Sea of Green Life

     This picture shows us going on a winter walk during our first 6 months. Uffda. That was a long time ago. We are just about to head into our 4th winter. That first one, it was a doozy, with a steep learning curve. Small kid and I miss that first year though because we had to get outside and do stuff. One, it was all new and we wanted to explore, two with barely functioning heating system, it was easier to get dressed and go outside than to make your body happy at 60 with no coat.       We also had to snowmobile in and out of the house to our cars, which was super cool. We picked the best spot to use our downhill skis on the driveway and towed kids back up with the snowmobile. Hubby got me a pair of skis that work like snowshoes (pictured above), and we were pretty excited to have easy access to places to use our snowshoes. Although we learned quickly that it was much more enjoyable to go on a walk on trails that the hubby had packed dow...

A different kind of fire. The analogy is that we want what we are teaching to not only be a flicker, but become a continuous flame.   What do you think that Hebb meant when he claimed that, 'cells that fire together, wire together'? How will this influence the way that you teach? I just love how the above quote rhymes. Makes it easier for me to remember and to process. I’m also a big fan of analogies and this quote helps me imagine the learning process, ZIP, ZAP, POW. All that electrostatic neuron action. Overall, I agree with what this statement is (I think) intended for. Actions that are done repeatedly together will eventually become one. I think of all the things this is true for. For example as I type, I don’t need to look at my keys to know where the letters are. I’ve wired the hand coordination into my brain and hands with repeated trials (and mistakes, but now I am even proficient with the delete key without looking). Also, reading without sounding out wor...

  Think of an instance when your convictions on a subject were so strong that you refused to back down and accept a well-presented argument to the contrary. How did you feel? What impact will this have on the way that you teach?           I struggle to think of times that I refused to back down and accept a well-presented argument. First, I am a people pleaser that avoids conflict. Although I have opinions and lead, I do not like conflict so even if I have to back down, try again later, go around the problem, or compromise. Second, the people in my life I have conflict with tend to fall in two categories, superiors who set the expectations and I follow or family who doesn’t present an argument to support a different idea.           When I do have conflict, I tend to feel frustrated and/or mad at first but quickly adjust to move on. If needed I vent to a trusted source to help me process, b...

  Rogers argues that the teacher's role should be facilitating the process of individuals arriving at their own solutions rather than providing answers to problems. Do you agree with this? Explain why or why not. I agree with this statement. I could just end right there, but some people might disagree so I will elaborate. Thinking back to some of my own schooling and also what I have gone through with middle schoolers and high schoolers at home, some teachers are “teaching” the answers. A approach coined as “teaching to the test.” What we refer to in our house as “Read it and then barf it back out,” (charming, I know). All of these things are the same, and I can tell from first, second, and third hand experience that it isn’t teaching, and the people aren’t learning. Effective teaching is showing kids information but also teaching them the skills on how to interact, delve deep, and ask questions. Knowing the multiplication table is fine, but understanding the concept of multipl...

What do you think of Ausubel's approach to teaching: Tell them what you are going to teach them, teach them the subject and then tell them what you have taught them? It is a well proven fact that people learn when they are most engaged in the learning process. Ausubel’s teaching approach incorporates this idea in that teaching should be aware of where their students are at and meet them there. I think this approach is closely related to the KWL charts. Figure out what you K now, W hat you want to know, and what you L earned.  As an intro to a unit, teachers will preface it with what student’s already know and build on prior knowledge. When you tell them what they will be learning, you are essentially “priming the pump.” Preparing their brain for information and engaging students in a “I Spy” type of learning. Whenever the topic or related content to what the teacher primed them for comes up, in theory, the students will go “Aha!” they said we would learn (see, hear, feel, do) thi...