Reflection Journal 6

Reflection Journal #6

Elements of effective instruction

            In order to have effective instruction, the teacher must adapt instruction, motivate the students, manage behavior, group students appropriately, and assess learning (Slavin, 2018).  A lesson must be adapted for the students, if a teacher uses a lesson that is too hard, the students wills top paying attention.  The teacher must motivate the student as well.  Not all students are willing and want to learn, so the teacher must find methods to motivate the students to learn.  Another important aspect is grouping the students.  They need to be grouped in a way to facilitate learning.  Grouping students by the same grades is not effective.  Students need someone who grasps the material to help the students who do not understand the material, but if the material needs to be re-taught the teacher does not need to include those who grasp the material. 

            One model to help facilitate learning is called the QAIT model.  QAIT stands for “quality, appropriateness, incentive, and time” (Slavin, 2018, p. 214).  Quality is how the lesson is presented and ease of learning.  The educator must use examples, diagrams, pictures, etc. so students can see and understand the material.  To help engage students, one must use technology, games, and other activities.  Appropriateness is making sure that students are ready to learn the material but have not learned the material yet.  Meaning, the lesson is not too easy or too hard for the students.  If a lesson is too easy or too hard, the students will not be interested.  This is another reason the quality of instruction is important.  Adapting to specific needs is required at times.  Sometimes this can be the pace of instruction.  Incentive is when the teacher makes sure the students are motivated and ready to work.  Unfortunately, grades are not always an incentive.  Sometimes a simple shout out will work, but other times, a prize of some sort may be required.  This can be a little treasure box or pizza for the class.  Time is ensuring that students have enough time to learn what is being taught.  Giving students plenty of time is important.  Student cannot be taught new material and given a quiz on the same day.  When planning the lesson, the teacher must consider transition times, how much time to teach the lesson, and how much time the students are engaged. 

Groups

            There are several ways to group students.  The first is between-class ability. In this type of grouping, students are grouped by ability.  Students can be grouped in separate classes (accelerated, on-grade level, remedial) or in ability groups in the classroom.  Most of the time, the groups are created for math and reading and are in mixed groups for social studies and science (Slavin, 2018).  Elementary generally use in class groups while secondary schools use separate classes for the groups. 

            Unfortunately, the downside of ability grouping is how it effects the students that are not in the accelerated and grade level classes.  Students that are on the low track or in remedial classes are more likely to drop out of school.  While there is justification for teaching accelerated math classes, there is no reason to have a class of students who are on the low track instead of a mixed ability to class when all students are learning the same material.  Mixed ability groups can be very effective for all students.  Peers can help those who need assistance, and students learn to work together.

            Another type of grouping is untracking.  This is when students are placed in a mixed ability group but holding them to higher standards and includes extra assistance for those who have trouble grasping the material (Slavin, 2018).  Because untracking does not put students who are high achievers into the advanced classes, there is a lot of pushback from parents and students.  Also, untracking requires a new way of thinking and has not been welcomed.  Untracking is slow at moving forward in secondary schools.

            In addition to the previous types of grouping, there is regrouping for math and reading.  This type of grouping is used in elementary schools.  Students are in mixed ability groups except for math and reading classes.  For those classes, students are assigned by his or her ability.  In reading, students are may be placed in classes across grade levels.  That type of grouping is called the Joplin Plan (Slavin, 2018).  In this specific plan, a class may have several grade levels in one class, but the students have the same reading level.  By regrouping for only math and reading, students are in mixed ability classes all day except for two.  This type of grouping can be beneficial for all students especially those that are on a low track.  It helps those students from having the feeling of being singled out.

            Another type of group is within-class ability.  This grouping is normally found in elementary math and reading classes.  Many times, a teacher will teach the lesson whole group and then split the group into the necessary groups.  In these groups, students may be given seatwork, or re-taught the lesson.  Studies show that classes with ability groupings have high achievement that classes without groups (Slavin, 2018).  Also, changing groups as needs change is best for students instead of keeping the same groups for the entire school year or semester.  Another important aspect of within-class ability groups is a small number of groups.  Less groups allow for more time for direct-instruction and less transition time.  A class should not be grouped into more than three groups. 

