An Approach to Life

About a year ago, when I was pregnant with my daughter, we had a family get together and 2 of my cousins were there with their 9-10 month old babies. Both boys were already walking, understanding some language, and very interested in exploring.

Their families had two completely different parenting styles. One of my cousins was constantly saying ‘no,’ slapping her son’s hand, putting him in ‘time out,’ etc. and viewed her son as being ‘naughty.’

My other cousin, viewed everything as a teaching opportunity. ‘Don’t hit; touch softly’ (and show him how). ‘That’s not a toy; let’s go play with (offers him a toy).’ She talked constantly to him explaining things in simple ways.

Both babies were essentially into the same things, but one was always ‘in trouble,’ while the other was joyfully exploring.

I instantly knew that I would be going with the latter approach with my child.

What is your parenting style like? If you choose a punitive approach, what merit do you see in it?

All babies are differnt. My first walked a week before he was nine months old, and my second did not walk unitl he was 12 months. It didn’t have anything to do with my discipline style.

That being said, nine months is WAY to early to use slapping of the hand and time out as discipline, especially when they are just doing normal baby exploration. Save that for the Terrible Twos.

adult learning

If you’re working with adult learners, they need to be proactive and discover how THEY learn. For example, my son hates reading and doesn’t learn well from books, but he does very well with audiotapes and demonstration. You need to get to know your students’ learning styles and plan activities that fit. While you can’t realistically design individual programs for everyone, you can vary the activities so that everyone succeeds sometimes. Also, adult learners, unless they’re special needs, can often come up with good ideas about teaching themselves. You can put them into groups and have them design lessons.
You need to be sure of what objectives you’re going for, though.

adult learning

If you’re working with adult learners, they need to be proactive and discover how THEY learn. For example, my son hates reading and doesn’t learn well from books, but he does very well with audiotapes and demonstration. You need to get to know your students’ learning styles and plan activities that fit. While you can’t realistically design individual programs for everyone, you can vary the activities so that everyone succeeds sometimes. Also, adult learners, unless they’re special needs, can often come up with good ideas about teaching themselves. You can put them into groups and have them design lessons.
You need to be sure of what objectives you’re going for, though.

the approaches to teaching and learning English in college

reading and writing

I’m not exactly sure what your special educator is referring to by unit approach, but my own approach is to wrap life skills into all aspects of the educational day. For instance, I’m teaching reading to a student with a very low IQ, and his parents are about to take him on a vacation. We will work on reading safety signs (information, restrooms, exit, enter, etc) so that he can be safe in a large, unfamiliar environment. I’ve been present when colleagues have taught manners, history, measuring, reading, and following instructions in a unit on Thanksgiving. I perceive Unit Approach to be a way to teach those skills that are not usually taught in a classroom (like manners and following instructions) while still trying to teach the academic content.

Approach your teaching of the subject matter with a method of putting it across to your students that will keep them attentive.

I began teaching in my new school a few months ago. I am teaching Spanish. I learned my language skills from teachers who used textbooks and thoroughly taught grammar and vocabulary. In this way, I have been using the "traditional" approach to teaching a foreign language. Another teacher at my school believes that the natural approach is the way to go and wants me to do that will all students that I teach. I have attempted the natural approach at times, but it doesn’t really work for me. My concern with the natural approach is that students don’t really learn the fundamentals of the language (verb conjugations, how/why adjectives agree in number and gender, etc.) These are things that I feel are important for students to understand as it will help them better understand English. How do people feel about the natural approach? Will using the natural approach help students be more successful in college? Any thoughts?

It seems to me that effective teaching should be a reasonable mix of styles. While the "mechanics" of a language are important, feeling confident in the conversational "natural" use is also important. Students need to feel fluent enough to actually speak to someone. Opportunities should be given for students use and experience a language through short real life interactions. Skits, group projects, games, easy t.v. shows or videos etc. are more enjoyable and can be used to introduce or reinforce themes before delving into the textbook version of grammar and vocabulary. The language needs a chance to live. Both aspects must be integrated in order for students to be successful.

The discovery method is a teaching technique that encourages students to take a more active role in their learning process by answering a series of questions or solving problems designed to introduce a general concept. In this teaching approach, the instructor guides the student’s thought process by posing a series of questions whose responses would lead to the understanding of a concept before it is explicitly stated. “Children act as detectives as they solve concept-attainment activities in stimulating learning environments. In doing so, they place a newly introduced object in a category that they have previously discovered or identified.” This teaching method is believed to increase retention of material because the student organizes the new information and integrates it with information that has already been stored.

unit approach in teaching functional academic skills is orgaized aroung an important life theme

Functional academic skills (environmental print and basic instructions, writing one’s own name and personal info, basic math calculation) are strategically placed during task analyzed breakdowns and drills of daily life skills instruction.

