Learning Theories

How do people learn?

I believe that people learn best by doing and by interacting with each other. As I plan math and science lessons I try to always have independent practice as well as a group activity. I feel that students can often times learn best from one another.

What are the best ways to accommodate your students’ learning and understanding?

I have found the best way to accommodate my students’ learning is through frequent formative assessments. The formative assessments help me to determine what areas the students’ need to improve in. I then can focus more instruction in these areas. I also find that I must vary the instruction. Students get bored fast and to help keep their attention I vary the methods in which I present the instruction. Some of the methods that work best for my students are PowerPoint presentations, videos, student responders, and Blackboard lessons.

What learning theories do you feel most comfortable with?

I feel most comfortable with the constructivism learning theory and the social cognition theory. The main idea behind the constructivist approach to learning is that knowledge is based on the learners’ experiences. I agree that students make sense of the world by comparing and contrasting previous experiences with new ones. When I teach math I try to build upon the students’ prior knowledge and experiences. I also believe that students do not learn in a vacuum. Therefore, students need to interact with other students. I often times find that students are better teachers for their peers than I am.