I took a quick test on my way of learning and I resulted to have (kind of) intrapersonal intelligence. This drives me to several reflections on my role as a teacher. Am I limited anyhow to percieve other types of intelligence? Am I prepared to teach to students with different types of intelligence?
Psychologist Howard Gardner has found that there are at least eight types of intelligence, which means that there are at least eigth different ways of learning. A very remarkable issue of this finding is that no one can tell which of each kind of intelligence is better. What of them would you like to enjoy? Would you reject any of them? Would you change one of them for another?
As usually, it is difficult to get a simple answer. I think that the main point is to be aware that all these ways of learning are going around. So, at least I will try to prepare part of my lessons in a way that different students have an opportunity to shine. It ill be a hard work but I will try to reach my students by including in my lessons some music, connections to other subjects, playing games, thoughts, maths, reasoning...
miércoles, 20 de julio de 2011
July 18th. Working with multiple intelligences and the Bess beetle
There is not only one way of being intelligent. Psychologist Howard Gardner of Harvard identified at least a list of eight different categories of intelligence. This is an important issue to keep in mind when you are a teacher. Is it possible to assist all these ways of being intelligent? Let's try to do so with the Bess beetle lab.
This is a list of different possible tasks for students with the referred learning profile
Linguistic intelligence
The student has to write a report of the lab exposing the goal of the lab, the way we learn it and the results obtained. The student could be guided with a set of questions.
Logical-Mathematical intelligence
The student has the opportunity to use this type of intelligence when he/she has to make the calculations to learn how many times his own weigh can the Bess beetle pull.
Musical intelligence
A student with this intelligence could try to write a rap song with funny rhymes so the rest of the class could use the song as a tool to remember the results
Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
This lab allows to develop this intelligence when the student ties the thread to the beetle and to the clip from it will hang the different weighs that the beetle has to pull
Interpersonal intelligence
The students will be working in teams or pairs. This way of learning promotes that the students have to socialize, to reach compromises and to know the other.
Intrapersonal intelligence
A student with this profile will look for more information after the school to compare this particular beetle with other species of beetles. Also, he/she will be happy to compare the strength of the beetle with his/hers.
Spatial intelligence
Students with this intelligence will enjoy to set the lab and to reason what results we would obtain if the beetle had to lift the weigh instead of pulling the weigh, or what could happen if we changed the surfaces in which the beetle and the weigh are.
Naturalistic intelligence
Students falling on this category will love this lab because it connects objects comming from many different subjects, like biology (beetle), physics (pulling, friction), mathematics (calculations), ethics (is is right what we do to this animals?)...
This is a list of different possible tasks for students with the referred learning profile
Linguistic intelligence
The student has to write a report of the lab exposing the goal of the lab, the way we learn it and the results obtained. The student could be guided with a set of questions.
Logical-Mathematical intelligence
The student has the opportunity to use this type of intelligence when he/she has to make the calculations to learn how many times his own weigh can the Bess beetle pull.
Musical intelligence
A student with this intelligence could try to write a rap song with funny rhymes so the rest of the class could use the song as a tool to remember the results
Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
This lab allows to develop this intelligence when the student ties the thread to the beetle and to the clip from it will hang the different weighs that the beetle has to pull
Interpersonal intelligence
The students will be working in teams or pairs. This way of learning promotes that the students have to socialize, to reach compromises and to know the other.
Intrapersonal intelligence
A student with this profile will look for more information after the school to compare this particular beetle with other species of beetles. Also, he/she will be happy to compare the strength of the beetle with his/hers.
Spatial intelligence
Students with this intelligence will enjoy to set the lab and to reason what results we would obtain if the beetle had to lift the weigh instead of pulling the weigh, or what could happen if we changed the surfaces in which the beetle and the weigh are.
Naturalistic intelligence
Students falling on this category will love this lab because it connects objects comming from many different subjects, like biology (beetle), physics (pulling, friction), mathematics (calculations), ethics (is is right what we do to this animals?)...
Weekend, July 15th. Rube Goldberg
We made a machine in which each different step renders an energy transfer. The final purpose of the machine was to make dispense a hand sanitizer and we should do that using at least six steps. We had to make up each step using a specific set of objects that the teachers gave us. It was an odd list of things!
We did this lab in teams of five. I think that this is the interesting core of this lab. I think that this lab would be very attractive to my students for several reasons. One is that the goal is simple and clear. The second strong point of this lab is that this project requires different levels of organization in the team, so different roles for each member of the team will be needed. There must be someone suggesting the engineering part of the project, other one could think of the timing and others could think on the arts of the project. In consequence, this project allows the development of multiple abilities and that is a good starting point for the students.