Retention

            Approximately 14% of students have been retained before high school (Slavin, 2018).  Instead of promoting a third grader who does not read on a third-grade level, the student is retained.  When a student is retained, it can make the student feel dejected and have low self-esteem.  Instead of being retained, the student can be promoted but placed in a different reading class to help the student.  Some believe that retaining students helps them catch up to his or her peers.  However, school districts may offer summer school to the students instead of retention.  Many times, this is what a student needs to be motivated to work. 

            Although schools may see gains on test scores, this can be attributed to the students being older and more mature (Slavin, 2018).  In studies, retention shows no benefit.  The advantage of retention fades over time.  In lieu of retention, students should be given extra supports and interventions to promote learning.  Educators know if a student is not passing a class, and instead of ignoring the issues, they should be helping the students with tutoring, re-teaching material, etc.  By providing students with extra supports, the student may be able to pass the class and move to the next grade level. 

Personalized instruction

            An alternative to grouping is differentiated instruction.  Differentiation is creating or changing a lesson to fit the student’s needs.  It can be as simple as providing the same reading to students but with different reading levels.  If students are writing a paragraph, students may need sentence starters or a word bank.  The purpose of differentiation for students to achieve goals.  Some students need extra supports while others do not. 

            Other types of personalized instruction are peer and cross-age tutoring.  Peer tutoring is one student teaching another and are the same age.  The peer and the student could even be in the same class.  Cross-age tutoring is when an older student teaches a younger student.  Studies suggest having an older tutor because he or she will be more knowledgeable with the content (Slavin, 2018).  At the same time, peer tutoring can be simple to setup especially if students have the same classes, lunchtime, or study hall.

            The last type of personalized instruction is tutoring by teachers.  One to one instruction is the most effective, but it is costly (Slavin, 2018).  Paraprofessionals can be used for this purpose and volunteers as well.  Both methods can improve student achievement.  However, at times, this method is crucial.  For instance, a first grader must learn how to read.  If a student is having difficulty reading, the student must get additional help even if it is one to one tutoring.  A child that does not know how to read will not be successful.  Other benefits to tutoring is working in small groups with a teacher or paraprofessional.  The groups should have less than ten students. 

Educational programs

            There are many programs in place to help students succeed.  One program is Title I.  This

program is federally funded and give schools additional funds to create and provide extra services.  The money from Title I must be used to promote achievement and cannot be used for salaries (Slavin, 2018).  Research shows that students at Title I schools had higher achievement than students who were not at a Title I school but could benefit from extra supports.  However, in some schools, studies did not show any academic achievements.  With the passing of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Title I, the emphasis of using programs that are effective is higher and may see an improvement in students’ success.

            Besides Title I, there are early intervention programs.  These programs focus on the student and helping him or her be successful.  Studies show that early intervention keeps students from falling behind and being retained (Slavin, 2018).  To help student achievement, educators must provide “high-quality instruction) and provide supports for the students (Slavin, 2018, p. 227).  By providing early intervention, a student’s problems may be solved, and special education not needed. 

            Other programs are school programs that implement research-based strategies, after-school programs, and summer school programs.  After-school and summer school programs are usually funded by Title I.  Both programs extend the learning time for the students.  In after-school programs, there is play time and academic time.  Academic time may be covered by teachers or high school students.  Summer school sessions are to prevent loss of what has been learned throughout the year.  Studies show that summer school benefits students and helps prevent academic loss (Slavin, 2018).

Technology

            There are many types of technology used in the classroom.  The most common use of technology are computers and tablets.  In most classrooms, students have access to computers or tablets.  Some students may have computer access in his or her Individualized Education Program (IEP).  Students use the computers to take notes, type essay, or have a program to read to him or her.  Also, in most classrooms, teachers have an interactive whiteboard.  This board can be used to display from the computer to the screen, write on it, complete math problems, and display visual aids (Slavin, 2018).  Along with the computers and boards, students learn how to use Microsoft Office and other programs to assist with classwork and projects.  Students can also use computer programs for math and reading for practice and improve skills. 

