Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Concluding Thoughts: Pt 6

Teaching the student how to learn is the first and foremost step. Without this basic concept understood, learning cannot take place effectively. By enabling the learner, this allows the teacher to expand the minds and horizons of the individual. “To experience is to be in touch-directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, across the grid of ultimate power, and this is the essential insight of the existential symbolic inter-actionist of philosophical sociology.” (Lik Tonk)


Education is and always will be the key to success, no matter how one uses it. The ability to conquer how to learn is such a feat in itself, once an individual accomplishes this, anything is possible. Field being and education are intertwined and should continue to be examined as one.

Constructivism: Pt 5

In the West, we are on the verge of a total collapse, the moral equivalent of a new ice age. Western art, literature, religion, academic philosophy, business life, crafts, manners, schools, and law enforcement have all deteriorated to the point that even salvage is dubious (Orwell). However, the right spirit does survive in many micro-institutions, and many of these are located in western New York State. So the history is not entirely bleak. Furthermore, the United Nations started a big push for making philosophical training available to the public around the world.


Constructivism and education do go together, along with the additional piece of field being. These three conceptually and ideally could be treated as one. Learning how to learn, learning how to question, and learning how to assess concepts, ideas, and strategies are essential. Without these pieces and understanding the basics, one cannot achieve higher-level thinking and criticism. Constructivism allows us to accomplish all of these tasks under the umbrella of education and field being. The verging of ideas and philosophy allows for creativity and flexibility across all fields and ideologies.

Diversifying and Respect: Pt 4

Special education students, basically those that think and learn differently are often criticized and made fun of in schools today. Many people need to learn through hands-on and through experiences does not fit into all schools like the typical cookie cutter image. Learning can be evaluated and noted on many different realms. Written exams with multiple choice questions are not for everybody, nor do they show what real learning and education was achieved. The ability to learn, know, apply to other things, and be able to retain the knowledge is and should be the key to obtaining educational goals.


Diversifying the classroom according to the needs of the students is essential. Teachers need to structure according to age, ability, and background knowledge. It is the teachers responsibility to know their students and what type of prior knowledge that have acquired. Some students learn better through readings, some are better with discussions, other perform better when presented the material in note or outline format, while other continue to better with hands on learning. Adapting to the needs of the students helps them to understand and learn better. This also enables them to want to learn and not give up on the educational process.


Learning, namely education, does come down to the individual. There needs to be a want, a void to fill with knowledge. The majority of the population has a desire for the understanding of new ideas and concepts. Those that do not have this concern should be left aside, so that those who have the ability and appreciation of the information can excel. Hindering the education process is a shame and should be punished, as they have not yet come to the realization of what an education can mean to a person. Obtaining and furthering ones education is entirely up to the individual. Learning and acceptance cannot be forced, it has to be wanted. Without first accepting the challenging to learning and the educational process, failure most likely will follow.


Democratic practices and theory differ greatly in beliefs and implementation. According to democratic theory everyone should enjoy the liberty to do as he or she pleases. Everyone in a democratic environment should have an equal opportunity to do whatever he or she pleases to do so. The purpose is that the whole community should function to preserve, protect and perpetuate itself. Within a democracy people are allowed to move about as they please and are educated to free themselves from mental slavery. Restrictions are imposed only when necessary to protect the community.


In order for a democratic government to run successfully, the public needs to have a say and their voices heard. If the opinions are not heard and discussed, there is no democracy. Items up for discussion and disagreement need to be voiced and then voted on. This basic need for civic education pre-dates the Athenians and rudimentary democratic ideals. The competency issue evolves when countries are unable to produce intelligent and capable citizens. There needs to be a starting point, a source of information that can be easily passed down. The experts will provide better information to the public, but at the loss of some freedoms. Citizens are willing to give up

some freedom, but only when necessary to maintain the safety and security of the community.


Freedom of speech and thought has many important advantages, along with disadvantages. Both sides are obviously essential for progress, and where experts are allowed to have authority, freedom is curtailed. Educational design aims to strike the right balance between freedom and authority. Any attempt to record or evaluate what we do will leave the questions of freedom and authority open unless we state our goals in terms of events easily identified, recorded and quantified by anyone.


