13th Week - Bates - Montessori

Week 13 * Montessori p. 237 * Allowing students to be spontaneous and creative learners is important, but expectations need to be set and taught to ensure the classroom and individuals are respected. Children thrive in atmospheres that provide structure, consistency and knowing what to expect. As far as allowing students to make mistakes, be aware of this strategy because some students struggle with making mistakes. Making mistakes may result in disengagement or inappropriate behaviors which could escalate negativity in the classroom. Incorporating activities children understand and succeed at will build their confidence which can be integrated into struggling topics or assignments. In the Montessori theory, educators need to take the role as a facilitator and allow students to learn through risks, making mistakes, and following their interests.

12th week - Bates - Purkey

Week 12 * Purkey p. 109 * Within Purkey's theory, learning is associated with engagement, which is based on the educator's effective communication skills and an open invitation to all students to participate. An educator's invitation to students to participate "conveys respect, care, trust, optimism, and intentionality" (Bates, 2023, p. 108). The highest level in a teacher's actions relates to Purkey's belief of intentionally inviting students into positive learning experiences. Seeing a student's potential in learning gives them self-confidence and the feeling of being valuable. Implementing effective lessons with collaborative activities and opportunities to learn from each other gains a positive classroom community. Working together as a team gives everyone the feeling of equalness.

11th Week - Bates - Festinger

Week 11 * Festinger p. 81 * Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance connects to an individual's strong beliefs, which are hard to sway even when presented with factual information and debate. When an individual believes strongly in a topic, it may be hard to change their opinion on the matter, especially if it is associated with sensitive and firsthand experiences. School staff need to be open to hearing student's opinions and beliefs, even if they do not correlate with the educator's teaching. Allow students to share their thoughts however; continue instructing students about topics even if they may arise in debates or arguments. Never pressure individuals to change their opinions but continue to provide them with information so they can choose what or what not to believe. Through research activities, students can read and learn about topics to help them justify or change their thoughts. Overall, everyone has a right to their own opinion and beliefs.

10th week - Bates - Hebb

Week 10 * Hebb p. 73 * Hebb quoted, "cells that wire together, fire together" (Bates, 2023, p. 73) explains the neural connection of nerve cells in the brain. Hebb's theory explains how connections in the brain are created by the effects of learning. Therefore, learning is associated with how new links are created or how existing ones are rearranged in the brain. The brain allows new data to be retained, if it is useful. As an educator, it is ideal to teach content to which students find useful and essential to learning. Being proactive in learning each student's style of learning, abilities, and interests can create powerful content to meet their needs. With the implementation of various learning materials and real life experiences the students can use a wide range of senses and techniques to learn.

9th Week - Spring Break

8th Week- Bates - Rogers

Week 8 * Rogers p. 65 * Rogers believes educators should be facilitating students to produce "their own solutions rather than providing answers to problems" (Bates, 2023, p. 65). This humanist approach involves students clarifying their own strategies to produce results. As students practice various techniques and strategies, they can identify what methods make learning easier for them. This theory emphasizes the importance of the educator being the "class facilitator" (Bates, 2023, p. 64) instead of believing to be in control of the class. Become an involved educator as you participate in learning right along with your students.

7th Week - Bates - Ausubel

Week 7 * Ausubel p. 55 * The approach Ausubel considers is the "teacher-centered approach" (Bates, 2023, p.54) through three teaching steps. The first step educators should implement in their practice is the explaining "what you are going to teach" (Bates, 2023, p. 54). The first step allows students to know what to expect before the educator starts the lesson. The next step involves teaching the content within the chosen subject which is also linked to prior teachings. The last step in Ausubel's approach is recapping what was just taught, giving students a lasting image in their mind at the closing. This can also allow the students to ask questions to clarify misunderstandings or verify information related to their prior experiences. Educators can assess the student's knowledge through whole class or one to one peer discussions.

6th Week - Bates textbook - Engelmann

Week 6 * Engelmann p. 41 * Engelmann's famous quote, "if the students haven't learned, the teacher hasn't taught" (Bates, 2023, p. 40) which focuses on the model of direct instruction. Everything must be taught for someone to know how to do it. Educators often forget about the simplest things that need to be taught to children such as following directions, self-help skills, or expressing their thoughts. There are multiple strategies to teach children to learn including hands-on practice, step by step instruction, or through connections of previous teachings. Provide students with well-developed lesson plans anticipating various strategies and levels of understanding. Incorporate small group teaching based on student's abilities to strengthen and practice skills. Encourage students to connect their learning to their own experiences while providing positive feedback as they do so.

5th week - Bates textbook - Dewey

Week 5 * Dewey p. 21 * Dewey's theory believed students should focus on their own learning experiences instead of educators focusing on traditional teaching practices with the "delivery of pre-ordained knowledge" (Bates, 2023, p. 20). Every lesson should tie into real life experiences students can reflect on and share with others. This strategy allows students to get a deeper understanding of the content which encourages expanding their knowledge further. Equal opportunity for every student should be the goal of every teacher.

4th week - Bates textbook - Nietzsche

Week 4 * Nietzsche p. 19 * Nietzsche believed educators should treat students as "fires waiting to be rekindled" (Bates, 2023, p.19) rather than "empty vessels waiting to be filled" (Bates, 2023, p. 19). This philosophy can be implemented into new content as it piggy backs and references prior experiences and teachings to help students understand information better. Allow students to reflect and share their own experiences so other classmates can understand different perspectives or experiences like their own. Students should have the opportunity to be active in their own learning and clarify understanding through discovery. Truth according to Nietzsche, " is a matter of perspective" (Bates, 2023, p. 18) meaning the vision of seeing things a particular way. His theory of perspectivism is based on knowledge, judgements, and interpretation.

3rd week- Bates textbook - Aristotle

Week 3 * Aristotle p. 13 * An educator's high or low expectations and feelings for students will influence the way they act and feel about themselves and school. Aristotle's beliefs are based on how "the teacher [guides] the learner to reach their full potential" (Bates, 2023, p. 12) through expectations. If there are high or low expectations for students, their dedication toward school will reflect the educator's beliefs. Educators need to have high expectations for their students in order for them to excel in their performance instead of struggling if there are low expectations. Believing in students encourages and allows for success, which reflects how important it is to "never underestimate the effect of an educator" (Bates, 2023, p. 12).

2nd week Bates textbook - Socrates

Week 2 * Socrates p. 9 * Socrates quoted, "the unexamined life is not worth living" (Bates, 2023, p. 9). I believe Socrates assertion of admitting fault and learning from one's mistakes are just as important as identifying accomplishments to make you a "good" teacher. Reflecting on what has occurred in your classroom can benefit how and what you will teach. Students need to see educators learn from their mistakes and know it is ok to have faults. When we address our mistakes and turn them into learning experiences it helps ourselves and others see the various scenarios of learning. Through discussions the class can analyze the information and approach tasks in diverse ways based on their learning styles.

1st week: SMSU SPED 450: Curriculum Design and Implementation in Special Education

SMSU SPED 450: Curriculum Design and Implementation in Special Education * Week 1 * Introductions & Syllabus * Resource: Bates, B. (20223). Learning Theories Simplified...and how to apply them to teaching. 3rd ed. Sage.