Mrs. Ragland’s 4th Grade Class Blog

Learning Theories0

Learning theories are not something that I think about everyday. I had not really thought a great deal about names like Vgotsky or Bruner in quite a while. However when I refreshed my memory lately for an assignment, I realized how closely I am tied to these and other famous theorists. I researched the theory of Social Constructivism. I agree a lot with it. The theory basically says that children learn through discovery and interacting linguistically with other children. Prior knowledge plays a large role in this theory. Students base new knowledge on knowledge they already have on a certain subject. To me, one of the strongest aspects of this theory is how students learn based on their language and being social with other children. I see that as such an advantage to both low and high achievers. The low can be helped by the higher and the higher benefit by being able to share and “teach” what they know to the lower. Having observed these things first-hand I find that this theory actually does hold true.

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Definition of Learning0

Recently, in our technology class, we were instructed to think about our own personal definition of the word “learning”. In my mind, this was a relatively simple thing to do. However, as I contemplated this assignment, and as I read my classmates’ assignments, my ideas changed somewhat. At first, I felt like learning was just acquiring new knowledge. Simple enough. People learn in different styles and at different rates. Then, I had to address the question of prior knowledge. What part does that play? In my mind, it plays a large part. In my experiences, I have seen children so puzzled at the things that we as adults take for granted. If a child (or adult) has no idea or prior knowledge of the subject matter you are attempting to teach, it does you very little good to try and build on that concept. However, when students do have an experience with something prior, they very quickly make a connection with what you are teaching. Students build on their prior knowledge, or schema, and attach new learning to it. Another great term I thought about this during this assignment was synthesizing or applying new knowledge. I believe that in order to have truly learned something, A student should be able to apply it in an appropriate situation. Using the newly learned language proves to oneself and to an audience, or teacher, that actual learning has taken place. There was some thought given to the short term learning and long term learning. I think probably most teachers would agree, we have all learned and taught to the short term memory. For the best results and to actually learn, the student needs to hear it, see it, touch it, smell it, taste it, write it, manipulate it, draw it, create it, color it, cut it, talk about it, sing about it, dance about it, observe it, read about it, write about it, rewrite about it, publish it, answer questions about it and apply it to a new situation. Then perhaps, one can say they have truly learned.

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Implementing “Best Practices” in My Classroom0

Recently, I read the book Best Practice. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I am already implementing many of the practices that these experts consider valuable to children. The one practice in science that I am the most excited about this year is to conduct more hands-on investigations in the classroom. This is my first year to teach science only. In the previous years I have split my instructional time between science and social studies. My students are so highly motivated about science. They get so excited whenever we have anything to actually manipulate with our hands. Our school became an AMSTI school this year (Alabama, Math, Science and Technology Initiative). That means as part of our science and math curriculum, we actually receive prepackaged kits from Jefferson County with the help of UAB that contain multiple hands-on activities for science and math classes. Children are given materials and allowed to discover, investigate and inquire until they reach an understanding. As a teacher, I am especially excited about this opportunity because of the number of items each child gets to actually manipulate, hold, touch, feel, build, construct… Even when teachers do investigations, we often don’t have enough for each child due to the expense and availability of materials. Another huge benefit to allowing students to learn by inquiry is that students learn to communicate with their classmates and cooperative group members about what they are learning. When students are placed in cooperative learning groups, they come to a new understanding about how every person learns differently and at different rates.

I am very excited about the AMSTI opportunity we are having at our school and I am equally excited to see that at our school, we are practicing “Best Practices” for the best students!

Best Practice, Third Edition, by Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde (Heinemann:Portsmouth, NH;) 2005.