Matt's Musical Mind

Module 7 Not only is assessment necessary to determine whether students have learned what teachers think they have taught, but it also informs the design of instruction and can direct adjustments of the specific teaching and learning strategies that are used over time. Bauer (2014) p. 131 Teachers should employ backward design when planning for student learning and assessment. It is important to have the end in sight at the beginning so learning can sequentially lead students to mastering the goal. This also helps teachers plan necessary assessments along the way. The opening quote I used above talks about what teachers “think they have taught”. It is important as a teacher to be constantly cognizant if what you are intending to teach to your students is actually being received, proceeded, and understood by them. Using assessments, and a variety of them, is the measurement of how this process is implemented. We spent a lot of time this week using and designing google f...

Module 6 PART I: Learning As a teacher, it is extremely important to be educated about learning styles and the process of learning. Bauer (2014) addresses how learning is contextual, active, social, and reflective. I want share a few quotes from the text which coincide with each of these attributes. Learning is  CONTEXTUAL :    Students make sense of new material in terms of the context within which it is presented, which is informed by their prior knowledge of the topic.  (Bauer, p. 147) Meeting your students where they are is important as an educator. The teacher must consider that each student’s learning and knowledge is different and may have gaps. Once a teacher begins to understand the prior knowledge a student possesses, real learning can begin as that knowledge is activated, connected to new knowledge, and transformed to a create a new learning experience and a gain in knowledge.  Technology may be incorporated here by using music...