To make the machinery of record simple to understand and implement, it must be insisted that no extra time be budgeted for examination of the record. It should arise spontaneously from what we do, the ability to have individual freedom acknowledges the freedom of others, including freedom from mental slavery, and restricting these freedoms only so far as is necessary to protect, communicate and perpetuate the community.

Learners: Pt 3

The typical American classroom involves, students coming into the classroom, ready to learn. There are the exceptions though; these are what are changing the way the American classrooms run. Students with different learning needs are becoming more and more apparent. They think differently, see things differently, ask different questions, and need different services. Education thus is becoming more and more challenging, leaving the teacher to design a more arduous curriculum that encompasses all students. The ability to differentiate instruction and learning styles is essential to the educational process.


The number of Special Education students with special needs and services is growing across the world. This classification of special education can mean a wide range of things. The majority lie in the mild to moderate classification of disabilities. These students typically have learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, or mental functioning problems. Usually with modification and diversification of the curriculum, these students can be successful. Special Education teachers typically use a variety of methods to help the students learn to be successful both in and outside of the classroom. Teaching and learning in these cases is mostly on an individualized front. Figuring out what methodologies works bests with the student (individualized, small group, problem solving, hands-on, etc). Each child with a disability has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that shows the students’ needs, goals, and strategies that work best, transition plans, along with other things that help the student be able to learn.


In reality, the term “special education” is not necessary to distinguish between “normal” and “special” learners. It is the teacher’s job to enable all students to be able to learn, to understand how to learn, and to learn the tools needed to be successful in life. If a teacher cannot diversify the lessons according to each student, then that teacher needs to learn how to learn. Teachers can in turn teach each student effectively, no matter what their ability levels are. Diversifying the curriculum according to the needs of the students is essential for any student to succeed, it does not matter if they are the next genius or not. Each student excels in his or her own areas and that is what needs to be capitalized on.


In America, autism and autism related disorders are growing like wild fire. The definition of autism is a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.”[1][1] These students bring more challenges to the classroom. They often have different types of behaviors, needs, and modifications. The main thing is how they think; their thought processes are abstract and unique. They often function at different levels, yet those that want to learn, can learn. Those that choose not to, have more difficulties. Forcing knowledge, skills, and education on anyone does not work well. It does not matter the mental capabilities, physical challenges, or social issues. If there is a want to learn, there is a need for a teacher to adapt and modify the curriculum and lessons, so that the individual can explore their own thoughts and ideas.


Autism and communication, rather miscommunications, become major problems for all involved to deal with. Autistic students have difficulties expressing themselves verbally, orally, and physically. Often times, other means and strategies need to be used, so that their ideas can be conveyed effectively. Autistic children have a lot of difficulties in speaking what is on their mind and showing their emotions. Unique and creative methods can help these innovative thinkers to be successful. Autistic people tend to have very different and intriguing ways of

thinking, looking at the world, and considering the possibilities of things. Perseverating on things and looking at things too in depth or not enough become major communication issues. Technology, picture stories, and cues become very helpful when dealing with enabling autistic students to be successful.


Vocational programming or hands on learning experiences helps immensely to get students involved in their learning and their future. Everyone thinks and learns differently, through accommodating the various needs it helps to keep students learning and in school. Exploration of new ideas, concepts, and activities helps create a better, more informed individual.


Technology has changed the educational world as we once knew it. The information age has influenced every sector of education. From Internet sources, to online journals, to online chat rooms, blogs, and pod castings; it’s ever changing. The way that information is learned, shared, and spread is intriguing. Virtual classrooms, online courses, and other methodologies only reinforce the need that students need to be taught how to learn and explore on their own. If there is not any internal motivation, need, or want to delve into uncharted territories, it will remain unexplored and unidentified. Field being and technology become intertwined with each other due to the creativity, the diverse thinking, and the expression of ideas. Field being allows for these aspects to grow and penetrate the society at large. Thinking outside the normal parameters is what technology and field being allows us to accomplish.


The major thing that one needs to consider when weighing the benefits with negatives of technology is the fact that it can lead to a feeling of dehumanizing. This can happen, if ideas and issues are posted online, without any responses. Blogs, emails, virtual discussion, and other forms of online forums help to eliminate this sense of turning into a dehumanizing world. Connections from around the world can be made; collaborations of great minds and ideas can be shared. This leads to enhancing our knowledge base, so that it can be shared with students and get their minds working to solve and question other theories and ideas.


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