Journal

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Journal
Constructivist Explorations
by Katie Madden, James MacFarlane, Dave
Telgheder , Kim Dodge
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Learning
Is an Active Process
Engaging the world through the senses helps
construct meaning.
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Entry 2/16, 730 am
Dear Diary, Today we are going to work
together at stations to discover matter using
water, balloons, dice and oobleck. I want the
children to discover important concepts
themselves using their senses. Im hoping they
will understand the differences between states of
matter in the process.
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Entry 2/16, 205 pm
Oh oh. Mr. MacFarlane The sink is not working
again!
Active Learning in Science
can mean
active clean-up!
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Learning is

• Contextual
• We learn in relationship to what else we know,
  our beliefs, our prejudices, our fears

• Social
• Our learning is shaped by those around us

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Entry Monday, 7 am

• Dear Diary,
• I am at my desk this a.m.
• looking over my lesson plan for my 611
  behavior class. I was warned about this
  class. The only way you can get their
  attention, Kim, is to be crazier than they are.
  Jump around and say incoherent things in between
  what you really want to teach them.
• Things couldnt be that bad, could they? Hmmmm.

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Entry Monday, 7 am
Dear Diary, I was ready. My ppt on the history
of dragons in art was perfectI was about to
launch into a thrilling account of the cultural
history and underpinnings of dragons when
from a corner came the comment,

I hate Chinese! No take out around.
I had to assume he was referring to my first
slide- a Chinese dragon. My face dropped.
Everyone elses lit up with interest.
what?
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• Dear Diary,
• We learned a lot from each other today-
  what we like, what we dont, why and how this
  affects our art. It was a great class even if it
  didnt include too much about dragons.
• I learned that I didnt have to be
  incoherent to keep their attention. Their
  conversation held each others attention.
  Tomorrow we will begin our dragon sculptures.
  Chicken wire, needle nose pliers and plaster
  gauze. Cant wait to see what topics they will
  inspire.

