Chapter 3: Learning and Transfer (b)

Motivation to Learn (60)

“Social opportunities also affect motivation. Feeling that one is contributing something to others appears to be especially motivating (61).”

With the exception of journal entries, I always ask for volunteers to read their poems or paragraphs in front of the class. When my students wrote Cinquain Poems in Composition II and Chorus, they were so proud of their work when I posted it in my classroom. I noticed that some of them patted each other on the back for a job well done.

“Learners of all ages are more motivated when they can see the usefulness of what they are learning and when they can use that information to do something that has an impact on others—especially their local community (61).”

McComs, Pintrinch, and Schunk 1996

When I read this statement, I immediately thought of NDHS’s Annual Songfest/Family Night. Songfest is the school’s biggest event. It is a tradition which calls for each class to compose an original song about their lives at Notre Dame. Students create everything for the event…the song, choreography, and props. At the end of the evening, parents and guardians witness what their children are learning at Notre Dame. They are developing their writing skills (lyrics), collaborative skills (learning about leadership in history and government classes), math skills (the value of a beat in the song), and music and physical skills (harmonizing and choreography).

The public is invited to this annual event, and every year it moves and does create an impact on those who attend. Every year I am proud of my students and all that they do to make use of what we teach them.

Chapter 3: Learning and Transfer (a)

Time to Learn (56)

“Attempts to cover too many topics too quickly may hinder learning and subsequent transfer because students (a) learn only isolated sets of facts that are not organized and connected or (b) are introduced to organizing principles that they cannot grasp because they lack enough specific knowledge to make them meaningful (58).”

I am guilty of trying my best to pack in so much information whenever classes are shortened. I love Block Scheduling at NDHS because of the 80-minute and 100-minute class sessions; however, when classes are shortened, the bell is my enemy…at times. I feel that if I do not go over the last couple of vocabulary words before the bell rings, they will be cheated out of information. What I must understand is that making concepts more meaningful for them is more important than the number of concepts I introduce.

Also, I interpreted this statement above as overbearing their memory with too many concepts may discourage them from getting interested in the next lesson.

Chapter 2: How Experts Differ from Novices (a)

Principle #3

“Experts’ knowledge cannot be reduced to sets of isolated facts or propositions but, instead, reflects contexts of applicability: that is, the knowledge is “conditionalized” on a set of circumstances (31).”

As a Composition II teacher, my role is to prepare sophomores for research writing. I have spent a great deal of time searching for creative lesson plans via the internet, building my creativity, and listening to veteran English composition teachers to ensure that I do not make the semester long course a “boring” one for my students. Fall 2006 was my first time teaching this course. While it was challenging, I have learned a great deal about my teaching style and the wants and needs of my first semester students. My biggest challenge: how do I get my students excited about writing their lengthy research paper which is due at the end of semester? Even more, how will research writing be applicable to the world they will conquer soon?

Yes, it is all about application. I always tell my students that even though they may not be future research writers or doctors who write lengthy medical journals, they may be future law enforcement officials who will need to write an investigative report that may save people’s lives. The reader of that report must understand what is going on in the investigation. Therefore, the report must be written well.

Most especially, writing is a skill that one must have for almost every profession. Nowadays, summer trainees may be required to write memorandums to employees of the company. (I know I did.) Also, even writing a simple phone message at home needs to convey the intended message to the receiver.

My first class sessions are spent reviewing the Eight Parts of Speech. Then, I delve into writing the Five Paragraphs. For every paragraph, I try to engage my students into an activity that will make them enjoy writing the paragraph. The Expository Paragraph was a hit last semester because I allowed my students to bring in the result of their paragraph which “explains a process”. We gained about five to ten pounds that week because everyone brought in their food dishes. Of course, they had to explain their process by reading their paragraphs to the class. So, this paragraph segued into the Demonstrative Paragraph. And yes, more pounds were added to our hips.

What sparked this activity, I think, may have been my mention of the famous chef Emeril as I introduced the Expository Paragraph. I told my students that either he or his writer had to have explained a process down on paper first.

