The Thoughtful Teacher

Effective Learning Environments Effective Learning Environment      Creating an effective learning environment involves many different components. To establish this kind of environment, educators must foster a positive, productive classroom atmosphere and implement a strong classroom management plan. A classroom management plan refers to the methods used to organize classroom activities, instruction, the physical structure, and other elements to maximize time, create a happy and productive space, and minimize behavior issues and disruptions. The text states,  " Good classroom managers have strategies for providing effective learning environments that include not only preventing and responding to misbehavior but also, and even more important, using class time well, creating an atmosphere that is conducive to interest and inquiry, and permitting activities that engage students’ minds and imaginations "  (Cooper, 2014; Edwards, 2014; Levin et al., 2016). Time on Le...

 Direct Instruction and Student-Centered Instruction  Direct Instruction Direct instruction is a teaching approach where the teacher delivers content directly to students. Lessons are goal-oriented and structured by the teacher. The text explains,  " Direct instruction is particularly appropriate for teaching a well-defined body of information or skills that all students must master "  (Dean et al., 2012; Dick, Carey, & Carey, 2015; Frontier & Rickabaugh, 2014). Research from the 1970s and 1980s explored a variety of ways to teach direct instruction effectively. Direct Instruction in the Classroom The textbook outlines six key steps to delivering an effective direct instruction lesson: State learning objectives and orient students to the lesson Review prerequisites Present new material Conduct learning probes Provide independent practice Assess performance and provide feedback  Provide distributed practice and review While the structure remains consisten...

 Cognitive Theories of Learning Information Processing Model The information-processing theory is a cognitive theory of learning that explains how we take in, store, and retrieve knowledge in the mind. This theory became especially influential in the mid-1970s, although one of its foundational models—the Atkinson-Shiffrin model—was introduced in 1968. This model breaks memory down into three main components: the  sensory register ,  working memory , and  long-term memory . Each part plays a unique role in how we form and recall memories. At the center of this system is something called  executive processing , which refers to the conscious or subconscious decisions our brains make about what information is worth remembering. It helps direct our attention and energy toward things we deem important enough to store in our long-term memory. Sensory Register This is the first stop in our memory system. The sensory register briefly holds incoming information from our f...

Behavioral Learning Theory  Learning: In the text, learning is described as “a change in an individual caused by experience” (Ormrod, 2016; Schunk, 2016). This change can occur both intentionally and unintentionally, as children and adults are constantly learning, often without even realizing it. The textbook emphasizes that the real challenge in education isn’t getting students to learn, because learning is always happening. Instead, the challenge lies in guiding students to learn the specific concepts and skills we want them to master. With so many distractions and life experiences competing for their attention, it can be difficult for students to focus on the most important material. As Slavin (pg. 102) asks, “How do we present students with the right stimuli on which to focus their attention and mental effort so that they will acquire important skills?” Ultimately, the goal is to create intentional, meaningful learning experiences Behavioral Learning Theories: Behavio...