Unskilled and Unaware

Unskilled and unaware: this is a topic that sparked my attention immediately. Throughout my life, I have encountered those who have truly believed that they were talented in something, but they were not. Even when given constructive criticism, these people failed to accept the fact that they were amateurish. It did not matter the circumstance or the person relaying this news, these people rejected any notion of unskilled. In part, this could be due to a sense of pride. However, this event could be generated by an even scarier notion: these people were purely unaware.

In short, being aware is simply not having the knowledge of something. And I believe that it is here that one may experience “the illusion of learning”. This illusion, much like the illusion of competence as previously mentioned, is a sort of false understanding. Here, people honestly believe that they know something, but they do not. This is quite a scary thing to consider, for in these instances learning does not seem to take place.

Understanding these two illusions has changed my life, especially as a student. Now, I have realized that there may certain traps that I have fallen into; I may be personally experiences these illusion as I speak. With this in mind, I have tried to focus on changing my mindset.

As a student, I need to be willing to learn new things. In learning, I need to be willing to accept new ideas and concepts. Some of these ideas may not seem to fit with the schema that I have, causing disequilibrium, but this is something that I need to be willing to do. I believe such action requires trust, patience, and humility.

I must also accept the fact that I do not hold all the answers to things, and I am not correct in all things. With this, I need to be mindful when professors give advice. Rather that disregard this wisdom, I need to learn to apply what I have been taught.

With this information, I can change to better myself as a teacher. The following are three ways that I can implement what I have learned here:

1. If I recognize these illusions within my students, I must approach the situation in a sensitive manner. Rather than destroy a student’s self-esteem, I need to build them up. This means that I must come to the student in a loving manner. It is my job to help them grow and I must understand that.
2. In helping my students grow, I must also be aware of the damage that could come from these two illusions. With that in mind, I need not “beat around the bush” when I realize students are exhibiting characteristics of these two illusions. That being said, I cannot sugarcoat what needs to be said; I cannot be too nice.
3. In my assignments, I would like all of my students to exhibit and practice metacognition. If students can reflect upon their personal thinking, I believe that it will help these illusions dwindle. 

Attention

As learners, at times it can be challenging to learn new things. I think that this comes in part because learners want to be entertained. I believe that students constantly look to the teacher to provide us to meaningful, interesting facts and details. And, while this can be challenging for a teacher, I think that students are right to feel this way. In fact, I would argue that students’ brains almost demand this. If is as if brains are shouting, “Give me a reason to pay attention, or I am not paying attention at all!"

When information is given, brains quickly take in all of the information given. Here, there is absolutely no limit as to what the brain can take in! However, here is the kicker: if one does not pay special attention to it, after just a split second all of that information suddenly vanishes. At this point, although your brain has seen or heard the information, it is simply unable to retrieve it. This is known as the sensory memory.

While this may sound a little discouraging, there is an important fact to note here: attention can change everything! If brains are able to pay attention to something, information will not suddenly vanish. This attention enables information to be moved from the sensory memory to the short-term memory. Once here, after a process known as encoding, information can be passed on to long-term memory.

With all of this in mind, it is no wonder why students’ brains are begging for some sort of reason to pay attention. If there is there is no reason to pay attention, nothing will be processed into short-term memory, let alone long-term memory. And, if that is the case, nothing will be learned. However, if brains’ find that reason to pay attention, it will make all the world of difference. In this case, students are able to truly learn new things.

This knowledge has undoubtedly impacted me as a student. At time point, I understand that I need to honestly pay attention in order to learn anything. However, with this in mind, I know that I cannot leave my learning responsibility on the shoulders of my teachers. I know that I must do what I can in order to want to pay attention in class.

With that, I have had to learn various strategies to focus my attention during my studies. One way that I have done this is by allowing my brain to take breaks when it needs it. There are periods of times when I feel that I have given my brain a sort of overload. In these instances, it seems that my brain cannot possibly take any information; I have been studying for too long. When this happens, I take a little break and then I go back to work. As I have done this, I have noticed that I am better able to process new information. Here, I feel as if I am more capable of learning new things.

With this information, I know that I can better myself as a future teacher. The following are three ways in which I plan to go about doing that:

1. When I begin a new lesson, I know that I am going to have to work to gain the students’ attention. In order to do this, I will strive to have good anticipatory sets.
2. During a lesson, as the students’ are starting to loose attention, I will do things that enable the students to hold that attention that is needed. I could begin talking softer, change the light, show a picture, etc. At this point, I would just need to do something that makes the brain want to pay attention.
3. I understand that the students learn most at the beginning of a lesson, as well as at the end. Obviously, this means that the middle of a lesson gets pretty foggy for students. Knowing that, I know that I can take the time to have mini “brain breaks”. With these, I hope that more learning can take place.

