How I learn

I recently took a learning styles questionnaire to find out how I can improve my study skills and learning habits. I discovered that most of the information it told me about myself was true.
I found that I am an active learner as opposed to a reflective learning this means that I retain information better when I can do something active with it. This could include discussing it with a large group, applying it to life or teaching it to others. All of this being said, if I am in a class that does not leave time for much discussion or analyzing of the topic being discussed I should get together with a small group and discuss the class material. Before tests the same group of people should get together and ask each other questions that might be on the exam.
Second, I am right in the middle between being a sensing or and intuitive learner. This means that I some times like classes that are completely fact oriented such as intro to math (Kuyper). But at other times I like classes like Philosophy that are more concept and theory based. It really depends on the teacher and the class and the school that I am taking the class at. However I am a sensor in the fact that I like classes that are not all lecture that have discussion and real world concepts.
When it comes to the next set Visual and verbal I am 100% visual. If I am to understand a question or a problem perfectly well and from all angles I must see it on the board or on a sheet of paper in front of me. This may be one reason why my faith is some times shaky, because I have a hard time seeing and understanding when I only have verbal or written stories about Christ and all of the miraculous things He did while He was on this earth. I find it interesting that even though most people are visual learners the majority of college classes are taught from a verbal point such as a lecture. When it comes to teaching I will definitely be one of those teachers who draws/ writes everything on the board merely because that is how I learn best.
Last, when comparing sequential and global learners I fall primarily under the sequential umbrella. Most often when I am learning I understand things as they come to me small chunks at a time, step by step. Every once and a while things wont stick and all of the sudden a light bulb goes on but most often I learn as I am slowly fed the information. This will cause me to teach slowly so that everyone who is a sequential learner will have time to take in all of the little chunks of information.
I believe that because I know about all of the different learning styles now I will be careful not to teach only to my styles. I am not saying that it will be easy because using my learning styles would be the easiest way to go about it. But I feel as though being aware of my learning styles will be enough to keep me from over using just my styles.

Profiler Pro

When took the Profiler Pro intelligence test it told me pretty much what I expected. It said that I learn best when we learn kinaestheticly and naturalisticly. This means that I learn best when I am working with my hands, when I can touch, feel and mold my assignments. I am a very creative exploratory student therefore I enjoy doing assignments which have few restrictions and directions; this is how I learn best.
When looking at the graph I round that I am not every interpersonal. However, I am very interpersonal which makes sense. Therefore, I work best in groups and with other people. Also, because I am linguistic I like to bounce my ideas off of the people in the group in order to organize my thoughts.
This intelligence test helped me learn a little bit more and better understand how I learn.

Google docs for teachers!

While using the Google docs for teachers link I came in contact with a lot of great advice and awesome classroom ideas.
Google docs for teachers is a great way to organize your class information. There was one example which used a table and all of the student were able to put their information into the table to make one large table with all of the students information imputed into it.
Google docs would also be a great way to post homework for older students. All they would have to do would be to log onto the internet at home and click on the links for their homework. This could be very effective for students who tend to leave work at school and have the excuse that they left the folder at home and didn't know what to do. In Google docs one can also make it colorful and eye catching. Also, adding links and such will help the students to be able to interact with the document and discover what needs to be done.
There is also a discussion board for educators who wish to share their knowledge with other educators who need some help. There are lesson ideas and classroom game ideas and how to integrate technology into your classroom better. It would be a great resource for any teacher, because we all know that we have our days where the lesson just isn't panning out and we some help and we have other days where the lesson goes so well we cannot even believe it ourselves.
If you haven't all ready you NEED to check out google docs for teachers!

Learning to change, changing to learn

This video has a lot of truth in it. Our world as teachers has not evolved much since the 70's. We as teachers need to learn to change with the technology era that we are entering. School should not be a break from technology and the every day life of communication on multiple mediums. School should be a place where technology is embraced and utilized.
We as teachers need to work harder to incorporate the students everyday technology into the classroom. Because our students have all grown up in this age of technology they know how to use a computer and navigate the internet (probably) better than we ourselves do and we need to utilize this resource that they already know how use.
Not using technology in classroom is essentially hindering our students.

Sad but true

Name five reasons young people want to use technology...

• Technology is faster than most methods of doing anything.
• Playing video games using ipods and cell phones is a lot more fun these days than playing outside.
• All the adults around them are using technology therefore they want to use it.
• They can find out about anything they want on the Internet
• All of their friends are playing the latest games, listening to the most recent music on their phones and we all know that if all the other kids are doing you they want to too.

Did you identify with any of the Young people in the clip? why?

• One the women on the clip talked about how she hates it when people e-mail her or write her and use Internet lingo such as u = you or abbreviations such as omg for oh my gosh. This is also a pet peeve of mine. I cannot stand it when people us omg and besties in sentences when they are talking. This lingo is meant for texting, instant messaging and e-mail not for everyday conversations.

Do you agree that having instant access to everything via the Internet helps you to know yourself better? why or why not?

• I disagree. I don't think it helps me to know myself better but it definitely helps me know other people better. Now that e-mail and facebook and twitter we can know everything about everyone. Google is also and explosion of knowledge in and of itself. If anyone wants to know anything all they need to do is "google" it.

Do you agree that technology helps pave the way to move forward as a civilization? why or why not?

• God would not have given us technology if he did not intend for us to use it so yes I believe that technology is moving our civilization in the right direction. We are becoming more knowledgeable! While at the same time technology is causing us to have less and less face to face communication. The people in our civilization are loosing touch with each other. It is sad but true