            Other ways technology is used in the classroom are WebQuests, multimedia projects, and simulations.  A simulation can be games that simulates life, and a WebQuest can be used for students to find information.  Multimedia projects are projects that include a variety of media to enhance it.  Students may use clipart, video clips, photos, etc. to create his or her project. 

            While some uses of technology are to create projects and instruction, some technology is used to assist in learning.  Students may need to use iPads to communicate with staff, have texts read to him or her due to vision impairment, speech to text for those who may not be able to type essays, and more.  These types of technology are included in a student’s IEP.  Students can use computers for assistance with classwork.  Khan Academy is a great source for students to use.  While there are benefits to using technology, an educator and students needs to be aware of cyberbullying.   If teaching young students, a teacher must make sure that students never talk to anyone online, give any personal information, etc. 

            Teachers and administrators use technology in a variety of ways as well.  They use e-mail, discussion boards, and some professional development.  Another method is audio or video conferencing when teachers are at different schools and cannot meet in person.  Educators found during the digital learning how important technology is to staff and students, however, not all students have a reliable internet connection at home. 

Reflection

            While I believe technology is important, I have mixed feelings on technology.  Even though I enjoy using technology, there is nothing like opening a book in literature class instead of reading it from a computer.  At the same time, the knowledge of technology and so many programs were beneficial when we had digital learning.  Yet, some of my students did not have a good internet connection and was not able to participate in group chats with other students and teachers. 

            There are students who may have technology supports written into his or her IEP, but I believe there is too much pressure to incorporate technology into lessons.  Yes, playing games is a great way to review or using a video clip to introduce a lesson, but over the years, technology has become the focus of the classroom.  Some literature classes do not read whole novels anymore.  Some classes read snippets, and the students create a multimedia project. 

            Personally, I would love to go back to reading a novel, creating projects and assessments while reading the novel, and a final project.  By reading, a student’s reading comprehension will go up.  Just as the more a student writes, the better he or she will get at writing.  I understand the purpose of adding technology to the classroom, but what are students losing by focusing more and more on technology?  Yes, I enjoy using Kahoot and NearPod but not for every lesson.  This year on Apex, the literature classes did not have full novels.  The students were required to read a chapter here and there of a novel and analyze a few paragraphs.  Having read the novels in the past, I had to explain what was going on in the novel for the students to understand what the assignment was to them. 

            Regarding personalized instruction, I have found that differentiation is wonderful for students.  Even though it is more work for me, it is what the students need.  When I taught middle school, I had students in all my classes that needed different interventions.  It was easier for me to create an assignment to each student instead of finding an assignment and modifying it to fit the needs of each student.  This year in high school, I lost touch with myself and students.  Instead of creating assignments, I tried to find assignments that met the needs of my students.  During the digital learning, I decided to go back to my old ways.  I will create assignments for the students instead of trying to modify something for them.  Whether we go back to the classroom or digital learning, I am ready to be true to myself and students. 

References

        Slavin, R. E. (2018). Educational Psychology: Theory and practice. NY, NY: Pearson.       Retrieved May 30, 2020.

Reflective Journal 5

Reflection Journal #5

Student-centered instruction

            Slavin (2018) states that children learn through interactions with adults and peers.  In student-centered instruction, students can learn various ways.  One method is from the top down.  In this method, students present a question or problem and work down to come to the answer or conclusion.  Another positive effect of student-centered instruction is peer interaction.  Student-centered instruction makes students learn how to work together.  This skill is important because it is used in everyday life as an adult.  When educators implement student-centered instruction, it allows the students to be independent learners instead of regurgitating information that was memorized (Slavin, 2018).  

            Although some students may not be able to know how to “do” student-centered instruction, there are methods to teach and assist students to be an active learner.  The first is self-regulated learning; in this method, students are motivated to learn and are not so much motivated by grades.  Not all students are self-regulated learners though, but there are ways to teach students how to become an active learner.  Scaffolding is way to help students become active learners.  With scaffolding, students have more supports or structure at the beginning of a lesson or unit and supports are slowly withdrawn (Slavin, 2018). 