Intelligence

Intelligence is a hard thing to measure; it is not something that can be easily gauged. While there are various IQ and aptitude test that make vain attempts, it appears that something is missing. It appears as if the scores from these tests are not revealing much. Part of this difficulty may stem from the uncertainty and confusion that intelligence brings. After all, what is intelligence?

           

Many would argue that intelligence is very clear-cut. Here, it is believed that intelligence is one thing. Furthermore, it is believed that there should be a test of analytical knowledge to measure intelligence. These people may believe that intelligence stemås from making sense of things; intelligence is being “book smart”. From this, IQ scores are given and people are shoved into categories: average, above average, moderately, etc. Those who rank exceptional are predicted to be successful beyond measure. As for the others, the same cannot be said.

There are others that believe contrary to this notion. Among these are people who believe in multiple intelligences. Here, there are many intelligences that are taken into consideration. With this, it is understood that intelligence is not something that can be easily defined, nor is it something that can be measured. This idea argues that people learn and grow in different ways; not everyone has the same strengths.

Interestingly enough, this is a hard concept for many to accept. It would be easier to think that all persons learned the same way. It was be easier to think that intelligence was a simple thing. 

In understanding that there are multiple intelligences, I have changed as a student. To begin, I have had to work to accept the fact that there were multiple intelligences. I feel that all my life I have been taught that intelligence is directly correlated to book smarts. With this, to prove intelligence, I have felt the need to study out of books and take part in conversation. However, I have come to understand that intelligence is more than this.

Throughout these past couple of weeks, I have strived to find my own intelligence. By doing this, I have come to realize how I learn best. I have found that I favor interpersonal learning. I have tried to take this knowledge and use it to my advantage. This means that, after learning something, I take the time to truly discuss it with someone. Most times, I have caught myself talking to my husband about all aspects of my classes. This has led me to gain a deeper level of understanding. 

I understand that it is important to take the things that I have learned and apply them to my future. That being said, the following are three ways that I will change what I do as a teacher:

11. Within my classroom, I want to be able to teach my students about the multiple intelligences. By doing this, I hope that my students will understand that everyone can be intelligent in their own way.

2. Having the knowledge of the multiple intelligences, I want to help students explore their own intelligences. By this, I mean to say that I will give my students the opportunity to learn and grow in various ways. I will strive to teach lessons accommodating all intelligences.
3. When assigning work, I want to be conscious of all of the students within my classroom. I want to be able to give students various options on how to complete work. I hope that this will enable all students to understand the material in different ways.

Poverty

In the course of just a few days, I feel that I have learned much about poverty. Unfortunately, this is a subject that, in the past, I would have preferred to not think about; I think that it is easy to pretend that this is not an issue that concerns me. However, I have learned that this is far from the truth. With the study of poverty, many emotions have raised within me. My eyes have been opened to the sad truths about poverty; my heart has been broken. The tolls of this struggle are real, and there are many who have to endure the effects. And, as a future educator, this is going to be something that I will have to work with. In thinking otherwise, I would be very naive.
     
There are many students within schools that suffer the effects of poverty, and there are so many negative effects. To begin, most students in such a situation move around a lot. This means that it is likely that these students are missing much of school. Obviously, if it becomes a regular thing, the students will begin to have a great struggle in academics. It is also likely that these students experience poor nutrition and health. This could mean that these students are not able to function efficiently; hunger is probably on their mind. In addition to this, it is probable that the students are undergoing much stress. And, as I have previously learned, this causes the hippocampus to shrink, preventing memory recall. Sadly, the list of negative effects does not end here. However, even with these few examples, it is obvious that students living in poverty struggle.

I believe that this knowledge has impacted me greatly. I now feel as if I have become more sensitive to the issue of poverty. That being said, I am now working to do a number of things to help this situation. To begin, I feel extremely motivated to receive a  college degree. While this has always been a goal of mine, I truly understand the importance of it now. In receiving a degree, I hope that I can prevent poverty within my own family.
    
