STL - 2

STL

Teaching Styles

I know that we talked in class the other day about all the different learning styles - I thought it was interesting to see all the different teaching styles - especially as me, Jess, and Amanda were teaching yesterday. It's interesting because I think each person taught the same way they learn. I can see Amanda learning in a very direct way - lectures, notes, slides, etc. While Jess on the other hand, I see him as a very hands on, visual, experience type learner. I am somewhere in the middle I think - very much a inquiry based learner - questions are key. As I was thinking about how it went and the differences it hit me that we probably tend to teach the same way we learn since that is what makes sense to us. I think one of the challenges of teaching then, is to learn how to teach in a way that doesn't make any sense to you, but helps someone else.

Oak Canyon

Today I went with Rachel and observed at Oak Canyon Jr. High School. I actually thought it was a better-than-usual expereince because we got to see a student teach teach the kids. The kids were pretty rowdy - what's new with 12-13 yr olds? - but I thought she did an okay job handling them. There were a few things I would have done differently. She had the kids do this big activity where they listed how many times they had been on different forms of transportation - it took like 12 minutes - all to just introduce cars . . . I think that there is probably a better way of introducing that - a more time effective way. I also was really taken back as they were talking about cars and a kid (one of the more rowdy boys) rose his hand and said: "I know a ton about carburettors." Rather than taking that chance to involve the kid and let him tell what he knew the student teacher responded with: "Do you want to write a report on it?" Well that took the kid by surprise and he said: "I don't write reports I usually let others do it and then write my name on it." Instead of trying to right the situation the student teacher apparently felt the need to 'show her power/authority' and she said: "Well I'll keep that in mind on the next paper you write." Come on lady - the kid is 13 and you're having a totally pointless argument with him - I was not very impressed with the whole things needless to say. I think that a much better approach would have been to help the kid feel involved, to let him share what he knew - sure it doesn't follow your lesson plan exactly, but it saves all that embarrassment - and isn't this all about teaching kids anyway? Who cares if you make it through all your material?

Learning

I never thought I would actually take a class where you learn how to learn. And despite the darkness of the classroom earlier, the lack of movement, and the absence of any 'hands-on activity' I actually really enjoyed the class earlier today. I am really into things like the color code, the 5 love-languages, etc. I think systems that place people in different groups are so interesting (I actually originally thought about being a philosophy psychology major) and so class today was pretty sweet.

I decided to put it all to the test. I am getting a new district here at the MTC in a few days and I'm going to try some new ways of teaching. Due to some interesting circumstances at the MTC my co-teacher won't speak Tagalog so I will be solely in charge of language while she handles the doctrine, etc. Because I will be doing solely language activities Im going to try using different intelligences each day to teach the language to my missionaries. I think it will be interesting to see how they react, and who learns in what way.

I know for me that I am very much a visual learner - if I can see something I can usually figure it out, but I really think that all of us are many different intelligences - thus in my opinion the most effective teaching would be one that would somehow involve many intelligences.

I'll keep ya in touch . . .

Dixon Middle / Jr High School

Well the first thing we noticed as we pulled up to the school was that the sign out on the road read "Dixon Middle School" and the sign above the entrance read "Dixon Junior High School" - an interesting discrepancy. Age - this school was old and the sign above the entrance was obviously over 30 years old. Great, I thought, this place is as trashy as the Junior High I went to - gonna be a whole lot of technology here. . .

We entered Mr. Warble's Manufacturing class and were simply told that we could, watch, participate, or do whatever else we wanted to. The class was given 15 minutes of very basic instruction on how to make paper rockets and attach the fins and then they were turned loose. We circled around helping the kids who weren't listening to attach their fins the right way.

It was fun - honestly - it was. I was surprised at how quickly the time went, and how good some of the kids were at the assignment. I think it would be a fun class to teach - a very 'hands on' class. Oh yeah, and about the whole technology bit - the shop was only half of Mr. Warble's room - the other half was a computer lab with about 40 brand new mac's. Looks can be deceiving.

Mind Tools

Personally I thought that the mind tool that I presented in class was pretty sweet. Will I use it, probably not in the long run, but at the moment I am using it and I think it is interesting to see where all my time goes. My favorite mind tool that was presented was Illustrator - what a sweet program that is. I am noticing more and more the mind tools that we use everywhere - it's all about just doing things for us (not because we can't do them, but because there are more effective things we could do) so that we can use our time/tools to be more productive. I was thinking about it the other day - even little things like the kronos I use to clock in at work is a mindtool - not that I can't keep track of my own hours or anything because I can - but, it's so much more effective for a computer to keep track of those things then all I need to do is learn what codes to type in so that I can see the totals. As I've gotten more and more into corporate identities for people I have tried to set up more and more mindtools that will make it easier for me to do them. I used Illustrator to set up a contract that I can simply change for each client, I use bridge to help me keep track of all my pictures, etc.

Technology Teaching

We were given the assignment today to define "Technology" "Technology Education" and "Technology Teaching," I liked the definitions we came up, but what I want to comment on here is Technology teaching. I have had many different experiences teaching (the MTC, EFY, etc.) and I have come to a firm conviction that a truly effective teacher not only shows a student something, but creates a desire in that student to learn more. A teacher is someone who can teach someone something that will enable them to learn more - but not just that, the teacher presents it in such a way that the student becomes interested enough to take those tools and learn more on their own. I think that technology education is the epitome of this since everything we teach is constantly changing, and used to enhance or further our knowledge.

20 Stick Game

I liked how Geoff talked about breaking hard things up into small pieces today. I just received a new calling in my ward and I have been feeling a little in over my head. I think that at times the Lord gives us just enough so that we feel overwhelmed and will rely on Him. Too often I don't take the time to break my huge decisions, trials, assignments, etc. into smaller pieces and simply focus on winning the small battle or accomplishing the small task.

I also thought it was pertinent that we talked about reflection and the fact that true reflection is not just reliving what happened but changing as a result of it. I think of TTE 125, or 225 and all the things I learned and then promptly forgot, or simply didn't use. I think my resolution this semester is to actually put into practice the things that I learn and not allow them to just pass through me.