            While many educators think that student-centered instruction only works in math or science classes, it can be used in literature and writing as well.  In reading/literature, the students can be assigned readings and create their own discussion questions.  The students can take turns being the teacher and leading the discussions.  The teacher can participate in the discussion but at the student capacity.  Regarding writing, students can proofread peers’ papers and give constructive feedback.  A student does not need to be a great writer to know if something in a paper does not work well or is confusing. 

            Slavin (2018) suggests several strategies to implement student-centered instruction like jigsaw, peer assisted learning, groups, think-pair-share, and project-based learning.  Many teachers already use these methods but may not realize that they are utilizing student-centered instruction.  Whether the educators realize it or not, research shows there are benefits to the student-centered instruction, and the benefits apply to all grade levels and content areas (Slavin, 2018).  As mentioned before, some people believe that these methods work only in math and science but using these strategies in literature and writing can be just as beneficial and produce positive results. 

            One of the most important parts of active learning is critical thinking.  Students must learn how to think critically.  Slavin (2018) states “there should be an emphasis on giving reasons for opinions rather than only giving correct answers” (p. 208).  Critical thinking is a skill that students will need in their adult life.  If a student is only expected to repeat information, he or she will not be able to think critically as an adult.  In order to practice critically thinking, a teacher can provide scenarios that students are familiar with.  It is not realistic to expect students to have an in-depth discussion about a topic they know nothing about. 

Reflection

            As I mentioned previously, many teachers use student-centered instruction whether they realize it or not.  This type of instruction is important because it fosters learning that does not happen if a teacher stands in front of a class and lectures.  Instead of a lecture, there are many ways to engage students and promote active learning.  Slavin (2018) states teachers should “encourage students to have experiences and conduct experiments that permit them to discover principles for themselves” (p. 190).  The purpose of an education is to learn and to think. 

            Student-centered instruction is a crucial aspect to learning.  Research shows that this type of instruction has great effects in student learning (Slavin, 2018).  The various types of strategies can be used in any grade level or content area.  By using student-centered instruction, the students are more likely to stay engaged.  Working with the students I do, other staff members were worried about strategies that I used in the classroom.  I had students up out of their seats, working together, and actively learning.  Even though the students have behavioral problems, they are still are kids and have the same right to an education as other students. 

            Even though I was a bit worried about having students up out of their seats, I found that the strategy worked.  The students were talking about the subject at hand, laughing, smiling, and just as important, learning.  Moving to high school this year, I feel like I have lost sight of somethings.  Part of it being new content to what I have taught in the past, and part of it being in a considerably smaller room without the room to move in.  I feel like next year I will go back to basics.  Even though the room is smaller, I want to go back to what I know and love.  I want the students up and actively learning. 

References

        Slavin, R. E. (2018). Educational Psychology: Theory and practice. NY, NY: Pearson. Retrieved May 30, 2020.

           

Reflective Journal 4

Reflection Journal 4

Direct instruction

            Before beginning this school year, the idea of direct instruction was natural.  It was not a second thought.  I spent the last six years in middle school where I was up moving, presenting information, using the smart board, etc.  This year working with Apex was an adventure.  I had a love hate relationship with Apex.  In the spring semester, I started presenting information on Apex while I taught two 9^th grade literature classes.  It made me feel like a teacher again instead of someone waiting on a question or to unlock a quiz or test.  After we went to digital learning, I did a lot of reflection on what next year would like.  I decided that I will hit the ground running.  All literature classes will be taught by me, and any other classes that are on Apex will be presented on the smart board instead of leaving students to his or her own devices. 

            To me, direct instruction or even presenting Apex classes to students is much more beneficial than a student working on his or her own.  Some of the Apex courses can be a touch on the boring side.  If I was a high school student, I would not want to work on Apex all day.  When teaching via direct instruction, an educator is able to create lessons that interest the student and are on the student’s level.  When working on lesson plans, the first part is stating the desired outcome.  What do you want the student to learn during this lesson?  Also, a teacher needs a good introduction.  If you are about to read Romeo and Juliet, you do not want to start the lesson with today we are going to read….  That is not going to interest the students.  A lot of teachers start lessons or modules with a buy-in; something that will interest the students and make then want to know more.  This can be a video, an audio clip, PowerPoint, etc. 

