My Role Models and Mentors

During my elementary days, there were teachers that became my inspiration because of the good behavior that they have shown. One was Miss Zenaida Echon. She was only a substitute teacher when our adviser delivered a child. Since we were in the highest section of Grade V, she saw to it that no other students in other sections got ahead of us in periodical or achievement tests. Because I was considered the cream of our section, she gave me all the help and assistance in my study. Since textbooks were scarce during the 1960s, she lent me the only book that the class was using. She also gave us practice tests and reviewer before the tests.



Another teacher to remember was Mr. Famisan. He was my Math teacher in Grade VI. Many of the students were afraid of him because he was very strict. However, I viewed him as authoritative and not authoritarian. He knew his materials well. He explained the lessons very clearly with lots of examples. I admired his mastery of the subject that I became very much interested in Mathematics.

Miss Mercedes Yandoc was my favorite teacher in high school. She was my Math teacher in 3 of my 4 years in the secondary. Like Mr. Famisan, she was been labeled as authoritarian. However, the label was wrong because she was more disciplinarian and authoritative. She possessed the mastery of her major subject. She did not bring any lesson plans in the classroom, just index cards. She had poised and inner charm that captivated me to study more under her realm.

The above teachers became my role models because they possessed competence that can be emulated. They exhibited attitudes that can be looked up to. But most of all, in spite of their perceived authorities, they still possessed the human touch that many of my classmates who feared them missed.

My Nanang Ores

My perseverance and hard work can be traced to my liking of my aunt’s way of life. My Nanang Ores, who was the only girl in a brood of five and still young, became the mother and father of her 4 brothers when they became orphans at an early age. She saw to it that they were being taken cared of. She did a lot of menial works just to stay alive. Even when she already got married, she continued to help her brothers who already have families of their own. She sent to school some of my cousins, although she was never been to one herself. Her perseverance and hard work were rewarded when all of her 7 children became successful and living overseas. In spite of this, my aunt who is now in her late 80s is still thrifty.

Having mentioned all my role models and mentors who somewhat shaped my self, my ultimate mentors are my parents who gave me and all my siblings all the supports, understanding, love, and care in spite of their humble beginnings. Our family is not very religious and yet the goodness of humans is within us. We are not very vocal of our love to one another but we can feel it even from far apart. We seldom say "I love you!" to each other but our hearts are one. We learned more from our parents although they taught us less knowledge but much of values. And now, it is our turn to teach them to our children.

My Mother

The Type of Role Model I Want to Be for My Students

My teachers, aunt and parents inspired me to be what I am today. I copied the good characteristics that they have shown me throughout my life. If I were a teacher someday, I want my students to imitate some of my characteristics and behaviors I considered important.

1. Self-efficacy – As described by Albert Bandura, it is the belief that an individual is capable of overcoming problems or successfully performing given tasks in any situation. If my students believe that they are capable of doing any task, they will have the confidence and the motivation to act upon any activity that is presented to them.

2. Self-Regulation – Aside from positive belief about one’s capabilities, to be self-regulated learners are what I wish for my students. I want them to take control of their learning – setting realistic goals, planning and monitoring their strategies, gaining feedbacks and modifying what strategies need improvements.

3. Perseverance and Hard work – These are the two traits that my students should emulate from me. Success and failure come hand in hand but if they persevere and work hand, they can eventually diminish frustrations and enhance triumphs. They should be aware that poverty is not a hindrance to success as long as you are not afraid to roll up your sleeves and acquire knowledge and skills for the betterment of your self and that of other members of the community.

4. Empathy – With this attitude, my students will refrain or do something that is hurtful to their colleagues and other people in the community, especially those who have special needs and those who belong to the poorest of the poor.

5. Honesty - If they are honest with themselves and other people, my students can be expected to engage only in legal activities and undertakings.



How to Incorporate Models and Mentors in My Classroom

If I become a Math (or Filipino) teacher someday, it is very likely that at least one of my students might enlist me as a role model and/or a mentor. Aware of this possibility, I will make sure that I provide each one of them the opportunity to know me better as a person and their teacher as I know them as my students and human beings with different motivations, learning styles, intelligences, needs and goals. To achieve these ends, I shall execute the following strategies:

A. At the first day of class

1.  After I introduce my self and the subject that I will teach, I will request my students to arrange their seats in a semi-circle facing me.

