Brain Based Learning in the Digital Age

  The educational theory known as "Brain Based Learning" involves the focus of class instruction, materials, and assessments in a way that best serves the way a student's brain functions (Cook). When students study using this method, they have a greater chance of retaining the information taught to them. In this digital age, students have the ways, means, and speed to gather an enormous about of information. Unfortunately that is not enough. They also need the guidance of teachers to ensure that the information they are seeking is being well internalized.

  I'm presently working at a Korean elementary school and unfortunately the Korean education system doesn't really use this approach with the students. It is not student centered for the most part and students are expected to just listen and memorize information for the sole purpose of passing tests. Luckily for me, my English class is an exception to that rule. My co-teacher and I try to apply many of the principles of Brain Based learning during our lessons. We find the students react very positively to this. So what are these principles?The Sonoma County Department of Educations lists 12 that provide a structure for their education process and curriculum building (Sonoma). I will be jumping from one principle to another discussing ways that I use them in my classroom.

The Importance of Kinesthetics in Learning  and Stress Release 

   One of the principles states that physical education, recess and movement are critical to learning (Jensen). I couldn't agree more. This has always been a  main theme in my class. Most of my activities are based on getting the students up and moving, singing, or dancing (TPR activities). My elementary students have a very short attention span and so after teaching them the necessary information. I have them get up and move around the class to complete their tasks. I really heavily on Youtube for songs to keep them motivated! Our school doesn't have recess, but only 5 minute breaks between classes). Lunches are 50 minutes long and the students quickly eat so that they can head outside for a much deserved break. These breaks are important since they give the students a chance to "recharge" their brains with positive chemicals such as Dopamine as well as relieve some stress. Although we don't practice this at our school, techniques on how to reduce and deal with stress should be implemented too. Lighting candles, turning off the lights and having a few minutes to just relax can be quite beneficial to some. 

Grouping and Maintaining a Healthy Learning Environment

  Another principle states that social interactions and a nurturing classroom environment are very important in the learning process. If students are feeling isolated from the class or their peers, they are more likely to not follow what is being taught. Because of this, the teacher plays an important role when it comes to creating a safe and welcoming environment for the learner. Making sure that bullying doesn't occur in and out of the classroom is one thing that we do in our school. We have an anonymous drop box where students can inform teachers about bullies or any other issues they may have. We also have an email address if they find that more convenient. 

  When making groups, we try to group students according to their various levels in the hopes that the higher level students will help their lower level peers. We never let the students decide the teams because that could lead to some students feeling unwanted. The relationship the students have with the teacher is also important. Students who get little feedback, have no say in the way the class is run, and are forced to do assignments on tight time constraints have a higher chance of "downshifting" and react negatively to school as a whole(Cook). The teacher should use strategies that promote a positive learning experience. In our class, we try hard to listen to what the students have to say with regards to how the lesson will be taught. Should there be more videos? More group work? All this is done by asking students and getting to know what best stimulates them. Also, teaching them how to stay positive and optimistic is another important key. Optimistic students fare much better than their pessimistic peers (Brain Smart)

Learning in Chunks

  Another principle is that information should be taught in "chunks" rather than in big blocks. This is due to the fact that the brain can only process a certain amount of information in any given time. When the brain is over saturated, it shuts down which leads to students tuning out and/or misbehaving. Teaching in chunks facilitates easy retrieval of information as students have to memorize the chunks instead of the individual information. These chunks also act as cues, allowing for easy recollection of information (PLB). In our class, our chunks vary depending on the amount of information the students already know. When we present the information, we give them a period of time to process it before moving to the next chunk. We always go over the information asking questions to check for retention as well as activities that reinforce what has been taught.

The Importance of the Arts

  Another principle is the importance of Arts in the class. They show that certain arts boost attention, working memory, and visual spatial skills (Jensen). Once again, this is something I use in my classroom. Whenever teaching a subject, I like to have students draw pictures based on the content learned. This can be done using a variety of computer programs(my students also love playing Pictionnary). I find my students express themselves very well this way since their English abilities are very limited.