Example: How to make a hard-boiled egg

1. Go to cabinets. (academic concept – position in space)
2. Find the one labeled "Pots and Pans." (academic concept — print recognition)
3. Open the cabinet door with that label on it.
4. Find a small pot. (academic concept -small, medium, large)
5. Take out the pot without dropping the other items in the shelf.
6. Place the pot on the counter.
7. Close the cabinet door.
8. Pick up the pot.
9. Take the pot to the stove. (academic concept – position in space)
10. Put the pot on the front right burner (academic concept – position and vocabulary).
11. Go to the drawer marked "Measuring cups." (academic concept — print recognition)
12. Open the drawer.
13. Select the 2-cup measuring cup. (academic concept – measuring tool recognition, number recognition)
14. Put the cup on the counter.
15. Close the drawer.
16. Pick up the cup.
17. Take the cup to the sink.
18. Fill the cup with water to the 2 – cup mark. (academic concept – appropriate use of measuring tools, number recognition).
19. Carry the cup carefully to the stove. (academic concept – position in space)
20. Pour the water carefully into the pot.
21. Put the cup down on the counter.
22.Turn the pot to make sure the pot handle is pointed over the counter, not over the floor. (academic concept – cause and effect)
23. Find the stove button marked "Right Front." (Academic concept – environmental print)
24. Push the button in.
25. Turn it clockwise to "High" (or "boil") (academic concept — directions vocabulary, environmental print).
26. Gently release the button.
27. Take the towel from the counter.
28. Wipe down the cup.
Put down the cup, refold and replace the towel… sorry, forgot to type these steps earlier. These should be three additional steps.
29. Go to the drawer marked "Measuring cups." (academic concept — environmental print recognition)
30. Open the drawer.
31. Return the cup to its spot in the drawer. (academic concept – organizational skills)
32. Close the drawer.
33. Go to the cabinet marked "Bowls." (academic concept – environmental print recognition)
34. Open the cabinet door.
35. Select one small bowl. (academic concept -small, medium, large)
36. Put the bowl on the counter.
37. Close the cabinet door.
38. Pick up the bowl.
39. Go to the refrigerator. (academic concept – position in space)
40. Put the bowl on the counter by the refrigerator.
41. Open the door.
42. Find the carton marked "Eggs." (academic concept — environmental print recognition)
43. Carefully pick up the carton.
44. Put it on the counter next to the refrigerator.
45. Open the top of the carton.
46. Take out one egg (or two, or however many you are making that day). (academic concept — basic number value)
47. Carefully place the egg in the small bowl.
48. Close the top of the carton.
49. Carefully pick up the carton.
50. Return the carton to its spot in the refrigerator.
51. Close the refrigerator door.
52. Pick up the bowl with the egg in it.
53. Take the bowl to the stove.
54. Is the water boiling? (academic concept — cold/warm/hot)
55. No – put the bowl on the counter by the stove. Perform a kitchen cleaning subroutine such as a set of dishes or wiping down the counter. Return to the stove and repeat #54.
56. Yes – Take the egg from the bowl.
57. Carefully slip the egg into the boiling water.
58. Take the timer from the top of the stove.
59. Set the timer to 3 minutes (academic concept – time measurement, number recognition).
60. Put the timer down. Perform a kitchen cleaning subroutine or other task as assigned by the teacher.
61. When the timer "dings," go to the stove.
62. Find the button marked "Right Front."
62. Push in the button.
63. Turn counterclockwise to "OFF" (academic concept — directions vocabulary, environmental print)
64. Take a potholder.
65. Pick up the pot by the handle.
66. Carry the pot to the sink.
67. Carefully pour most of the hot water down the sink without dumping out the eggs. (academic concept — cold/warm/hot)
67. Turn on the cold water. (academic concept — cold/warm/hot)
68. Set the pot in the bottom of the sink.
69. Allow cold water to pour over the eggs.
70. Allow to sit.

Peeling and cleanup of course, involves similarly long lists.

WITH REFERENCE TO THE MOVIE "THE SCHOOL OF ROCK"
TO WHAT EXTENT CAN DEWEY FINN’S APPROACH TO TEACHING BE DESCRIBED AS EDUCATIONAL?

He shows respect for the students, inspires teamwork and working together, he inspires the students to not give in and keep challenging "the man". He shows them how if they work hard they can see the fruits of their labour and that you don’t need strong discipline to teach you can achieve results by respect.