Operant conditioning and Functional analysis.

After learning about both operant conditioning and functional analysis, I would have to say that I strongly favor functional analysis.  I think that while operant conditioning works very well to modify behavior, and indeed I strongly believe in praising my students, giving them positive reinforcement, functional analysis originates more from a care for the student whereas operant conditioning seems to be more intent on control.  I believe that students can often strongly sense whether you genuinely care for them or merely teach them because you have been hired to do so.  In my experience, students often value their teachers to the same degree that they feel valued by them, and so operant conditioning, in my opinion, sacrifices the relational aspect of teaching in favor of control. 
     I am currently doing a practicum in a high school English class right now, and, quite honestly, my mentor teacher is so concerned with the why of her student's behavior that she could practically be classified as a humanist teacher.  She has informed me that establishing great relationships with her students is bar none her favorite aspect of her job.  She cares so much for her students, is enthusiastic whenever they learn anything and sacrifices her evenings and lunch hours to help students in person and over e-mail because she really wants to help her students succeed in any way she can.  Many many times, when a student acts up in any way, she will deal with the incident calmly and rationally, then come to me later, explaining how the student is really a good person, and brilliant besides, but that he or she works two jobs outside of school, has a learning disability, or whatever the case may be.  I do not think that there has been a single instance where she did not consider the student's motivations in doing what they do and acting accordingly to these observations.  Anyhow, it quite amazes me, but her classroom has a sense of warm community to it.  However, it is not so much coherence as a group that causes this atmosphere of acceptance as it is each student having a genuinely comfortable and positive individual relationship with their teacher.  Her students, whether they previously enjoyed English or not, often report that they loved her class.  Quite frankly, I view her as an excellent example of the benefits of formal analysis, and I hope to teach in a similar manner someday.
     So, the scenario from class today....  Cody could possibly feel out of control of his life and maybe wishes to assert himself and feel he has a handle on one aspect of it.  After perhaps discussing with Cody what might be going on with him in order to verify if this hunch is indeed accurate, the teacher could then suggest that  he goes to see a counselor when he feels out of control like this, and thus deal with his frustration in a different way.
-Rachel


I found this funny, but wouldn't this be positive punishment
 because he wants the behaviour of robbing to decrease???




Both cartoons were found on Google.



FAT city workshop

I found the F.A.T city workshop video extremely eye-opening.  Often enough, I find that this type of student really is seen as more of a troublemaker, disturbance or even a lazy student in classrooms simply because they cannot cope with the pacing of the classroom.  Thus, I really appreciated the exercizes done with these individuals, and I am really thankful that we were able to see this film.
     I really thought that the ways that Richard D. Lavoy showed the participants what school is like for children with a learning disability were very innovative.  I really marvelled at how quickly they regressed to acting like these children in refusing to volunteer to answer questions, in accusing each other of making mistakes, and in showing confusion and frustration.  I though that the fact that children with learning disabilities become obsessed with finding the mistakes of others so that they can prove that they are not the only fallible individuals was so accurate and insightful.  I have particularly noticed this in my own experiences with these children, as they are often the most  quick to pick up on the slightest inconsistencies, especially in how your treatment of them and other individuals differs.  I suppose that, often enough, they are really simply obsessed with the idea of normalcy and fitting in, and that this behaviour is simply an outflow of the frustration they feel at not being able to fully mesh with their peers.  I guess that, as a teacher, it is then really important to try and see situations from the perspective of the student before reacting to them, because these people often seem to take a great deal of their self-worth from how others see them.  Also, I particularly enjoyed his advice in regards to calliing on children with processing difficulties in the classroom.  The notion of taking these children aside and telling them that you will never call on them unless you are standing directly in front of them really seemed brilliant to me because it takes so much of the stress of not wanting to seem unintelligent out of that student's life, and really helps to let the student know that you are there to help him or her, creating a stronger and more supportive relationship.  In that way, the student can feel validated and can be more free to concentrate on what is being taught.
     Anyhow, as I'm sure you can see from the above comments, I am very thrilled and greatful that we were given the opportunity to watch this workshop.
-Rachel