2. From my left side, I will ask each student to know the name of the person on his/her left.

3. A name game will follow.

4. After the game, I will tell them the purpose of the game, which is to familiarize themselves with everybody and to eliminate any anxiety/fear in the future especially during board work and recitation.

5. When the class is already at ease, I will ask several students what are their expectations from the subject and from me as a teacher.

6. After their expectations, I will ask another group of students why this subject is important and how it will be applied in their future specialization or work.

7. After the students’ insights on the subject matter, I will discuss to them the contents of the subject, its importance and applications.

8. Then, I will tell my students the aims of the subject and my expectations from them as a teacher.

9. I will also tell them my consultation hours.

10. Before the bell rings, I will tell them that there is a diagnostic test in the next meeting.

B. On the second day of class

1. I shall announce the purpose of the diagnostic test which is to know their level of understanding of their previous study, to correct any misconception and to align my instruction materials and methods with the outcome of the test.

2. I shall give the test paper to my students and collect them before the bell rings.

C. On the third day of class

1. I shall tell the students the results of the diagnostic test without giving them their paper and announcing who got the highest or the lowest.

2. I shall then group them according to the outcome of the test; each group comprises at least one student who got better and lower in the test. This is for their group work or collaborative learning.

3.  I shall answer on the board the question/s in the test which nobody got it/them right (if any) or the item which was answered correctly by very few students.

D. On the next succeeding sessions

1. I shall announce the aims of the new lesson, its importance and applications.

2. I shall describes the steps involve in solving the problem.

3. I shall demonstrate orally and visually the steps or strategies in solving the problem.

4. I shall ask the student (who got the highest score in the diagnostic test) to demonstrate the steps and/or provide other strategies in solving the given problem.

5.  Several students shall be called to the board to display the skills and strategies they learned.

6. I shall continue to guide the students until they got the correct steps and skills and understand the concepts behind each step.

7. A discussion shall follow between me and my students on the concepts and the steps and strategies in solving the problem to understand them better and to erase any misconception.

8. I will call the most popular and the brightest student  to discuss further the lesson and how he/she tackle the problem.

9. I shall discuss the immediate application of the concepts and how they can be used in their other subjects or in other situations outside of school.

10. A quiz or an assignment shall be given before the bell rings to assess whether the concepts are learned or not.

11. Students who still did not understand the concepts shall be referred to the brightest of their group for tutoring/mentoring or to me for assistance.

12. I will frequently advise my students to focus on their study, make the necessary efforts and to remind them to believe in their capabilities.



My Education Mentor

I do not have a specific education mentor in mind right now but it is sufficient to say that this person possesses the hearts of my parents – supportive, undying love, and caring – and the minds of my Math teachers – competent, intelligent, and yet passionate for teaching.

My Ideal Education Mentor

Aside from my attributes as a mentor and role model and those of my education mentor above, my ideal education mentor should also possess the following characteristics:

1. Creative – innovative in instructional design and approach

2. Critical Thinker - aware and discuss issues of great importance

3. Expert – can transfer knowledge effectively and efficiently

4. Humane – can relate to others and sensible to their needs

5. Open-minded – listen to others and accept criticism

--oOo--

Image from

http://www.tcnj.edu/~gevertz/algebra-cartoon.gif (teacher 1)

http://salesactivities.com/images/sized/images/uploads/Mentoring_Cartoon-300x250.jpg (mentor)

http://www.teachability.com/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-1539-1741/accelerated+pacing+cartoon.jpg (teacher 2)

Reference

How to Effectively Observe Best Practices in the Classroom. In Benchmark Education Company. Retrieved on 25 June 2013, from http://benchmarkeducation.com/educational-leader/literacy-coaches-and-mentors/how-to-effectively-observe-best-practices-in-the-classroom.html

Self-Regulation Strategies and Instructional Practices

Common Self-Regulation Strategies

http://myportal.upou.edu.ph/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=52260

The following common self-regulation strategies were sourced by my classmate -Maria Aster Joy "Aster" Garcia - from http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/selfregulation/section7.html and posted them on our discussion board on Sunday, 23 June 2013, at 10:15 AM. I reproduced these strategies in my blog because they are very informative and I can use them in the future.



"Common Self-Regulation Strategies

The individual set of self-regulation strategies that are usually used by successful students fall into three categories: personal, behavioral, and environmental.

