Meet Me In The Middle: Chapter 3

Abstract:

Thanks to science we now know a lot about how the human brain works and how it works at various stages during our lives. In this chapter Wormeli shows us how to use the middle school students brain to optimize our classroom structure and learning. Wormeli states that physical factors such as hydration can effect learning in the classroom and how the brain stores information - so the notion of having no food or drink in the classroom is a bit archaic. Wormeli suggests that we use memory tricks such as chunking so that students will actually remember (or truly learn) what we do in class rather than store in short term memory for a test. Using Blooms Taxonomy is also another tool for understanding brain-based-learing that he offers teachers.

Reflection:

I think that teachers should really know how their students brain works in order to be effective teachers. If we are trying to cultivate, inspire, and help grow this particular organ than we should really know what we are dealing with. I really like brain-based-learning. I don't really think that anyone should put all of their eggs in one basket so to speak but I think understanding the brain is extremely important as an educator.

Meet Me in The Middle: Chapter 13

Abstract:
Spending time outdoors. Wormeli uses camping as an example in this chapter; however anytime spent NOT in the classroom is viewed as a good thing. Students can learn a lot about independence and appreciation while on overnight trips. They can also learn a lot about from simply taking a day trip (or class period) to a local outdoor site. Being outside helps some student connect with their naturalistic-intelligences, while it helps other students incorporate art or even history (if one visited a historic site).

Reflection:

When I was in middle school I was part of an outing club. I did a lot of camping trips and day trips. I canoed the entire Alagash, I learned how to kayak rapids, I rode bikes, I even went on a winter camping trip complete with sled dogs. These were not only trips that I learned a lot about myself and what I was capable of but also trips where I was able to learn a lot about my peers. It was also during a time where I was really into technology and this was a good "power down" time. It gave me a chance to stop looking at a screen and really enjoy the world around me. I gained skills that I still have today, a lot of self-esteem, and respect for my peers (which was mutually returned).

Meet Me In The Middle: Chapter 4

Abstract:

Middle school students have a lot of thing going on, their attention span is low; their bodies are growing; they are going through puberty; they like to socialize. All of these reasons are good reasons for planning movement into your lesson plans. Allowing students to get up and move by handing in papers or planning a stretching session helps them refocus on the material. If you plan the movement into the lesson you might keep their attention longer. Really playing on student's kinesthetic abilities will get you far as a middle school teacher.

Reflection:

I think that getting up and moving was always the highlight of my day when I was in school. Those times were always so few and far between that it was extremely refreshing. I think that we have kids asking to "use the bathroom" a million times a day for a reason - they just want to move and we should make room for movement during our school day. This will eliminate wasted time during those trips down the hall (or arguments over not going "to the bathroom"). I think that I work best while moving and will not have a problem making this part of my classroom routine.

Brain Based Teaching - Book Talk

I really liked this presentation. I thought that (for the most part) it was very upbeat and interesting. I think that learning about the brain and how it affects my teaching and learning is very important.

Some things that I really enjoyed about the presentation were :

* The Handouts

I thought that these were very informative and helped me remember the presentation.

* The Stuffed Animals

I think that this was very clever and it REALLY did help me remember the parts of the brain. Although now I just think of the as the Hippo and Armadillo !

* The Back- Burner Activity

I really liked this idea and I thought that it was fun. I would use this in my classroom. I think that my students could really benefit from the teacher acknowledging that they have other things going on in their lives.


Overall I think that this book was full of information and the team did a great job presenting it.

A Whole New Mind

I really enjoyed this presentation. I think that it was very interactive and fun. I am currently working on this book in my 402 class but we are only getting it in pieces to it was really nice to finally get a general overview of the book ( I am a big picture kinda person).

I think that the facial recognition aspect of the presentation was really interesting. I only got three out them wrong but I would have thought that I would do a little better than that. I think that I am really good at reading peoples faces (but I also think that includes the whole face). Nonetheless, it was a really intriguing aspect of the presentation.

I think that the story writing was a great idea for play. I would have liked to have more time to do it but I understand that the group was working within time constraints.

Overall, based on this presentation, I would be interested in reading the book.

Student Oriented Curriculum

The Student Oriented Curriculum Presentation brought up subjects that I feel very strongly about. I voiced my concern in class about teachers getting carried away with this seemingly new form of pedagogy. For me I think that the best way to approach pedagogy is with a healthy mix of "old school" and new, cutting-edge ideas. In any instance, when the pendulum swings too far one way it never works out well. I am more than willing to give students the chance to choose what they learn but the fact of the matter is that there is a teacher in the classroom for a reason. Teachers are not coaches or mere advisers. We have a job and a responsibility to teach students information that they might not necessarily choose to learn. I mean who WANTS to learn the difference between an Introductory Phase or an Introductory Clause? I don't know many students who would choose to wade through a class of grammatical specifications; however, these are things that they must learn to get to the fun stuff!

I didn't really find the ideas in this book a "fresh" take on classroom management or curriculum design ideas. I feel like this is a theory that gets thrown around a lot. I think that it was nice that it showed the story of the theory actually in practice though.

I did have a hard time actually figuring out how the book was organized. Perhaps this was because of the jigsaw or it could be that the book was organized in a disjointed manner OR it could have just been me.

Meet Me in the Middle Chapter 9

Abstract:

This chapter's focus is all about block scheduling and the transition to it. Wormeli points out the difficulities that can arise when a school tries to transition from a classic 50 minute schedule to an 80 minute block schedule. Wormeli offers ideas on planning lessons that fit an 80 minute block and other useful strategies that can help teachers make the change to a block schedule.

Reflection:

I really like the idea of block scheduling. I think that 50 minute classes do not allow enough time to really create a meaningful conversation, engage in critical thinking, or begin to start a lab. I think that having more than four classes in one day is way too much information in one day. I wouldn't remember my first class by my last! I also think that the information becomes a centimeter deep and a mile long.