EDF+2130+Assignments


 * Reflective Responses**


 * Field Notes**


 * Developmental Research Project**

Here is your first set of reading questions, which deal with pages 1-28 of chapter 1. As you'll note, these sections attempt to establish the importance schools for the development of children, briefly describe the diversity of students that schools serve, and outline several frameworks for understanding this development. It provides, essentially, an overview for the rest of the book.  I expect that your response is 200-250 words and that you speak frankly about your points of view. We can talk in class next week about how this went.  Take a look at #2 in "Activities" on pages 47-48.  1a. Read each question and decide which choice best represents your current thinking--you don't need to post your answers for all the questions, but I'd like you to explain which "point of view" of development (on page 48) your responses seems to be most in line with. Did your views fall into the Biological, Behavioral, or Cognitive? Did you see more than one choice as reasonable?  1b. Post your responses to (a), (b), and (f) and explain WHY you think this way about each of these questions.  2. Look at the third bullet point on page 9: "Children become less intrinsically motivated to learn and less confident of their abilities as they progress in school." What do you think this means and why do you think it might be the true? OPTIONAL: comment on at least one of your classmates' response.
 * Week 2 (8/31): Wednesday's section **

> (a) Why do children follow rules? Parents praise them for doing things on their own. For this question, I originally answered "They have a desire to experiment with new ideas and formulas and actions." Although I do agree with it, I agree more with the parents' praise because I remember the idea of positive reinforcement from psychology. If a child gets awarded for doing something or as he is told, then he is likely to do it again. Besides learning it from psychology, I have also seen it happen. Many times I have seen my cousins do something cute and everyone applaud and laugh so they come back later and do it again to be praised. > (b) How do children come to understand differences between plants and animals? They formulate the concept by observing and analyzing differences between the two groups. When the children play with animals and plants, they observe how both react to them. They observe and analyze who the dog may flint with a scream or jump when food is shown, while the plant does not move or make noises when water is shown. I’ve seen how infants and toddlers play with everything. They try to test what they can away with, waiting for some sort of reaction or scream when do any movement. They take note on who reacts to what. > (f) How do children learn to resolve conflicts with their friends? Through interacting with others, they discover that cooperation reduces conflict. > Tying into the other two questions, they observe and take note on others reactions, not just when infants and toddlers but always. When they act on something and are exposed to a certain reaction they realize, “if I am mean and misbehave, my friends won’t talk to me and the teacher screams; if I am nice and behave, I have more friends to play with and the teacher approves.”
 * 1) 1a. Most of my responses were in line with the Cognitive view. There were a few instances when I also agreed with the Behavior view.
 * 1) I think that statement means that some students become unenthusiastic to continue working and learning because they don’t understand or get bored. I think this is true because when you do have less faith in yourself, you’re not as able to do things in comparison to someone who is. Students who don’t believe in themselves, don’t push themselves and cause others (teachers, parents) to not believe in them either. This causes both the teacher and student to try less and eventually the student gets behind and gives up.