Variety is the Spice of Life

  The last principle to be discussed states that children should be exposed to rich and meaningful experiences and then given time and opportunities to make sense of their experiences (Jensen). They should be given time to reflect on what they have learned and how it relates to their lives. In my class, we usually give team projects to do based on the content learned once every chapter and we encourage them to use not only what they have learned in class but to bring in other aspects of their lives that relate to the material being covered,

References

Cook, Jessica   "Challenges That Teachers face With Brain based Learning
 Retrieved June 20th from
 http://www.ehow.com/list_6385031_challenges-teachers-face-brain_based-learning.html

Jensen, Eric   " What is Brain-Based Teaching?" Florida Education Association
Retrieved June 20th from
http://feaweb.org/brain-based-learning-strategies

PLB  "Professional Learning Board"
Retrieved June 20th from
https://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/how-can-i-use-chunking-as-an-effective-memory-strategy-in-the-classroom/


Sonoma County Department of Education 2013 "The 12 Principles of Brain based Learning'
Retrieved June 20th from
http://www.talkingpage.org/artic011.html

Planning for English Language Learners

 The lesson that I will be teaching the class is about food webs as well as the various interactions there are between the organisms in them. The four different ELL learners that I have in the class are, Stage I: Pre-production, Stage II: Early production, Stage IV: Intermediate fluency, and Stage V: Advanced Fluency. Due to the large differences between these individuals it is important to prepare a variety of level appropriate activities that won’t neither overwhelm them nor bore them. 

   When trying to prepare this lesson for a Stage 1 ELL learner, who has very limited English, it is imperative to use a strategy that uses plenty of visuals that allows the students to make a better connection between the words and their meanings. This can be done by using Venn diagrams, story maps as well as flashcards. I would just give a worksheet with different animals in the food web and have them memorize the names (they could also draw animals that they know). Teachers should focus more on listening comprehension and on building vocabulary at this stage. At this point they can’t speak at all so it is important as a teacher not to force them to answer questions because this will cause them unneeded stress. Heads nods would be acceptable or yes/no answers. These individuals can also benefit from having a buddy who speaks the same language to help them during the class. Spending more time with them and guiding them through the activities will also help. Repetition too is also very important at this stage. Having them move around (kinesthetic activities) as well as singing songs will help with retention.

  

  The second stage ELL learner will need a little more challenge. Along with having a bigger vocabulary they are able to formulate short answers. At this stage, the teacher should ask yes/no questions or accept short responses. Get the student to start writing and labeling diagrams using short sentences. Visuals are still important at this stage. Get them involved in group activities where the ELL learner plays a role (ex: draw pictures or making diagrams). Teachers should model what is to be expected from the activity and not just tell them to do it. One strategy that can be used at this stage is Guided Interaction. Simple activities such as class surveys can be done. In addition, having them involved in a project with others, such as drawing a poster, will not only help with language acquisition but with building a better relationship with their classmates. The teacher should always be there to help the student out when needed.

 At the Intermediate Fluency level, students will have the confidence to ask questions when they are unsure of something. They are able to formulate complex sentences when speaking but still need the guidance of the teacher especially with writing. At this stage teachers should focus on a variety of teaching strategies. One of them, Meaning-Based Context and Universal Themes involves relating the things learned in class to the outside world. The ELL learner could take what they learned in class and find videos or newspaper articles that deal with the food webs. I would get them to write a journal or do a small presentation with the new information acquired from the class.

 The last level is advanced fluency. These students are pretty much at the same level as the native English speakers although they may still need help with writing or with advanced topics. A strategy that can be used at this level is Metacognition and Authentic assessment. This method involves teaching the students how to describe their thinking process. An activity that I would do with these students is a journal explaining the importance of each individual in the food web and the effects of removing them from the system. Debates could be another activity that would challenge them.

References

Hayne, Judy    Stages of Language Acquisition        

http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/language_stages.php

 Alliance for Excellent Education    Case Study 2005   Six Key Strategies for Teachers of English-Language        Learners

http://suu.edu/ed/fso/resources/esl-six-key-strategies.pdf

Special Education Referral Process at my school

  I'd like to start of by saying that this project was very challenging for me because not only did I have to overcome the language barrier that exists here in Korea but the fact that the special educators at my school had very little to spare to sit down and answer my questions this week( I got only 30 minutes or their time). I'm sure things would have gone much more smoothly if this was done back home in Canada! With the help of my co-teacher I was able to get at least some questions answered with regards to how they handle special needs students at our school.


