This is my second and hopefully last time taking this course. Last year I failed miserably as I let issues in my personal life negatively affect my school work. I've kept my focus on what's important and necessary in my life at this time and think I'm doing much better in my academics because of it. I'm sincerely enjoying my experience of this class, it's one of the few I look forward to on a typical school day.
This semester I was the target of a bully. My teacher handled it professionally and with much sympathy. Words cant really describe how much I appreciate the way Robert Nellis dealt with it. It can be an uncomfortable topic for many, yet he didnt hesitate to take a full class to dicuss it.
A lot of my blogs are posted on the same day. This is because I have been writing them in my notebook as my computer has been broken. Hopefully there is a sufficient number of entries. This class was a great experience and I'll definately remember it as one of the best!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Operant Conditioning (Nov 14)
When it comes to operant conditioning I think that positive reinforcement is the best approach. It's pro active at keeping good behaviour up while avoiding bad behaviour and there is nothing negative about the experience.
Fairness (Oct 29)
We watched a video a couple days ago and the introctor said that fairness is giving kids what they need to learn. It isn't giving the kids all the same attention. It seems simple but probably wouldnt occur to a lot of people.
I never once thought of fairness this way until I heard this. It makes perfect sense though. Every student should be entitled to what they NEED to learn something. Some kids may need less than others and that's ok but for those who need more should get more until they've achieved what the other students have achieved.
I never once thought of fairness this way until I heard this. It makes perfect sense though. Every student should be entitled to what they NEED to learn something. Some kids may need less than others and that's ok but for those who need more should get more until they've achieved what the other students have achieved.
Codes / IPP (Oct 27)
While codes are a mechanism for funding to help a student, they are also labels which in my opinion can have a negative effect on a student. Just like IQ scores being detremental to the attitude of a student who doesnt learn traditionally, a code can discourage a student from trying becuase "there's no point."
IPP's are important and seem very organised in theory. Without them, there would be too much guess work with students as they move on through the years/levels of schooling. Setting small goals in order to achieve large ones is so simple yet genious.
IPP's are important and seem very organised in theory. Without them, there would be too much guess work with students as they move on through the years/levels of schooling. Setting small goals in order to achieve large ones is so simple yet genious.
How Difficult Can This Be? (Oct 26)
Wow! That movie was quite an eye opener.
It really helps to understand what's going on in the head of a learning disabled student. I think watching it will help us as future teachers to be more sympathetic with these types of students and more likely patient and understanding when it takes them longer to do things.
Seeing the instructor in the video being so intolerant and impatient really helps you to see how detrimental that can be to a student. No one likes being talked to like that. It really reinforced the importance of patience!
It really helps to understand what's going on in the head of a learning disabled student. I think watching it will help us as future teachers to be more sympathetic with these types of students and more likely patient and understanding when it takes them longer to do things.
Seeing the instructor in the video being so intolerant and impatient really helps you to see how detrimental that can be to a student. No one likes being talked to like that. It really reinforced the importance of patience!
Bullying in College!? (Oct 28)
Today on my way to class someone stuck a sign to my back the said "you're going to hell fag." A friend took it off my back once I got into class. I never expected something like this to ever happen in post secondary! I was more embarrassed than anything.
Perhaps letting the class know that I'm gay wasnt the best idea yet if I could go back in time, I wouldnt change it for the world. I am who I am and I feel bad for anyone who feels it's necessary to go out of their way to do something like this to one of their peers.
I think the only way to make a good example to other people or to younger kids going through something similar is to be confident and proud to be myself.
Perhaps letting the class know that I'm gay wasnt the best idea yet if I could go back in time, I wouldnt change it for the world. I am who I am and I feel bad for anyone who feels it's necessary to go out of their way to do something like this to one of their peers.
I think the only way to make a good example to other people or to younger kids going through something similar is to be confident and proud to be myself.
Homophobia in Schools (Oct 19)
I personally havent experienced a lot of homophobia in schools while growing up. We didn't really have any openly gay students in my grade in high school so there was never really an opportunity for it.
Apparently research shows that "males tend to be more homophobic than females." Durring todays discussion I disagreed with that. I think it depends on the individual because when I told my friends that I was gay just after graduating high school, some of my female friends wanted nothing to do with me after that while all of my male friends stood by me.
Apparently research shows that "males tend to be more homophobic than females." Durring todays discussion I disagreed with that. I think it depends on the individual because when I told my friends that I was gay just after graduating high school, some of my female friends wanted nothing to do with me after that while all of my male friends stood by me.
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