Readings: In these readings, "studying development" is approached through a variety of lenses. The textbook outlines myriad ways teachers might study children's development--through observations, interviews, surveys, and performance assessments. On the other hand, Thorne, an ethnographer, talks about what she learned--about herself and "development"--by attentively paying attention to the lives of children. 1. When you think about teaching kids in your area of interest, which of the data collection methods (pp. 37-41) do you think will be the most useful? Why? Explain your reasoning, including why you think some of the other methods WON'T be as useful. 2. On pages 12 & 13, Thorne makes two statements: a. "To learn from children, adults have to challenge (he deep assumption that they already know what children are 'like,' both because, as former children, adults have been there, and because, as adults, they regard children as less complete versions of themselves" (p. 12). b. "But children don't necessarily see themselves as 'being socialized' or 'developing,' and their interactions with one another, and with adults. extend far beyond those models" (p. 13). What do you think she means in these two statements? What importance, if any, does each have for your ideas about teaching in your area of interest? > (b) Children don’t see their development; they think that the way they react is based on a developmental theory like adults study. I think that to a child, playing with a neighbor isn’t “socializing” it’s just “hey we get along and like similar things,” or “mommy wants me to be nice to those around me.” It ties in to psychology with the id, ego and superego, going from doing what they please and need and adapting to the norms of society; some parts consciously and others unconsciously (not seeing it as “being socialized”). I think it’s just important to keep in mind when teaching children about rules. > As you consider your own beliefs and our conversation in class today about the assumptions underlying the different "truths" of child development, what do you think you ASSUME about children and their development? For example, if you believe that "children have a natural curiosity about things" (#2h), an assumption might be that children are raised in environments in which they can realize this curiosity. Another assumption might be that it is "human nature" to be curious, that there is something biological/genetic that predisposes humans to ask questions and seek out new things. See what I mean? So now it's your turn to share!
 * Week 3: September 7 & 8 **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Textbook, Chapter 1, pp. 29-45
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thorne, "Learning from Kids
 * 1) I think the most useful method for data collection is cross-sequential studies because the children are studied for a couple of years. This amount of time allows for the observer to see how the child is developing as well as prevents from many children leaving the study. This amount of time is usually how long a child stays in a certain school; elementary- five years, middle – three years, high- four years. Cross-sequential puts both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies’ advantages together. In doing so, it has a large sample something case studies don’t have. Although this method can not establish cause and effect relations, not many studies or methods can.
 * 2) (a) It’s easy to forget what it’s like being a child once you’re grown up and began dealing with life’s problems. A lot of times, children and adults are in misunderstandings because they forget to relate to each other. Adults are the ones that have to give in and try to relate to the child because they have already been there and have already experienced life as a child while a child (most) has not experienced life as an adult. It’s essential in teaching because it could make the difference in getting an idea or lesson across. If a teacher can’t relate or understand the children she is teaching, the children might not understand what the teacher is teaching. For example, if a teacher doesn’t understand that Spongebob is the coolest most amazing sponge in the sea to her students, when she bursts the bubble that sponges in fact do not wear square pants in an abrupt manner without taking into account the children’s’ imagination and previous exposure, she could offend them and create a reluctance to learn within the classroom.
 * <span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">EXIT SLIP 2 **

<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I assume children are curious and creative beings that long for attention. Because they long for attention, they often depend on the reactions from their parents and peers. Although the environment does affect how much and what the child can explore, he will still explore- whether it’s breaking apart a pen and toy or walking through a jungle in his backyard. I assume the child does not have any physical disabilities. <span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I assume the child has parents or individuals around them to give the child enough attention and discipline. For example, if he hits another child, the other child cries and the adult says “No” in a strong voice. I assume the child is capable of distinguishing a sincere response from a louder, more upset response.