1. Personal. These strategies usually involve how a student organizes and interprets information and can include:
   
   
   
   1. Organizing and transforming information
      
      
      
      • outlining
      
      
      • summarizing
      
      
      • rearrangement of materials
      
      
      • highlighting
      
      
      • flashcards/ index cards
      
      
      • draw pictures, diagrams, charts
      
      
      • webs/mapping
   
   
   2. Goal setting and planning/standard setting
      
      
      
      • sequencing, timing, completing
      
      
      • time management and pacing
   
   
   3. Keeping records and monitoring
      
      
      
      • note-taking
      
      
      • lists of errors made
      
      
      • record of marks
      
      
      • portfolio, keeping all drafts of assignments
   
   
   4. Rehearsing and memorizing (written or verbal; overt or covert)
      
      
      
      • mnemonic devices
      
      
      • teaching someone else the material
      
      
      • making sample questions
      
      
      • using mental imagery
      
      
      • using repetition


2. Behavioral: These strategies involve actions that the student takes.
   
   
   
   1. Self-evaluating (checking quality or progress)
      
      
      
      • task analysis (What does the teacher want me to do? What do I want out of it?)
      
      
      • self-instructions; enactive feedback
      
      
      • attentiveness
   
   
   2. Self-consequating
      
      
      
      • treats to motivate; self-reinforcement
      
      
      • arrangement or imagination of punishments; delay of gratification


3. Environmental: These strategies involve seeking assistance and structuring of the physical study environment.
   
   
   
   1. Seeking information (library, Internet)
      
      
      
      • library resources
      
      
      • Internet resources
      
      
      • reviewing cards
      
      
      • rereading records, tests, textbooks
   
   
   2. Environmental structuring
      
      
      
      • selecting or arranging the physical setting
      
      
      • isolating/ eliminating or minimizing distractions
      
      
      • break up study periods and spread them over time
   
   
   3. Seeking social assistance
      
      
      
      • from peers
      
      
      • from teachers or other adults"

You will notice from the above strategies the 3 elements  - personal, behavior, and environment - that Albert Bandura proposes that comprise his Social Cognitive Theory of Learning.

 From the same source, I copied these instructional practices to attain self-regulation.



"Your role in helping students to gain self-regulation will be challenging and it is clear that your first attempt to teach a student a self-regulation strategy may not be successful. Why? It takes time and practice to gain effective habits. Initial efforts must be refined based on student's feedback, performance, and personal reflection.

Five common instructional practices that have been cited as effective in helping students learn self-regulation are:

1. Guide learners' self-beliefs, goal setting, and expectations

• help students frame new information or feedback in a positive rather than a negative manner (e.g., "keeping track of your homework assignments will help you manage this course successfully," rather than "if you don't keep track you will fail")


• provide specific cues for using self-regulatory strategies

2. Promote reflective dialogue

• teacher modeling of reflective practices (think aloud)


• student practice with reflective dialogue


• group discussions to think through problems/cases (collaborative learning)

3. Provide corrective feedback

• performance standards must be clear and perceived as attainable


• phrase feedback (positive or negative) as a statement about the task of learning, not about the learner

4. Help learners make connections between abstract concepts

• use case-based instructions or examples that students come up with themselves


• use hands-on learning activities


• help students learn to separate relevant from irrelevant information (i.e., help them know where and how to focus their attention; guide their reference standards)

5. Help learners link new experiences to prior learning

• use experiential learning activities


• focus on application of knowledge in broader contexts


• integrate real-life examples with classroom information"

Images from

http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/selfregulation/SEC-IMG/third.gif

http://181fitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/selfregulation-481x230.jpg

 References

Garcia, M. A. J. (2013, June 23). Self-Regulation. Message posted on http://myportal.upou.edu.ph/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=52260

Common Self-Regulation Strategies. Retrieved from http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/selfregulation/section7.html

How-to Instruction for Self-Regulated Learning Strategies. Retrieved from http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/selfregulation/section8.html

How Big Albert Teach Me To Learn

Albert Bandura integrates behaviorism and cognition in the learning process arguing that not all behaviors are the products of reinforcement or punishment. He contends that the individual, behavior, and environment are continuously influencing each other resulting to what we call reciprocal causation. He suggests that the individual can influence the behavior of other people and vice versa. He also proposes that behavior can be strengthened, modified and extinguished by the interplay of the environment with the individual’s thoughts, beliefs and feelings, in the same way that the individual’s cognitive processes can also influence the way he or she acts in a given situation.