Obviously, I am working to earn my degree in elementary education. I yearn to be an educator for elementary school kids. In teaching, I think that it is possible to help these students in poverty. I want to be able to take them from their poor situation, and make the best out of it. These students, though financially poor, will not be poor in academics; I will not allow that in my classroom. I want to be able able to provide a bright future for those children.
    
I am educating myself now because I know that I can make a difference in the future. I want to change and become a better teacher. Here are some things that I think that will help: 

1. I will try to eliminate competition in my classroom. Although there is an difference in social classes between my students, I do not want to make that apparent. By eliminating competition, I believe that wealthy students and students in poverty can be on the same level.
2. When deciding to make projects, I will make it a point to provide the materials. In doing this, the students in poverty will not be humiliated if they cannot provide the materials themselves.
3. After holiday vacation time, I do not want to take the time to discuss what the students did. I know that this will be challenging to do, but it is the right thing to do. I do not want to put the students in poverty on the spot; they should not have to feel embarrassed to express the fact that they probably did not do anything. 

Sense of Self

In the recent weeks past, I feel like I have come to understand a great deal about development. Among this knowledge that I have gained, my thoughts are turned to one thing in particular: sense of self development. 

Everyone has a sense of self; however, everyone's sense of self various. Generally, this sense is impacted my three major factors. The first major factor is dependent upon success and failures. If one experiences failure, it is likely that self-concept spirals downward. However, if the same person experiences success, it is likely that  self-concept is brought up. Generally, the total ratio of failures to success is irrelevant; the impact of these two things is not generated my a total amount. It has actually been found that the impact of success versus failure comes from the magnitude of an event. For example, if an individual has a great amount of success, he or she might feel great about themselves. Nevertheless, if one great failure comes along, it can completely ruin this individual. Yes, one event can change everything. This same example can be applied in reverse: one major success can supersede a long list of failures. 
    
Interestingly enough, it has been found that men and women are very different when it comes to success and failures; gender greatly influences sense of self. To begin, it appears that men have a healthy self concept. After completing task, when asked how they did, men are quick to respond in a positive manner. Obviously, they are confident (at least for the most part). However, although confident, studies show that men actually site themselves higher than their true successes. In lame terms, men truly are not doing as well as they think they are. The same cannot be said about women. When asked the same, women site themselves lower their true successes. It is a curious thing. Furthermore, when questioned about accomplishments, men attribute success to personal skills and talents. When women were asked, it was found that women attributed their success to hard work, luck, and the help of others. Undoubtedly, gender greatly influences sense of self.
    
In addition to success and failure, there are two other things that influence sense of self: other's behavior toward you, as well as membership within a group. 

When learning about sense of self, I was completely taken back. Personally, the studies seemed a little ridiculous to me. I wondered why men and women could be so different. I was curious why gender had such a significant influences on self concept. To me, the studies just could not be true. 
    
In further learning about this, i discovered something: it was all true. Suddenly, I felt that I could relate to the material that we were talking about. When I truly thought about it, I realized that I was like the women that we spoke about in class. I do not have the healthiest self concept; I fell that too many failures rule my life. When I complete work, I underestimate myself. When I do succeed, I fail to recognize my personal greatness. Why? Because if I do have this personal recognition, I feel that I instantly am label as "proud". And that is the last thing that I want to be. 
    
In class I have learned that it is fine to recognize personal success. I have learned that it is possible to do this in a way and still be humble. With that in mind, I have been striving to gain a healthier sense of self. I have tried to recognize the things that I am good at; I "owe" what I do and what I say. 

With these certain things in mind, there are things that I want to implement as a teacher:

1. With each new school year, I want to teach my students that "put downs" are not acceptable. I will go on to explain how bullying is not tolerated. In this explanation, I will teach my students that they are not even allowed to bully themselves. I want my students to have a positive self image.
2. When my students do something well, I think that I should make it known. I would like to personally talk with the students; I want them to understand their successes. In doing this, I hope that my students will gain more confidence. 
3. At the start of each school day, I think it would be nice to set aside a few minutes to share good news. If a student has done something that they are proud of, I would like to give them time to tell the class. Doing this, I hope that students will embrace success rather than failure. 

Development

There are many people who had tried to understand how development works. Of these people, I have recently learned of two important men: Piaget and Vygotsky. Undoubtedly, throughout this past week or so, I have come to understand a great deal about these men’s’ theories. However, in learning about development, I have come to realize that there is not a set answer to all things; neither Piaget nor Vygotsky hold all answers concerning development. Nevertheless, there is much to be learned from these intellectual giants.

