Week+3

I agree with the Constructionist theory of education and I appreciated reading the article because it helped me to revisit a basic theory that I have embraced in my classroom. I find that I still use constructionist principles in my teaching style and that a lot of the examples I know use when teaching without consciously thinking about creating this particular form of practice. I also found it useful to remind myself of this theory because in some instances I can slide into an older model of teaching without realizing it. It is not that I find it easier to or more effective to use an older model of teaching, but I am constantly trying new practices to see if they will improve my teaching. I always maintain a classroom where the work is the central focus instead of my teaching or the student's actions. Yet, I find that revisiting theories of education have been helpful to me so that I can continue to readjust my practice to fit in with the needs of the students.

Some instances of these principles that I use consistently in the classroom are as follows: Reflection on what makes a good student, a good reader, and a good writer (I keep class made posters on the walls with characteristics of all three); I always expect my students to reflect on their learning and to address relevancy in the form of exit tickets, papers, or class discussions; My students keep a portfolio of their materials and at the end of the nine weeks they communicate where they appear to have made the most advances and the least (a meta-cognitive activity); and, I use big questions to frame my units and I plan these units starting with what the final assessment will be. There are, of course, many aspects that I still need to improve in my teaching, but, overall, I find that I have retained the basic spirit of constructionist teaching in my classroom.