  First a little background information about the special needs students at my school.
There are presently seven students that receive special services. Three students have various degrees of mental retardation, one is bound to a wheelchair due to a form of cerebral palsy, two have a mild form of autism, and the last one has some emotional/behavioral issues. There are several others who the special needs teachers said have ADHD but they don't really deal with them. There was this one really sad case in my school where this one student was given medication for some issue he was having, I don't recall exactly the problem but I assume ADHD, but he went from being a very active student to one who just slept the whole day in class, everyday. It was the saddest thing to see. As a foreign teacher, I don't have much of a say at how things are run. But that issue should have been addressed by someone!!

 There are presently 2 special educators at my school. Their duties are to help those individuals with their classwork and to make sure they are paying attention and not creating a disturbance in class. The only problem with this is that there are not enough special educators for the number of special needs students we have. Since our school believes in inclusion, the students are spread throughout all classes and not just placed all in one. This leads to some special needs not having a special educator with them during the class which leads to many issues. Most teachers at my school have very little training when it comes to dealing with students with special needs. From my experience at this school, and others, the teachers will just leave the student do what they want to do.Those students will not actually be following the lesson the other students are studying. As for me, I have seen some special needs students running around the class, screaming, hitting others when there is no special-ed teacher around. When I teach my class, my English co-teacher (not the homeroom teacher) is always present. She too has little experience dealing with these students. I too have little experience so I really don't think I'm doing a great job dealing with them. I usually ask the special needs teacher what are the students' interests and then I try to provide something for the students to do during the class. For example, one likes to draw so I prepare coloring worksheets. Another likes to do "word searches" so I give him some to do. I know this isn't the best way, but it does keep the individual occupied and I can focus on teaching the remainder of the class. I know my focus should be on trying to get them involved during the English class but its hard enough trying to keep the other 29 students in line. We have tried to ask the special educator to attend the English classes as well but sometimes they are not available.

  Although our school believes in inclusion, I don't believe it is full inclusion because the special needs students also spend a part of their day in the special needs classroom where they get extra help. There, the students are taught one on one or in very small groups. They also have different activities that they do that involve moving their bodies.

  So now to discuss my very brief interview with one of the special-ed teachers at my school. I first asked about how the special-ed system is here in Korea. She said that the program is still fairly new and that the government is working hard to make sure that the special-ed teachers are well trained and that there are enough of them to meet the needs of all special-ed students. She acknowledged that our school was lacking in the number of special-ed teachers and that they were slightly overwhelmed with work. She said that they don't have very strict guidelines with regards to how they teach but they can do what they feel is proper when it comes to the special needs students education. I asked whether they have IEP's or RTI's for each of the students but she said no. To be honest, I'm sure they have something established like that but maybe that was lost in translation (not very easy doing an interview  through a translator who doesn't have the best English skills)

 My second question was about how they identify students who may need special help. She said that that is the responsibility of the homeroom teacher. Once she is told, then she will approach the student and conduct an interview to see whether or not there is a true problem. If there is something of concern, she will then contact the parents and they will discuss the issue along with the homeroom teacher. She told me though that some parents really don't like to admit that there is a problem with their child and just want their kids to continue the same kind of education hoping the problem will go away. Ignorance is bliss?

 Seeing that the responsibility lies on the homeroom teacher to identify a special need student  I asked one of them about that. I asked her what are some of the signs that would lead to her thinking that a student may need special help. Unfortunately, there are no screening tests here at my school to identify possible candidates so the onus is on the teacher. She said one obvious thing is behavior, although not all kids with behavior problems need special help, this could be an indicator that the student may need some extra support. The other things is to observe whether a kid has problems with regards to speech,cognitive or motor skills. The other thing is looking for emotional problems in a student. If they are overly shy, withdrawn from the class or cry very easily. There is one student in my 4th grade who clearly has emotional problems. Anytime she makes a mistake, loses a game, or doesn't get her way she will explode in a torrent of tears. I personally think that this is something that should be addressed but my co-teachers do not think so. They think she will grow out of it. I asked whether homeroom teachers have differentiated lesson plans and she said no. They teach the same thing to everyone, the same handouts, the same tests etc. As you can see, this is not the best way to go about teaching students of various levels. I guess in that respect, Korea is a little behind the times.