Entry Monday, 230 pm
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Learning
Is tied to Motivation
Motivation not only inspires learning, but also
the application of learning.
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Entry September 6
Dear Diary, The first class of Sports and
Entertainment Marketing began. I told the class
that if they do well grasping the fundamentals of
sports marketing, their grades will be very
good. Big deal , I heard one student
remark. Im not getting anywhere with this
class! They arent the least bit interested or
motivated to learn the material. I have tried
everything, but take the test for them. The
grades are mediocre at best. What can I do to
improve them?
Entry October 6
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Entry November 10
Dear Diary, What a turn around! The class is
doing great. They are interested in what they
are doing and, more importantly, are doing well.
We went on a class trip to see the Hudson
Valley Renegades Stadium and Shea Stadium. We
toured and talked with their marketing
professionals. Since then, their grades
have taken off. In fact, one student remarked how
cool it was to see what we were
learning actually put into practice by real
people. Several students said they are
interested in sports marketing as a
career. Awesome!
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Learning
involves Language
Learning is closely tied to language. When the
learning process is articulated, knowledge is
refined and reinforced.
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Entry Monday, 7 am
Dear Diary, Im excited. It is my 4th
grade saxophones first lesson- the musical
alphabet. Its basically the same as the English
alphabet, but only 7 letters ABCDEFG. We just
need to be able to read them on the staff. Piece
of CAKE! I dont think they understood!
ABCDEFG simple or so I
thought. All they had to do is find words
with those letters in them. I dont see an O do
you?
Entry Tuesday, 1015 am
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Entry next Tuesday, 930 am
Dear Diary, I worked so long and hard on
this slide show so the students can explore the
musical language together in different ways-
relate it to the regular alphabet, write the
names out on the staff, have fun with an
interactive spelling section and, of course, have
plenty of opportunity to practice. Hopefully
this will work. Drum roll pleasemy saxophones
are musically literate!
Entry Tuesday, 1030am
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Learning
Begets learning
As we learn, we construct systems of meaning.
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Entry Monday am
Dear Diary, Tomorrow we begin parts of
speech. I cant wait. It will be great! We
will draw and dance to help everyone classify
words. Who ever knew English could be so much
fun?
noun
verb
noun
noun
noun
noun
verb
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Entry Tuesday pm
Dear Diary, Okay, I thought I had this
figured out. Each group was supposed to act out
the verbs and draw the nouns. But, I had
children draw pictures of run and act out
house. Dont ask. My associations arent
always the same as my students. Each lesson I
teach is a lesson I learn.
house
town house
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Learning
is Mental
It is important to provide activities that engage
the mind as well as the hands.
Takes Time
Significant learning requires repeated exposure
and thought
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Dear Diary, Well, today is the first day
of band. How exciting! This year I am really
going to challenge them hard rhythms, new notes,
bigger music vocabulary. Jump right in and
push ahead. All I have to do is explain the
concepts well. They should get it, no
problem. HOLY COW, we are never ever
going to learn this music! Its as if they
totally forgot how to play their instruments. The
only way I can describe it istotal chaos. This
is going to be a LONG year!
Entry 9/1, 745 am
Entry 9/1, 830 am
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Entry 9/1, 745 am
Dear Diary, I just have to tell youits
been a month and instead of sounding like a train
wreck, we can make out some song beneath those
wrong notes. Slowly, but surely! Right?!
Weve done it all- clapped, stomped, sung,
counted, and labeled..guess what? Its working.
They just needed to process it mentally in
several different ways.
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Entry 9/1, 745 am
Dear Diary, Those 7th graders are making
music, not noise! Dear Diary, I didnt think
we would do it, but WE DID, wellTHEY did! What
a concert! It may have taken 3 months, but they
learned it and sounded great doing it. Note to
selfReread this next September.
Entry 9/1, 745 am
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Learning
Builds on Prior Knowledge
New learning must connect with what we already
know.
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Entry 2/6
Dear Diary, I had a good unit planned on
checking accounts- very straight forward and
easy. The basics should have been covered in
earlier grades. Butthings didnt go as
planned. Either they hadnt done this before or
didnt remember how. The students were clueless.
Im in for more than I
bargained for!
?
?
?
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Dear Diary, I had to go back and teach them
the basics- how to write checks and what to write
in the registers. Then they worked on problems
in class. Many questions and many mistakes.They
are not getting it yet. Yes! Its starting to
make sense. By understanding their registers,
they are now able to see how to reconcile their
accounts. They needed to go back to basics in
order to grasp the process. Now they want to
know when they can get their own accounts... Oh
man!
Entry 2/7
Entry 2/10
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Summary thoughts
Dear Diary, These kids are not prepared. I know
we are all on the same team. I know it, but it
is not always clear that we are all working
together. Too many times I find myself wishing
my students came to me with more skills and
background information. Id love to share the 9
principles of constructivism with my colleagues
who teach the younger grades. These ideas need
to be introduced when the little darlings are in
pre-k or even earlier. One big problem is that
there is no continuity from year to year. We
need to allow them to revisit and build on their
learning. Maybe more collaboration between
teachers would help children today, tomorrow and
for the rest of their lives.
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Summary poem by James MacFarlane
Helping to construct knowledge From the world I
see, Is the greatest gift
My teacher gave to me.
PR INCI PLES
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There was motivation everyday, I saw the world in
my own way. With friends around
I learned to learn. Every
child got a turn.
I was given time, never
rushed. No idea
forgotten, I was never
hushed.
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PR INCI PLES
I learned to organize all I
thought, whats
right for me and what I
ought, to do with what I
already know whats the meaning,
which way to go.
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My teacher gave a gift to me, Trust the
world, the things you see. Make up your mind,
she always said, Voice the truths inside your
head.
So thank you, teacher, Youve led
me well, From morning
meetings To the closing bell.
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The End