“I wonder what we will be discovering today?”

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“I think it will be something that has to do with force.”

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“Maybe, today is the day we will build a robot.”

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Fourth grade students eagerly await to discover what they will be learning. Quickly the teacher asks a couple of students from different table groups to help pass out silicone insulated copper wires, C batteries, light sockets, and light bulbs. These students pass out the materials to the 5 table groups of four and quickly return to their seats.

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Learners are accustomed to beginning a lesson with an opportunity for discovery.  The routines and procedures have been set since the start of the school year, and the classroom runs like clockwork.  Students know they are not allowed to touch the items that are being passed out, but they may begin to note the materials in their STEAM journal.

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“Highland,” clearly states the teacher in a distinct voice.

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“Huskies,” proudly respond the students. Immediately the chatter has stopped and the students’ eyes are on the teacher.

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“Wow, I love how every eye is on me! I know you are ready for the directions,” states the teacher with pride. “Engineers, today you have been given the tools and technology to create an electric circuit. Please feel free to explore with your partner how to get your light bulb to light up. You have a total of 5 minutes.”  The teacher pauses and makes definite eye contact with each table group. “Looks as if everyone is ready, your time starts now.”

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Since I was a small child, I have always loved learning whether it was through discovery, observation, trial and error, or just reading about it.  I have always looked at the things in our world and wondered; what, why, when, who, and how. Questioning is vital to learning, it leads to finding the answers and building upon our current knowledge or even changing it. The innate desire to learn has always been at my core.

Yet, school has never been easy for me. As a K-12 student, I had to work hard at traditional learning. I seemed to learn some things backwards and would have to focus to fix them.  School was a struggle. I learned to compensate for my processing issues and was a successful student by recognizing how I learned and giving myself grace. I had to accept that it took me longer to read or write something than the average student, but that I could eventually complete the task.  Having a strong work ethic and growth mindset helped me achieve my goals. This understanding of how one learns is what I want other young students to experience.

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As an educator, I want to be the facilitator that supports students in their educational journey to formulate a desire to learn and use their knowledge to make the world a better place.  By providing students the opportunity to discover new things through experiential or discovery learning will begin to ignite their curiosity and their desire to know more. Beginning a unit or a lesson with an experience will hook students to be invested in what they are about to attain.

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Opportunities for problem-based learning will help support students in learning how to think critically or solve problems logically through computational thinking. Learners will understand mistakes and failures are a part of learning and will work hard to overcome these with a growth mindset to never give up and to keep trying with an iterative process. Finding the perfect balance with struggle and desire will help students stay vested in learning.

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Giving learners the autonomy to set goals and pick appropriate challenging projects to explore and expand on their knowledge will help them develop ownership, a strong work ethic, and pride in what they can accomplish.  Students will also be expected to collaborate respectfully with their peers in small group work or whole classroom Socratic discussions, along with experts in our community to expand their knowledge. These are life skills which allow them to be successful as adults and contributing members of society.

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Yet for all of these opportunities to be warmly received by the learners, the educator (myself) must believe in their students. John Hattie (2017) has listed Collective Teacher Efficacy (CTE) as being the new number one effect size on student achievement with a d =1.57. Providing students with a safe, nurturing, and caring environment will allow for student growth.  But not only that, providing students with positive reinforcement and feedback lets them know that their teacher believes in them.  Verbally expressing to the class, you see potential in them. Explaining that you know some projects they take on will be tough, but you believe they will overcome the obstacles and be successful. The warm smile, the genuine heartfelt appreciation a teacher gives students will last for years and provide students with a positive learning experience to help sustain their desire to learn.

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I believe constructivism should be an overall umbrella approach to an instructional plan. Through inquiry-based learning and real-world experiences, students will build upon foundational knowledge. Assessing their learning through a cumulative project or summative performance assessment will make their learning more purposeful.  

 

However, there is a place for behavioral theory to be practiced when forming foundational knowledge through direct instruction, questioning for formative assessment, repetitive practice, and summative assessment. This must be included for foundational concepts and practices. Students need to have a strong foundation. Traditional practices do not need to be thrown out if they work. Cognitivism must run systemically through the instruction with teachers delivering instruction through chunking, so students can digest and retain the bite-sized pieces of information.

 

Learners will also need to set goals and reflect on their learning as well as using critical thinking skills to solve problems and collaborate with others (peers and facilitators). By blending the three basic learning theories we can develop well rounded learners and meet the needs of all students.

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Being a life-long learner, I believe it is important for me to model this to my students.  Expressing to them I am always learning whether it is from them or trying to stay up on the latest ways to connect with them, to teach them, or the latest technology to be able to reach them. I want my learners to know that learning is a part of living and it extends beyond the traditional classroom and will happen for the rest of their lives.

 

I am always striving to master teaching. Yet I realize that each school year there will be a new scenario or teaching situation. I will be required to research and learn a new technique to benefit my students. I embrace knowing that mastery of  teaching may always be the goal, but not truly obtainable. So, I will keep striving to perfect my craft to make a difference in the lives of my students by helping them reach their potential.