Learning disabilities and coding

     I found the discussion of coding in schools rather interesting last class mainly because I had just had a similar conversation in my practicum about learning disabilities with my mentor teachers.  I would like to say first, however, that I did mention this same instance in my EDFX 203 blog tonight.  Yesterday morning, in one of the classes I was observing, I noticed a boy trying to flip a finger skateboard over the rings of his binder.  I pointed this out to the E. A. working with the class, thinking that she would laugh about it, or ask him to focus, or something similar, however, she simply told me to look back over, and I saw that the boy had briefly put down his skateboard to take a few notes on what Mrs. W. was saying.  She then told me that many of the kids in this class have diagnosed or undiagnosed learning disabilities, and that it can be especially hard for ADD students to focus if they aren't moving simply because their brain does not receive enough stimulus for them to process the information.  Thus, she told me that as a teacher, it is especially important to really look at if the child really is paying attention before you correct any seemingly distracted behaviour because these apparent behavioural corrections can actually impair a child's learning.  This caused me to think about my own experience as a student.  I have a somewhat pronounced tendency to doodle or hum when I am focusing, as immature as that may sound.  I've found that I often felt very uncomfortable in classrooms where I was told that the noise I made was disruptive, and conversely, most accepted in the classrooms where teachers treasured my idiosyncracies and allowed me to learn in my own way.  While I do know that at times I likely was disruptive to my fellow students, I am grateful that I was often allowed to work in my own fashion.
    Later, I talked with my mentor teacher, and she told me that she does indeed suspect the student in question of having a learning disability, however, she really does not want to get him tested at this point, because she feels that a great deal of his difficulty arises from simply not putting effort into his classes. She did, however say that should he place more effort into his work and still experience these problems, she would love to get him tested and better helped.  She simply believes that because he currently is not putting enough effort into his courses, the testing may not provide as accurate results as it should, and she really does not want her student to wrongfully have to live with the stigma of a learning disability.  Personally, I thought that this was quite an admirable and compassionate perspective of the situation as she considered the needs of the student above the schools needs for funding.  From personal experience, I do know that schools, particularly those that operate outside of the public schooling system sometimes attempt to diagnose children with more disabilities than they may actually possess in order to receive more funding to provide for the needs of their school, and somtimes not even the needs of the student at all.  Although I do not yet know what the system is changing to, I am quite content that the coding system is becoming obsolete because it is far too easy for schools that are suffering financially to expolit the system at the expense of the students concerned.
-Rachel

These images were foumd with google images.
 I thought they were a funny perspective on the situation.

  

Homophobia and Teaching

     Today we discussed the relation between sexual orientation and gender.  In my own personal experience in schools, I have not so much witnessed bullying of homosexual students as I have simply the awkwardness that inevitably seems to accompany the discussion of sexual orientaion.  Culturally, I know that we tend to address this issue with a fair degree of trepidation mainly because a great majority or Canadians, regardless of their own personal beliefs, simply do not want to offend those who engage in such activities.  However, this awkwardness usually carries an underlying tension between those who simply view it as wrong and those who approve of it or indeed practice homosexuality.  And thus, in the classroom, I have noticed discussions of this nature often seem to carry an extensive effort to justify the equality of the different sexual orientations in an attempt to minimize this awkwardness.  I think that although prejudices against homosexuals, in my experience, are often not stated by students in schools, they are quite prevalent, and indeed visible through the cliques that emerge: some people simply refuse to associate with people of a homosexual orentation.
     I would strongly agree that males tend to be more homophobic than females.  I believe that this is greatly a result of gender roles in society.  Men are practically indoctrinated from their youth that masculinity involves strength and a lack of public displays of emotion.  As homosexuals of both sexes are generally portrayed as more materialstic, soft and emotional, essentially a stereotypical perception of femininity, it is perfectly understandable that men should be more repelled by the notion than are girls, as it is a much greater deviation from the gender identity they are trained to possess.  However, homosexual females do not display much deviation in behaviour from that expected of their gender, which makes it much easier for the population to ignore this deviation from the norm.
     I would think that regardless of their personal convictions, teachers should encourage acceptance of individuals who display homosexuality.  I also believe that teachers need to make a conscious effort to ensure that any biases that they may or may not possess in regards to the matter do not in any way influence the way that they treat students who they know to be homosexual. It is important to remember that these students, regardless of their sexual orientation, are students with their own personalities, talents, challenges and potential, and that it is so vital that they are treated with respect simply on the basis of their shared humanity.  In my opinion, proactively ensuring that your students are aware that you disapprove of discrimination against homosexuals  often does a great deal to prevent the issue of homophobia from becoming prevalent in your classroom. 
-Rachel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Gender

     I totally agree with the statement that gender is learned.  I am taking cultural anthropology in conjunction with this course, and it is quite interesting to see how the different social contexts influence gender roles.  Today, for example, we somewhat superficially examined how the division of labour differs between males and females.  Females often do work closer to home while the men do work that is generally more dangerous, requires more strength, or causes them to travel away from home.  Yet, this is not the rule cross-culturally.  Although our western society would stereotypically think of construction as men's work, in some parts of Africa, it is the responsibility of the women. 