We did this lab in teams of five. I think that this is the interesting core of this lab. I think that this lab would be very attractive to my students for several reasons. One is that the goal is simple and clear. The second strong point of this lab is that this project requires different levels of organization in the team, so different roles for each member of the team will be needed. There must be someone suggesting the engineering part of the project, other one could think of the timing and others could think on the arts of the project. In consequence, this project allows the development of multiple abilities and that is a good starting point for the students.
viernes, 15 de julio de 2011
July 15th. Getting a lunch in Roosevelt University
Please follow the next steps to get your lunch at the Roosevelt University:
1) Make sure that you carry your ticket for lunch BEFORE you go out home, early in the morning
2) Leave your class at 12.15 pm, and walk to the elevators of the University.
3) Get out of the elevator and go out to the street, preferably through the revolving door.
4) Make a right and walk to the next crossing street, which is Monroe St. Again, make a right.
5) Walk for about 60 meters by the left side of Monroe St and you will find a place named 55 Underground.
6) Get through the revolving door and take the mechanic escalators to the lower floor and make a left at the end of the escalators.
7) Take a tray and go to any of the available posts serving meals. You can choose from a variety of them: Pizzeria, Wok, Carvery...
8) Address to the persons behind the bar and ask them your choice for eating
9) Complete your tray with the plastic cutlery, napkins, and beverage of your choice and walk to the area with tables and chairs
10) Before you enter that area, a person in the entrance will ask you for the lunch ticket. It is a good piece of advice to have it on your tray in order not to wait in the line.
Enjoy your meal!
1) Make sure that you carry your ticket for lunch BEFORE you go out home, early in the morning
2) Leave your class at 12.15 pm, and walk to the elevators of the University.
3) Get out of the elevator and go out to the street, preferably through the revolving door.
4) Make a right and walk to the next crossing street, which is Monroe St. Again, make a right.
5) Walk for about 60 meters by the left side of Monroe St and you will find a place named 55 Underground.
6) Get through the revolving door and take the mechanic escalators to the lower floor and make a left at the end of the escalators.
7) Take a tray and go to any of the available posts serving meals. You can choose from a variety of them: Pizzeria, Wok, Carvery...
8) Address to the persons behind the bar and ask them your choice for eating
9) Complete your tray with the plastic cutlery, napkins, and beverage of your choice and walk to the area with tables and chairs
10) Before you enter that area, a person in the entrance will ask you for the lunch ticket. It is a good piece of advice to have it on your tray in order not to wait in the line.
Enjoy your meal!
July 14th. Fermentation
Today we went to visit a brewery in the city called Goose Islands. Unfortunately we went the day they were having a special step of the process of making beer, so we only could see the installations behind a glass display. Anyway, we were toured by a person from Goose Islands that explained very well the complete process of brewing beer.
I already knew the process of fermentation to make beer, but I have reviewed my English vocabulary and I realised that there were several words a didn't know. For me, my yesterday's favourite word was "hops". It is a cluster of female flowers from a plant named Humulus lupulus that is added to the beer to give its charasteristic bitter taste. It also has a role as an antibiotic agent so it is acting as a preservative as well.
Interestingly enough, we were given the chance to taste 4 different beers in the pub attached to the brewery. I like it a lot the two first samples of beer, the third was good enough, but I didn't like it the fourth. What a pity!
I already knew the process of fermentation to make beer, but I have reviewed my English vocabulary and I realised that there were several words a didn't know. For me, my yesterday's favourite word was "hops". It is a cluster of female flowers from a plant named Humulus lupulus that is added to the beer to give its charasteristic bitter taste. It also has a role as an antibiotic agent so it is acting as a preservative as well.
Interestingly enough, we were given the chance to taste 4 different beers in the pub attached to the brewery. I like it a lot the two first samples of beer, the third was good enough, but I didn't like it the fourth. What a pity!
jueves, 14 de julio de 2011
July 13th. Did you know it: Baseball is the healthiest sport in the world!
Nowadays we spend a lot of time reviewing our life style in search of uses and costumes that are healthy or unhealthy for us. We lower down the calories of our diet, we quit smoking, we drink less, and we practice sports. This means a lot of different choices around us. But let's focus on what sport we should pick up to lead a healthy life. Should be running? Tennis? Maybe soccer? You may be surprised when you come to know that the healthiest sport in the world is baseball.
There are hundreds of reasons to convince you of this fact but now I will concentrate only on the three most remarkable features of this sport that make of it a unique source of health. This sport combines the benefits of running with the advantages of a high coordination of all your limbs. Also, you have to know that since this a team sport, its practice prevents one of the worst diseases of our time, depression. Finally, this sport requires a very special diet which is a guarantee for a long life.