1. In 100-150 words discuss something that you read in pages 64-75 that you find important or relevant to teaching children or adolescents in your grade level or area of interest. In other words, in your view, what research on brain or perceptual development that you read about in this section has the most potential impact for teaching kids in your area and why? As you think about this research or concept, what questions does it bring up for you in relation to its use for teachers in your field? <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">2. <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;"> In 100-150 words, respond to the same questions in #1 but apply them to pages 90-120, which concerns physical development and the risks associated with children's bodies. These pages cover A LOT of ideas, so I want you to really think about what in these cases has struck you, left you thinking, "I really care about this." I'd rather you be more specific than broad here. Instead of saying, "student drug use is something I care about," talk about the problems and risks of student drug use that concern and interest you.
 * Week 4 Discussions: September 14 & 15**
 * 1) These sections dealt mainly with the development of infants and toddlers. It was scary to find how much less of a recovery an older individual might have to a brain injury. What I found most important was the belief that brains are like any other muscle. If you continue training it, it will continue to work as properly. I was always told that younger students learn faster and pick things up better, like languages. It was nice to find out that if it’s actively used it could continue to work the same way. I know from other readings that math actually helps you from developing dementia, and I wonder of you begin class by saying this would students be more willing to actively participate. Another thing the book mentioned was that older students are just as stimulated by colors and displays, which is helpful in math because there are a lot of different charts and reasons to used highlighters and color pencils.
 * 2) These pages had a lot more emphasis on the older age range. It was shocking to see how high percentages were. 27% using illicit drugs, 29% riding with a drunk driver, 20-25% depressed, 40% of ninth graders having sex; although I did know a lot of students in my school that fit into these categories, I didn’t think it was so high within the nation. I think what was important was to understand how fast kids are growing up and how likely it is for a student in your classroom to be part of the statistic. I wanted to point out how the media does play a huge role on kids. Many shows hire actors that are significantly older than the character they are portraying, most characters in the show are drinking and having sex uncontrollably and whenever there is a character that isn’t, they are looked down upon. I’ve never watched them, but I know that many channels have teenage mothers and their “struggles,” but they’re almost saying “get pregnant and get famous.” I think some of the prevention strategies shown are important. For example, Netherlands is very liberal on sexual education and despite sex being every prominent in the media, they have the lowest teen pregnancy. I also believe one of the strategies should be encouraging sports and physical activity. Teenagers are seen as “sex-crazed, rebellious, troubles, indecisive, and moody.” Physical activity improves mood, socializes children, promotes health, improves blood flow, improves grades (because they must maintain a certain gpa to continue), keeps them away from trouble, and provides a sense of belonging. I was wondering why the book mainly covered early-maturation?

<span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1. On page 163 of your textbook, speaking about the role of learning in cognitive development, the authors state: "[E]xternal stimulation of thinking can only succeed if it provokes the child to engage in assimilation and accommodation processes." <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> a. In your own words, explain what assimilation and accommodation mean. <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> b. Also, what does this overall quote mean for the cognitive development (according to Piaget) of children of the age group and subject area in which you're interested in teaching? Write specifically about how this quote would apply to the kinds of abilities and potential for development that is indicative of learners in your age level.
 * <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 5 Discussions: September 21 & 22 **

<span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> 2. Donaldson (1982) states: "We are led to the general conclusion that the situation is more complicated than Piaget had supposed and that there are common sources of failure in conservation tests which his theory does not envisage" (p. 206). What does she mean by this statement? How is the situation more complicated? Be specific by citing a quotation from her paper and explaining how it demonstrates how Piaget underestimated children's conservation abilities.


 * 1) a) Assimilation is building new knowledge by adding on to prior knowledge. Accommodation is changing prior knowledge. Most of my group agrees with that. Andrea sees accommodation as a rearrangement of ideas as well as building on to prior knowledge.b) For the quote <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">“[E]xternal stimulation of thinking can only succeed if it provokes the child to engage in assimilation and accommodation processes,” each member of the group had their own view on how it fits the student. Amanda saw it as an importance in social interaction, and sees the importance in creating lesson plans that try to fit everyone’s learning needs. Missy believes that by the time they enter her class, most assimilation and accommodation will already be present. Both Missy and Andrea see it as building on prior knowledge to learn the new, more complex ideas and information. They both find prior knowledge to be complete necessary to build from. I agree with Missy and Andrea, prior knowledge is necessary to fully understand a new concept because many challenging concept build upon prior knowledge.
 * 2) According to my group, Donaldson is stating that fact that children are different from each other, and although they may be in the same situation, they may choose to focus more on one thing than the other. Using a sentence in a previous paragraph, “All of this suggests the possibility that some children at some points in development may tend to respond to impersonal, physical features while others - or the same children at other times - may tend to respond to interpersonal or social ones.” Donaldson is trying to convey the idea that when Piaget came up with this study, he didn’t take into account different ways a child may see something. She uses the beaker as an example; one child might focus on the liquid being poured, while another is focusing on the actual experimenter. They all agree that this could alter the results of Piaget’s experiment.
 * 3) Some questions to ask would be on how Amanda saw it differently: how do assimilation and accommodation fit in the social aspect? How would it affect a teacher’s lesson plan? I want to know how assimilation is similar to being assimilated in a new culture.

