike most posts here, I also had to google search epistemological. The definition was not entirely clear, and I couldn't find the word in the index of any of the assigned books. I think I have an idea of what you were going for as a question though.
ReplyDeleteI believe lesson design and implementation thereof (Pedagogy), can contribute to positive AND negative Self-Fulfilling Prophecies for our students. For positive self-fulfilling prophesies, making a lesson plan can work out the potential kinks in a lesson before the lesson has even begun. Putting that much time into a lesson plan allows a teacher to foresee potential problems that students may have. It also allows the teacher to pre-plan out how they will go about the lesson, thus guaranteeing a well thought out lesson with potential barriers worked out ahead of time. The more prepared a teacher comes with a lesson, the more smooth the epistemological gap may be bridged. Students will have an easier time understanding the lesson, and the teacher will be prepared for questions, behavior issues, or adaptations.
On the other side of things, I can also see how the self-fulfilling prophesies of a lesson plan can be negative. If a teacher is very organized, the lesson goes smoothly, and a student still is having trouble learning what was taught or is acting out and disrupting the lesson it can probably bring about low self esteem for the student and frustration as a teacher. A teacher may ask, "I was so prepared. What went wrong?" I could personally see myself coming as prepared as I possibly could have been, and having a huge kink in my plan and beating myself up over something that was out of my hands. I have no idea if I am even on the right track in this line of thinking, but these were my initial thoughts in reading the question.
Morgan, I can totally relate! I beat myself up when things aren't perfect. I was on facebook the other day and on a friend's post it said, "Don't be afraid to be a beginner." Such good advice--we want to be as prepared as possible but when problems arise just remember we are learning how to teach!
DeleteAlong with most I also had to look up what Epistemological belief meant. What I took it to mean in the form of creating a lesson plan is that we need to create a lesson plan that can meet the needs of all our students. There should be something for all types of learners. There are many different cultures to think about, whether a student is a visual, auditory or kinesthetic. There are many things to think about when we create our lessons. We also need to make sure we are challenging the students so they enjoy learning. The more organized a teacher is the better they can teach their students. Not all lessons will be fun for students, so we just need to do the best we can with those.
ReplyDeletePreparing well written lesson plans not only allows the teacher to think ahead of how to make the lesson go smoothly and achieve optimum results, it also allows students to observe how prepared the teacher in for the lesson. Students can easily sense how prepared and ready a teacher is, and if the teacher does not show confidence and knowledge on a subject, students are apt to sense this as well. By preparing a lesson, a teacher is able to look at what each child is going to need, what is going to work for children with different needs and what will be successful and challenging at the same time for students.
ReplyDeleteI agree that students can easily sense if a teacher is not confident in what they are teaching. It is important, as an educator, to be knowledgeable on what you are teaching your students. Being prepared is key to keeping the students engaged in the lesson and also with classroom management.
DeleteHi Nicole,
DeleteStudents can definitely see when a teacher isn't prepared or isn't really enthusiastic about what they are teaching. It makes them not want to really care, either. If a teacher is excited about a topic, that comes across to the students, which makes them more excited to learn. Teachers need to plan lessons and activities that not only challenge the students, but also allows them to learn while having a bit of fun!
Becoming familiar with the term Epistemological belief took more than a couple of minutes. Once I felt I understood it however it made sense. The learning process for the student has to be about more than the memorization of facts and figures. The ability to differentiate between “how” things become to be and the fact that they “be” is in my opinion taken for granted often by both the student and the educator. The ability to internalize and invest in the information being learned creates a more holistic quality to education. As educators it is our duty to present not only the material to be learned by the student, but to identify and implement dedicated methods that allow the student to benefit from the entire learning process. We do this by structuring our lessons so that the student doesn’t simply learn a math equation, but learns to understand how that equation is to be true. Like the previous assignment focusing on Holly Thornton’s article on dispositions that touched on the educators ability to impart the more intangible aspects of learning, with properly structured lesson designs we are teaching our students not only what they are learning, but how to learn. In my opinion this is how we teach students to be students rather than merely parrots of information. The progression of their educational careers will become more beneficial in the long term the better educators are at integrating an epistemological approach in their lesson designs.
ReplyDeleteLike so many others here, I did have to Google to see what was meant by epistemological beliefs. If I understood correctly, it means how you acquire knowledge. I think that, in writing lesson plans and assignments, we have to keep in mind that not every student is going to learn in exactly the same way. While we can’t write lesson plans around each individual student, we have to make sure that all students get the most that they can from the lesson. Teachers need to have other exercises or activities that they children can do to enhance their learning, as well. Lessons and activities need to excite the students about the topic, not bore them to death. They need to be excited to learn. If the teacher is excited to teach, that comes through in planning lessons, which them comes through to the students. Lesson plans also need to be written with high expectations in mind, but not so high that they aren’t achievable. We want the students to do their best, but we definitely don’t want to discourage them to the point that they give up. Teachers must be willing to do what needs to be done for all of their students. We all want for the students to succeed, and it is our mission to do that by making a positive learning environment!
ReplyDelete