(Oct. 12 in-class writing): What makes you feel welcome or less-than-welcome in a class or subject?

Oct. 12 in-class writing

What makes you feel welcome or less-than-welcome in a class or subject?

As a teacher, I always do welcome to my students in my biology classroom. I believe that welcoming students always inspiring and increases willingness to participate in the classroom.

If we( as a teacher ) will not welcome to the different cultures of students than students decrease their affective filters. We know that school is full of multicultural students. A student comes from different parts of the countries. They have their own culturally specific experiences and thoughts. We have to respect their self-efficacy as a belief and their cultural specific experiences.

According to Piaget different students have their own cultural experience and belief. As a teacher, it is very important to give the space to share their knowledge and ideas in the class. Vygotsky also stated that every student has their own cognitive abilities. For example, ELLs students have their own learning capabilities. most second language learners take time to adjust to the new system. They need time to understand the academic language therefore,  we need to give them wait time and listens to their thoughts. However, being a teacher it is a responsibility to ask students about themselves to share their ideas and always welcome in the classroom.

Thank you

SADHANA

Exit Slip- SEP 7, 2017 Controversies about Math & Learning (Raffaella Borasi)

Exit Slip- SEP 7, 2017

Controversies about Math & Learning (Raffaella Borasi)

It was a great discussion and interaction with all of us on September, 7 in the class. I would like to discuss the first TWO statements

“it is not good trying to reason things out your own”

“Second statement – staying too much on the problem is a waste of time”

I strongly agree with this statement. If we learned anything very promptly than we can correct the problems successfully and manage the life. As a teacher, it is very important to learn and understand correctly in the right manner. So,  that we could deliver the right information to our students. If we could not learn quickly we could not able to solve the problems in a timely manner and if we skip the problems than we could not able to manage the time and it's going to be more problems collected at the end.

Pay attention is directly proportional to more problem-solving. Therefore, more pay attention in the classroom increases able to solve more problems. For example, if students do not listen to the teacher properly it is going to be more problem or contradictions, a dilemma to the students, however, it is better to pay attention and discusses with the teachers and peers instead of thinking and figuring out the problems alone.

 If the students have problems related to science and math or any other problems, thinking alone cannot help out him/her self. It is better to find the exact solution of the problems and discusses with specialized persons like teacher/doctor etc.  The doctor has a correct solution to the specific disease. Similarly for example if the student has problem-related to bullying than the only teacher can help in the classroom. Like for example in math, there is a specific formula to solve the equations. In the real life, there is a specific person to talk or discuss regarding the problems, Therefore, discusses the problems with specialized persons always help. However, staying too much time on one problem is completely waste of time.  

THANK

SADHANA 

(Oct. 26 entrance slip): Embodied learning -- Henderson & Taimina paper

Entrance Slip- Embodies learning

OCT, 25

Art vs. Mathematics

This paper sparks my interest towards the shapes of the geometry through the drawing and painting. Painting is a mathematics and mathematics is a painting. The paper by Henderson & Taimina was very interesting as it is relevant to our approach as teachers. I never realized the painting its self a math. It’s a thing that non-mathematicians don’t realize or observe very carefully.  They talked about how math is used in a different variety of ways and it’s the great experience by an individual using their body, movements, and gestures.

I remember that when I came the first time in the math lab. I found that there is a lot of different shapes and geometry made by the students. I realized that how they created different shapes through a different variety of things like pins, pencils, playing cards etc. I am really impressed by David’s story from art to Mathematics. When he was making drawing he did not know that art self-mathematics. He did not realize that the art that he was experienced was mathematics or even through its called geometry. I would like to share mY EXPERIENCE

 ·         We all know that Taj Mahal (Great Monument) one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

 Now what is Taj Mahal – It is a white marble mausoleum located on the southern bank of the Yamuna River in INDIA city of AGRA. (Hey I am from that City ….great ..)

It was built by the Mughal Emporer Shah Jahan (1628-1658) in the memory of third wife Mumtaz Mahal. When you will look closer (upper picture) that will find the line symmetry –with two lines, one vertical down the middle of the Taj, and one along the along the waterline showing the reflection of the prayer towers in the water.

If an object is reflected in water many people believe that the image has a line symmetry. But it is really a “mirror image” in the case of Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan has built it with perfection to complete his love for Mumtaz.

I am attaching the YouTube video, the teacher FROM Ontario explaining the facts about the mathematics behind the Maj Mahan.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVax4j87Ukw

HAVE A HAPPY READING !!!!

Oct. 19 entrance slip): Reading on marks in math or physics (Boaler or Sarte et al paper)

Entrance Slip - What do marks do in school?

Oct 19, 2017 

I really enjoyed this article because the authors raising questions about the grading system. According to my perspective grading criteria is not only one thing that you could assess the students. Another thing native grading sometimes creates a negative effect on students which sometimes lead to the mental health problems. Negative grading also daunts the students towards the career. 

