Constructivist Theory

In our reading this week there was a lot about note taking and cues. As I teach my first graders, we usually start a lesson with an affinity chart. I pass out post it notes and they draw or write something they know about the topic we are about to start. Then they post them on chart paper and as a class we read all responses together. Throughout the week as we learn more about the topic we refer to our chart. We make adjustments to our chart through out the week and add or take away post it notes and learning takes place. The final day of our unit is spent reviewing and talking about all that we had learned. This is our version of note taking and the children seem to like it. "Summarizing and note taking focuses on enhancing students abiltiy to synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn,& Malenoski, 2007, p. 119).

We also utilize Webs and Venn Diagrams on the SMARTboard where we sort parts of a story, spelling patterns in words, and facts from a unit. Graphic organizers are another fantastic idea for children to cognitively learn. They are able to store away information and remember the unique and engaging ways they were taught. They need to be able to wrap their minds around what is being taught and this reinforces the theory of how the mind/brain thinks and processes (Duffy and McDonald, 2008, p.20).

Cognitive Theory

I believe the brain is capable of taking information and separating everything one is exposed to and compacting learned information into little files. Information that is used regularly is filed near the front of the brain and the information rarely used is sent to the back. If information is never called upon, eventually the brain will decide to throw the file out.

Cues, questions and advance organizers are great ways to start a lesson. I always try to pull prior knowledge when I introduce a new topic or continue on from something the day before. Not only does asking them to remember information keep their file at the front of their brain, it also makes their brain "keep" the file. Pitler, Hubber, Kuhn and Malenoski made the statement that starting a lesson in this fashion allows teachers to "enhance students' abilities to retrieve, use and organize the learned information" during a particular topic or unit (2007, p.73).

Cognitive Theory also bases learning through a deep understanding of information. Summarizing and note taking make this process easier (Pitler, et al. 2007). I teach first graders and I have never asked them to take notes. However I do summarize and review with them. I have found "Cowboys and Chickens" to be a fun way to practice and summarize what we have learned. This activity takes place on my SMART board. I use the shape maker to draw shapes and gather pictures that would trigger thoughts from the topic and hide them behind the shapes. I call student's names to come to the board and they get to choose a shape to move. Once they reveal the picture or word hidden, they tell the class what they know. I always hide at least one picture of a chicken and a cowboy behind a couple of shapes. When a student finds a cowboy they all yell "Yeeee-Haw" and if they find a chicken they all yell "bawk, bawk" and flap their wings. This activity stimulates their brain "files" and helps them to review or summarize their learning. By adding the fun element, everyone stays focused and gets excited to take a turn...just in case thy find the cowboy or chicken.

Utilizing these concepts will encourage a life time of learning and remembering.

Behaviorism Theory

The Behaviorist Theory is based on the ideas that you should reinforce desired behavior and punish undesirable behavior. I believe the strongest link to the behaviorist ideals is to reinforce good behavior. Students with behavior problems (in my experiences) have come from dysfunctional homes and need to hear positive somewhere. Posting class rules that were developed with the class and referring back to them as needed is a good way to reiterate what is expected.

Homework & Practice: another area of Behaviorism is the idea that a lesson can cause a behavior or require a behavior. I believe that homework is a product of this theory. Daily, students learn new things and are asked to build on their learning experiences. By practicing at home, the students are helping to embed these new ideas and theories. This is also another way to add an intervention or remediation to a student's day.

Reinforcing Effort Strategy: Working hard pays off...slacking off does not. This is a hard concept to teach first graders. School is still fun and games to them. Teaching 1st graders can be trying when convincing them to work hard at reading because it is the foundation of all learning. My class works hard because they want to please me or their parents. Getting parents to show up for conferences or answering their phone when their child is sick at school is hard, let alone asking them to help with homework or actually bring their child to school because they (the parents) needed to sleep in. The belief in one's self plays a major role in success and motivation (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007, p.155). I try to motivate my students by helping them set class goals and individual goals. A celebration at the end of the goal period is a super motivator for 1st graders. In my classroom, I help the class set goals and we pick a reward to celebrate with when we reach our goals; eat with the teacher, crazy hair, pj day, etc. During my student teaching experience, I had a super teacher to learn these skills from. Likewise, my first year, I had a mentor teacher that guided me through my PRAXIS and she did a fantastic job of modeling behavior expectations. According to Dr. Orey, "human behavior is learned" and I had a good learning experience with these two teachers.

Technology is a logical way to support struggling learners. The games or programs can be tailored to fit their specific needs and add another layer to reinforce their learning. Utilizing technology also makes it easier to collect data for IEP or SAM meetings, since the program will collect and graph individual success or struggles.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.