By Jeremy S. Browning

• M4U3A2 •Creating High Performance

Learning EnvironmentsVIDEO #1: ROLLER COASTER PHYSICS

• Academic Expectations:

Wow, this was a fantastic project! That’s the ultimate in high expectations and standards and the results are really awesome. I love all the varied parts this project has. It connects math, writing skills, business, collaboration, critical thinking, cause & effect, computer skills, science, safety and my favorite, design & artistic expression. And the “chiming” stage was an excellent way to release responsibility and see how the students collaborate.

There’s no doubt that this lesson wasn’t created overnight. This was a project that took years of class trial & error to finally perfect. It’s one of those proud projects a teacher creates. It’s really a great one I think. If I were a kid, I’d really be into that!

• Behavior Expectations:

The behavioral aspects of this lesson go along with the real-world applications of this project. With it being a relevant project for learning, the students were also able to workout how they should act in those situations. Collaboration with classmates was pertinent for the success and implementation of the roller coaster. With trouble, their roller coaster would fail. So, there was a level of group monitoring that allowed for cohesion. Also, as I mentioned above, this well-oiled project was run smoothly because the instructor new when trouble could arise.

• Norms & Procedures:

The activity that was presented for the students was laid out in a way that it permitted a smooth transition into proper norms & procedures. Students were given clear instruction on their tasks, which set in motion focus for them and thereby kept them away from a deviant track. The teacher also followed the student’s processes, which provider her chances to monitor students as well. She asked questions that allowed students to figure out the problems as opposed to just giving them the answer.

By Jeremy S. Browning

VIDEO #2: 3RD GRADE CHINESE MATH

• Academic Expectations:

So what were the academic expectations for this class? Obviously, the teacher was teaching the children math along with Chinese language skill development. I like the musical application towards teach the math tables, which are rhythmic and easier to remember. Students were also asked questions, which many eager to answer. Also, some gestures that helped add context/interest to the lesson. The students looked like they enjoyed it but not all of them (saw 1-2 boys towards the bad a bit disinterested in the activity which could also be Chinese level related or new students). So the expectation is for the students to learn math through song and questioning.

• Behavior Expectations:

The expectations on behavior seemed to the standard rising of hands and to work in unison in the songs. It’s a Taoist philosophy that embraces unity in working together and acts as a group monitor for behavior as well. A typical “teacher stands in the front at attention to display their position” in order to establish behavior conformity. Even the act of sitting, though perceived as comfortable on the floor, sets a mental image of large authority. Silence by those not interacting is ok but it can be at a cost of being “out-of-the-circle” which causes different problems down the road.

• Norms & Procedures:

The norms & procedures for this class seem simple enough. Students sit in the front, cross-legged and repeat a series of pre-rehearsed lines that go in tangent with the lesson. They raise their hands to answer questions, which may seem haphazard on first glance but allows a level of freedom of choice in prompting educational curiosity. The students seem to go with the program with excited gusto, even though a few students seem disinterested (but isn’t that the case in all classes?).

Am I supposed to critique this lesson in its negativity based on Western notions? No, I think that styles of teaching co hand-in-hand with the teacher type, school curriculum and cultural elements. If everything looks like it’s functioning well, then it is. This class isn’t for me, but the students seem active enough to allow for such a style. And if test scores look good, then something is working.

By Jeremy S. Browning

VIDEO #3: WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING

• Academic Expectations:

For the example video from Richwood High School, Roxi Mackens showcases the application of Whole Brain teaching as a means to connect all parts of the academic experience for her students. By this, I refer to classroom coursework and classroom rules, norms & behaviors. The whole-brain approach to her lesson is the use of kinesthetic movements that are meant to work in harmony with the student’s activity. Body movements and voice play a crucial role in creating a holistic learning experience for the students. Students are arranged in 4-part desks that make it easy for them to communicate their physical role with their partners.

• Behavior Expectations:

Behaviors are also taught using the whole-brain method as a way to help encode the expectation into the student’s usual daily habits. There is role modeling that helps make the concepts clear and concrete. One in particular is regarding is the chime of treating each other with dignity & respect.

