Welcome Ashford Scholars To EDU 498
Education Studies Captsone
Week One
Congratulations on choosing to join be one of the most important professions - teaching! You have heard it before that teachers change lives, but it is true! I've been a classroom teacher and administrator for nearly two decades, and I have seen countless lives changed by the caring interaction of a teacher or administrator.
This final course will help you put all the key pieces together so that when you graduate, you truly are polished and ready to be a gem of a teacher!
How Does The Brain Learn?
What Learning Theories Influence Teaching?
Today's Generation Net
This Week's Chapter...
Dr. Shean summarizes how the brain works, looks at three learning theories and questions their current relevance, and compares today's learners know as "Generation Net," to those who came before. This chapter provides you with a basic answer to the question, "How do students learn?"
Post #1
The purpose of our first discussion post is to bring attention to not only the importance of critical thinking, but the process on which one can move from reactionary responses to thoughtful articulation.
The post asks you to read to articles and think about this statement, “Lastly, experts now hypothesize that a ‘bad’ neighborhood does not necessarily lead to a failed public school, but rather that a failing public school drags its neighborhood down with it.”
Post #2
Post two invites you to read about Angel Rodriguez, a confident and experienced teacher. His uses of verbal anchoring, collaborative grouping, exit slips, and individual conferences are a few of the techniques he uses to create an effective learning environment. You will have six questions to respond regarding Mr. Rodriguez’s practice. In your peer responses, please use the Paul and Elder model plus references from chapter one in our text.
Journal #1
After you read this week's chapter, synthesize the key elements. Can you do so in a way that models critical thinking?
From the trenches...
For myself, I found that the module clearly illustrates the Paul and Elder model of critical thinking. There are 8 basic structures of thought:
- Point of view
2. Purpose
3. Questions that drives the thinking
4. Information
5. Interpretation and inference
6. Concepts and ideas
7.Assumptions
8. Implications and consequences.
As a teacher, decisions are made throughout the day. Some are with ease, and others truly require careful and precise thinking. Some questions pertain to the instructional needs of students or their social emotional well being. There are situations with parents, staff, and members of administration that require thought out actions instead of reactions. I have found that the best team members to work with are those who step away to think before they react. They have the ability to think critically and apply the Paul and Elder model of critical thinking. When they see barriers, they do not panic; instead they gather around to brainstorm solutions.
Do the Common Core Standards Promote Critical Thinking?
Select one of the two prompts and read the directions carefully before submitting your assignment.