Understanding Each Other

How People Learn

Using Basic Learning Theory to Enhance Your Teaching

When You Walk Into a School or Classroom Sights Sounds Smells Interactions

All tell you something about the way the teacher works.

It’s not unlike walking into a business or a restaurant.

The Physical Environment Seating Arrangement (Theirs and Yours) What Decorates the Walls Lighting Plants, animals, minerals, artifacts,

equipment, other stuff Learning Stations Compensations for Poor Space

The giant mural

The Issue is Reflection

The effective teacher is always intentional. Don’t let the conditions control you –

control the conditions as best you can. He/She asks how will this physical

environment effect my students? Does this seating arrangement stress

order, allow for activities, create community?

What is Teaching?

A Transformative Process

In teaching we get people together to learn.

From tutoring to large lecture, both student and teacher learn from the teaching process.

Teaching Provides

Content Skills Support

The Teacher Considers

The Learner The Curriculum

The Environment

Learning StyleDevelopmentAbilityMotivation

ContentSkillsSupport

SchoolCommunityExpectationsResources

What do we mean by “teaching methods”?

Underlying Principles Caring Consideration Positive Approach to Student

Potential Honesty Clarity and Fairness GRACE For Christian Teachers, Displaying

the “Fruit of the Spirit” is vital

Learning Theory Disclaimer

Many learning theorists have worked hard and discovered patterns of teaching and learning that are worthy of study. This does not mean that we accept or reject them without reflection upon our Christian perspective.

Some Theory

B.F. Skinner – Behaviorism Outcome-Based Education Systems Theory

Knowledge Construction Transformational Teaching

Behaviorism

B.F. Skinner Dominated American Education Humans are just a bundle of stimulus-

response Some important things were developed.

Behavioral Objectives Shaping – Breaking a task into components.

Systems Theoryand Outcome-Based Education

The behavioral model

Inputs Outputs (Outcomes)

In cognitive learning approaches the evidence seems to indicate that there is much more going on inside the learner.

Learner

Systems Theoryand Outcome-Based Education

The cognitive model

Inputs Outputs (Outcomes)

This makes sense if you study developmental psychology but in its extreme (humanistic) form the learner becomes the arbiter of all truth. While we must be very careful here, we must consider the learner’s individual traits and prior knowledge. Jesus did this without compromising his message.

Complex Processes Within the

Learner

The Learner – Modalities / Styles

Auditory Visual Kinesthetic

Interactive Intra-active

The Learner - Domains

Cognitive Affective Psycho-Motor

The Learner

Knowledge Construction The Zone of Proximal Development Scaffolding

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

Teaching Methods

The Lesson Plan

A detailed plan for a single lesson, usually 20-50 minutes long depending on the level of the students.

Lesson vs. Activity

The Plan

Lesson Plans are designed to help us deliver needed information, skills, understandings, feelings, and perspective to our learners.

This is how we teach them. This is how we empower them. UNDERSTANDING is power.

How One Begins Makes All the Difference How things look How relaxed, warm, ready you are

How well you have planned What happens first The first things you say and do

Dead Poets Society The tone of the “pep talk” Pygmalion

Elements of the Lesson PlanMadeline Hunter

1. Specific Objective(s) based on previous Diagnosis and learner traits.

2. Anticipatory Set which helps students Perceive the Lesson Purpose

3. Learning Activities /Opportunities4. Modeling5. Check for Understanding (usually through)

Guided Practice6. Independent Practice (also known as

homework)

Presentation Skills “Teaching is more than telling.”

Even though clarity is basic it will not sustain you or your students.

Getting and holding students attention depends on certain things that you can develop and improve

Presentation Skills

Beginning / introduction Transitions Presentation skills Closure

The Skills Enthusiasm Clarity Smooth Transitions

Make every detail clear – where we go, what we do, how we do it. - Procedures

Timing Variation Interaction

Discussions, feedback, informal assessment Active, authentic learning experiences

Direct Instruction and “Chunking”

Alternation of Instruction / Reflection Rule of Thumb – One minute of direct

instruction for each year of age.

Discussion Strategies

Each has a slightly different purpose. Discussions must be planned not a

substitute for a planned lesson. Facilitating discussions is an art and a

science

Types of Discussions Problem –solving Group Investigations Critical Thinking Observation Skills Comparison Skills Classification Skills Identifying Assumptions Socratic Dialogues Creative Thinking

Imagination/inventiveness Pre-writing

Multiple Intelligences

Teaching Strategies for Authentic Teaching and

Learning

Components of Authentic Learning

Content Process Product An Effective Planning Format

Discovery Learning

Students learn best by doing Associated with open classrooms Real familiar and unfamiliar materials

used as manipulatives Often problem-solving approach

How do you make green paint?

Inquiry Training

Teaching students how to ask questions and carry out research

Critical thinking approach Questions and hypotheses

What happens if you drop raisins into water?

Role Playing Problem or dilemma Roles and techniques must be taught

to a great degree Getting into and “living” the role Choose role players carefully Students can expand their

understanding of the issue Cognitive and affective goals

Simulation Like a roleplay but more “gamelike”

Rules, tokens, time limits Monopoly, Risk, The Game of Life

Simulation kits available Zoo, Dinosaur, King Lexicon, Shopping Spree,

Classroom City, etc. City building

Stevens Co-op School Bank Street – City Country

Software – SimCity – loadsoft.narod.ru/games/city

Contracts for independent Learning

Good way to accommodate enrichment or honors goals

Group Rotations Using Learning Centers

Manipulatives Computers Instructions / worksheets Experiments Sign-up schedule

Cooperative Learning Strategies

Learning Teams Cooperative Learning of Basic Skills Cooperative Learning in Science Literary Groups Peacemaking Groups Balancing Groups

Heterogeneous grouping