Revitalized Unit

     The process of revitalizing my "World Issues: Asia Unit" was an awesome opportunity and use of time for the coming school year.  I love assignments where I get the opportunity through the course to utilize what I have learned, for the betterment of my course and ultimately student engagement and learning.  It can be overwhelming to think about implementing a bunch of changes at one time to the courses you teach, but through thinking through how you would apply these teaching models to one unit, provided an avenue to make the process manageable.  I am excited to start teaching this unit making the transition from direct instruction to more guided instruction through all of the different teaching models I have chosen.  It was amazing to me, that as I thought through my different goals and activities to achieve those goals in my World Issues class, and through the Asia unit specifically, I was able to find much better ways to achieve those goals, and many times, the teaching models allowed me to exceed my goals and meet more than one.
     As a result of my completed "Revitalized Unit" I now have a road map to engage my students from the very beginning through introducing the content of the unit with Suchman's Inquiry, identify and solve problems through Creative Problem Solving, organize their evidence through Concept Development, and form an analysis through Cause and Effect. The best part, is if those initial teaching models are not the right fit for the class I am teaching, I have two other models for each one to meet the same goals in a different way.  I feel like I am heading back to school with more tools in my teacher arsenal, than I ever have before!  Thank you Dr. Grant!

Teaching Demonstration II Blog: Synectics Model!

Teaching Demonstration II Blog: Synectics

By: Jyl Mason  

Creating a teaching demonstration using the Synectics Model was truly a learning experience from the beginning, because I had never even heard of synectics before.  I thought I was really in some trouble when just the name “synectics” took me a couple of times to pronounce correctly.  I attempted to closely and appropriately follow  the model throughout the activity, but as it turned out, I should have separated the phases and gone through them individually so each phase was hidden when a new one was started.  With that said, I think appropriate learning was attended, because creative analogies were created, but the process could have been even better with the phases separated.  

I do think that “all facets (were) thoroughly explained in the process and the knowledge of how to duplicate the process best, was achieved.  I chose the topic of “Education” for my colleagues since it is a clear and shared interest and I think it worked rather well since the process led us to the metaphorical relationship between education and chocolate.  From my own practice using synectics to my participation with the group, I noticed how much I enjoy participating in creative processes with groups rather than on my own.

Once again, I thought my colleagues did a great job discussing the strengths, weaknesses, and class connections of synectics following the presentation.  I really enjoyed the collaborative effort in deducing how to use synectics in our classrooms.  In addition, I have never thought of myself as a traditionally creative person and synectics has served as another reminder to me this semester, that I can be very creative, creativity is within my reach, and I now have the ability to help my students gain the same insights and tap into their creative potential.

As the 2016-2017 school year is quickly approaching, I have been brainstorming ways to make even the most mundane tasks (classroom expectations/syllabus) engaging and novel to my students and these strategies have provided me with more tools to meet this challenge.   Stay tuned for my revitalized unit!  

Teaching Demonstration Reflection: Cause & Effect Model

Teaching Demonstration Blog: Cause & Effect

By: Jyl Mason  

The Cause and Effect Model was my first teaching demonstration and I had a lot of fun using the strategy after I got over my nerves.  I read the information on the Cause and Effect Model over and over because I really wanted to utilize the strategy within my classroom this year.  I do a lot with helping my students to determine cause and effect and yet, this strategy helps take students deeper to prior causes and subsequent effects...it’s genius!   I think I used the model closely and appropriately followed it throughout the activity.  I tried to pick a very interesting topic to demonstrate the process and the result of using the Cause and Effect Model.  I started off with my activity right away as outlined in the rubric, but I wonder if it would have been better to give my classmates the background information (Bajau Laut people) in an email before we got started.  I was trying to be considerate of their time outside of our synchronized time, because I know they are working on other things.

I think “all facets (of the cause and effect model) were thoroughly explained and demonstrated; type of learning for model clearly explained and employed; clear, concise, and complete explanation of model.” Although I feel I was clear, my classmates seemed to struggle at first with determining appropriate causes or effects and it made me wonder if I wasn’t being as clear as I originally thought, or if they needed some think time. In addition, I’m wondering if a short story similar to what Allison used for the Socratic Method would have worked better than the situation of the Bajau Laut people I chose to use.

Overall, I think my presentation was relevant, creative, organized (with the use of PowerPoint), and varied presentation tools; material and activity was easy to follow for the most part.

The handout I created was clear and definitely concise, as well as user friendly, and correct citations, but I wonder if I should have included another example or maybe an additional website they could utilize.

I thought my peers did a great job of discussing the strengths, weaknesses, and relationships to the thinking types, research, and other teaching demonstrations we have studied in class.

I don’t think I self evaluated after my activity as much as I could have, however, I think I ran over on time as well so I was trying to close.

Overall, I am really looking forward to using this strategy in the coming school year and with my daughter (16) who has trouble developing a strong analysis in her writing.

Research Presentation Blog

Research Presentation Blog:

By: Jyl Mason  

Summary of discussion question and meeting regarding my topic and a summary of the task that your classmates did.