     There are also the issues of how the media influences our perception of gender.  With many of the women portrayed on television being rather unhealthily thin, this creates an unacheivable ideal that many of the young women in our society fruitlessly try to achieve.  Even in class  today, the three attributes we chose as inherently feminine were, in effect, all quite external.  We determined that the ideal female is classy, stylish, attractive and beautiful, and yet we pretend that we are well aware of the way that the media influences our perception of such matters.  Yet, feminity goes far beyond efforts to preen oneself into a fascimile of another's natural physical beauty.  We neglect to mention the emotional sensitivity women posess, their strength and determination, their ability to sacrifice themselves for the sake of those they love.  Are these not mose important than ensuring that every last hair is in place prior to leaving the safety of one's home?  If feminity is defined by the external, then it is extremely repressive. 

     This question of gender roles is extremely relevant to teaching.  When we as teachers condone this limiting, superficial feminine identity, we help to mold our students into shallow imitations of some supposed ideal when we should be encouraging them to become more fully themselves, regardless of any culture influences that act against this process.  It is also important to note that as the idealized cultural perception of femininity is quite physical, there are girls who develop eating disorders in an attempt to gain the status, respect, or sense of belonging that they believe accompanies this ideal physique.  In good conscience, teachers must be proactive concerning these issues, not merely part of the problem.

-Rachel


The above three images were all found when I googled femininity...
They were the only three that significantly deviated from the sensual to show
real women who seemed to be truly unique and enjoying this difference.



Diversities and socioeconomic status

     Today we talked about socioeconomic status and its correlation with academic success.  I actually find both reasons discussed in class for this to be either incomplete or ludicrous.  Even though studies may have linked socioeconomic status to academic achievement, I think that this is only due to the expectations teachers, parents and society in general place on students based on this status.
      Firstly, intelligence is in no way determined by material posessions, rather, it is genetic.  How then could the lower socioeconomic classes be considered to have less intelligence than people who may posess more status in the cultural context in which they are found?  The notion is completely illogical, and frankly, contains a great deal of bias against socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals.  Secondly, I do think that the school system does to some extent discourage people of certain backgrounds from succeeding, however, I would not limit this prejudice against socially and economically impoverished people to merely the school system.  Rather, I think our society places a certain stigma on people who come from these circumstances, and that the population in general is taught to believe that those individuals will not succeed.  This social pressure can be particularly devastating to young individuals, especially if this pressure also comes from parents.  If children are bombarded with an association between poverty and intelligence, how can we expect them to remain strong and confident when we as a society strive to enculturate them with such degrading beliefs?  In effect, I believe we create this intellectual disparity between classes through unconscious prejudices, then reinforce them through theories such as the ones expressed in class.  I think it is neglectful, actually, to discuss this disparity in inteligence without discussing the solution thereof.  As students undergoing higher education, I believe it is vital that we actively examine ourselves on an individual basis to ensure that we do not develop such discriminatory notions based on whatever education others may or may not have had.  I believe that if we have the intelligence to recognize the problem, we have the responsibility to work towards the solution.  It is often all too easy to ignore issues such as this by engaging in the unmerited pride of belonging to a higher, educated socioeconomic class and thus believing that therefore you must be more intelligent than the norm.  However, as I am sure you would agree, to put the issue in such blunt terms simply serves to emphasize how ludicrous this generalization is.  Not all individuals with a degree are geniuses, and there have been amazing intellects from low socioeconomic backgrounds. 
     As future teachers, I believe we need to fully address our own beliefs, taking time to consider how the expectations that we hold of our students can possibly influence their success.  Thus, I believe that what I learned from this class was not so much diversity theory as it was the importance of ensuring I do not accidentally marginalize any of my students by treating them as inferior in any way to their peers.
-Rachel

Google

My intelligences.

In yesterday's class we studied Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences.  I actually was quite interested because while I had heard previously of Gardner, I had never heard about the spiritual or existential intelligences. 
    
