Boys and Girls Learn Differently

I really enjoyed to first activity we did because it brought students together and working with a task. It was great or seeing who were the leaders and who could follow leaders. However, the results didn't always go as was predicted, I guess that shouldn't be that big of a surprise. Kyle and Sarah had really good topics that related well to our classrooms and the students. I particularity liked the sports activity because we can see the differences between different people. People with different backgrounds are going to have differing views on sports and extracurricular activities. Splitting up classes by sex is an interesting idea and is sure to help students learn the material easier. However, this can also hinder learning of how to deal with the opposite sex, especially with the idea of sex equality that is being fought by women. I also have no idea what I would have done if we were required to wear uniforms. It may have helped students who had trouble getting ready in the morning, but it inhibits individualism and creativity.

Becoming a Wiz at Brain Based Learning Response

I really enjoyed this presentation because there was a lot of interesting things going on at every station. It was immediately clear that you guys really understood your book well and you nailed it!

EMOTIONS: Susanna, that was a really interesting game where we learned a lot of really interesting information while you explained some of the less clear ideas. I thought that the use of the game was a good way for us to learn the material because it caught my interest and I was able to really get into the game and the information that was told. It was fun and interesting so I was able to stick with what you were doing.

ENVIRONMENT: The environment is very important for students because it can either help or hinder students learning. Keeping the room filled with natural light and having fun and interesting things around the room can keep students attention. I really liked the idea of having us write quotes on the wall so that we had ownership over a part of the classroom. These quotes were also motivating and helpful with the learning process. I really enjoyed how you decorated the room, you went all out! That was a great way to show us what you meant by creating an environment for certain occasions.

MEMORY: Lyzz, you did an awesome job with the game, there were definitely a lot of really interesting facts that we learned by doing the game. The part that I really enjoyed the most was that you were explaining the concept of memory and the important ideas associated with memory while giving a great test for all of the new information with the game. As I went through the game I started to use the tips and facts on the cards to improve my memory in the game. Not to mentioned my natural competitiveness drove me to really test my skills with memory!

ASSESSMENT: Josh, you did an awesome job with the black jack and relating it to assessment. As we walked around the room, I couldn't wait to get to that station, I never would have imagined that it had to do with portfolios and standardized tests. Though as you explained the connections, it made perfect sense and I really enjoyed how you tied the two concepts together. The idea of a portfolio is something that I want to do more research in to use in my class, it seems like a great way to give students ownership over their work and pride in showing off what they have achieved throughout the year. I especially liked the cards!

Student Oriented Curriculum

This book was really good because it brought up a lot of really interesting ideas for teaching a class. I liked all of the ideas for learning who the students are in the classroom. It is really important to bring a group closer together in the beginning of the year so they can work together and create a strong bond. Building the schedule was powerful because it demanded me to look at how I wanted to set up my schedule to benefit my learning the most. One of the strongest things I found about the book was the idea that the students didn't take any tests or quizzes. The students were accountable for their learning and the progress that they made. This type of teaching gives power to the students and builds students learning abilities.