The social cognitive theory of learning of Albert Bandura can be best exemplified in advertising, films, and online media. This is because some individuals imitate what they have observed from their favorite actors and superheroes. My son is no exception. When he was only four years old, he used to play Super Mario in his Nintendo. He was so fascinated with this fictitious character that he asked my wife to buy him Mario’s customs, cap and some plastic carpentry tools. After the video game, he used to play carpentry with his cousin.



Observational learning or modeling is in the center of Bandura’s social learning theory. He suggests that individual tends to copy the behavior of another person who shares the same belief, motivation and goals of the observer. He further asserts that the individual is more likely to imitate the other person’s way if the observer sees that the behavior of the one being observed is rewarded. I am guilty of this view. It was not at all envy when I decided to work overseas when I found out that my “kababata” was earning much when he decided to work abroad.

 

Another application of Bandura’s learning theory is in language formation and understanding. I remembered asking my son when he was still one and half year old to mimic the sound of the animals in our barangay. In one occasion, I asked him to identify the animals that I was sounding. In another, he was sounding the animal that I was telling him to mimic.



Images from

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/MarioSMBW.png (Super Mario)

http://www.careers.govt.nz/fileadmin/image/rte/model-bandura.png (A. Bandura's Theory)

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljPhX6g7soEbaJi6XZitGRKVmhZ3a5muc26Uye7vtSTKV-oJjz3oklsnkLYreYQ3Knkk9B-vDwNUO7sT1onal6g9x7XSLeFPClyl5_h0eYNh1Sjvsvt4N2KR9rn0Q7G-WdXKYNi3MyK0/s1600/104_0931-001.JPG (Animal sounds)

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuNR4NJOY_mtnqFNIr1G8YEcSxZxq-b1b-Iee1rgVIayEkwHQDVHHbFsLny3a7zHINGMUnl8pPdPvbZMiZ5JoGcpB6O_hpdq918vADj0dr_hZU2liOJZz_wTm_hp6NqWbSqgJkOR4xIk/s320/ofw-juan.jpg (OFW)

Schedule of Reinforcement in Operant Conditioning

Continuous versus Intermittent (Partial) Reinforcement

Aside from giving either reinforcement or punishment, the schedule of reinforcements should also be taken into consideration to modify behaviors. Reinforcement schedules can be continuous or intermittent. In continuous reinforcement, the reinforcer is given every time a particular response occurs. For example, a cookie is given whenever a child greets the visitor. Intermittent or partial reinforcement is given only on some occasions to enhance favorable behavior. For example, a cookie is given when a child greets the visitor during the day and not during the night.

 Four Types of Intermittent Reinforcement Schedules

The four types of intermittent or partial reinforcement schedules are:

1. Fixed-ratio schedule – reinforcement is given after a set number of responses. For example, a real estate agent earns an additional 1% commission after every two houses he sells.

 

2. Variable-ratio schedule – reinforcement is given only after an unpredictable average number of responses. This kind of reinforcement is popular in gambling or lottery where the chances of winning cannot be determined. This schedule creates a high steady rate of responding and a brief pause after receiving the reinforcer but immediately resumes the response. For example, a call center agent keeps on calling households because he/she never knows when he/she gets the bonus the management are given randomly.



3. Fixed-interval schedule – reinforcement in given only after a set amount of time. This kind of reinforcement schedule causes a high amount of responding near the end of the interval and decreases gradually after receiving the enforcer. For example, employees tend to work with vigor when payroll day is near but they gradually lose enthusiasm the day after.

 

4. Variable-interval schedule – reinforcement happens after a particular average amount of time. This schedule causes a slow but steady rate of response. For example, not knowing when and how many times the boss might appear during the week for inspection, the production workers are always on their toes.



My thought: 

At first, it is really very hard to distinguish between the 4 intermittent reinforcement schedules because the term only differs in the middle term - ratio versus interval. How to differentiate between fixed-ratio and fixed-interval and between variable-ratio and variable-interval schedule? Since you already knew what fixed and variable is, the focus is on the middle term - ratio and interval. Just remember, for ratio - it  refers to the number of responses while interval pertains to the timing of the reinforcers. I hope this clarification helps on your understanding of the concepts.

