Seven
Description: Hands and Fingers Working Together
Image copyright: http://www.literacyta.com/school-wide/teacher-resources
http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/them.php
Summary: Students learn better from thematic, interdisciplinary instruction -- themes are a way of understanding new concepts and provide mental organizing schemes. (Focus on Effectiveness, 2005) The theme will help learners understand the subject being taught, relate to the subject, create resources and develop questions and answers to support the theme with subject.
Reflection: This learning experience can make a great impact in a class room that is learning history. For example: the theme would be The Civil War, the learners could do a report that would explain who was involved in the war, why were they fighting the war, when did the war take place, what was the cause of the war, where was the war held, who was the president during the time of the war, what were the results of the war, how did the war impact society, etc. Theme learning can be used in English; the learners could find word that are compound, suffix, prefixed, etc. This new concept can be used throughout the lesson plan in any grade level to create thinking and strengthening knowledge.
2. Identifying Similarities and Differences
http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/iden.php
Summary: Learning to classify and discern differences and similarities prepares students for employing metaphor, analogy, and higher-order thinking skills. (Focus on Effectiveness, 2005) The process of comparing two objects gives the learner a chance to realize the things that make them similar to each other and different from each other. Understanding those processes can help a leaner make a connection to the lesson that is being taught on the subject matter.
Reflection: This learning experience can make a great impact in a Science classroom. The lesson plan in Science often teaches a few items at a time, asking a student about the material that make up the item and learning those different chemicals can be confusing. An easy way to eliminate the confusion between two objects is to break down the similarities and differences between things to make it relatable to the learner. For example if the teacher is teaching about liquids, compare liquid soap and a glass of milk. The learners can analyze the look, how they pour, and what makes up the structure.
3. Summarizing and Note Taking
http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/summ.php
Summary: Effective summarizing requires analysis that leads to deeper understanding. Students benefit from taking notes in both linguistic and visual forms. (Focus on Effectiveness, 2005) The learner will develop a sense of recalling the information when summarizing and note taking are done by the learner.
Reflection: The learning experience where this strategy had made an impact was demonstrated with me. As a returned student, now a learner, to the class room it was a task getting back into the groove of learning information from an instructor. The note taking process that I developed was a combination of writing and recording. In note taking I have the opportunity to underline those specific areas that I should focus on for future testing. The recorder was use to double check details that might have been left out of my note taking. This strategy has proven itself to me as a workable resource.
4. Reinforcing Effort
http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/rein.php
Summary: Student attitudes and beliefs have a significant effect on success in school. Achievement can increase when teachers show the connection between effort and success. (Focus on Effectiveness, 2005) The learner will recognize the human side of a teacher when the teacher shows a little interest in their life. Once the teacher recognizes that there could be outside challenges that block the learner’s ability; it is very important that the teacher address the matter then encourage the learner to be successful.
Reflection: The learning experience where this strategy had made an impact was demonstrated with me. I am a working mom, with a full plate: family, church, work and school. My parents are elderly, my children are semi-adults and I have a husband. If any of those factors are disturbed it effects me. A few days ago, I was in the hospital with a love one and the care I had to give prevented me from giving attention to my assignment. However, the human side of my instructor knew that this was not my normal behavior and understood my circumstance by allowing me some additional time to get the job she knows I can do, done. This act of kindness has created a teacher-learner understanding that things can happen, take care of your family, regain focus and complete your assignment. My instructor allowed me to make the effort to receive a successful grade.
5. Homework and Practice
http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/home.php
Summary: Homework can increase student understanding when assignments provide the opportunities needed to practice and apply new learning. (Focus on Effectiveness, 2005) As a returning student to the educational setting I needed as much practice and homework as I could handle with some of the subjects that I did not understand. These words, “homework and practice” go hand in hand for learners and the process should never end. The bottom line of homework is another way of tracking the learner to see if he/she understands the subject.
Reflection: The learning experience where this strategy had made an impact was demonstrated with me. I take pride in getting my homework checked by my instructor. It is my signal to let me know the areas I need to focus on with more practice, study and homework. This mechanism was also the way I communicated with the progress of my children when they attending elementary and secondary school. When homework is checked in the correct fashion it can benefit the learner in knowing how they interpret the class. Practice, which is repeating, is another method to help a learner remember keys facts about the subject and be successful during test producing an exceptional grade for the course.
6. Nonlinguistic Representation
http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/nonl.php
Summary: We store knowledge in two forms: linguistic and nonlinguistic. The more students use both systems, the better they are able to think about and recall knowledge. (Focus on Effectiveness, 2005) Learners who are visual, imaginary or vocal will enjoy creating the understanding of the subject through art, photograph, dramatizations or computer simulation gain knowledge by relating the subject. The learner is bringing the subject to life.
Reflection: The learning experience where this strategy had made an impact was demonstrated with me when I took to course in Public Speaking. I am a visual learner and when the instructor gave us to bring props to class to demonstrate some speaking methods; I quickly understood what she was teaching us. Reading the assignment is not the only way of learning and sometimes a prop, play, a piece of art or computer simulation can make things easier to comprehend. Learning in this manner can create avenues of other questions and answers promoting deeper thinking and understanding.
7. Cooperative Grouping
http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/coop.php
Summary: Grouping can promote student learning and build interpersonal skills when done wisely and support structures are in place. (Focus on Effectiveness, 2005) Basically, learners are learning by asking questions of one another to accomplish the goal of completing a task.
Reflection: The learning experience where this strategy had made an impact was demonstrated when I began my educational career at Fontbonne. Grouping was a way that instructors broke down their lesson to give the entire class a better understanding of the subject. When I arrived at Fontbonne, I knew no one and this method was the best way for me to get to know classmates, the strengths and weakness of classmates, who did their best and took Fontbonne serious and those who attended just to waste time. Over time, Fontbonne stopped this process and gave the student the option of grouping but the overall impact of groups has given me good friends, sharpen my skills, allowed me to help others strengthen their skills and produce some excellent grades.