     Anyhow, I suppose that while I identify with quite a few of the intelligences, I would have to say that I am quite strongly verbal.  I've long noticed that I have a natural fluency in reading and writing, and I instinctively sense how to best phrase what I write in order to best convey my thoughts.  I've also noticed that if I read a word once I can spell it.  I do not have to put a great deal of thought into anything related to language; it simply is natural to me... 

     I would, however, say that I am also quite strong musically.  I often have a song running through my head (which, quite often escapes my lips without me being at all aware)  and I genuinely enjoy singing and playing both the piano and flute.  Sometimes I just need to hear myself talk in order to fully absorb information.  My family actually gets quite annoyed at times, because if I'm in the right mood, I improvise songs about whatever mundane aspect of my life interests me most at the moment. 
 
     I definitely identify with the intrapersonal, logical mathematical, and spiritual intelligences as well, although to a lesser extent.  Perhaps I also identify with the existential intelligence, as I really like to think about abstract ideas and notions.
-Rachel

Linguistic intelligence

Found on google.  And no, this is NOT a serious piece.  It's just quite funny.

IQ testing....

So today's discussion centered around the topic of IQ testing for children. Personally, I am somewhat on the fence about the issue. I definitely believe that the way IQ testing is structured definitely encourages an elitist mentality among those who score above average, and provides negative stigma for those who score below the norm. Essentially, I think this kind of rating system for intelligence really diminishes the strengths that people who have low IQs posess in other areas, and overly praises those who should already be able to realize that they operate at a slightly higher level of reasoning than the norm. I personally believe that children respond to the expectations others hold of them. If others believe they have great potential, they strive to meet this potential. Conversely, if they are clearly informed that others do not believe they posess the ability to succeed, it becomes much more difficult for children to rise above these negative expectations of them. Essentially, I view IQ testing as a way of indicating disbelief in the potential of children who score poorly. Rather, I believe that as teachers we should make it evident that we hold high standards for the success of our students, and that we believe that they all have the capacity to achieve their fullest potential regardless of the domain in which they are most talented.
I suppose I would appreciate IQ testing if the results did not emphasize so strongly an intellectual hierarchy. However, children in our society really do not need any more discouragement or disbelief in their abilities than they already may receive from themselves, their parents and their peers, and we as teachers should consciously strive to maintain encouragement and support even in the midst of giving criticism.
-Rachel


Found on Google.



Kohlberg vs. Gilligan

     For the past two classes, we have been studying the difference between Kohlberg and Gilligan's perspectives on moral development.  Personally, I concur with Giligan.  I believe that in excluding the caring side of morality, you might, in fact be able to count such people as Hitler and Stalin as postconventional moral reasoners simply because they steadfastly hold to their moral beliefs and make decisions based on these moral beliefs without allowing external factors or social opinion to influence their decisions.  Yet, one could in no way call these individuals ultimately good members of society, a characteristic that I personally would commonly associate with a high capacity for moral reasoning.  If, however, you consider care as a factor in moral reasoning, you can in no way even remotely condone their behaviour as moral, as they are each responsible for creating a skewed morality among their citizens resulting in the deaths of millions. 

     I suppose with this reasoning, my  next question would be simply to ask if a sort of reverse progression through the stages is possible; where the moral reasoning process becomes more advanced, but the person chooses to manipulate this greater capacity for moral reasoning into a conscious decision to disobey the law or exploit others.  Perhaps this perversion of moral reasoning would explain sociopathic and psychopathic behaviors.
      Anyhow, back in my grade eleven English class, I wrote a poem that I feel somewhat illustrates different stages of moral reasoning, as well as my belief that genuine concern for others is nescessary in evaluating moral reasoning. 

The Beggar and the Gentleman

A Gentleman of noble birth
And charity of great renown
Surrounded by his many friends
Was one day strolling through the town.

And with a light and jovial air
He wholly held his troupe entranced
With takes of his kindness shown
In nearly every place they glanced.

While passing by the village clock
A follower of his did note 
A beggar, seated at its foot
Garbed in a stained and tattered coat

The gentleman then did approach
In an angelic, grand display.
Bestowing on the gaunt young man
A small sum, then he went his way.

His followers then did exclaim
The Gentleman did truely care.
In aiding even that vile man,
They thought his pure beyond compare.

Yet engraved within their hearts
Where alone their Maker saw
The beggar bore a golden cross,
The Gentleman a swastika.