Images from

http://www.successfulthings.com/products/realestate/RealEstate/Marketingletters/agent1.gif

http://images.flatworldknowledge.com/stangor/stangor-fig07_009.jpg

http://www.happypayday.com/payday/paydaybig.jpg

http://www.trikeen.net/bigpic/workers_at_dvd_case_production.jpg

References

Cherry, K. Variable-Interval Schedule. In About.com. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/vindex/g/def_variableint.htm

Cherry, K. What Is a Fixed-Interval Schedule?. In About.com. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/findex/g/def_fixedinterv.htm

Cherry, K. What Is a Fixed-Ratio Schedule?. In About.com. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/findex/g/def_fixedratio.htm

SparkNotes Editors. (2005). SparkNote on Learning and Conditioning. Retrieved June 12, 2013, from http://www.sparknotes.com/psychology/psych101/learning/section2.rhtml

Can we teach metacognition?

Another insights worthy of note is from Ian Carlo Illastron on the topic of teaching metacognition. Of all the other students who shared his view on the concept, I chose his thoughts because they elucidate my notion about metacognition. Although he did not elaborate much further how to teach the concept to students, his is a starting point. I just added the image in his writing . Original entry here: http://myportal.upou.edu.ph/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=47300

" Can we teach metacognition?

by Ian Carlo Illastron - Saturday, 15 June 2013, 11:38 PM

yes i think we can, its possible,

teacher need to evaluate students response to the tasks given and observe if the student is developing metacognition.



John Flavell, researcher of metacognition, believes kids need awareness in three areas: -

1. An awareness of knowledge — understanding what they know

2. An awareness of thinking — understanding cognitive tasks

3. An awareness of thinking strategies — understanding approaches to directing learning

and to develop awareness, teachers must;

1. Model our own thinking- Kids learn by watching us, Saying your thoughts out loud shows kids what you’re thinking, or “thinking aloud



2. Scaffold the thinking- Step by step scaffold the learning. We start at the beginning of noticing the thinking strategies, noticing what we know, notice if our strategies worked. We don’t start trying to implement new strategies before we know what we’re currently using as a strategy.

3. Facilitate and provide opportunities to notice thinking -

http://imaginationsoup.net/2012/01/teach-kids-to-think-about-their-thinking-metacognition/"

Image from http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/scaffold/How_To_Scaffold.jpg

Teaching for Transfer

Below is the complete response of Maria Angelita Carlos on the discussion board on teaching for transfer. I noted her inputs because they are very informative and relevant to my study. I do hope that the readers will also find this worthy of note. Original entry can be find here : http://myportal.upou.edu.ph/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=47302



☼ Teaching for transfer - Teachers will develop ideas about how to facilitate transfer in their own classrooms and how to build bridges for their students between concepts, activities, and lessons.

♦Transfer is the ability to extend what one has learned in one context to new contexts. The ultimate goal of schooling is to help students transfer what they have learned in school to the everyday settings of home, community, and work, we have much to learn from the non-school environments where people work.

♦The challenge of transfer: How can students use what they have learned by applying it to solve new problems? Given the vast array of knowledge needed in life,

♦The teacher’s challenge is to determine what is the least amount of material that she can teach really well that will allow students to use that knowledge in the widest possible range of situations.

♦For instance, in elementary school, students learn addition, subtraction, and multiplication and then at some point they also learn long division. Learning long division requires transfer because students have to take what they already know about adding, subtracting, and multiplying, and apply all three of those processes to learning a new kind of skill called division.

♦We can transfer an idea from one situation and use it in a new, but similar context. If a student has learned about the notion of a revolution while studying world history, she can transfer or apply the notion of revolution to her study of Philippine history. Later, she can apply these
understandings to other context when studying the another country's revolution.

♦We can also transfer within a subject matter, as with the concept of revolution, as well as across subject matter areas.

inspirations:
learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinkin
www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/link/

Is this Reinforcement or Punishment?

Reinforcement is simply something that increases the occurrence of desired behavior while punishment decreases it. Reinforcers in the form of praise, material things and other source of enjoyment are given to increase the occurrence and repetition of desirable behaviors. Punishers in the form of reprimand, criticism or “sermon” are given to modify or eliminate undesirable behaviors. Reinforcement and punishment are two important concepts of B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning theory.