<span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1. As you read through pages 185-205 in chapter 4, you'll notice that there are three main areas of information processing: <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> **attention,** **memory,** <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">and <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> **metacognition.** Of course, these are not separate aspects of cognition, and they act in concert. However, which one of the three areas of cognition seems most relevant and important to your future work as a teacher from what you know about the children you might be teaching? Please be specific by citing a quotation and justifying why this aspect is most important. And spend at least 100 words on your explanation, excluding the quote. <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">2. On pages 136-141 of Ormrod's chapter 7 on metacognition, choose one of the five "beliefs" that relates to you the most and explain why. In other words, which one do you believe in most strongly and why do you think this is the case?
 * <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 6 Discussions: September 28 & 29 **


 * 1) I don’t think there is one main idea that is most important. Memorization is important because there are formulas and rules one must know. Attention is important, for example automatic attention adds on to what they already know. For Math, it would be using your multiplication table to solve for a variable. Metacognition is the knowledge and understanding of the subject which is also important because there is only so much memorization can do for you. You might know the formula, but if you don’t understand why you’re using it, it’s just a formula.
 * 2) The belief that relates most to me is the belief about natural learning ability. I feel like I am the person they talk about that believes they are “gifted.” I feel like my parents’ love for numbers and language does positively affect me. I realize it when someone asks a simple question. It’s not that they are slow, but that I pick it faster. I believe that genes do take some place in your ability to accomplish something, and I also believed the more dedicated and enthusiastic you are about something, the better you will do.

<span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1. What do you think Mooney means when he says, "LD is not a thing or material fact in the world like bacteria. LD is an idea and an interpretation of cognitive difference" (p. 47)? Do you agree with him? Why?How does his view compare to the view in the Meece text (pp. 75-90)?Can you identify with or do you know someone like Brent? If so, explain. 2. What is one of Armstrong's main arguments that ADD (ADHD) is a myth? Share a quote that you think captures his argument. Do you strongly agree or disagree with it? Explain why.
 * <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 7 Discussions: October 5 & 6 **


 * 1) Mooney means that Learning disabilities are based on what society believes to be a disadvantage in language processing. It’s a subjective disability. It isn’t an ordinary disease like something along the lines of a bacterial that can be cured with anti-biotic. It isn’t something you can always obviously see. It is not going to look the same on every person. I do agree with Mooney, because LDs are not a normal disease. Many disorders are out of the individuals’ hands and are always at different levels, even though there are certain ways to help them. Meece also stated that LD do not come from bad teaching or a lack of intelligence. Mooney was able to give an insight to an actual student with an LD, as well as himself. The person I identify with Brent is a younger cousin of mine. He struggled for a long time with his studies, and still does. Unfortunately, he did not have a supportive mother like Brent. He got labeled as the bad child, but he actually became the bad child. The school does provide some help for him.
 * 2) One of Armstrong’s main arguments is that A.D.D. doesn’t have a stable definition and that it includes many children that do not have the disorder. He says that it goes “Poof” and it disappears or appears “A.D.D. is a medical disorder, experts are placing the source of the problem inside of the child. Yet, unlike other medical diseases, such as diabetes or pneumonia, this is a disorder that pops up in one setting, only to disappear in another…” I do agree with him because ADD is a disease that is not entirely understood and many adults are trying to find something to blame a child’s laziness, a child’s hyperactivity (often times just normal activity for their age), or lack of enthusiasm to work on.

