Week 10- November 3, 2010

Entry 10: Due: November 3, 2010

Guiding Prompt: One of the integrated assessments described in your reading this week was, "Search for Meaning." Share this week about what you are learning in EDU 358 that is meaningful to you

In my opinion, one of the most important integrated assessments is “searching for meaning” in the material. If students don’t find meaning to the information they are learning, they will most likely become disengaged and lose interest. On the other hand, if students are able to apply what they are learning to their life and see how it relates, they will probably play closer attention and gain more from the lesson. In EDU 358, we are learning a lot of information that is meaningful to me. As an educator, it is crucial to know the information and material that is being taught. EDU 358 is a great teaching tool for learning how to know, understand, and teach the information. For example, in chapter 6 of “Teaching and Learning Elementary Social Studies” I read about the mechanics and substance in planning lessons and activities. I also learned how powerful motivation is in the amount of transference and level of retention for students. I really liked chapter 10 in the class textbook as it showed me how projects are an effective way to create integrated learning models. From this, I was able to see how group projects put the SOCIAL into SOCIAL studies. This class has also opened my eyes to diversity and how important it is to include this in my future classroom; 4 ways to teach diversity are contributions approach, additive approach, transformational approach, and social action approach. Learning how to implement diversity in my future classroom was very interesting and meaningful to me. Overall, EDU 358 has been a great experience for me. I have learned a lot of meaningful information that I will be able to apply to my future profession as an elementary teacher.