I have experienced the introduction of reinforcement or reward and punishment in my life to enhance, modify and eliminate my behavior. Growing up, I was given money or anything of value whenever I did “good” things like running an errand, being well-behaved or getting high grades. For misbehaving, my father gave two kinds of punishment. One is spanking whenever my younger brother and I quarreled. The other was giving the object of our fight but in excess. For example, if I did not share my brother a food, let say banana, and he hit me and I hit him back, as a punishment my father will buy a bunch of bananas and let me eat them all. At first glance, it might be perceived as a reward but since the object of the action is to stop my selfishness, it was really a punishment since you could not stop eating until you choked and in front of your other siblings. What if the object of your fight is a watermelon?

Like my father, I also gave my only son reward and punishment, although my wife gave them more than I did because I was always working overseas. My wife would give my small son a mild hit on his palm immediately if he misbehaved. Sometimes, she would tell him to sleep as a punishment. To prevent him from asking my wife buy a toy and crying when not granted whenever they went to the market, my wife would go alternative passage so that they would not pass the toy stores.

The incident that struck me was when my son’s grade one teacher gave him a certificate for best in writing. My wife and I gave him praise and even framed the certificate and hung it on the wall. However, instead of pride, my son did not like the idea of giving him much attention. As a result, his penmanship becomes worst up to this day. I remembered also when we praised him for getting all the academic certificates during his Year 8. In the years that follow, not a single certificate until he graduated from Year 12 was presented to us. This illustrates that not all reinforcements are good to everyone, that we should also consider how the recipient views the attention. As a lesson, my wife and I refrain from giving much positive response to his desirable behaviors and attitudes because it might backfire in the future.

In my present job, reinforcement in the form of salary increase and bonuses, and punishment in the form of reprimand and warning letter are parts of our organization. Lately, however, I do not know if what my boss has given me is a reward or punishment.

This happens whenever the work of co-workers do not correspond or satisfy to his liking. Instead of reprimanding the staff for poor performance, he gave the job to me. In total, I have three duties that originally do not form part of my responsibilities. It can be conceived as a reward because my boss recognized my capabilities to handle these jobs. It can be both a reward and a punishment to my co-workers: reinforcement because their job is lessened and they feel happy about it and punishment because my boss treated them as incapable of handling simple jobs and therefore poor performers.

How about on my part, is it a reward or a punishment? Initially, I did not mind it at all when my boss gave me the first additional task. But at this point, I view it as a punishment because he is punishing me for being a good performer while my colleagues are enjoying their fewer responsibilities. In addition, these so called additional jobs give me stress. Moreover, the removal of their works does not elicit a favorable attitudes and work ethics on the part of my co-workers. They still receive salary increases and bonuses as before.

I have talked about my concern to my boss lately. However, he insisted that I continue to perform such jobs because it is only me that he trusts to do them well. What a positive reinforcement? Should I get my reward? How about a salary increase and a bonus in the next talk? I definitely deserve those, don’t you think so?

Images from

1)http://www.innovativelearning.com/educational_psychology/behaviorism/Reinforce_Punish.jpg

2) http://www.wpclipart.com/cartoon/animals/monkey_chimp/monkey_w_banana.png

3) http://talismanacademy.crchealth.com/files/2011/12/researchers-found-that-among-students-with-asds-their-results-on-the-intelligence-test-predicted-their-level-of-motor-skills-and-hand-eye-coordination_16000184_800401165_0_0_7008504_300.jpg

4) https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-3Scyq1CtyewVGwf1nMucM2uv4WiFWDTnqdkO8vBQzxnTdB-mDNGfmL2oG7CNjfBoJ3Ueri0Ioz9h0nGrXN3u7NnmVcSQ6qm4n-QNnWzABP1YDvQ8hqqs7geqL2kdzdM6lILgD3lJfet/s1600/0511-1009-1319-0462_Black_and_White_Cartoon_of_a_Stressed_Out_Guy_with_the_Word_Overload_clipart_image.jpg

Cherry, K.  In About.com

http://psychology.about.com/od/operantconditioning/f/positive-reinforcement.htm

http://psychology.about.com/od/operantconditioning/f/positive-punishment.htm

http://psychology.about.com/od/operantconditioning/f/negative-punishment.htm

I Am Intelligent, Whether You Like or Not

Hep, hep...don’t frown, don’t raise your eyebrows. I am just as honest as I can be. I am intelligent, whether you like it or not! And why not?