• Norms & Procedures:

It is clear when looking around the room at the norms & procedures posters all over the room, what is to be expected. This allows for a visual memory of what’s to be expected and also creates a visual imprint in the subconscious of what the norms, procedures and rules are. The teacher also goes over common procedures, like opening a book to a certain page, with the whole-brain activity.

SUMMARY:

Compare/Contrast with above examples:

The classes above use a wide variety of methods to teach their students. Are they all effective? Yes they are, but at varying degrees it could be argued. They all have some form of kinesthetic element in their activity, which allows for a body-mind connection. This I support whole-heartedly because it connects to Multiple-Intelligences, which I’m a big fan of. A friend of mine was studying Chinese and he said that the use of his hands, while trying to pronounce their varied range of intonations, was very helpful in his learning. The body affected the mind in a linked manner.

By Jeremy S. Browning

The Chinese Math lesson and Whole-Brain lessons use a concerted effort by all members in a chorus-like expression. This rhythmic approach is fun for the students and usually designed to be simple to memorize. I think, in general, most people are collectivist in nature, so going along with the group is common and if the results work then it’s a good tool.

The Rollercoaster lesson was the most complex and time-expanding to complete. The other two could be daily activities as a usual task. So, the Rollercoaster project requires longer planning for completion.

As for behavioral issues, the Chinese Math lesson and Whole-Brain lessons seemed to require students to act in a collected way for class management. The Rollercoaster project required students to work with groups, which had different responsibilities that might also have different situations for the students to react. This makes it more challenging for behavioral situations because they have to be addressed on a per-case basis. What I like about that is that it reflects the varied situations people deal with in life. In life we have to adjust. When we’re put into a situation that has everyone mimicking each other, it only promotes dependency towards the authority figure.

Grade Level & Background of my students:

For the students I currently teach in Nagoya, Japan, they are predominantly university freshman & sophomores, however juniors & seniors do take certain elective classes. There is a mixed bag of students in the different types of classes I teach. For English majors, there are students put into groups based around their academic English level. This helps teachers prepare lessons that assist in their needs. I teach mostly, the lower levels in those university departments.

There are other departments that have their own English programs as well. This is because, depending on the major, there is a language requirement of 1-2 years training. So when I’m teaching in those departments, the academic majors are usually mixed or a single non-English type major. These classes can be difficult because there are students that aren’t interested in studying language at all. Even though they were required to take 6-years of English in junior & senior high school, they aren’t high enough due to lack of interest. Through their 6-years of English study in junior & senior high, they barely studied English and were passed through, which is common in Japanese schools (private high schools might hold a student back). Therefore, students know they can pass even without studying. As a result, when they enter their university classes, they are basically lost and latch onto students that are higher than them in order to pass the class. Some experience their first failing grades in a course.

I try to help the students that struggles and have an open-door policy for communicating with me. When they are performing substandard on their class work, attendance or behavior issues, I notify them and let them know what is needed to level up. Most students rise up to the challenge. A few fall through the cracks, but I know, that they know, it was due to their own efforts, because they didn’t take advantage of the opportunities I had given to them. This becomes a learning experience about self-responsibility that they grow from.

In regards to implementing some of the ideas that they used in the videos above, I might try adding more kinesthetic movement to my lessons. At the moment, I have students

By Jeremy S. Browning

move around the room in interview type activities, but I’m thinking to try more rhythmic activities. The only fear I have with those is that it might be viewed a bit condescending since students are now in university. So, I’ll have to figure out different ways to slip it into the lesson. And of course, there’s the project, like in the Rollercoaster activity, that will require more logistic planning, but it is possible.

My Notes for the lesson

Additional:Participate in Discussions of videos on forumPeer review 2 analyses of cohort video reviews

Academic expectations - do you think the teacher holds high performance expectations for students in each of these scenarios? Why or why not?Behavior expectations - do you think behavior expectations are high for students in each scenario? Why or why not?Norms and Procedures - what are the norms and procedures in these scenarios that support high student performance?