Lesgold (1984) and Simon (1980) suggest that “one way to help students learn about conditions of applicability is to assign word problems that require students to use appropriate concepts and formulas (43).” I have helped my students to learn “when, where, and why to use this knowledge they are learning” about Expository Paragraphs.

In essence, I support the third principle of experts’ knowledge.

Chapter 2: How Experts Differ from Novices (b)

Principle #6

“Experts have varying levels of flexibility in their approach to new situations (31).”

“(Virtuoso experts) view assignments as opportunities to explore and expand their current levels of expertise (46).”

“Adaptive experts are able to approach new situations flexibly and to learn throughout their lifetimes…They don’t simply attempt to do the same things more efficiently; they attempt to do things better.”

I can relate to this principle. I always want to get better at what I do for my students’ sake. Maybe for my sake, as well, so that I do not get into that same routine, which will make me dread going into the classroom. In comparison to my students eight years ago, I find that the Y2K generation needs to be stimulated and challenged even more. They know more about the latest websites and technological devices than I do. I must make every attempt to keep ahead of them so that I can steer them into using the new technologies in a more constructive and stimulating way.

My new approach in my Chorus class is to try to bring in a local artist to share his or her talent with my students. This new approach has made my students more enthused about singing. When I have asked them to respond to the presentations in essay form, many of them are appreciative of the guest singer’s presence. I find that my students are more motivated to develop their talents in class and with the wider community after they have met a local artist. I attempt to find ways for students to appreciate the Fine Arts, most especially at the local level. (I must admit that it is somewhat difficult getting local musicians into the classroom because they have other full-time jobs as well.)

Chaper 1: From Speculation to Science (2)

“Schools and classrooms must be learner centered.”

I need to cultivate this attribute of learning environments that Chapter 1 has introduced. I need to stop sounding like a commander: “I need you to practice this music piece and memorize it.” “I will be introducing this new song to you.” “I am requiring you to take a survey of your family’s music tastes.” Rather, the chapter recommends that we, as “learner-centered teachers”, present material that is “challenging enough to maintain engagement, but not so difficult as to lead to discouragement.” My approach should change to “You will be practicing this music piece so that you may share your talents with the wider community. Hopefully, you will inspire someone at our performance to spread your message of peace.” I now realize that I hardly share or explain further, my objectives for each lesson. While the objectives are stated in my syllabus or in my lesson plan book, I fail to make my students understand why they do such activities or learn specific types of music. Also, I need to ask for feedback—what music they are interested in nowadays and if a particular music piece worked for them or not.

In addition to designing the classroom environment as “learner-centered”, chapter 1 presents another attribute of the learning environment which I support as well. This attribute “to provide a knowledge-centered classroom environment, attention must be given to what is taught, why it is taught, and what competence or mastery looks like,” will definitely be in my mind every time I begin a new lesson. This attribute will remind me that I must maintain a “learning with understanding” mindset to ensure that my students are able to understand and apply the lesson at hand when they leave the classroom.

I am always open to new approaches and ways to improve my delivery in the classroom. Why? I, along with my fellow colleagues, need to "develop ways to link classroom learning to other aspects of students' lives."

Chapter 1: From Speculation to Science (1)

Thankfully, I am not the same teacher I was 9 ½ years ago. I am amazed at how teaching strategies have changed throughout the years. Thank goodness it has. Interestingly, I have made a connection with the author’s statement that “the teacher must actively inquire into students’ thinking, creating classroom tasks and conditions under which students thinking can be revealed.” I can clearly remember the very first time I announced to my Chorus class that I will administer its first test of the quarter. They were shocked! “A test? I thought Chorus was supposed to be fun,” ‘Mary’ said. I now understand (nine years later) that a test really made her think twice about why she chose to be in my class. My reply, “I need to make sure that you memorize all the music terms” may have been suffice to make her want to stay in Chorus; however, when I think about that statement now, I did not make her completely understand my reason for that particular assessment. She was my “empty vessel” whom I felt compelled to fill…immediately. Yes, “the roles for assessment must be expanded beyond the traditional concept of testing (19).”

First blog

Hafa adai! I look forward to a great semester in ED 630.