1.1. Behaviorist tendencies- Positive reinforcement through a token system, verbal praise and feedback, and positive contact with parents. Negative reinforcement through reminder cards, reflection sheets, and calls home to parents.
1.2. Some cognitive tendencies- Modeling behaviors, discussing behavior with students, reflecting on my own behaviors and showing/teaching empathy
1.3. Reflection- I am pleased with my classroom management style. I feel that I could always use room to grow and that I could benefit from some training to be more sensitive towards my diverse population of students. I know my students well and they know that I care about them, so I feel confident in our relationship.
2. Instructional Delivery Style
2.1. Cognitive tendencies- Students are given time to jot down thoughts, debrief with their classmates, and then share their thoughts with the class. I take time to make sure to ask inquiry-based questions. Additionally, students are asked to self-assess their learning at the end of the unit.
2.2. Reflection- I believe that I do not use enough behaviorist techniques in my classroom instruction. Although, cognitive instruction is often desirable I feel that my classroom is sometimes lacking in structure and students are looking for structure. Direct instruction provides students with small chunks of information and offer many opportunities for practice. Kirschner et al. (2006)
3. Lesson Plan Construction
3.1. Reflection- I believe that cognitive lesson planning is ideal because I have time to plan out questions that are complex and thought-provoking. Students will learn by exploring and it engages the student. It is important to not teach memorization, but to teach students to remember meaningful content that will stay integrated many years after the course has ended. Ausubel (1963, 2000)
3.2. Cognitive learning tendencies- Lessons are planned with the previous learned material placed at the beginning of the lesson. Formative assessments are placed strategically throughout the lesson to remind students. Why questions are asked to get students thinking about why the learning is important to them and how it relates to their world and those around them.
