Josefina+Gonzaga

 =Name: Josefina B. Gonzaga= =Email: jgonzaga@isgdh.org= =Unit: Measurement= =[| Math 3 Measurement jbgonzaga.doc]=


 * Question || Response || Posted By ||
 * Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results : //To what extent are the targeted understandings... // ||  ||   ||
 * Aligned with appropriate goals (standards, benchmarks)?    ||   ||   ||
 * Big ideas at the heart of the discipline (as opposed to basic facts and skills) in need of // uncoverage? // ||   ||   ||
 *  Framed by provocative // essential // and // unit // questions?    ||   ||   ||
 * Linked to valid and relevant knowledge and skills? ||  ||   ||


 * Stage 2 - Determine Acceptable Evidence || Response || Posted By ||
 * //To what extent are...//
 *  Students asked to demonstrate their understanding through authentic performance tasks?
 *  Appropriate criterion-based scoring tools used to evaluate student products and performances
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"> A variety of appropriate assessment formats used?
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"> Assessments used as feedback for students and teachers, as well as for evaluation?
 * Students encouraged to self-assess<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> ||  ||   ||
 * Stage 3 - Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction ||  ||   ||
 * //To what extent will...//
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"> Students know //where// they're going (the learning goals) and //why// the material is important, and //what is required of them// (in terms of unit goals, performance requirements, and evaluative criteria)?
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"> Students be hooked and //engaged// in digging into the big ideas of the unit (through inquiry, research, problem solving, and experimentation)?
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"> Students receive explicit instruction on the knowledge and skills needed to //equip// them for the required performances?
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"> Students have opportunities to //rehearse//, //revise//, and //refine// their work based on feedback?
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Students //self-assess// and set goals prior to the conclusion of the unit? ||  ||   ||

__**Response Journal #1**__

My name is Josefina Gonzaga, though my name sounds Spanish, I don't know much about the language. I'm one of the global citizens of the beautiful country, Philippines. I have one daughter who will be turning two this December and her name is Hannah Grace. My husband and I gave her that name because we believe that she is God's favor to us. We had her on the 11th year of our marriage and during the time when I do not have plans of working, I got a job at the International Schools Group Dhahran as a teacher assistant in DEMS. Truly a blessing when she got the last slot in the nursery and I was considered to join the Masters program despite my status as an assistant teacher.

I have been a special education teacher all my professional life and this is my first year in ISG-DEMS as a STAR (Students Transition to Academic Readiness) elementary teacher. This year we have 13 students from grades one to grade five.

I believe this course will help us in enhancing our analytical skills in comparing and differentiating different curriculum designs, in formulating a tailor fit design to the needs of the academic program we are involved and in choosing or deciding which will be 'workable' or functional in our own educational setting.

A structured and goal oriented program is what our STAR students need. I believe this course will help us in staying focused towards the goal for each student and the knowledge that I will gain in assessment will be geared towards analyzing the effectiveness of the STAR program.

<span style="COLOR: rgb(238,79,165)">__**Response Journal #2**__

//Thoughts on Knowledge Alive//

David Perkins "Knowledge Alive" describes the present educational system like a process wherein the educators teach the students with too many information but not the ways on how to use those information. I would say that it was like a file clerk to the filing cabinet relationship between the teacher and the students. I remember that I used to tease my nephew who is now a college student that he is like a memory card who can store lots of information but cannot function without a processor or the whole computer system. I think Perkins describes the students today as I used to describe my nephew. I used to hear the word 'stock knowledge' from my former colleagues and I believe this is the kind of educational system that a lot of us are more familiar with compared to Perkins' Knowledge Arts where he stressed on the making knowledge in active process of creating, communicating, organizing and application (acting on knowledge).

I agree with his analysis and suggestions to a certain degree specifically in putting emphasis on the direct application of knowledge rather than compiling them for future reference. However, at some degree I would say that he seems to underestimate the nature of human intelligence, men are rational being and I think this is one of the reasons why we have come to 'this point' even though most of us were brought up and educated in the conventional way.

Integrating the concepts of knowledge art will be highly essential in designing a curriculum. Not all learners are gifted with creative, communication, organizing and application skills. Therefore, if these skills will be targeted in the curriculum, we will likely produce functional and independent individuals.

//Thoughts on Preparing for Today and Tomorrow//

Elliot W. Eisner said that "We can best prepare students for the future by enabling them to deal effectively with the present." Teaching the students to first to make the right **judgment** over a given situation; second, aiming towards developing the **critical thinking**; third, providing experience for **meaningful literacy** and fourth, giving opportunities for **collaboration** are the basic things/skills that the students need today in order to prepare them for tomorrow.