The question I asked my peers after presenting on brain research, was an application question that basically asked how people could use the information from brain research in order to lead better lives right away and in the future.  The brain research I studied, continued to reiterate the benefits of exercise to brain function, so I concentrated my task around helping my classmates to experience these benefits.   

Evaluation of presentation-based on rubric and include a letter grade and a justification. (What were my strengths?  What would I do differently)  

I read through the “Assessment of Research in to Teaching & Learning” before I completed the research and created my presentation so I had a good idea about the final product I wanted to create.  After reviewing the presentation I made, I feel my presentation is easy to follow, clear, concise, thorough, and very interesting.  I hope I made it interesting, but the research was definitely interesting, and very applicable to everyday life as well as teaching.  As I poured over the research, I felt like the information was like having access to a really great “life-hack!”  

In order to make it interesting, I chose to incorporate information that I personally found interesting.  The video I incorporated of a teacher running her whole-brain classroom captured the imagination of other teachers by inspiring similar strategies that would produce that much engagement.  In addition, I incorporated several varied examples including a physical product of brain research from mind-control prosthetics that allows my audience to realize the gains that have been made through tapping into how the brain works, and how we can use brain research to our advantage.

In order to provide more visuals, I incorporated several videos that would elaborate on more brain research relevant to graduate students and educators in order to enhance their understanding.   For these reasons, according to the rubric, I would give myself an A for being on target.

Quality of question & task

Reflect on your learning regarding the topic researched, creating the presentation and observing the comments from others on both the task and the question.

I learned so much from my investigation on current brain research.  I was able to correct the misunderstandings and myths I believed about brain research, and gain new understandings that will help me everyday and in my classroom.  For my task, I wanted my classmates (and myself) to begin to experience the benefits coming out of brain research that I was finding, and I wanted them to be able to apply it and reap the benefits.  

The question I asked my classmates on how the brain research could benefit them, was to get them to think about all of the different ways they could apply the research.  The comments and conversations I heard from my classmates, were similar to my own as I combed through the research, and it appears as though I chose the sources that would be helpful in correcting their misconceptions and helping them to dream about the possibilities coming forth with brain research.  Libby, discussed having the same misconceptions I did, and the awe of where brain research has brought us thus far. Allison, said she really liked seeing the whole-brain classroom in action and she made a connection between the whole-brain classroom to the perceptual modalities we learned about previously.  I was never able to watch Laurie’s video, it was unavailable every time I checked in to view it.

In our group conversation today, we all chose different types of physical activity, yet we all experienced similar results.  Everyone benefited from the physical activity and mentioned more focus, less restlessness while working, and increased comprehension.  Libby did mention one negative account of mistyping more than usual possibly due to fatigue in her hands from her physical activity.  Laurie was pleased to spend time with her kids and seeing the change for the better in their behavior due to the physical activity.  Allison’s bike ride yielded the same positive effects of more focus and less restlessness.  Allison talked about using brain-breaks for her students for the same purpose we utilized physical activity for ourselves.

-consider your learning based on your prior experiences-how does it link or what did it make you realize, and how might it relate to what you have been thinking about doing.

During the school year, I have a class that is connected to an advisory period where students are potentially in their desks for 80 minutes straight.  The first 30 minutes was the advisory period where students would work silently, while I conferenced with them individually and then we would begin class for the remaining 50 minutes.  On test days especially, sitting for 80 minutes was visibly uncomfortable for my students, so I would have what I called, “Brain-Breaks!” During this time, they could get up, move around, talk to a friend, or we would do something more structured and active.  Sometimes I would lead a game, and other times we used my discussion ball for some “non-silent, silent-ball” with some background music they would enjoy.  

I always called these brain breaks, and my students always enjoyed them, but I had no idea they were backed up by brain research.  As it turns out, they are backed up by brain research in a couple of different ways.  First of all, the brain breaks provided activity (shown to be beneficial to increase brain function) and the brain breaks provided something new and interesting to the students (also backed up by brain-research).  In addition, the brain breaks provided an enjoyable experience (also backed up by brain research to do something enjoyable before an obligatory task, helps you to perform the obligatory task better).

The change I am currently thinking about making since I have inherited a large classroom, is to experiment with the benefits of flexible seating.  Dr. Judy Willis talked about new environments exciting the brain, and a classroom that offers structure with an inviting atmosphere might be a helpful change from single file desks.

-Think about your learning as you prepared.  As you read the discussion of your questions with your classmates, what was new, what did you think that your colleagues need to know should be addressed?

Throughout the process of gathering brain research, I wanted to find information that would ultimately give my classmates and I tools and information  to become even better teachers.  I wanted to find proven research (which is difficult to do, with brain research) that we could use to benefit our students and increase what they are learning in our classrooms.  In addition, I wanted to give my peers and myself the opportunity and permission if you will, to experiment and apply current brain research.  My classmates enjoyed getting active, reaped the benefits, and I hope we all take time to continue to act on what we now know.