Learning about and using group mind mapping, Request, DRAs, and DR-TAs was interesting. They each have a different way of making students focus in on what is important, guiding their reading, so that their minds are not cluttered with useless information but they still grow in comprehension and are able to organize the information they already have and later receive.
Though I did not choose to use any of those in this week's lesson plans, I did begin using an app called MINDLY that helps you construct mind maps. So I'm using it now for personal uses, and later on, I will probably use it, or something similar, for educational uses in the classroom. It's so simple to use. (What did I use it for, you may ask? I was doing a self-study on idols and was linking how what I feel or do reveals what I really think is most important, that I shouldn't because it gets in the way of my relationships with God and the people around me. Like fear of rejection or an unhealthy view of food or dozens of other things I've realized. My psychology class has got me psycho-analyzing myself. LOL. I'm trying to "clean out my closet," so to speak.)
I've seen the DRAs being used at the school where I work. I had never heard of the other two terms before taking this course. I think they would be useful in my classroom as well. I realiz, however, that I have already used the Request method when I taught children in my church. It's definitely important to know exactly what questions to ask in order to guide their thinking. (And it's fun watching them get there.)
Although making lesson plans is generally tedious to me, there's a part of me that is grateful I'm getting some practice in now. I know that nowadays the internet has so many sites and pages where teachers have posted their lesson plans, but there have been times when I am not able to find what I want to teach. For example, though curriculum is provided for teachers working in the children's ministry at my church, sometimes we end up with a range of students (maybe ranging from 5 to 11) for which the lesson would not be entirely appropriate because either they wouldn't understand it and it would go right over their heads, or they would find it too kiddy and be bored with it. I had to just be creative in the past and make the lesson a whole lot simpler, or I had to make it more challenging or deeper. Sometimes things felt like they were a little "all over the place". It could get a little tricky (but it made me depend on God more). These types of changes in my instruction demonstrate differentiating. Now that I have more tools and understanding, I can write these lessons out with accurate goals in mind. So all the stuff that was in my head, I can have on paper and organize it so that the goal is met with clarity. I guess it's kind of like getting the hard work done (really mental work onto paper/page) ahead of time and just executing the flow of it later in the class. It can really simplify things if it's done right. I know that when I start teaching lessons to my own students, I will use the lesson plans that others in the profession have created, but there will come those times when I will be grateful that I know how to make my own.
Though I did not choose to use any of those in this week's lesson plans, I did begin using an app called MINDLY that helps you construct mind maps. So I'm using it now for personal uses, and later on, I will probably use it, or something similar, for educational uses in the classroom. It's so simple to use. (What did I use it for, you may ask? I was doing a self-study on idols and was linking how what I feel or do reveals what I really think is most important, that I shouldn't because it gets in the way of my relationships with God and the people around me. Like fear of rejection or an unhealthy view of food or dozens of other things I've realized. My psychology class has got me psycho-analyzing myself. LOL. I'm trying to "clean out my closet," so to speak.)
I've seen the DRAs being used at the school where I work. I had never heard of the other two terms before taking this course. I think they would be useful in my classroom as well. I realiz, however, that I have already used the Request method when I taught children in my church. It's definitely important to know exactly what questions to ask in order to guide their thinking. (And it's fun watching them get there.)
Although making lesson plans is generally tedious to me, there's a part of me that is grateful I'm getting some practice in now. I know that nowadays the internet has so many sites and pages where teachers have posted their lesson plans, but there have been times when I am not able to find what I want to teach. For example, though curriculum is provided for teachers working in the children's ministry at my church, sometimes we end up with a range of students (maybe ranging from 5 to 11) for which the lesson would not be entirely appropriate because either they wouldn't understand it and it would go right over their heads, or they would find it too kiddy and be bored with it. I had to just be creative in the past and make the lesson a whole lot simpler, or I had to make it more challenging or deeper. Sometimes things felt like they were a little "all over the place". It could get a little tricky (but it made me depend on God more). These types of changes in my instruction demonstrate differentiating. Now that I have more tools and understanding, I can write these lessons out with accurate goals in mind. So all the stuff that was in my head, I can have on paper and organize it so that the goal is met with clarity. I guess it's kind of like getting the hard work done (really mental work onto paper/page) ahead of time and just executing the flow of it later in the class. It can really simplify things if it's done right. I know that when I start teaching lessons to my own students, I will use the lesson plans that others in the profession have created, but there will come those times when I will be grateful that I know how to make my own.
I'm so glad that you are able to apply what we're learning to other parts of your life journey. Hey, that's a DOK level, right? Your psychology class sounds interesting as well. Is that for your education degree?
ReplyDeleteYes it is. You can't really get through a good psychology class without psycho-analyzing yourself. LOL That's a by-product of the process. We become better teachers not only because we learn how to teach all types of children well but because we learn about ourselves too.
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