The Happy Panda

I really enjoyed seeing your (Panda's) enthusiasm and passion about your subject. Not only do you have a gift, but it's a great blessing to be able to have a position that fully involves and realizes that gift! It's encouraging to see people who are truly in the right place.

When you were speaking on how to adjust the behavior of autistic children, you mentioned that you don't make a big deal of the bad behavior because it draws attention to it. Later on or in other circumstances, it is helpful to pay great attention and praise good behavior. I have an aunt-in-law(?) who trains dogs, mostly larger breeds like golden retrievers and labs, who uses almost an identical system. I don't know if that is really appropriate or really offensive to equate the two teaching styles, but that was my observation. She verily ignores or treats very quietly and simply the bad behavior but praises well, positively, good behavior. Is there any pedagogical connection there?

Whom to serve?

The answer is almost always: Exactly those you don't want or expect to. My life is split in between a deep, studious devotion to God and his word, and the other half is primarily a job of service. I work part time in the golf department of a country club. I'm hit with doing what I am paid to do and what I should or could do. Honestly, I'm not paid to do much. We're a tipping facility, and many of the guys I work with don't help those members who don't tip. If nothing else, I can show my devotion to service above my paycheck by still attending to ALL members the same. It's against the policies of my fellow employees, and its beyond what is expected. I'm not doing that because I want to "move up the ranks" or impress my boss. I do it because if someone asks me, I have a chance to tell them about the servant king whom I serve.

Smashing my stereo...types.

My first thought for the day was realizing that I have stereotypes of myself, because whether I like it or not, I AM stereotyped. I'm often in the same group as the guys (folks) that I stereotype. I think I need an arbitrary eclectic explosion in my life to avoid settling into any stereotypes. Who wants sushi parmesan enchiladas for supper?

I was most surprised by the connects Mark Worley made concerning the perpetuation of the culture of slavery. Just because more time has passed doesn't mean it has just dissolved (though I wonder if that was the hope of some), rather it has probably gotten worse. When there is no change from generation to generation, the black hole of poverty continues to to ruthlessly retain those who desire liberty. The pervasive cultural perpetuation of poverty does not necessarily denote complacency, rather entrapment is more accurate. In other words, sometimes it doesn't matter how bad someone wants to get out, they just can't.

So what does this mean for me as a teacher? I can't save them. There is only one who has done this. What I can do is help spur someone along who's caught in the whirlpool toward a life that doesn't involve escape or conformity, but does help them where they are to deal with their plight according to their fullest potential. I don't want to help them leave their home. I want to help them change their home. And I know they will help me change mine.

Book Report Post 3

The concepts in "Learning and Memory" are helpful for anyone interested in the subject, but was particularly geared toward teachers. Sprenger gave many examples on how to directly apply the concepts she presented to pragmatics within the classroom.

One example was about how the brain functions during moments of stress, and that it is not conducive either to learning or testing. She gave the example of a teacher becoming frustrated at a talkative class, so she sprang a pop-quiz on the students as a sort of "surprise punishment." The students all tested poorly, not because they didn't know the information but because the stressful environment reduced the students' ability to properly recall information.

Another example was a teaching technique. Because the nomenclature concerning brain anatomy and function can become disconcerting for young learners, she broke down the function of the part for a better comprehension. She demonstrated the function of some of the parts of the forebrain, the hippocampus and amygdala, two which are very important in learning and memory, by explaining that "the hippocampus tells them who the other boys and girls are, and the amygdala tells them whether they like them or not" (38). Obviously, rudimentary and relevant analogies are very effective for all learners, including young students.

A third and final example involves semantic memory which "operates word by word, and it uses working memory" (65). One of the best ways she presents for students to retain semantic memory is by peer teaching, or the students teaching each other. Students will take teaching much more seriously than learning because more is on the line for them. They have to learn it much more comprehensively in order to teach it than just to test over it. Students teaching each other allows for the HOTS system because the students have to evaluate and synthesize the material.

All in all, the book was a very useful tool in learning brain anatomy and function as well as giving great insight into pragmatics that translate to efficacy in the classroom.

Book Report Post 2

Sprenger used many different ways to convey the information. The ones I appreciated the most were the personal stories because I often read the information and ask, "Great.... what's that got to do with anything?" She was able to relate the brain's anatomical processes to real-life situations, which help with understanding as well as basic diagnoses. The book is obviously geared heavily toward teachers because of the many references to the classroom. During many main points, Sprenger relates the point to pragmatic situations in the classroom to which the concept may be applied. This aspect also made the book very helpful and convinced me that it is a great resource for teachers.

Book Report Post 1

"Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action" by Marilee Sprenger was published in 1999 by ASCD Publications in Alexandria, Virginia. Sprenger breaks down the complexities of the brain and brain function into manageable, palatable and recallable nuggets that is appropriate for all types of learners. If the reader already has a firm grasp on these concepts, the book can be a useful tool to recall the basics should a dendrite or two thousand become disconnected since the information's first inception. The main ideas include the anatomy and function of the brain and different types of memory operations including semantic, episodic, procedural, automatic, and emotional memory storage and recall. The book finishes up with a very useful "Frequently Asked Questions" section as well as a glossary of terms.

TTBP Tribal Affection

Growing up, I had always referred to my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Baker, as my favorite. It could have been because she was also my older sister's favorite, because she handed out Jolly Ranchers, because she read us the book "The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles" and spoke in funny voices, because she taught me how to write well, or because she was a kind, warm lady... with egregious coffee and cigarette breath. My affinity for Mrs. Baker lasted until my college years where I realized how much of a child I really still was.

Before I came to Dallas Christian College, I had already decided (or realized) with whom I would most likely spend the most time. Mr. Scott Richard Spies was my professor, friend, boss, mentor, fellow worship leader, and taker-of-my-junk. I was able to learn under his influence for four years, and they were four of the most formative years of my life. I still maintain a healthy relationship with Scott, and I couldn't thank him enough for the incalculable amount of learning I did under him. I remember a great deal of his character and integrity much more so than the differences between Classical and Baroque era music.

I haven't spoken to Mrs. Baker since my seventh grade year, but I was glad to know her; however, Mr. Spies takes the cake and stashes it in his sparsely stocked bachelor pantry as my most appreciated and formative teacher. Both put up with my childlikeness, but Mr. Spies is able to see me grow into a man of God whom others will follow, as I follow him, as he follows Christ.

The 7 golden nuggets

In the first day of teaching certification through the ACCESS program at Dallas Christian College, we were asked to remember 7 concepts in groups of 3 and 4. The 3 domains of learning are cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. The 4 aspects of a brain-compatible classroom can be categorized by the acronym LIFE: Learning, Input, Feedback, and Environment. If all three domains are covered and the four aspects of brain-compatible classrooms are utilized, the teacher (hopefully me someday) will be affective to his or her fullest potential. These fundamentals allow for a foundation that has adaptable and malleable applications.