<span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1) Consider the age group, kinds of students, or subject area you'll be teaching. As you read through Chapter 8 of the textbook, discuss both: <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">a) a fact or idea in the chapter that you see as a positive opportunity for children's healthy development <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">b) a fact or idea in the chapter that you see as a risk for children's development. <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">For each, include a short quote, page number, and explanation of why it is important to you. <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">2) From Rogoff <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">a) In your own words, describe her idea of "intent participation"? How does this idea relate or differ to relations in your family? <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">b) What does she mean by "Children’s learning through observation goes far beyond mimicking what they see and hear" (p. 177)? Share 2-3 examples from her article that illustrates how observational learning goes beyond just mimicking. > (b) Missy and Amanda both saw neglectful and abusive parents as a risk. Andrea saw divorce as a risk. Sam saw single parents as a risk, which kind of ties in with divorced parents. I think the biggest risk is a child having abusive parents. Having firsthand experience with divorce and a single parent, I do not see it as a strong risk for a child’s development. Although it is tough and did prevent my brother and me from being as social as we could have been, it did not impose our development. Verbal, physical and sexual abuse are far more dangerous. Parents are supposed to be the child’s protector, and when the parent is the harmer, it takes away that trust and ability to grow comfortably (b) My groups view on observational learning is learning and understanding what you do after watching and copying. Missy and Amanda used playing a game and learning the rules as an example. Both Andrea and Sam used language examples. They spoke about learning how to speak differently to your elders in comparison to your peers, not just copying using a serious tone, but also knowing when and to whom to use it. Andrea spoke about when kids watched another person read a book. Sam spoke about watching aggressive television. I see it as Amanda’s example with cooking. I watched my family cook various dishes and now that I am alone I am able to replicate them.
 * <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 8 Discussions: October 12 & 13 **
 * 1) (a) Everyone in my group found family interaction to be a positive opportunity in a child’s life. They all agreed on them being caring and nurturing. Missy pointed out parents having expectations and giving them responsibilities. Sam agreed on the parents’ expectations. Amanda and Andrea both spoke about their influence in their school performance. Sam and Andrea discussed how the parents’ involvement in their child’s life helps them become better people by keeping them out of delinquency and making them well rounded. I believe a positive opportunity is when a parent is actively involved. For example, my mom went to as many PTA meetings, was a chaperone, spoke to my teachers, and forced/pushed me to take higher classes, even though she was very busy with her work. If I was on my own, I would have never done higher classes or join so many clubs. In a way my mom was all the things my group members talked about, nurturing, involved in my school, and making me a better, well rounded person.
 * 1) (a) My group saw “intent participation” as a monkey see monkey do way of developing. Where the child watches and mimics whatever the parent, older sibling or another family member is doing. Amanda used the example of her mother cooking. Sam and Andrea used the ability to speak to adults differently. I think of intent participation as sitting in a classroom for the first time and copying what another peer may do. For example, when something happens and one student says “oooooooo,” most students follow by saying “oooo” as well.

<span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1. In the part of the textbook you're reading (pp. 333-356), find a section that seems most relevant to your subject area, grade level, or student population. Share a quote from that section and explain, in about 75 words, why you think it's important. 2. The case of Hiroki: How well do you think Hiroki’s teachers dealt with his behavior? What do YOU think Hiroki needs? Why? <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> 3. As you watch the video and read the transcript, explain something specific one of the teachers did that seemed to promote students' social-emotional development and why you think it did.
 * <span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 10 Discussions: October 26 & 27 **


 * 1) I think Erickson’s stage of Intimacy and Solidarity vs. Isolation is most important even if the age is a little off. I think it’s important because I know from my own experiences that this is something that is constantly going through students’ minds. Along with finding themselves, they’re also trying to find a place to belong, with friends or in a relationship. Many relationships at this point are crucial, even if they don’t last a long time. It’s almost a building point for most future relationships because they are gaining a sense of others’ feelings and maturing to understand their own.
 * 2) I don’t not think Hiroki's teacher dealt with him well. Maybe it's because Japanese culture is different, but I felt like what he was doing was inappropriate and not conducive for a learning environment. I think the teacher was trying to be passive and friendly, but it was not best for the child. I think he needs to be in a smaller classroom where the teacher can give him more attention. I think the teacher should have a meeting with his father and be understand that he might be busy, but nicely have a talk about his behavior.
 * 3) One teacher was Kristin Bijur. I think she addressed the students’ emotion well because she did let them know she cared about them. She said that they need to “feel their feelings are important and valid.” This is true because when you feel your opinions and emotions aren’t important, you have less confidence in yourself and perform worse. She asked them questions and gave each student time to say all they might need to say. She also acknowledged when some students behaved very well. She allowed the students to find their own solution while guiding them. She also used the conflict resolution process, while making them aware of it.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 9pt;">You're reading pages 356-396 for the week. Even though we don't have class, still follow the schedule for posting that you've been following every week. You'll notice that this part of chapter 6 is broken up into two main ideas: --self-concept & identity (pp. 356-381) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 9pt;"> --motivation (pp. 381-396)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 11 Discussions **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 9pt;"> 1.In pages 356-381, find a section or idea that seems most relevant to your subject area, grade level, or student population. Share a quote from that section or idea and explain, in about 150 words, (a) why you think it's important and (b) how it relates to your own self-concept, self-esteem, or identity development. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 9pt;"> 2. Repeat #1 for pages 381-396, but focus on motivation instead of self-concept/esteem/identity.