            After the introduction, the educator needs to ensure mastery of any skills needed for the module or lesson.  This can be done with a quick review or game.  Even high school students love to play Kahoot and other games in class.  When presenting new information, everything should be in a logical order instead of bouncing from place to place.  Also, you want to make sure not to overload the students.  If teaching poetry terms, introduce a few at a time.  If you introduce all of the poetry terms at once, the students can become overwhelmed, and now the teacher has lost them.  Slavin (2018) states to “repeat important points and bring them back into the lesson whenever appropriate” (p. 166).  By doing this, the students will be more likely to remember the points or terms and how they relate to the unit. 

            When teaching, it is important to use examples that students can relate to as well.  In middle school and teaching the difference between an independent clause and dependent clause, I would tell the students the independent clause was like an adult.  It stood on its own, could buy groceries, rented an apartment, and had a job.  The dependent clause was like a kid.  The child could not get a job or rent an apartment because it needed help.  Months later on a mid-term a student asked me what the different was between the two.  I told him I could not tell him.  I asked him what I told him about independent and dependent clauses, and he remembered on his own that the independent clause was an adult.  Another technique that Slavin (2018) suggests is the rule-example-rule.  This technique is when a teacher states the rule, gives an example, and states the rule again (Slavin, 2018).  This technique can help give students a mental image to assist in memorizing the rule.

            In addition, Slavin (2018) suggests using demonstrations, models, illustrations, and videos.  The sources can help students remember what is being taught.  Most students do not memorize everything a teacher says and needs visuals as well.  Plus, a lecture class is more for college students.  Even then, some college students need visuals depending on the class.  An elementary student would not be able to learn with a teacher talking at him or her all class.  The student will get bored and stop listening.  To maintain attention, Slavin (2018) states “for this reason you should introduce variety, activity, or humor to enliven the lecture and maintain student attention” (p. 168).  Even in college, professors make jokes during lectures to keep the students from drifting off to sleep.

            Another important aspect is learning probes.  There are many ways to check for understanding.  It can be as simple as asking questions during the lesson.  Questioning the students is important.  How else do we know if they are learning or need assistance in a specific area? When questioning a student, Slavin (2018) states to wait for about three seconds before moving on but do not wait too long.  When calling on students, there should be some sort of method.  If you always call on the students who raise their hands, do the students who sit quietly understand the material? Slavin (2018) suggests using popsicles sticks with students’ names, cards with students’ names, or using a list and calling names at random. 

            Another way to check for understanding is an all-response.  When using an all-response, there is only one correct answer, and the whole class answers at once.  Another way is to use hand signals to answer the questions as once.  The teacher can have the do a thumbs up or down for true or false question or to give a number.  Independent practice is another important way to check for understanding.  Without independent practice, a teacher may never truly know if a student has learned the material because a student needs practice to learn something.  Young children learn how to spell by writing the words over and over.  When learning math, a student must have practice to remember the formulas and order of operations.  Though independent work is important, Slavin (2018) states “do no assign independent practice until you are sure students can do it” (p. 173).  If a student does not know how to do the practice appropriately, he or she will remember doing it the incorrect way.  If a student learns to complete a math formula incorrectly, it will be harder for the student to learn how to do it correctly.  At the end of the lesson, there should be some sort of assessment.  This can be a short quiz or ticket out of the door. If a number of students do not do well, the lesson should be retaught. 

            An equally as important aspect of direct instruction is how the students learn. Slavin (2018) states concepts are learned two ways.  The first by observation, and the second by definition (Slavin, 2018).  Kids see an airplane and learn what it is, yet to learn what a brother is, a child needs know the definition.  Just by seeing a brother does not teach the children what a brother is.  Another concept is transfer of learning.  Instead of teaching to the test, educators need to students how to use the skills learned.  Even though a student can write a compound-complex sentence by itself, can the student use it in a paragraph?  Those the skills that need to be taught.  In order to teach concepts that can be used in a variety of settings, the teacher must teach the concepts in a variety of ways.  For instance, when teaching a vocabulary word, instead of giving the students the vocabulary word in the same setting, use different settings.  Slavin uses flummoxed as a vocabulary word.  In one example, he uses the word three times and regarding a magician.  To truly teach the students how to use it in a variety of situations, the word needs to be used in a variety of situations instead of just a magic show. 

