Blog Post #1

I found this week’s reading very interesting and insightful. I am in the Elementary Education program and we are taught different methods of teaching/learning. For the most part, the Elementary Education program really pulls on cognitivism and constructivism for ways of teaching students. In the program, we really focus on UDL (universal design of learning) which really focuses on different ways of connecting learning, representation, engagement and action. This is very significant as students can have different modes of learning and as well connect to prior knowledge, along with things that are of interest to them. In my own experience when teaching, we normally pull on prior knowledge before the lesson, even if it is for five minutes. This really gets students thinking and they can pick up on things that other students have shared. Additionally, creating a space where students can take charge of their learning by co creating problems, working together and using real life examples really gives them an avenue to explore all aspects of learning. I find in my own personal experience when students are given these methods of teaching and learning they have more classroom engagement, they are excited to learn, and they can make connections to the real world. Additionally along with cognitivism, scaffolding is a big part of the teaching process so learners can have material broken down into smaller digestible pieces. As a diverse learner myself, this is extremely helpful as sometimes I get overwhelmed with the amount of material and information given. When it is broken down into smaller pieces, I can take a step back and really focus on what is being taught at that time. As someone with dyslexia, it is important that everyone has an opportunity to learn and to show what they know. Understanding is a big key part of it, not memorization or regurgitation. I am glad the education system is moving towards understanding rather than how well someone performs on a test.