     The gentleman in the poem, although he may appear altruistic and moral, truly functions at the level of a "nice boy" as he only displays moral behavior for the sake of the admiration he receives from his followers.  Yet, I do indicate in my poem that this benevolence, because it is not accompanied by real compassion, does not make him a good person in the least; he bestows only a small sum when he has much he could give, and does not implicate himself any more than nescessary to complete his simple transaction.  I suppose that this is my picture of morality.  I believe that no matter how developed your reasoning becomes, it is indeed the level for which you genuinely care for others that determines your morality.  In this sense, I completely agree with Carol Gilligan.
-Rachel

Technology and Education

     Honestly, after watching the film in today's class concerning the effects technology has on children who grow up with it, I am more convinced than before that technology should have a very minimal role in education.  I believe that it is sad that we should even consider a future in education where teaching becomes more of an attempt to perform for and play with our students than an attempt to get them to learn.  While play can be a powerful learning tool, the use of technology, in my opinion, often takes the creativity out of the activity.  This lack of active creative involvement often leaves children as somewhat passive learners, as they expect easy learning and instant gratification for their acheivements. 
    
     Recently, in Anthropology class, we discussed a recent article in the newspaper about a study done by the University of Victoria.  The university faculty tested 60 mostly white middle-class four year-olds and divided them randomly into three groups.  One group watched Spongebob Squarepants, another watched the more calmly paced and realistic show "Caillou", and the final group drew pictures rather than watch TV.  The children who watched Spongebob exhibited a lack of concentration and self-control in comparison to ther other groups after watching only nine minutes of the show.  I think that this study serves as a brilliant illustration of the detriment technology is to our society.  Quite honestly, several studies have show that television causes a shortening of attention spans in children.  Also, as the film showed rather well, technology provides such a temptation to multitask, a practice which causes these individuals to accomplish all the tasks they set out to do simultaneously in a far more ineffective manner.  At present, our school system is a last bastion against the mesmerizing power technology seems to hold over our youth; it is a place where focus, persistance and learning are still emphasized.  To further integrate technology into the way children learn, in my opinion, is to urge this lack of attention span and belief in multitasking into education.   Essentially, for children who are already exposed to an excess of technology and various forms of media, this practice would remove an important source of focus and normalcy from their lives. 
  
     The film also emphasized that with every major advance in technology, intellectual skills and cultural values have been lost.  With the advent of writing, humanity ceased to place the same value in memory, with technology, we are losing focus, attention and perseverance.  I think that although each new technological advancement does carry benefits, perhaps they are not beneficial enough to outweigh the losses that eventually accompany them.  Perhaps we also lose a bit of our humanity with each virtue or trait that we relinquish to machinery. 
    
     For my EDFX 203 class, I have the opportunity to oberve two grade nine English Advanced classes each Wednesday and Friday.  I have been circulating and reading over their shoulders as they work for the past two times I've visited the school, and I am somewhat dismayed by some of what I see.  As an English major, I value my language and the art of writing substantially.  However, as I circulate, it is quite rare to find a student who displays accurate spelling.  Among one group, I saw "musically" spelled as "muscly," "musicly" and "musicaly" but I did not see the correct spelling at all, which, quite frankly, I find troubling.  I also find that as a general rule, their writing is quite choppy and I have even once witnessed the use of common chat abbreviations in a formal analytical assignment.  I know that they are young, however, they are an advanced class.  I expect more from students who claim to read avidly and be interested in the topic. 
    
     I see the use of technology as negatively influencing the lives of students.  While there are ways in which technology clearly can benefit education, I simply do not believe it is worth the effects it has upon our future generations.

-Rachel

This is an image that came up when I googled mulititasking.... I felt it was effective

This one was simply funny....

Erik Erikson's stages

     In yesterday's class, we learned about Erik Erikson's stages of human development, and honestly, I found it very interesting.  As I was looking at the stages, I could't help but notice that the first stage is trust vs. Mistrust, an issue that one of my friends really struggles with.  However, the consecutive stages, up until stage 6, are all traits that he outwardly exhibits.  Essentially, this prompted me to wonder how my friend would fit into this theory.  So, I thought of a few possible ways by which this could work... 
   
     My first thought is that perhaps he progressed through these stages, then, due to his recent painful breakup with his girlfriend, may have really taken it to heart, and , in a sense, regressed to stage one while retaining the qualities of the later stages.
    