            Even though lectures can be boring, class discussions are imperative and can be done in a way that keeps the students’ attention.  There are multiple types of discussions.  They are controversial topics, difficult topics, and affective objectives (Slavin, 2018).  Through these types of discussions, students learn how to think outside the box, see something in a way he or she would not have even thought about, and for them to see the value in something (Slavin, 2018).  Along with whole class discussion, small group discussion is another method for discussions.  With small group discussion, students are placed into small groups and can either be given different topics or the same topic.  After giving students time to discuss the assigned topic, the whole group reconvenes and shares information. 

Reflection

            I found this chapter interesting because it went with what I was reflecting during digital learning days.  I found myself not enjoying Apex and wanting to do something more for the students.  When school starts in the fall, I plan on going back to my middle school days of direct instruction.  The students were engaged, working, and passing classes.  When left to their own devices, the students played games or just did not work.  That is something that I do not want for my students.  Slavin (2018) states “intentional teachers are not satisfied with learning that is limited to a narrow, school-specific context” (p. 184).  Apex is school-specific, and I refuse to rely on it anymore. 

            While direct instruction is more time consuming because a teacher must create his or her own lessons, the lessons can be planned to the learning level of the student.  Also, the lessons can be creative and engaging.  Even though writing lesson plans can be time consuming, I enjoy creating lessons that I think the students will like.  Reading this chapter just reaffirmed what I want and need to do next year.  I want to be the best for my students. 

References

          Slavin, R. E. (2018). Educational Psychology: Theory and practice. NY, NY: Pearson. Retrieved May 30, 2020.

Reflective Journal 3

Reflection Journal #3

Information-Processing

            Information-processing is how information enters our brains and what we do with that information.  Some information is held for a short time, and some is held in our long-term memory.  There are three elements embedded in information-processing.  They are sensory register, working memory, and long-term memory.  Although people may think that we automatically remember everything, it is not true.  Slavin (2018) states “the learning process is controlled by the learner” (p. 123).  Each person can consciously control some aspects of what is experienced and file it into working or long-term memory.  At the same time, processing information can be unconscious as well.  Sometimes a person will receive information that immediately connects to information already stored in the long-term memory.  How a person decides to remember something with his or her working or long-term memory is executive process.  This process determines what effort a person will put into remember something for long term and how hard that person will work to form new memories (Slavin, 2018, p. 123). 

Sensory register

            The sensory register takes in copious amounts of information for the five senses.  That information is held for a minuscule amount of time.  If nothing comes of the information, it is discarded.  There are two implications of sensory register.  The first is people must focus if they want to retain new information.  The second is time. Time is important when bringing to information to consciousness (Slavin, 2018). 

            During the sensory register, our minds begin working on the senses that are received.  Our conscious tells us what we smelled, heard, or saw, but it is not everything that our senses received.  Slavin (2018) states “they are what our senses perceived” (p. 124).  When our minds start to perceive the stimuli, our conscious chooses what will be heard, seen, or smelled.  That is the reception of the stimuli.  When we are driving, we are more liking to be aware and hear sirens from farther away than if we are sitting at home watching TV. 

            Like when we are driving and are paying attention, educators want students to pay attention.  Sometimes though, the students’ senses may be overloaded and cannot decipher what needs to be seen or heard.  When a teacher asks for attention, the students who are focusing on what the teacher is saying will not be aware of other stimuli like sounds.  Slavin (2018) asserts “once your listeners are starting to check their iPhones, you know you’re really in trouble” (p. 124).  When this happens, the attention needs to be refocused to the teacher.  This can be done by using verbal cues, raising or lowering voices, or using hand motions.  Another way is to bring emotion to the lesson.  People are more likely to give a speaker, TV show, etc. his or her undivided attention when emotion is involved.  Another way to gain attention is to start with an attention grabber.  This can be a warm-up, using a movie clip as an intro, or a demonstration. 