In my college life, I experienced hoop jumping in the courses 'subjects' that we were taking. It was called then as a holistic approach. We had to take courses that were not relevant to the degree that we were taking and we had at least 24 units in each semester. I was taking Bachelor in Human Behavior Technology major in clinical psychology but we had a course in Agrarian Reform Act. We did not study the behavior of land owners and the tenants but the laws that covered the Land reform.

As a special education teacher, I do not recall such things as hoop jumping because we are focused on the essentials skills that we need to develop on the student. We have individualized education program (I.E.P.) for each student. The here and now situation is significant in our field. The **individuation** that Eisner discussed in his article is what we are actually doing in the special education where we identify the students strengths and weaknesses in all areas of development not only in academics but also in social skills.

<span style="COLOR: rgb(247,89,166)">__**Response Journal # 3**__

The Constructivist Approach is focused on the process of how people learn. Learning is viewed more effective in a well-planned classroom environment that is constructed, active, reflective, collaborative, inquiry based and revolving. Constructivist do not underestimate the potential of learners. They consider the basic ideas and knowledge of the learners as raw materials that can be utilized in the process of learning contrary to the principle of tabula-rasa wherein the learners' mind is considered as a blank slate wherein information can be written.

Constructivism offers packages of benefits and three of them are the following:


 * This approach **motivates students towards learning**. A student's self esteem could be developed in a learning environment that allows them to share big or small ideas and experiences without being judged. It also provides opportunity to reflect on the information that they have thus, they are the ones who validates and invalidates the idea. This approach will not inhibit their active involvement in the learning process because they will not experience negative criticism. When we actively engage the students in the learning experience, they become more interested and yearn for similar kind of learning experience.
 * The students **problem solving skills are developed**. The thinking process of the students are being enhanced in the system of inquiry, exploration and assessment involved in this approach. The students learn to process information by connecting or associating it to their previous experience. They learn how to make comparisons and differentiations, rationalize and make conclusions. They also learn how to generalize ideas, adapt to the new concepts and apply learning to different situations.
 * The collaborative approach is highly beneficial in **enhancing social and communication skills**. The students do not only learn how to communicate their ideas but also they learn how to contribute, negotiate and cooperate with other students. The students become more open minded because they are exposed to different opinions and experiences that other people have.

Constructivism is a very ideal approach to education. However, I have concerns about the time factor, class size, assessment procedure and the capability of the students. I believe educations should be cautious in these aspects. With more emphasis on students interest and questions rather then the curriculum, how are we going to address each student's inquiries with limited time for each period? How do we choose the lessons? With regards to the assessment procedure, it is harder to 'measure' student works, observations and points of view. It will be very interesting to be able to apply the constructivist concepts in teaching learners with special needs however, this approach seems to be applicable to some but not all of them.

<span style="COLOR: rgb(243,53,160)">__**Response Journal # 4**__

Give an example for each condition of powerful learning.

When I looked at Ron Brandt's Summary Statements About Learning it reminded me of the 10 Commandments. I believe those statements are very logical. As I was reading, II could relate a teaching and experience to every item that was enumerated.

1. People learn what is personally meaningful to them We were reading a story entitled "Pirates Hero" it was a story about Roberto Clemente who became a hero in and out of the baseball field. One of my students is very much interested in sports and he is also good in sports. He made a research in the internet and shared to us about the Roberto Clemente. He did the research voluntarily and it was not an assigned project or task. He just wanted to learn more facts about the main character in our story.

2. People learn when they accept challenging but achievable goals. We have one student who has dyslexia. He also has some behavioral problems aside from the condition. We found it very hard to engage him to work. He prefers reading books which is way below his level of comprehension (he is in grade five while he is reading grade two). One day, I shared to him a story that I have read a long time ago about a woman who is suffering from dyslexia but with listening and hard work, she was able to finish a degree in medicine and eventually became a doctor. I told him that he may not be able to read well but he can listen and understand the story. I gave him a paper for Fluency Builder for grade five. The printing of letters was enlarged compared to the material that the rest of the group was reading. I told him to look at the words being read by the teacher so that he can get familiarize with the words. This first attempt was a failure because he did not want to work with a 'different' material.

The second time I worked with the group, I challenged this particular student again to read at a level that his group are doing. He started sharing that he is trying to read at home with materials for grade 8. I encouraged him to try, but this time I did not enlarge the printing of the paper but I guided him in reading some of the words. I kept on assuring him that he can do the job and felt relieved when he finished reading and even answering the pages for comprehension. I believe he was also satisfied with what he had done. At the end we made an agreement that he will try to work on the grade five reading material when we return after the holidays.

