Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Brain Presentation

I thought that the brain presentation was very interesting. I learned a brief bit of information about the brain in my growth and developmental motor learning class. The presentation provided a good amount of depth for all the same topics to help me understand what is more about the brain. The part i thought was very interesting, was the impact on the brain. How a hit in football is just as bad if not worst then an earth quake. The impact motion picture of the on the football hit was really interesting on how it has such a lasting impact to the brain. The brain development part of every person is very different and interesting to learn how the brain transforms of the years and at different rates. All the different things that can change the way the brain develops and functions. Such as fetal alcohol syndrome that starts in the brain and then can change into different physical attributes as well. There are many different things to help your brain become healthier and more effective. Overall the presentation was very interesting and helped make some things of previous knowledge become more clear.

Monday, April 20, 2009

High Stakes Community

I thought that our role play lecture on monday night was very interesting. It made me think about the big picture of schools what all the different perspectives of all the different groups there were are they explained their own views on all the different topics of discussion. The different proposals were interesting I thought Dr. Knick and Dr. Langholz did a nice job of making us think of alternative ideas that would help us come up with appropirate and realistic plans of action. I was apart of the group that were high achieving teacher and we were in it for teaching all the students that are above all the rest and we decide that we would just continue to challenge this kids to the certain extent they will become successful, just will be at different rates. I though it was interesting hearing about all the different ideas and stuff that had to do with extra-curricular activities. Their were a lot of different ideas and viewpoints about that. I belive that there are to many schools out that that have extra-curricular activities as a primary concern opposed to acedemics. I feel like that teacher think if they dont pass the starting quarterback on the football team that particular student wouldnt continue to work in class, or even come to class. There should be more of a drive to compete and succeed in the class room and being good at that will allow them to participate in extra-curricular activities as a reward. I am a firm believer of setting up situations for students to be successful. Being a coach i have found out that students that have a grip on there school work are better in the sports they particpate in. They develop a good sense of consistancy between the two.
I think that resource teachers and rooms is a very touchy subject. I do agree that is dampers a students self-esteem to be pulled out of class for extra help and or having a student go to summer school. One idea that isnt very accurate and could be modified for fixing, is that students should travel through school by the grade they are in, they should travel through school by their intellectual level of knowledge that way they can learn at their own place and get all the help they need from a specific teacher that is teaching at the level that a student is struggling at.
I just believe that their are a variety of ideas that can help provide students with the best possible opportunity to become successful. It is finding the correct way to make it happen that we are still struggling to do!