Working memory

            When a person pays attention to stimuli, that information is moved from sensory register to working memory.  Working memory, also known as short-term memory, can hold information for a limited amount of time.  In the working memory, the brain organizes the information.  It is either stored, rejected, or connected to other information (Slavin, 2018).  The processes of the working memory work in conjunction with the sensory register and long-term memory.  If you see a dog, the sensory register sends that picture of the dog to the working memory while the long-term memory can identify the type of dog. 

            A way to keep information in the short-term memory is rehearsal (Slavin, 2018).  This can be reciting a phone number or phrase until it is in the working memory.  If it is repeated and remembered enough, it can be moved to the long-term memory.  Therefore, practicing a new math concept, vocabulary words, etc. is important.  By rehearsing and recalling the information will help the mind move it to long-term memory.  The working memory has a limited capacity.  Information held in the short-term memory is limited to five to nine pieces of information (Slavin, 2018).  It is best to not overload students with several ideas at one time unless it is very organized and cohesive to make understanding and retention better. 

Long-term memory

            Long-term memory is where information is stored for extended amounts of time.  This part of our memory is the largest, and “many theorists believe that we may never forget information in long-term memory” (Slavin, 2018, p. 127).  Others believe that we will never use all of our long-term memory.  It is also divided into three sections.  Those parts are episodic memory, semantic memory, and procedural memory.

            Episodic memory is where personal experiences are stored.  A high school dance, dinner, a wedding are all examples of what is stored in the episodic memory.  Memories in this section can be hard to retrieve because many of the memories here are repeated like eating (Slavin, 2018).  Facts, concepts, rules, and problem-solving are stored in semantic memory.  These memories are stored by ideas.  The last part, procedural memory, contains, how to drive, ride a bike, etc. (Slavin, 2018).  Here, memories are stored by stimulus/response.  For instance, if you get on a bike (stimulus), your body reacts and does what is needed to keep from falling off the bike.  Handwriting is another example.  There is a pen or pencil in your hand, and you write down what you need to without thinking of how to form the letters. 

Reflection

            This chapter was interesting.  Depending on what the information is, I do not have a good memory.  For instance, I had a tutor for algebra in high school.  No matter how often we met, I could not remember the formulas for specific problems.  I tried my hardest and barely passed.  However, take me to dinner where I meet new people, and I will remember who I met. 

            Another concept that opened my eyes to a specific lesson was overloading the students with two many ideas.  This year was my first year teaching high school literature.  Slavin (2018) stated “you cannot present students with many ideas at once unless the ideas are so well organized and so well connected to information already in the students’ long-term memories that their working memories can accommodate these ideas” (p. 127).  This statement made me think of my Romeo and Juliet unit.  I introduced William Shakespeare and key terms for the unit.  There were so many key terms that I lost the students after about 10 words.  Next year, the key terms will be broken up for the students. 

            Also, I found it interesting that a myth that Slavin discusses is about learning styles.  Slavin (2018) states “research fails to support” students learning a topic better if with a “preferred learning style” (p. 137).  Even if students do not learn with a specific learning style, I do find it best to present information in multiple forms to best serve the students.  The students will be more likely to stay engaged if different styles are being used in the classroom.  Not only should different styles be used, educators should give students time to rehearse and practice the new concept, so that the information can be transferred to the long-term memory. 

            Overall, a lot of this information was new and informative.  I used different learning styles in the classroom to teach to everyone instead of one student, but now I know that one specific learning style may not be best practice even if a child learns visually.  Also, the phrase “practice makes perfect” makes more sense.  I knew that repeating information can help a person remember it, but I did not know that it could help your brain move it to long-term.  Moving forward, I will chunk key terms and make sure to give students plenty of practice without overwhelming them. 

References

          Slavin, R. E. (2018). Educational Psychology: Theory and practice. NY, NY: Pearson. Retrieved May 30, 2020.