Many sports develop or strengthen only certain parts of your body, but they forget others. Baseball contributes to improve most of the muscles of your body. In a baseball game, you have to run fast when you go from one base to the other, you have to twist your waist when you bat, you have to jump when you're trying to grab the ball, you have to throw the ball very fast to your companions in the team. Think of all the muscles that you have to put in motion to do all these movements and you will have the right answer. Baseball means really moving your whole body coordinately. Not many sports can offer that. And remember, He who moves his/her body, moves his/her heart. It is well-known that baseball players have a very low heart attack rate when compared to other sports, like soccer or cycling.
Several sports are based on a very hypnotic routine, like running. You start running and your thoughts can be many miles away from your body. However, baseball forces you to keep your attention on many different parameters like the direction of the ball when you are bating or your position in the field and your opponents'. There is a general agreement in the medical community that this high level of attention increases the number of connections among your neurons, i.e. you develop more neuron plasticity. The more neurons you are able to connect, the more capable you will be to make more different associations between apparently distant thoughts. Again, physicians agree that this exercise prevents mental diseases such us Alzheimer, Squizophrenia and Depression.
Finally, it is important to remark that a first-class baseball player must meet very strict standards in order to be a good player, and to do so, he/she must follow a very healthy diet, the Mediterranean diet. The main feature of this diet is the perfectly well balanced mix of all the nutrients the body needs. All scientists and nutricionists in the world are trying to introduce this diet in different cultures and countries, since it has been proven that the populations consuming these food live for a longer time and in better health conditions.
So, don't think it too much. Just give baseball a go!
There are hundreds of reasons to convince you of this fact but now I will concentrate only on the three most remarkable features of this sport that make of it a unique source of health. This sport combines the benefits of running with the advantages of a high coordination of all your limbs. Also, you have to know that since this a team sport, its practice prevents one of the worst diseases of our time, depression. Finally, this sport requires a very special diet which is a guarantee for a long life.
Many sports develop or strengthen only certain parts of your body, but they forget others. Baseball contributes to improve most of the muscles of your body. In a baseball game, you have to run fast when you go from one base to the other, you have to twist your waist when you bat, you have to jump when you're trying to grab the ball, you have to throw the ball very fast to your companions in the team. Think of all the muscles that you have to put in motion to do all these movements and you will have the right answer. Baseball means really moving your whole body coordinately. Not many sports can offer that. And remember, He who moves his/her body, moves his/her heart. It is well-known that baseball players have a very low heart attack rate when compared to other sports, like soccer or cycling.
Several sports are based on a very hypnotic routine, like running. You start running and your thoughts can be many miles away from your body. However, baseball forces you to keep your attention on many different parameters like the direction of the ball when you are bating or your position in the field and your opponents'. There is a general agreement in the medical community that this high level of attention increases the number of connections among your neurons, i.e. you develop more neuron plasticity. The more neurons you are able to connect, the more capable you will be to make more different associations between apparently distant thoughts. Again, physicians agree that this exercise prevents mental diseases such us Alzheimer, Squizophrenia and Depression.
Finally, it is important to remark that a first-class baseball player must meet very strict standards in order to be a good player, and to do so, he/she must follow a very healthy diet, the Mediterranean diet. The main feature of this diet is the perfectly well balanced mix of all the nutrients the body needs. All scientists and nutricionists in the world are trying to introduce this diet in different cultures and countries, since it has been proven that the populations consuming these food live for a longer time and in better health conditions.
So, don't think it too much. Just give baseball a go!
miércoles, 13 de julio de 2011
July 12th. Children's Museum
Today we have visited the Children's museum of Chicago. This museum is finely orientated to children between 4 to maybe 8 years old. Our students in the high school are older than this but the challenge for us is to find a way to adapt what we have seen there to our students.
One exhibit of the museum that draw my attention was the Rocket Science. The reason for this was its simplicity. The students themselves can easily get most of the materials: the cardboard cylinder from the toilett paper and some cuts of colored cardboard. Additional materials needed are a 2 meter long tube or hose and a 2 liter plastic bottle.
The students will have to make a small rocket
One exhibit of the museum that draw my attention was the Rocket Science. The reason for this was its simplicity. The students themselves can easily get most of the materials: the cardboard cylinder from the toilett paper and some cuts of colored cardboard. Additional materials needed are a 2 meter long tube or hose and a 2 liter plastic bottle.
The students will have to make a small rocket
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