For this lesson we focused on nothing but ourselves. We were asked about our strengths and our weaknesses. The strengths were harder to come up with than the weaknesses to me, but overall I enjoyed this lesson.
EDUC 2130 – Lesson 6 – Learners and Learning Needs
Four questions about your own learning
Think of something you are good at – something which you know you do well. (This may be an academic subject, but equally could be a hobby or skill – in short, anything at all that you’re good at). Describe how you became good at this.
I’m pretty decent at art, like drawing and painting things. When I was younger, my Granny and Mama would draw stuff all the time for me and I would try to copy them. So I guess from me trying to draw when I was younger made me a good drawer today. In high school, I had four art classes and I practiced every day with drawing and painting. Really, practice is what makes you good at whatever it is you’re good at.
Think of something you feel positive about – something which you like about yourself. This could be anything about yourself which tends to make you proud. Discuss how you know that you can be proud of this – in other words, upon what evidence is this positive feeling based?
One thing that I like about myself is how I tend to see the good in others before I ever think about seeing the bad. I’m known to give way too many second chances to people just because I think that there is something in them that is better than what they are putting out for the whole world to see. I think that no matter how much a person has done that is terrible, there’s something, somewhere inside of them, that’s good. This is something that I like about myself. I’d have to say, it is kind of dangerous for myself thinking this, also. I say this because I’d be willing to give multiple chances to people no matter how many times they could hurt me, even when they don’t deserve it.
Think of something which you don’t do well. This could be the result of an unsuccessful learning experience, maybe long ago or maybe recently. Discuss each of the following: what went wrong, do you think, in your learning relating to this thing you do not do well? And who, if anyone, might have been to blame for this?
Speaking in front of crowds is a huge weakness of mine. There’s a difference in speaking in front of elementary children, than there is high school kids. (Hints of why I’m going to be an elementary teacher). I’ve never been the one to enjoy getting up and giving speeches in class. For some people, it comes naturally and doesn’t bother them a bit, and then with others, it’s the total opposite. It’s like a deer in head lights look, which would be me. I don’t like to be put on the spot. If I’m in class, in my seat, I won’t mind asking a thing or two about something if I need help, it’s just when I get put on the spot, is when I get nervous. Sometimes I do well, most the time, I do not. The only person I can blame for this is myself and my some-what shyness.
Think of something you can indeed do well, but that you didn’t want to learn at the time you learned it. This could be something ‘driving’, ‘swimming’, ‘cooking’, or, equally, it could relate to a particular area of academic study – perhaps ‘statistics’ or ‘economics’ and so on. Whatever it is, you’re probably pleased now that you succeeded with it – it’s likely to be useful to you now. Discuss what kept you going, so that you did indeed succeed in this particular episode of learning.
I had a home economics class in high school that involved mainly cooking and sewing. At the time, I really didn’t want to go and be a part in that class, mainly because I was in high school and I was lazy in classes that weren’t my academic classes. The things that we learned in that class ended up being fun and very useful for today, so I’m glad I stuck with the class and didn’t try to get out of it. One of the main reasons why I stuck with it is because, number one, my friends were in there and I knew they were staying, and number two, I loved the teacher.
Summary
I enjoyed this lesson because it gave me time to actually think about myself and the way I’ve learned and what I’ve learned, and most don’t think about it. I think that everyone has something that just comes naturally to them, like drawing for me, and math (which I didn’t mention as something I’m good at). But then there are also those things that we’re not so good at, that we have to try harder to achieve. There’s also those lessons that none of us want to do at the time that we have to learn it, but are so pleased now with ourselves, and thankful, that we learned it when we did.
Research Question
How can teachers motivate their students to do something even when the students don’t want to?
Reference(s): http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/current/teaching/motivating
Research Analysis
Teachers should know each of their students’ names and use them as often as possible. Build relationships with your students and know both their strengths and their weaknesses. Teachers need to praise them for their strengths, and also help them strengthen their weaknesses. Teachers need to make themselves available before, during break, and after class in case a student needs help. Students who know that their teachers are there for them, it will encourage and motivate them to do better in school.
Rearranging the room in a way that the students can see each other, making them easier to interact with one another, will also help with motivation. Make sure you get your students involved when doing a lecture. Ask them questions and relate your lessons to their lives and society today. Smiling, moving around the room, making eye contact, and providing the students some opportunities to make comments and ask questions will make students feel like they are involved in the lesson that’s being taught, and will make them more motivated in learning.
Research Summary
The ideas that are stated above from my research question are great ideas for all future teachers to use when trying to motivate and involve their students in the classroom activity. All students should feel like they are a part of their classroom at all times. No student needs to feel as if they are not wanted in a classroom, and no one should ever feel left out. We should motivate and treat each student the same as the previous student we just talked to.