Borden+Hasiuk

I’m Borden Hasiuk and teach High School (ages 14 to18) Mathematics and Science at Yanbu International School on the west side of Saudi Arabia by the Red Sea. Specifically, I teach: Grade 12 Calculus, Grade 12 Physics, Grade 11 Chemistry, Grade 10 Biology, Grade 9 Physical Science, Grades 9 to 12 Marine Biology, and Grades 9 to 12 Space Science. I have experience in teaching students from Grades 2 to 12 (ages 7 to 22).  I expect to gain knowledge and confidence in designing instruction that is relevant to the students of today which will help them get ready for the future.  I believe that a deep knowledge of modern curriculum design and assessment will give me confidence in challenging the “set in stone ways of teaching and assessing” and defend the modern approaches to education. If I am able to move toward an education that is geared toward the needs of the students and away from the needs of the establishment, the students will learn more relevant skills to help them and others into the unknown future. __**Borden's Response Journal #2**  "Knowledge Alive" Written by David Perkins __ David Perkins states that “The Knowledge Arts are more than skills: They involve passion, energy, and commitment”. He breaks down “The Knowledge Arts” into four Chapters: Creating, communicating, organizing, and acting on the knowledge. He further states, “Creating, communicating, organizing, and acting on knowledge mix with one another in complex and generative ways”. His point of view is that we are doing a poor job in teaching “The Knowledge Arts”, we are just teaching facts and mechanical ways of doing things.  For the most part, I agree with David Perkins. We should not be teaching facts and formulas, but teaching students how to think and solve problems which they have never run across. In his definition of “The Knowledge Arts” we should be teaching the students, "the skills involved in handling knowledge”.  Curriculum designers should be developing curriculum which emphasizes “The Knowledge Arts”. The content area of a curriculum may be suggestions, but the emphasis should be on the skills of using knowledge. The final assessment should be evaluating if the student is able to use this knowledge in the real world. This may mean that the evaluator and the students must go out into the real world to do assessments. __ "Preparing for Today and Tomorrow" Written by Elliot W. Eisner __    <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Elliot W. Eisner states and explains his five aims that he thinks are appropriate for our schools to teach: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 1)  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Judgment-the ability to give good reasons for the choices that we make; <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 2)   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Critical Thinking-the ability to critique ideas and to enjoy exploring what one can do with them; <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 3)  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Meaningful Literacy-the ability to encode and decode meaning in any of the symbolic forms used in the culture; <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 4)   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Collaboration-the ability to work with others collectively, cooperatively, and in harmony; and <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 5)  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Service-the ability to create conditions through which students can make a contribution to the larger community. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">In my experience, the “Curriculum Guide” made for an ideal student who has no emotional garbage, has learned all of the skills from all the past grades from all of the past subjects, and has full support from all the surrounding people is one factor that gives rise to the “preparatory” and “hoop jumping” conception of education. The Guide assumes that all the students are at the same place, have the same skills, learn at the same rate, have the same interests, are in the same emotional states, and have the same learning styles. Another factor would be the emphasis on getting good grades rather than learning “how to do well in the lives the student leads outside of school”. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I will be able to focus on Eisner’s //aims// in my Marine Biology and my Space Science courses this year. I developed the Curriculum Guides myself and I only use them as a guide. I’m able to provide opportunities for all the five aims and adjust the class to the needs of the students. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 1)  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Benefits of constructivism are that students enjoy learning, get a deeper understanding of the concepts, and learn to think, not just memorize facts. Their learning is transferable to other subject areas and the real world. They learn to question things and not accept anything that is written or said. Constructivism promotes social and communication skills, which are life skills. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 2)   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Educators should be cautious of Administrators, who in theory may or may not support constructivism, but in practice expect authoritative practices of teaching, such as students working individually in their desks in silence. They should also be cautious of the type of assessments they use. Assessments should evaluate skills and processes rather than regurgitating memorized facts. There is also a danger that educators my move away from the “Learning Outcomes” of the curriculum they are trying to follow. Curriculum must not be forgotten in our excitement of constructivism. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 1)  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">An example from my own experience for each of Brandt’s conditions for //powerful learning//: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> a.   __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">What they learn is personally meaningful __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-I found that if something is meaningful to me, I will spend more time and put in more effort into that subject as apposed to one that is just given to me. One example is when I took a course to learn the Arabic language; I found it difficult and would not put in the time to learn the gender endings and when I should use them. I quit the course. I began to ask my Arabic speaking students, how to say and pronounce phrases that were relevant to use when entering the Arabic community, I began to learn how to say and use certain phrases in Arabic. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> b.  __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">What they learn is challenging and they accept the challenge __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-When some students were learning about the deep sea environment, they discovered that the smoke from hydro-thermal vents came in different colors. They did not know why, so I challenged them to find out. Their enthusiasm was extreme when the found out and were able to explain it to me. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> c.  __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">What they learn is appropriate for their development level __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-I remember, when I was very young I was learning about the objects in the sky, such as the sun, moon, and stars. At that time, I could not accept the fact that the sun was a star. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> d.  __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">They can learn in their own way, have choices, and feel in control __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-I found that I had trouble learning to use certain computer programs when I was taught within a large group setting by a teacher. When got the resource material, I was able to teach myself, because I was in control and moved at my own rate, not the rate of the teacher. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> e.  __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">They use what they already know as they construct new knowledge __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-Students should have knowledge about gravitational force and its relation to mass and distance, before they understand the orbital paths and speed of planets. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> f.  __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">They have opportunities for social interaction __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-Being a Canadian; I was having trouble understanding the process of electing a President of the United States. I tried to understand the process, by listening to the various news channels. I was still confused, but when I started to discuss this with my wife, it was becoming clear. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> g.  __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">They get helpful feedback __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-During my Marine Biology class, the student teams must make a presentation of material they researched and put together to answer their essential question. To get to this point they have had many discussions with me and their classmates about their progress through the gathering and analysing of their data. This feedback kept the students on track and produces a relevant and interesting presentation. This presentation showed how much they have learned. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> h.  __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">They acquire and use strategies __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-Students use different strategies to solve problems. I usually draw diagrams to help me understand the problem. I must write down the steps I will do to solve the problem. I had a student last year, who would stare at the problem, internalize it, and just write down the answer. To me, this was amazing to watch, because I was the exact opposite. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> i.  __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">They experience a positive emotional climate __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-Two weeks ago a student was found with cigarettes in his possession. He was expelled from school for three days. His best friend took this hard and was emotionally very upset. The day of the expulsion, he did not pay attention in class and did not do any school work. Learning did not happen for him in that class. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> j.  __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The environment supports the intended learning __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-In the example above, the whole class was affected by the emotional state of the one student. With him upset, the class was not as happy as usual and did not perform to a high level of learning. It was harder than normal to motivate the class. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 2)  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">All of the above conditions are viable in my present teaching assignment.
 * __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Borden's Response Journal #1 __****__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">"Introduction" __****__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Written by Borden Hasiuk __**<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">__Borden's Response Journal #3-Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning__ **
 * __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Borden’s Response Journal #4-Powerful Learning __**

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">If one starts from the end, the desired results will be established, which would be aligned with the District's outcomes. Once the desired results are established, the assessments will be made to show evidence of the desired results and not a test made to assess what the text or prepared program covers. Once a relevant assessment is made, the learning experiences will be planned to achieve the desired results and not follow a text or prepared program. The learning experiences may be designed with the students in mind, which could be different for different groups of students or even different for idividual students, but with the desired results in mind the experiences will be relevent to the District outcomes. If one did not start from the end, programs could run off on tangents and the learning outcomes would not be reached.
 * __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Borden's Response Journal #5-The Backwards Design Process __**

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">If students are able to answer questions that are not similar to the questions they have answered during their learning, then they understand. If they can connect what they have learned to other situations in life, then they understand. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Teachers can distinguish between students “knowing” and “doing” versus “understanding” by asking open ended questions and not just factual or computational questions.
 * __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Borden's Response Journal #6-Enduring Understandings: __**