This week in CEP 810, we read the children’s book Fish is Fish, which highlights a minnow and a tadpole learning together and going through changes. We then read the first three chapters of Bransford, Brown and Cocking’s (2000) book How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School and were challenged to take another look at learning, understanding and changes in conceptions in education. In my essay, I explored these concepts in relation to my classroom. I focused on the idea of what learning is, as well as teaching methods that support learning and how I either already do, or plan to use these with my kindergarten class.
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Exploring Tech for Little Minds 
First and foremost, Danielle, I have to say that I have the utmost respect for your ability and passion for developing the twenty-three kindergarteners you have in your classroom. Your definitions of learning and understanding are a window in how you interpret those words. Already as a teacher, you have some form of knowledge with them. However, you identify the value of learning through the word “experience.” This description of how to effectively learn is great. In my opinion, the best way to learn is by getting immersed in the material and making it a part of you. This way you become a better learner and teacher.
Your ideas and reasoning behind flexible seating are great! It appears that this ensures your classroom is actively engaged in student-centered learning and it is a well thought out way to allow students to learn comfortably. At the age you are teaching, I believe it is imperative to enable students to develop their independence in how they will learn well into the future. In their home, they may work in close collaboration with parents, siblings, or friends, and the opposite, so giving them that freedom lets them key in on what they may already know to necessarily develop further. However, I would like to know if this is something that is temporary through the school year or permanently based on your student’s decisions? Naturally, as adults I don’t think we put brain power into how we learn, we just do it based on what works.
Identifying that every student learns in their personal way is an excellent way to teach through immersion and develop their skills. Although not every student learns best in a group, it’s wonderful to hear that you allow for students to try out various way in which they can learn. Furthermore, your mention on developing a student’s “sense of community and involvement in a group,” is an excellent quality to provide them with at during such an early age. Later on in life, these students will gain an appreciation for service to others and be able to observe how it impacts them. Additionally, hands-on activities are a personal favorite of mine and know that I have always personally thrived in groups. For young students like yours groups provide lots of peer to peer feedback they only receive in the classroom. For some reason, there is nothing like your best friend or the person that sits next you giving you feedback on what you are working on. With some students, it’s stronger than the teacher’s grade.
Danielle, it sounds like you are in the right direction when it comes to learning, understanding and conceptual change. I love that you are challenging yourself, and striving to learn alongside your students and peers. I look forward to growing alongside you and our other classmates in this course.
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