     I really don't know if this is possible within the context of Erikson's theory, but another theory I came up with is that he, due to his family  situation, may have learned to fake the stages above the one at which he naturally is.  He has actually told me at times that he actually has a lot of trouble socially, and feels like he does not fit in, yet he is quite brilliant at small talk and many people positively love him.  So I suppose that perhaps this ability to falsify what he does not feel could have resulted in him adopting these surface traits to appear healthy while retaining the corresponding insecurities.  However, once again, I am completely unsure if this is possible in the context of Erikson's theory....
    

     Anyhow... Personally, I can't really narrow down my own psychological state to one stage in particular.  To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure they entirely fit me as an individual. I am industrious and hard working, yet I have struggled a lot with insecurity over the years.  However, I feel like I am finally starting to know who I am, and therefore I guess I would be moving into the sixth stage, although I really do show aspects of all three.
   
     In short, I found Erikson's theories fairly accurate and thought provoking.  As a future secondary school teacher, I suppose my question is how do we as teachers help our students to discover who they are, if that is the stage of advancement they are going through at the time?

 Thanks for reading my blog.
-Rachel

My Bronfenbrenner Ecological Niche.

My name is Rachel Hanks. I am an 18 year old female of very mixed ancestry. I am a student, a student teacher and a loving daughter and sister.
Microsystem: I attend RDC. I started a practicum today where I observe two advanced grade 9 English classes. My family consists of my mother, my little brother, and my father. I interact frequently with my friends. I am a member of the Christian club here at the college.
I suppose you can see my mesosystem in various ways. I sometimes bring my friends to Impact, and my college life influences my family because of all the homework I get, and my family life influences my education because emotions definitely influence how well you retain information and focus.
Exosystem: the legal system, the course requirements put in place by the U of L, Henry's eavestroughing (my dad's workplace), Media, etc.
Macrosystem: Christianity!!! I am pro life, conservative and I believe strongly that education is essential (being the first in my family to actually go to college or university, I've definitely seen how hard it is to survive without one).
Chronosystem: I have a cell phone and an ipad. I live in a democratic society. I like watching movies. It's 2011....
Really, I suppose it's somewhat difficult to disagree with Bronfenbrenner's theories. From my point of view, this is simply putting fancy names to common sense categorization of one's social milieu. However, I cannot really object to any of his systems, and I do think that it is very important to note the interconnectedness of one's microsystems in the teaching profession. My mother often says that whenever teenagers act abnormally or angrily, there's always a deeper reason that the teenager might not even realize themselves. I somewhat see this as a way to perceive Bronfenbrenner's theories in the context of teaching. Whenever our students behave abnormally, there is a reason, and since we have a limited perception of the microsystems of our students, it is almost inevitable that we have to deal with a solid dose of pain passing through the mesosystem into our classroom. And thus, I feel the value in Bronfenbrenner's theory is simply that it functions as a reminder that we truly cannot see all the facets of our students life, therefore, we really should show them compassion within a professional context and be understanding as we deal with the symptoms of this deeper pain they may be experiencing elsewhere.

Vygotsky vs. Piaget

     Today we studied Vygovsky's theories of learning. Generally, I agree with him on many points. However, like with Piaget, I have definite problems with the notion that in the absence of language, no thinking takes place. I suppose I believe that our mind uses whatever medium we are most exposed to in our thoughts, thus for infants, they would think in pictures, for blind men, in sounds, whether these sounds are indeed languages or not. I am bilingual, and when I am sitting in a French class or having a conversation with someone, I think in French even though it is not the language with which I am most comfortable. In those situations, my brain is receiving input in French, therefore my mind compensates by switching the language in which the reasoning process takes place to better accommodate the input it receives. I imagine therefore that in the absence of language, the brain would merely choose whatever form of input it most receives and use it in much the same symbolic function of language for the thought process.

     However, I do agree with the rest of Vygotsky's theory. I feel that it is indeed vital in teaching to constantly assess the current, individual learning level of each student and find ways to challenge them and support them in their learning. I personally see Piaget's theory as limiting the success of students by categorizing them with age groups as opposed to simply cognitive development. I believe that this practices of putting stages and ages together leads teachers to sacrifice the needs of those who are developing more slowly or quickly than the majority in order to cater to most students as opposed to putting extra effort into approaching students at their respective levels.

     As I have already stated in a previous post, I feel Piaget's approach dehumanizes the younger levels of thinking as it almost suggests that they are incapable of intelligent thought until they are older, while Vygotsky's theory allows us to view their current progress as intelligent for the level of learning which they are currently at. Anyhow, while I disagree with Vygotsky and Piaget that thought does not exist in the absence of language, I find the remainder of Vygotsky's theories actually quite accurate.
-Rachel

Helen Keller couldn't communicate through language for quite some time.  Yet, I would argue that she was capable of reason and thought......

