Problem solving approach

In lab today we worked on the problem solving approach. My first thought "oh this is easy", you present them with a problem and let the students go to work. That was not the case. Ended up I needed more interaction but at the same time I did not want to be telling them how to go about it.

With the problem solving approach how do you know if your leading the students to much or not enough. Having higher order questions can help with this but still know when it is too much or not enough is something I need to work on. I also am still working on my clarity. For anyone who knows me knows I know what I mean but portraying it to others is a work in progress.

I was definitely more enthusiastic this lab just because I felt more confident about the subject matter. I felt I handled the student behaviors good as well. You need to stop students from misbehaving but also you need to let them be them and not shut them down all the time. So it again comes down to drawing a line.

Assessment: How to Go About It

As a teacher you need to assess your students to give them one more reason to learn what your spending time on teaching them. Do all assessments need to be in exam form? NO! As a student and a teacher you need to use and have variability in the classroom. When it comes to using exams you should have variety even in those like true or false, multiple choice, short answer, matching, essay, or fill in the blank. Another way to assess your students is through projects. Some examples of this are:

~research projects
~projects such as bird houses or c clamps depending on the class
~demonstrations
~presentations
~speeches

These are just a few examples and you can get very creative ans think outside the box. From this I feel students need to be assessed on rubric basis. Along with this students should have access to the rubric before the project is due so they know exactly what is expected of them. By having this rubric there is no reason for students to say they were not sure what they were to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt_S_-jUIss

http://www.teachhub.com/40-alternative-assessments-learning

Why Use Problem Solving in the Classroom

When there is a cause, it is always followed by an effect right? Everything that is put in front of us has happened for a reason. So ask yourself why? how? who? As a teacher it is beneficial to the students to add in problem based learning into the classroom because this is a real world skill that is utilized in many careers. 

Problem based learning is “teaching strategy that includes problem solving, inquiry learning, project-based teaching and case studies” (237, handbook). The problem solving approach remind me of learning by "doing". So why cant this also related to an individualized teaching technique/a way a student learns because some students will learn better by physically doing it. 

This idea of problem based learning is not just am idea that schools want the students to learn but employers want their workers to be able to have problem solving skills to go with their higher order thinking that is needed in the work force. 

http://www.udel.edu/inst/
http://www.studygs.net/pbl.htm

Being Judged to Being the Judge.

As a showman you walk into the ring with your eyes on the judge doing everything possible to be noticed and make that good first impression. When your showing for showmanship you have so many thoughts running through your head that could consist of:
1. Keep eye contact with the judge
2. Switch sides
3. Pace yourself
4. Use the whole ring
5. Is my animal set up right to its nest
6. Did my animal move
7. 2 seconds judge, 2 seconds animal

These are just a few of the basic thoughts that run through your head. As a showman (pictures to your left) I experienced these thoughts a lot but the more I showed the more it became natural. I thrived on showmanship and was an exhibitor who would rather win showmanship than type class. Anyone can buy an animal to win with enough money but showmanship is all on you. When your in the ring showing your heart out and your in the champion ship drive your looking at the judge and all eyes are on you there is a feeling that just can not be explained but must be experienced. That moment when the judge walks over and shakes your hand there are so many emotions but most of all your hard work has paid off.  I have shown multiple species consisting of lambs, goats, cattle, pigs, and horses and even though each species gets shown a little different you can always start from the basics that apply to any species and work your way of to the details in your walk, your stance, and the way you present yourself and your animal in the ring.


 Last night October 9, 2014 I was in the ring once again for showmanship but in the shoes of the judge for the first time. Wow! Its a weird feeling at first cause now your thinking about how do I pick and choose, what if the audience does not agree with my decisions, how do I prioritized what sticks out for me. It was definitely a rewarding experience. I was honored to judge the showman of showman at the Manheim Farm Show where I judges dairy beef and goat showmanship. Keep in mind these showman are in for winning a species and now are competing in multiple species that they might have never shown before. With that said you never know what to expect. Some exhibitors might rock your world where others you can tell they have only shown goats and are now handling a steer for the first time. Back to being in the ring, it was amazing to get to work with outstanding showman who were all going for the same end goal but did not forget to have fun. I was also able to judge with a former AEE major, Meagan Slates, who shared the same opinions as me. It was great seeing her again and being able to judge an event that has become my passion. The best part out of ht whole night though was after the event getting to interact with the showman and their families. The livestock world is such a small place but in a good way. I even got asked to do a few showmanship and fitting clinics in the spring while I am in the area. (Very exciting moment) I take it I must have done something right if they want to work with their exhibitors in the future.

Hopefully I get more opportunities like this to share my passion with others!

Enjoy a few pictures from experience:)

Genius Hour!!!

Today I experienced my first ever Genius Hour. I honestly had know idea what to expect but it was a very relaxing, informal but formal, open atmosphere that made our ideas and discussions come alive.

From genius hour I have taken away many messages and ideas that I am going to try my best to implement into my classroom. The first one is a safe environment that makes all students feel welcome and not out of place. This comes with treating equally by following my expectations, procedures, and consequences that I have set for my classroom. Another way to implement this safe learning environment is having the students feel they have a say. To do this is choose a unit, plan out the first week, make a list of ideas that can be covered and have the students choose what they want to learn about and ideas on how they want to learn it. Secondly,  bringing in community experts. Taking students on field trips is getting harder and harder these days but with distance learning programs like the Elk Center has it makes those field trips come to the classroom. From my idea on business appearance and preparing students I want to find a class that I teach and bring in resume building and interviewing skills. We are training/teaching our students real world skills for careers so why not teach them how to obtain that job they have their mind set on.

For you as readers:

Where do you fit this into your classes?

How do you teach it and what do you relate it to?

#teachaggenius #yostso #psuaged15 #aee412

You like to be treated as an individual so why not do the same for your students

Being a mind of my own I like being unique. I like standing out in a crowd and making an impression that is unforgettable. Being a student, I was a hand on visual learner. Now my best friend on the other hand was a read and can do it learner. Becoming a teacher a fear that I have is how can I meet the needs of all my students and how they learn. I have been incorporating a lot of variability into my lesson planning which I hope helps.

Newcomb talks about individual learning and one that I would not of expected was experiment. When I saw this I was like how and why can this be a technique. Once I read and was thinking about it I realized it is a hands on learning experience, visuals, and reading. I guess it was just a common idea that I never connected it to a learning technique.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCu4CeLq854