4- Activity 3- What we Assess- catering for diversity

Any successful teacher must consider diversity in their classrooms. Howard Gardner alluded to the fact that children have multiple intelligences and as teachers we must aspire to teach and assess students based on these intelligences. After all if they do not learn the way we teach and assess then we must teach the way they learn. If our students do not learn are we teaching?

1- Activity 6- Vygotsky's Cognitive Development

Many activities were posited by my colleagues on ways in which we can include opportunities for verbalising and dialogue in our teaching. Most notably were in class debates on various topics in the different subject areas, role playing, sharing journal experiences, oral report on research findings, dramatised poetry and ICT could be utilised in one form or the other in all of these activities.

4- Activity 2- What we Assess- Product or Process

Based on the posting from the various group members, it is evident that there are a host of different areas that we assess in our classrooms. We can assess how students:

• assemble a  product
• games to learn different concepts
•  use spreadsheet to solve mathematical problems
•  collaborate with peers to complete tasks
•  use process approach to writing compositions
•  convey their emotions using  colours in art class
•  use drama to highlight social problems

Some of the aforementioned areas have been utilised in my classroom and it is my hope that with the new knowledge gained from this activity that I would  incorporate some of them in my future assessments based on the topics that I would be teaching.

1- Activity 5- Developmental Psychology

This topic is on that is very dear to me. It makes me feel that I can do more than what I am presently doing for my students. Our students come to us with a myriad of problems from home and we are not even cognizant of them. We need to understand that children develop at different rates and we are teaching individuals not classes so we should teach each child how each child learns. Networks need to be established between the parents and teachers so that we can all work together to address any difficulties our students face. Teachers too have to be professional and trust worthy so that parents and students can open up to them and share their difficulties.

1- Activity 4- Behaviourism

The behaviourism theory was popularized educational psychologist, B.F. Skinner. It is based on behavioural changes. This theory advocate that students are passive learners and they are of the view that learning and knowledge can measured by observing the amount of correct answers students obtain. Students are given information and asked to repeat or regurgitate what they have learned to the teacher. The behaviourists believe that behaviour is established by outcomes and consequences. In today's society we cannot afford to apply behavioural principles since our students are exposed to new technology and we have to get them actively involved in learning as opposed to being passively engaged in learning.

1- Activity 3- Social Cognitive Theory

Our students are our mirrors on the wall. They observe every move we make and as a result we have to be very careful as to the types of messages we send to them based on our actions.Students come from diverse backgrounds and teachers must cater to their needs. Students are quick to identify when teachers are supportive or not. Some students have very little positive support at home and it is important for teachers to provide some form of positive reinforcement.  We should not become weary in teaching our children how to learn.

We need to remember that we are powerful role models for our learners, and we have an important role to play, perhaps showing them better ways to communicate than they learn at home, and modelling good work habits like punctuality, persistence, organizing of material and meeting deadlines.

1- Activity 2: Infomation Processing Approaches

As teachers we need to make learners more aware of their cognitive process and teach them how to engage in active learning. Too often we are bombarded with the task of having to rush to complete curriculum for exams as opposed to allowing students to really enjoy learning based on their styles of learning.If we really want our children to learn we have to make learning a meaningful activity or else it would have very little impact on our children.