 Overall, I think that the needs of special-ed students here in Korea are slowing improving. It is not great but it has come a long way since I first got here. When I first started here 10 years ago, there were no special-ed teachers in any of my schools. There were also no students with special needs in any of my classes. Inclusion is a great concept and one that can be beneficial for both parties (although in some cases inclusion may not be appropriate). The special needs students can benefit from this because they can be integrated socially with their peers.They can create friendships that would not have been possible otherwise, and their peers can act as role models through their social interactions. As for the non-disabled student, they can grow an appreciation and acceptance for those who are different then them. They can also learn how to work with people with varying degrees of abilities. Patience is learnt because you have to go at their speed. I believe the future of special education is on the right track here. As with everything, time will tell. Good luck KOREA!! 화이팅!



 

Protecting our children from Bullies

  I'm sure we all know someone who has either been bullied or was the bully themselves. This phenomenon is not new but with with the advent of the internet and various other devices, the spread of hate from one to others is growing at an alarming rate.

"The bullying statistics of 2010 reveal theat bullying is a crime that is not going away anytime soon. There are about 160,000 children who miss school every day out of fear of being bullied"

This is a quote taken from the following link

( http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-statistics-2010.html )


 We dont only see bullying at school but it can even cross lines to the workplace and on the internet. Bullying is not only hurtful to the one being bullied but for the bully himself. For the one bullied, physical, emotional scars are often carried throughout a lifetime and may lead to self-esteem problems and affect social skills. For the bully, the aggressiveness that is prevalent in his early years is usually carried through to his adult years which may lead to delinquent type behaviors. Another affect of bullying is that it creates a very negative environment for others who witness it. What I want to discuss with you is how schools cope with this issue and the policies/laws the state governments  create in order to try and eradicate the problem.


   Before I do that I just want to give you a little info on what I know with regards to bullying here in Korea and the policies that they have. When I first arrived in Korea, in 2002, there was little a student could do to avoid the fury of the bullies. It felt like it was something that the students just had to deal with and very little, at least in my experience, little was done to curtail it. It was a "boys will be boys" kinda mentality and the teachers just let it slide for the most part. As time went by though, slowly in the news you would be exposed to this problem on a more regular basis ( http://world.time.com/2013/03/17/south-korea-rattled-by-suicide-of-bullied-teen/ and http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/20/world/asia/south-korea-bullying-sentence/index.html ). Stories like this slowly brought up this pressing issue and it came to a point where the government had to take steps in order for it to stop because of the public outrage. It has become so problematic that even insurance companies have started selling victim insurance as part of the government to stamp out bullying
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-136830-Insurance-against-bullying-in-South-Korea . According to my wife who is a high school teacher, students who are now caught bullying, whether it be physical or mental, get suspended for a set amount of time and if it continues, they could get kicked out of school and that would be on there permanent record.


  So now lets take a look at the laws and policies that are present in the USA.  As you can see by the map, http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/, most states have both laws and policies that address the problem while others just have laws. There are a lot of differences between the states with regards to how they deal with the issue. It is worthy to not that no federal laws exist for bullying, although when it involves the following factors race,color, religion, sex then it could be considered a form of harassment which means that the schools are responsible for addressing and solving the issue. In 2013,the Safe Schools Improvement Act was reintroduced which stated that schools would be held accountable for the reporting and dealing of any acts of bullying. They state that act should be made law to ensure the safety of students and to create a place where they feel enpowered. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kerry-kennedy/the-time-is-now-for-a-fed_b_2813122.html. Unfortunately ,though many states have these bills, as mentioned in the last paragraph, very few according to a report in 2011 follow best practices to be effective in reducing bullying. So there is still work to be done on that front but it seems that it only a matter of time before better policies and laws will be enforced


  Now before the issue of bullying can be dealt with, the teachers themselves, along with others in the community, must be able to spot it so that it can be first addressed. We all know that bullying doesn't take place in plain view and that those who are bullied are usually hush hush about it.  So it is partly up to the teachers to notice the signs and deal with them right away.  http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/instructionalmaterials/a/undstndbullybeh_3.htm
This link helps teachers spot various signs that things may not be right with their students. For example, if one student who is usually outgoing becomes very quiet or he avoids questions and/ or eye contact. The teachers role is not only as educator but as a protector and should do everything humanly possible to ensure the safety of the students in their classroom.