> The quote “positive reinforcement or praise is not enough when students are still failing in areas of importance to them” is most relevant to me because I feel like it ties everything in, not being able to do what they like, not being the top of the school, as well as over criticizing themselves. I agree with it because I often find myself being sad over not doing as well on a Math exam. Although I may have scored higher than the average and some tell me I did well, I failed at reaching my own goals because I had some difficulty understanding parts. The praise didn’t make me feel better and it hard to continue believing in myself. > **How could teachers help students overcome these issues? Would freshman clubs help students find their place? Would peer tutoring help those that don’t understand and those that over criticize themselves? How do teachers approach students that may not benefit from positive feedback? (if there are)** > “Most children begin elementary school with an intrinsic desire to learn and to master new skills, which gradually fades as they progress in school.” I feel like this quote represents students’ motivations in higher math classes. All throughout high school I heard many students say “I used to be good and math and enjoyed it, but now I don’t understand anything.” As the years progressed, my classmates would not care to do the homework, instead they copied just to get the grade. Most students in high school have an extrinsic view on math classes, just get the grade and pass. Sometimes I find myself just doing the work for the grade and not caring to actually understand the materials. > **How can teachers motivate students to actually learn instead of doing work for awards? How can they find a way to have students learn intrinsically for subjects they do not enjoy? What kind of role models could be used to show students that tend to be looked down on for their ethnicity or social-economic class to be motivated?** <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1. Nicholls and Hazzard: Choose an episode from either chapter and discuss (a) how the children in that episode seem to be motivated and (b) what aspects of the classroom environment you think contribute to their motivation. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> 2. Nolen OR Nasir: After reading either Nolen or Nasir, talk about how the authors think identity influences motivation. Find a quote from the article that really speaks to this idea and explain your own thoughts on it. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> 3. What motivates you in school? What are your goals in your courses and what does it mean to do "well" in school? How do you think your motivation affects your learning in school? If you feel controlled, do you do the minimum amount of work necessary to escape that control? If you feel self-determined, do you more deeply engage in studies because you are interested in them, enjoy them, or see the meaning and relevance in them?
 * 1) Andrea saw the shift from being the oldest to youngest in school to be the biggest influence on a student’s self- perception and esteem. It’s a shift from being the big dog everyone knows to just another new kid that has no significance. Missy and Samantha saw how the student’s view on their own success or building is most important. Students that are more aware of the weaknesses and strengths and taking advantage of them help their self-esteem. Being in charge (responsible for) of their own development helps their self-esteem, unless they are over critiquing themselves. I agree with Amanda that students need to be comfortable in their environment to learn and that all aspects of their lives need to be accounted for.
 * 1) Andrea and Amanda saw students’ motivation to be more connected to life after graduation and the rewards they may receive. Students are motivated to get higher grades because of the As, the cumulative As (honor role, higher GPA, etc..), any special awards, and a higher chance of getting into a good college and a better life. Amanda stated that for some students, it is the positive reinforcements that allow the students to want to achieve a better future. Missy and Sam saw it as the student’s interest in the subject effects their motivation towards the class. If a student finds a higher interest in a specific subject, they would be more motivated. For example, Sam said for some classes she wanted to read the book but for others she would do enough to get the grade.
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 12 Discussions: November 9 & 10 **


