Module 2:
Chapter 4: Learning Differences and Learning Needs
Summary:
This chapter covered a lot of ground discussing intelligence, but Woolfolk also writes about the importance of creativity. Creativity: What it is and why it matters: There are two elements:
- Novelty/originality and high quality/effectiveness/usefulness (pg. 133).
Woolfolk states that most psychologists agree that there is no such thing as "all-purpose creativity". She says that people are creative in a particular area and that there is a deep understanding of that subject using existing knowledge and improvising to invent something new. This must be intended. (pg. 133)
But there is a "Teacher of the Year" that stated that creativity can be learned. She said that "it is a habit of mind that involves nurturing enthusiasm and being open to new ideas (pg. 134). Woolfolk declares that with all the problems in the world today creativity will be needed in the 21st century. It is important for the psychological, physical, and social, and career success of individuals, along with societies using creativity and critical thinking to prevent it from being trapped by ideologies and dogma (pg. 135).
Reflection:
Being an Artist, I have a creative mind, but I am also constantly thinking of how I can improve, build, or design something that solves a problem. Woolfolk state that psychologists agree that creativity is centered in a particular area. I don't agree with that statement. Life DaVinci, I am creative in numerous areas. As far as the Arts go, I am creative in every genre in the Arts, but I am also creative in automotive, building, mathematics, science, and writing. Of course, I am no DaVinci, but he was a master in creativity, and I'm certain I am not the only other person who has diverse creativity.
I'm sure that one can learn new skills, but I believe the creative mind and thought process is something one is born with. Although, I do agree creativity is a habit of mind and requires constant nurturing and processing to be successful. I also believe that those who lack the creative mind can be nurtured to utilize their thoughts more creatively. Therefore they can be taught to be creative and simply changing their state of mind.
Chapter 5: Language Development, Language Diversity, Immigrant Education
Summary :
Grammar and Syntax and building word order set the basis of language. In the early years, children learn letters, letter sounds, and simple words. But in pre-school age, they begin to learn and apply prefixes and adjective rules (pg. 180). They soon begin to add those rules to every sentence which is termed, "overregularizing". Overregularization happens in every language, even American sign language, and actually plays a role in mastering syntax (pg. 180).
As children begin to grow, they begin to use appropriate language to communicate in social situations. This is called pragmatics. And around age five children can develop mentalistic awareness. They have knowledge of language, extend their vocabulary, grammar, and rules are used appropriately (pg. 181). Early literacy and reading build the foundational cornerstone to fluent readers.
Research has identified two broad categories of skills that are important for later reading (Connro et al, 2014, Douglas & Albro, 2014; Florit & Cain, 2011) (pg. 181).
Category 1: First importance is, "understanding sounds and codes such as knowing that letters have names, that sounds are associated with letters, and that words are made up of sounds" (pg. 181).
Category 2: Syntax; the language ability to express the receptive vocabulary, knowledge of syntax and ability to understand and tell stories". Building this language foundation begins at home. "Children's home experiences are central in the development of language and literacy (pg. 183).
Reflection:
Parents, talk, play, and read to your children. The first year of your child's development is the most important in their life, followed by their pre-school years. Even though teachers are extremely important in early literacy in children, parents are central to help build the foundation of their child's language and literacy. Once children reach school age, having that base foundation helps tremendously by giving them a head start to their language development and advancing as they grow.
As an Art Teacher, I look forward to assisting the classroom teacher with helping our students learn letters, words, and how to write and draw stories while exploring their creative side.
Chapter 6: Culture and Diversity
Summary :
The American culture has always been diverse but now in the 21st century, the new immigrant diversity has dramatically grown. Woolfolk states that there are many definitions of culture but most include the following; "skills, rules, norms, practices, traditions, self-definitions, institutions (educational, legal, communal, religious, political, etc.), language, and values that shape and guide beliefs and behavior in a particular, and folklore, and artifacts produce and passed down to the next generation", (Banks & Banks, 2016; Cohen, 2019, 2010) (pg. 218). Even though there are many different cultures within a country, there are many differences that exist below the surface.
Cultural differences also include social class, ethnicity, race, and gender. Real children are complex beings and belong to many different cultural groups, called "Intersectionality" (pg. 221). Woolfolk states that even though they may categorize a person in different groups, people are individuals and should not be labeled as being part of any specific group.
Forming labels and stereotypes is very unfair and dangerous. For instance Asian-Americans, no matter how many decades and generations live in the United States, people still associate them as Asians, not Americans or even Asian-Americans. That stereotype can have significant negative consequences on students (pg. 222).
Reflection:
Unless your ancestry includes American Indian, you have a family immigrant background. The United States is a new country in the whole world picture. It has changed constantly geographically throughout the centuries. I simply cannot understand someone who is racist against another ethnic culture in America even though their ancestors were immigrants themselves at one time. Do they realize the harm they are doing to the children in those immigrant families? Do they even care?
Creating labels and stereotypes only do harm. People or parents for that matter, who talk negatively about an immigrant culture or even worse a person who is an immigrant, are only teaching their own children to be prejudice against that culture. And yet, that may be even more dangerous. Those children who are being taught to disregard immigrant people or worse, peers in school, with negative comments as an inferior group, can spread the destruction to many children. If they are aggressive with their biases they have the ability to pass those stereotypes down to other children, and their own children.
We as a nation need to realize that by spreading these negative stereotypes down to our children, we are only hurting our children and their children.
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