  The best way to combat bullying is to prevent it from happening in the first place. In order to do so, schools must have programs in place to teach the students that bullying is wrong and what to do if you are being bullied. There is a great website that was created for kids that provides lots of useful information http://www.stopbullying.gov/. It is very important to give students the necessary tools in order to deal with bullies. In doing so, they can make more informed decisions instead of think that they are on their own. In Ontario, Canada, Bill 14, otherwise know as the anti-bullying act ensures that all schools have a Bullying prevention curricula,policies, and administrative accountability. There are many provisions under this act. For example, there are classes for those caught bullying and they must meet up with social workers to discuss the issues. As for the victims, they also must meet with specialists to help them through the process. All these provisions can be seen in detail at http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=2550.


  In conclusion, the issue of bullying is not one that will go away soon. But if policy makers ensure that they are doing their best to protect the most vulnerable, then there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. I have no doubt that we will get there one day soon. But until then, everyone should do their part to ensure a safe learning environment for all.

Movie Making in the class (something I can use in my class)

Another great tool that I have learned in this class is how to use Windows Moviemaker. The reason why I believe this tool is so great is that with any lesson you are teaching, you can get the students to use the target language in a fun and creative way. Making movies is a perfect way for all students, even those who may not have a great grasp of the target language, to express themselves and enjoy the subject matter.

Incorporating this tool into your classroom, I believe the students can learn and develop a variety of skills other than the target language you are teaching. Having students in groups teaches students how to delegate responsibilities. I also believe that it can a great confidence builder, especially with the shier students. This can also be a great way to let your imagination soar. The things you can do are limitless and having a team of 3 of 4 students, discussing these ideas, and how to go about doing what needs to be done, is a great way to shape a better person. It's important though to set rules because you wouldn't want one individual with a stronger personality, stealing the show.

I had a great time working with this tool.Although it took me a little while to become comfortable with it, now that I have a good grasp on it, I feel that I can produce some good work given the time. That being said, after watching the other videos that other students presented, I feel I have more things to learn. Some of the quality of the films were very impressive and made mine look like what a 10 year old would do :(

The point that I have realized is that with technology it is always a work in progress. The more you know..the less you know kinda thing. I'm glad that this course has given me a foundation with respect to technology but I know that I still have a long way to go before I would ever consider myself confortable with it.

BABY STEPS IT IS!!!

My Website

Hey all,

Here is my infant website. I used the following website http://www.wix.com/ to make my own personal website. I know we were told not to add content but I felt like it..sue me! It was very very easy to use so i highly recommend it. I tried a few other website creators but they were not easy to use.

Anyway click on the link below to get an idea on what can be done

http://baboo74.wix.com/science-class

Enjoy your day :)

And the winner is........ (the most useful thing I learned during this course)

Wow!! Now that's a tough one to answer. Before starting this course (only less than a month ago) I had very little knowledge about the technology available out there that I can use for my lessons to better engage my students in and out of class. For the last 3-4 years I have been only using Power Point and Youtube to deliver my message across to my students. Now I've come to realize that there are so many different ways that I can use technology, not only for my students, but for me as a teacher too.

I guess what I think is the most useful for me at the present time would be learning how to create a Prezi. The reason why I  chose this is because my students are quite young and although I found learning about blogs,Movie Maker and Podcasts very interesting, I don't think it's very applicable to this age group. Perhaps in the future when I work with higher level students I can incorporate these tools during my lessons.

The thing that i really liked about Prezi is that it's so much flashier than Power Point. I think that's important because if you are teaching young kids, you need to able to grab and most importantly keep their attention(not always the easiest thing to do with thirty 9 year olds). I hope to be able to create more Prezi presentations in the future. The first one I made for this class took a while but Im sure that'll improve with time.

Although this course was not the easiest for me (Ive been out school for over 12 years plus I had no prior experience with computers), Im so glad I took the plunge. Ive had to put in a lot of effort to acclimatize myself with all these new tools. Its been a challenge, but with any kind of new challenge, I think I have come out a better person. Now it's up to me to use what I have learned to help others! Looking forward to that!

Cheers!