We found several articles related to motivation and the impact of rewards on motivation and not support the learning criteria. Students sometimes lose their self-efficacy by negative grading Self-efficacy is a more specific form of confidence. Increasing self-efficacy in students results in the perseverance and resiliency power towards their career. I am strongly agreeing with Kohn finding of the grading. They are interested in shifting the focus away from grading and towards learning. This interest raised a number of questions in our minds. What motivates students to work well in school? Are they motivated to learn or only to achieve certain grades? What are the effects of grades on motivation? Are grades punishments or rewards? How can teachers promote student motivation? How do intrinsic and extrinsic motivators affect learning? 

I would like to share my experience. I was very weak and troublemaking student in high school. My teacher graded me and it was not even passed marks. I underwent long drawn depression. The negative marks decreased my motivation level and I decided not to take math in future. Nobody motivated me towards the math. I was also thinking kind of punishment in my life and that affects my mental health causing increase anxiety.  

The outcome may result is a decrease in learning. Similarly, according to Butler, grades tend to focus students on their performance relative to others, rather than on the task itself. When marks are removed, students are able to value the task itself and gain satisfaction by demonstrating their competence in completing an activity. Therefore, as a teacher, it is very important to not to give a negative grade based on their formative assessment but also look summative assessment, their participation, interaction etc. 

Finally, I want to say If teachers avoid using grading as an extrinsic motivator and focus on engaging the students in learning, they will promote intrinsic motivation in students and improve their feelings of success in the course.

Thank you have a happy reading!!!

Sadhana

(Oct. 19 exit slip): Revisiting inquiry project ideas

Exit slip: Thoughts about the inquiry project
OCT 19, 2017 


Inquiry topics possibilities 

Topics: (1) “Hands-on” experience with outdoor education
            (2) Bullying  control in  classroom 

Examining classroom through Field trip with particle applications with the lens of environmental Justices. The new things I would like to incorporate in my previous inquiry project is Vancouver aquarium wet lab visit at Vancouver aquarium with the most amazing field trip.  Students will be able to conspicuously familiarize with real-world amazing creatures and in this way, they could get the chance to touch, feel and ask a curious question about the aquatic fauna.  I had a field visit recently at Vancouver aquarium.

 I really learned tones of new things about the awesome marine life. There I touched, feel and keenly observed the marine environment. Learned some facts like how do marine animals protect themselves from Tsunami and Earthquake. How we could protect endangered species.  Therefore as a teacher, I would like to create a  hybrid space" where all students will learn the fun way and interact with their peers. Also, would like to increase the "self-efficacy" as a belief among students towards the science career. 

I  would like to Inquire about the bullying  in the classroom or outside the classroom. my  questions is how can I create a sense of empathy in my students and prevent them from being involved in bullying situations in school and /or related to school(i.e. the bus, playground and after school group?how my student involved in bullying situation bullies victims or by standers?  Do they(my students)  know how to act to stop the situation?  Can a once or weekly class meeting can create a SENSE OF EMPATHY in my classroom? will that sense of empathy carry over to others who are not in our classroom(on the bus etc.) 

THANKS

(Oct. 12 exit slip): Role models and equity in the classroom

EXIT SLIP
OCT 12, 2017

Role of Media in classroom 
Role models and Equality in the classroom 

Media plays a very important role in the classroom. As teachers, we have a wealth of information from which to choose for our classrooms. We could communicate with other students from other countries through media and technology. We could bring the history, science, music in our classroom through media and technology.
As a teacher, it is very important to bring the motivational videos (Role models in the field of math and science. i.e. the math guru video which we saw in the classroom motivated me toward the Science.  These kind live motivation examples might generate curiosity and interest towards the STEM. Students are no longer limited by the walls of a classroom or the knowledge of a single textbook. The world is available to most classrooms, even when students do not have their own computers.


 The teacher needs to create a hybrid space towards the STEM. So, media provides a variety of opportunities for learning. I did not know that most of the women’s are involved in the math but after watching the video I realized that women getting interested towards the math. I read the article that there is a lack of women’s in the field of the STEM. But according to my perspective if we show motivational and inspiring stories that students will defiantly gerent the interest towards the math.




HAVE A HAPPY READING !!!

(Oct. 5 exit slip): Reflections on UBC Orchard Garden experiences

Exit Slip 

OCT, 5  ORCHARD GARDEN

Today I spend most of the time outdoor in the orchid garden. I really feel fresh and energetic but after I got finish my school  I was totally tired because I stood long hours and my legs were hurting. Anyways,  I enjoyed a lot. I learned how math, science, and other subject related to nature.

When we were making the art, I realized the shape of the leafs and complex structures that the leafs were containing veins in random directions and were not of definite shape and directions. l. We observed the nature and man-made things. We discussed how 90 degrees (right) angle appears in nature is frequent, like when we stand, our body, during yoga, earth equator etc.

I liked how we beautifully started our outdoor class with music. I was hearing the bird's sounds, which made me happy. We had a wonderful snack. Thank you so much for the healthy snack.  The most important thing I learned to make beading while dancing and music. How beautifully we were dancing with the music and beading the colorful ribbons.  We laughed a lot and that was a perfect morning exercise for all of us. Totally, I had a wonderful day.

Thanks and have a happy reading!!

Sadhana