Piaget was able to break intellectual development into four distinct groups. These groups were based upon age ranges. Within the groups, Piaget identified certain characteristics that one would go through; he mapped out the development for each group. It was fascinating to see. However, through personal experience, I realized that these groups are not concrete. You see, after some experimenting, I found that I am not fully functioning where I should be in accordance to Piaget’s age range.

Vygotsky seemed to really focus on learning in an interesting way. One thing that was mentioned was the zone of proximal development. Essentially, he said that individuals go through a sort of process when they learn. If individuals are given something too easy to complete (if there is no challenge), nothing is gained. However, if individuals are given something too difficult (there is too much of a challenge), again, nothing is gained. That being said, it is crucial to for each to recognize their own zone of proximal development.

In my personal life, I have learned to understand my zone of proximal development. When learning new things, I have learned to take the time to gauge where I am. Are things to easy for me? Are things too difficult for me? That being said, I have sought to improve my learning abilities.

When learning comes too easy for me (when there is not a challenge), I have found ways to challenge myself. For the most part, this typically means that I will dive more into a certain topic. Also, I have found that I tend to ask more questions when things are too easy for me. In doing this, I push myself to find more of a challenge.

When learning comes too difficult for me (there is too much of a challenge), I have found ways to make things easier. In these times, I have found that I take the time to read things more slowly. I also take the time to sit down and contemplate the concepts that I have learned. At this point, I take notes and review much. In doing this, I have realized that I am capable of understanding hard things.

In realizing these new concepts about learning, I now have ideas to implement as a teacher. These ideas include the following:

1. I would like to assess my students at the start of each new unit. Doing this, I hope that I will be able to gauge where each of my students zone of proximal development is. Hopefully, by doing this, I will be able to see what things are too hard or too easy.
2. In my class, I would like to cater to each of my student’s needs. If one student is not being challenged enough, I would like to give them more challenging material. If one students finds something too challenging, I would like to have the tools necessary to set them up for success.
3. When teaching younger students, I would like to help them understand conservation and reversibility. In order to do this, I would like to take the time to have fun exercises in class that practice this.

The Brain

These past few weeks I have learned much about the brain. To start, I have learned that there are many misconceptions about the brain; there have been many things that I have supposed to be true, but are truly false. Of these things, unfortunately, I have found that I am not good at multitasking. Furthermore, I have come to realize that I am not a left or a right brain thinker. This fact alone brought me great surprise. And as if these two things were not astonishing enough, I came to learn more of how the brain functions. These few weeks, without a doubt, have been very interesting. 

To mention a few interesting things about the brain, I have realized that the brain uses 20% of my calories each day. That is quite a bit! With that in mind, I have learned that I constantly need to keep my brain fuel. My brain needs sufficient water, oxygen, and glucose to keep going. Without these things, my body sends signals (that are most times uncomfortable) that let me know that I am missing something. It is all quite amazing. 

In learning how the brain works, I have come to realize that I am in desperate need of a new lifestyle. In the past, I have always considered myself a busy body. I would arise in the morning, rush out the door, and I would frequently find that I had forgotten to eat anything for breakfast. A few hours would past and I could feel that my body was upset with me; it needed some sort of fuel. However, for the most part, I chose to ignore these feelings of an upset body. I felt that I did not have time to eat. To make matters worse, I found that I rarely made time to drink water. By the end of the day, my body felt tired and my brain was fried. It seemed like I did have the energy to make it through the day.

Well, as mentioned from above, I have realized that my brain needs fuel to function! That being said, I have begun the process of changing my lifestyle. Each morning, I make time to eat breakfast. Before rushing out the door, I throw a few snacks in my backpack to give me strength through a crazy day. To top it off, I now keep a water bottle handy. I am now supplying my brain with enough fuel to make it through the day. In doing this, I have seen great results! Now, I am able to make it through a busy day without feeling so drained; I actually have a bit if energy by the time my day comes to an end. It has been a great experience. 

In realizing these new concepts about the brain, I now have ideas to implement as a teacher. These ideas include the following:

1. I want to have a supply of fruit within my classroom. When my students start to feel hungry, I want to be able to supply them with a piece of fruit. I hope this would give their brain a kick-start.
2. After the students have been working for a long while, I want the students to get up and have a brain break!
3. In addition to having fruit for my students, I always want the students to have access to water at anytime of the day. They can bring their own water bottles, or I can supply water. I know that water is so important.