Piaget's four stages......

     Today we discussed Piaget's four stages of cognitive development in class.  While I do think there is definitely value in what Piaget has done, in really analyzing and compartmentalizing the stages of cognitive development, I strongly disagree that there is no thinking in the sensorimotor stage of development.  I rather think that language does not define thought, it is merely a medium through which thought takes place.  Thus, these young children can think and reason to some extent, yet this thought is not in the form of the standardized vocal symbols of speech, but probably rather much more of a function of the mediums through which they experience the world, through images.  I know that this also is speculation, but I would say that to define thought as language actually serves to dehumanize these infants as it assumes that because we cannot understand them, they are not as human, not as capable of reason as are we.  I would rather say that it appears that they cannot reason simply because they do not have a schema of prior knowledge with which they can reason to the extent that adults reason.  Similarly, just because a man does not have access to a kitchen does not mean that he does not have the capability to cook.  These infants are working and reasoning at an admirable rate to build a knowledge base with which they can better interact with the world around them in the years to come. 
     I suppose in the context of Piaget's stages, I see the sensorimotor stage as defined by the infant needs to touch and, often, bite the world around them.  As this is the way in which they interact with the world around them at this stage, they react to this external stimulus, and thus begin to build a knowledge base of the world around them. 
     To go off on a tangent, today's class really brought some sympathy for my mother into my life.  My brother is eight years younger than I am.  My mom has actually often said that it sometimes seems that we go through similar behavioural stages at the same time and so, today, I really found it interesting that egocentrism was a characteristic of both preoperational and formal operational thought.  My poor mother had to deal with my brother's self-serving stage at the same time as I began to demand that my chores be put on hold because I had "amazing pressure from school that was going to determine the course of my life and thus it was her fault if I failed not only in school but in life" just because she made me clean the dishes once.  It felt somewhat validating to have psychological theory affirm my mother's experiences, but I really, dearly, hope that my future children don't both decide to go through their egocentric phases simultaneously, however divinely just that retribution might seem. 

     Anyhow, to cover the one stage that I have not yet mentioned, while I don't remember going through it very well, I remember one time at a homeschool conference, the leaders of a small group told us they were going to distribute m&ms to the group but they asked an older child to group the candies into enough groups for everyone, and I was really quite angry because I saw this division as an unnescessary, time-wasting activity that kept me from the candy that was rightfully mine, while the person doing the activity clearly felt it a useful illustration of the concept.  I suppose this example serves to reveal the contrast in perception of an egocentric preoperational child from that of a concrete operational who is more able to learn and benefit from physically manipulating objects.
Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this highly anecdotal, rambling post.
-Rachel

Learning Through Love

     I've been blessed with some amazing teachers throughout my years in school, most of them English teachers.  Perhaps one of the most effective that I have ever had was my eleventh grade English teacher. 
     My teacher was consistently warm and affectionate to all of her students, but genuinely so.  You could simply see love for both you and her work practically radiate from her eyes.  She held high expectations of all of her students, however, she displayed these expectations to her class in such a way that you didn't feel you had to attain success to be valued, but rather that she simply believed in you, thought you capable and stood ready to celebrate with you once you acheived the potential that she always knew you could.  One wanted to do well in her class. 
     My class had a tendency to hesitate in responding to her questions throughout the school year, and Mrs. W. noticed quickly.  She'd often make it clear to us that "Wait time works well in this class," essentially meaning that she was going to stand at the front of the room silently until someone worked up the courage to respond.  This approach to teaching really was effective and she was able to, without showing any signs of frustraion, motivate us to participate in class discussions simply by displaying a confidence that, given enough time, any one of us could come up with a brilliant answer.
     Throughout the year, she displayed a great passion and love for both her subject and her students and really ensured that we not only learned, but felt very appreciated and intelligent while doing so.  In fact, I would have to admit that she is probably one of the greater reasons why I decided to become a teacher.
     Thank you Mrs. W.
-Rachel

I found this image on google.  I know it's not entirely relevant, but I just really find it interesting.