3. Learning is developmental. I have been a guidance counselor and I worked with students from different age level (pre-school to high school). My book in developmental psychology helped me to prepare age appropriate activities for the each level. Every time I have a classroom visit, I prepare group dynamics or stories that are tailor fitted for the age of the students. The students' responses to each topic or activity was overwhelming.

4. Individuals learn differently. Students learn from different learning modalities. In working with special needs students, we always have to find out the learning modality of each of our students. We develop materials that will cater to audio visual learners. We engage kinetic learners in activities that allows them to move freely. Like for example, in skip counting backwards, we placed numbers on the floor in correct order and ask the student to move forward and backwards as he skip counts.

5. People construct new knowledge by building on their current knowledge. I graduated in college without any background in computer but we had typing subjects and we had courses in research and report writing. I am a digital immigrant but I am coping because of the basic foundations that I had.

6. Much learning occurs through social interaction. I had a student in pre-school who came to class with his milk bottle and everytime he gets inside the classroom, he would remove his shoes and socks and lie down on to drink his milk. It was his first time in school but when he realized that his classmates were not doing the same things that he does, he started to behave appropriately.

7. People need feedback to learn. This is very important, we need other people to check on us if we are doing the right thing or not. It is not lack of self confidence but affirmation is a motivating factor that keeps us going. I have one student who always asks about his performance in class. He is a bright student but he will only strive harder when he learns that he is not giving enough effort on his studies.

8. Successful learning involves use of strategies-which themselves are learned. We are learning each day and as teachers, we observe, develop and apply strategies. Given a problem or a task to solve, we may feel overwhelmed with the overflowing ideas, various materials and different teaching approaches. We learn how to choose which are beneficial for the learners. We may add, modify or remove those which are not applicable.

9. A positive emotional climate strengthens learning. I have a friend who used to work in a Non Governmental Organization for the Children of War. They cater to children who were affected by war in some areas in our country. They provide therapeutic activities that will help them recover from the trauma of the past.

10. Learning is influenced by the total environment Parent educators most likely bring forth another generation of educators. It may not be true to all but we can deny the possibility because we are molded and conditioned by the environment that surrounds us.

I believe the 10 Conditions for Powerful Learning are all significant in my teaching assignment. I could not put more emphasis on one over the other concepts because they are all applicable and essential in my discipline.

<span style="COLOR: rgb(232,100,165)">__**Response Journal #5**__

//Justify the claim that the best lesson and unit designs are "backwards"//

I believe backward design is not only a creative way of designing a curriculum but also this is how we should plan or manage our life. Having the end in mind will direct us to our goal. We should assess or measure our success not only in one perspective like money and power but also in different aspects like self actualization, family cohesiveness, associations etc. This is how we should start with a project, whether it is a house, a manufacturing firm or a simple recipe for dinner. In traveling or driving, we should know our target destination before we "start the engine". In constructing a house, the builders should have an architectural building design that will show the house in different perspectives including the floor plan. From there, the engineers will make estimates on the cost of materials and labor (manpower) required. The construction could only start when these two steps are done or else it will be a never ending construction and knocking down of the different parts of the house.

Backward design is cost-effective and tailor fit to the needs of the learners where assessment (evidence of learning) is essential in the planning of learning experiences. Assessment works like a map or compass that serves as a guide to the navigators or explorers. It will show you if the activities that we are doing is heading towards the right direction; are we close or far from reaching the goal.

I have just realized the reason why some students show resistance to an academic activity, it is because they do not know the value and functionality of what they are doing. We engage them right away with the learning activities that they cannot connect with. We are more focused on the time and scope of the lesson rather than the students understanding of the concept and application of knowledge and skills.

The roadway to learning lessons in life may take us to some short cuts, detours or direct access. Self reflections (assessment) will help us to identify what we need to continue the journey. Having the end in mind will always take us to the right path toward our goals and that is what backward design is.

Response Journal # 6

1. Understanding: What behavior do you associate with student understanding? When a student understands a concept, he is not satisfied with just knowing the facts and receive good grades. He takes in the concept and carefully analyze its functions and applicability. He picks up the meaning of the big ideas and the specific details that are related or connected to it. He derives conclusions from reasons and make judgments.

2. How do you distinguish students 'knowing' and 'doing' versus understanding what they are studying? Knowing is more on facts and figures and doing is more on performance but understanding is the application of knowledge in different situation other than the classroom. Understanding is not confined or limited but it is carried out in an open and continuous cycle of trials and application. Like in a reading a story, knowing is enumerating the details like characters, settings, events and answering the what, where and when questions. Understanding is realizing the cause and effect relationship, drawing inferences, identifying and application of lessons learned. Understanding is more on the how and why question.