 * 1) The episode on September 5, 26 and October 10 show how the reading groups are affectively encouraging some students to read more. Some students, like Peter, wanted to read more to be ahead of the rest of the students. Jack is excited and has confidence in himself because he knows and is in the “Towers” or the highest reading group. I think having the elite label increased the desire to continue reading more. Unfortunately, many students were discriminated against. For example Vera is looked down by Jodie because she is in a lower reading group. Yong Kim is also looked down by Peter because Peter believes Yong Kim will always perform below him. I don’t think the reading groups motivated all students, particularly the students in lower reading groups.
 * 2) On Kevin in episode B “Although he doesn’t identify particular skills or sub skills, he does argue that grades matter as an indicator of competence because they mean that the person understands the content.” It shows how Kevin’s motivation to learn is an extrinsic one, getting an A, but also shows intrinsic motivation because he says when your grade is not high, you don’t understand the material. I think his motivation is an achievement motivation because it seems like he has an esteem need to show his mastery in his environment and his confidence in his own ability. When working with other he gets frustrated at their “lack of skill,” but when he is solo, he is better able to show his ability.
 * 3) My motivation includes my future and making my family proud. My goals in my courses are to understand the material entirely and keep a high GPA. I think understanding and enjoying the classes you’re taking is doing well in school. Keeping my future in mind helps me visualize where I will be if I successfully tackle my classes. Making my family proud encourages me to continue. It also allows me to feel like I’m making a difference in my family because I can be seen as a role model. When I’m self-determined I try to enjoy the classes more, but sometimes it can get out of hand and frustrate me when I feel like I’ve been working non-stop and I can not seem to finish everything.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">You're reading all of Chapter 7 for next week. You'll notice that it's broken up into two main ideas: <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> --social cognitive and peer relations (pp. 400-432) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> --moral development and education (pp. 432-441) 1.In pages 400-432, find a section or idea that seems most relevant to your subject area, grade level, or student population. Share a quote from that section or idea and explain, in about 150 words, (a) why you think it's important and (b) how it relates to either your own experience or something you've observed in your field observations. 2. Repeat #1 for pages 432-441, but focus on moral development.
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Week 13 Discussions: November 16-17 **


 * 1) In high school math I think the most relevant section is the adolescent and neglected peers section. “Popular children… do well in school and obey the rules at home.” “It is generally assumed that shy and withdrawn children are at greater risk than other children for dropping out of school…” I think it tends to be the opposite in math classes. During service learning, I saw that most kids are more silent in a math class than other classes. When looking at the Nasir article, it was the shyer basketball player Kevin that had better grades and was doing better than Vaughn the more popular and outspoken player. I’ve noticed that when a “popular” or more socially acceptable child does not understand a subject, particularly math, they tend to be the class clown and it is them interrupting class. I don’t know if it’s the case for all math classes, but it was for the ones I observed. I think it’s important because there are a lot of silent kids in class that do not search for help. In my high school and one that I visited, the teachers were really good about informing the kids about math tutoring available after school. I had a teacher that would penalize students when they disobeyed classroom rules by making them go to afterschool math tutoring.
 * 2) “Teachers should avoid favoritism, sarcasm, or any other behavior that embarrasses or humiliates a child.” This may not be for math, but I think this is important in all grade levels. I used to know a lot of teachers that played favoritism and most of their students eventually lost respect for the teacher because they believed their grading was flawed. It also lowers their self-esteem and leads to self-fulfilling prophecies because if students see teachers only praising and liking certain students they will think they aren’t smart enough and the teacher doesn’t expect much from them. I think it’s extremely important not to offend students. I hated when teachers would pick on certain students to make the class laugh. It is an authority figure initiating and contributing to bullying. I don’t think people realize how important words are. Nobody knows what is going on in someone’s life and hearing a negative comment can affect them extensively