Why I want to teach

     In class today we discussed why we want to teach, and it caused me to really examine my own motivations in teaching.  If I were to be perfectly honest, I think that I do like teaching others, but that I definitely don't teach for the same altruistic reasons that most of my peers seem to posess.  My mom says that ever since I was young, I have been an extremely competitive person.  I played the flute throughought middle and high school, and originally, my mom says, it was nearly impossible to tear me away from the instrument.  I remember having friends over to play and polishing my flute as I talked to them.  However, as soon as I reached a level of playing where I felt that I had accomplished what I set out to learn, practicing became a chore.  I've noticed that I tend to come alive when faced with challenges, but once an activity ceases to become challenging, I often lose interest.  For me, I think this is a cause for concern.  If my satisfaction comes from conquering new challenges and not from the children themselves, how will I remain interested once I find a method and system that renders teaching simple? 
     Now that I examine myself, I believe that is why I was drawn to teaching the subjects I currently plan to teach.  English and physics are subjects which consistently pose great challenges; you cannot learn passively in them and expect to excel.  So, while my current desire to teach is definitely motivated by passion for my subject areas, I find myself wondering if this passion will last, or if I will even want to teach after a few years in the field.
     My Education Field Experience professor recently gave us an assignment where we were asked to come up with a metaphor to decribe our current perception of what teaching will be like.  At this time in my life, I think I perceive teaching as setting out onto the open sea on a sailboat.  You never know what each individual day will hold, yet you know on whole, you can expect many to be calm, peaceful days where the sun reflects serenely onto the wide expanse of water and the wind gently pushes you forwards into the unknown.  Beautiful days where life is a joy and teaching is a pleasure.  Yet, you can also expect days, even weeks, where the sea tosses you savagely and storms batter you from above, days when teaching seems impossible, thankless or stressful.  Yet, the sailboat is able to survive by firmly anchoring itself in the waters.  For me, I think the current caution in my life is to choose my anchors, my sources of stability in hard times, carefully.  If I choose to rely on the joy I obtain from conquering challenges, I know it will eventually abandon me, leaving me at the mercy of the rigours of my chosen line of work.  So, while this desire to be challenged is healthy in its own respect, I will focus on making my family and my faith the center of my life, because they have proven far more reliable sources of sustenance.
      -Rachel

Intolerence and Immersion

Hello everyone.

My Quebec host family

     As I am somewhat new to this world of blogging, I figure I had better introduce myself.  My name is Rachel, and I am a first year student in the RDC Bachelor of Education Program.  I am an English major, and so I really enjoy reading and writing, particularly short stories, or anything of a creative nature.  I've had quite a few travel experiences in my short life; I've been to the U.S. four times, to Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands and to Quebec. 

     I went to Quebec in the summer of last year as a part of the government funded Explore program, a five-week language immersion experience.  I lived with a French family and attended classes every weekday morning and various activities in the evenings that were designed to promote French speaking in a casual setting.  We were, indeed, forced to speak French and told that, should we be caught speaking our native toungue five times, we would be sent home immediately at our own expense.  However, although it was difficult at first, we all learned a great deal of not only the language, but also of the Quebecois culture.  It was an incredible experience as we all got the chance to observe and explore the different language and culture without losing our grasp of our own.

     All in all, my experience in Quebec was phenomenal, and I benefitted greatly from speaking a language other than my own.  As such, I was a bit dismayed at the vehemence some of the students in our class used when discussing the practice of forcing students to speak in the language of instruction.  I definitely agree that one of the best aspects of working in education is the exposure to other cultures, races, languages and religions, however, I think that in our effort to be pluralistic and accomodating, we sometimes forget to ensure that these multicultural students are also benefitting from their exposure to our Canadian culture.  In my opinion, it is not at all wrong to ask these students to speak the language of instruction in the classroom because it not only helps to develop their competency in the language in which their learning is evaluated, but exposes them to different perspectives and cultures from which they might benefit.  I completely disagree that this practice robs them of proficiency in their own language, because, quite frankly, the great majority of them speak their native toungue at home, allowing them to retain this aspect of their own culture.  As a past French Immersion student, I have often found that when my classmates were resistent to speaking French in the classroom, it was not because of a belief that it would rob them of opportunities to speak in English, but rather was because French seemed too difficult or unenjoyable.  Yet, after finishing their French education, many of them are immensely grateful for the opportunities opened to them by the culture that was forced upon them in their youth.

     As you can see, I believe very strongly that for a culture to be truly multicultural, we cannot shy away from the cultural differences of others in the name of defending our language and beliefs, rather we must experience the cultures of others while retaining a firm grasp of owr own. 
Thank you so much for enduring this brief rant.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Rachel