Psychologists, sociologists and other men of science are still in debate on what intelligence really is - a simple term with many different notions. Charles Spearman suggests that intelligence is a general cognitive construct that can be numerically quantified by using factor analysis and called it as the g factor. Richard Cattell and John Horn capitalized the g and put another letter to it to make it Gf for fluid intelligence, the ability to reason abstractly and solve problems independent of prior knowledge or experience and Gc for crystallized intelligence or the ability to recognize and put into action culturally determined solution to current situation based on prior learning and experience. I know that my fluid intelligence declines as I grow older but the opposite happens with my crystallized knowledge.



Daniel Coleman proposes that intelligence does not only involve our thinking ability. He contends that emotional intelligence is a better determinant of individual’s success in life, emphasizing the interpersonal, intrapersonal and physical aspects of intelligence. Not to be undone, Robert Sternberg stipulates that a successful individual made a balance of his triarchic abilities, which includes analytical, creative and practical abilities. Someone also describes an intelligent person who has the ability to learn, pose problem and solve it.

Three is also the number of David Perkins when he posits that the dimensions of intelligence consist of neural, experiential and reflective intelligence.  On the other hand, Louis Thurstone does not agree in a single or three types of abilities by specifying 7 primary mental abilities that comprise intelligence. These are verbal comprehension, reasoning, perceptual speed, numerical ability, word fluency, associative memory, and spatial visualization.

Howard Gardner is very smart when he encompasses all the components of intelligence and suggests that every individual has multiple intelligences manifesting in different degrees. I made a mnemonic for these 9 intelligences. It goes:

Itay, eh bakit mo iniwang litung-lito si Neneng? ( I = interpersonal; e = existential; b = bodily-kinesthetic; m = musical; I = intrapersonal; l = linguistic; l = logical-mathematical; s = spatial; and N = naturalistic).

On top of the above definitions, most of them believe that intelligence is an inherent quality that can be nurtured through social, physical, psychological and emotional interactions.

With the above qualification of an intelligent human being, I can say that I possess at least one of those abilities. I firmly believe that my capabilities are already within me when I was born. It was manifested throughout my young life studying and getting medals and citations along the way. But not only me, all my other 6 siblings got their share of the bounty when they graduated in elementary and high school. This can be explained by biology or inherited genes transferred to us by my parents and ancestors. It can also be the neural intelligence suggested by Perkins which can be improved by nourishment like vitamins or deteriorated by drugs like cocaine and alcohol.

Intelligence can be enhanced or nurtured.  I observed it from my father. Finishing only the second grade because he and his siblings became orphans early in life, my father plays chess without reading a chess book. His constant observation of chess players and practice playing here and there makes him more knowledgeable than I am who reads the mechanics of the games so many times. I never win against him probably because I seldom play the game.



I am intelligent because I can learn, recognize a problem and come out with a solution. I am intelligent because I can hum a tune but not like an expert singer does. I can manifest logical and mathematical ability when I am reciting the multiplication table in memory in elementary. My 99+ percentile mark in Mathematics in my NCEE is also a proof.

I cannot draw like Michaelangelo but I made these cross stitches below:





I am not as good as Usain Bolt, the Jamaican who runs the 100 meter in just 9.58 seconds but I was a runner and a volleyball player in my sophomore year in high school.

 

I writes novels and comics script in Filipino but not as good as Gilda Olvidado or Carlo Caparas.

 

I understand my self and my feelings and my few friends understand me as I understand their beings and emotions. I cannot perform well when I am sad and when jobs and colleagues give me stress. I am in hype and active when I overcome my emotional instability.

I can speak and understand a few words and sentences in Spanish and Arabic but not like Rizal.



I can identify plants and animals but not like my younger brother who study forestry nor his wife who is a microbiologist nor by other brother who is a veterinarian.



I can identify some local fish but not as expert as my parents who spent most of their times in the market selling fish.

I am intelligent because I know I have a purpose in life and the Creator who gave me all these strengths and weaknesses know that I can enhanced and overcome them.

Lastly, I know I am intelligent because I was able to reflect and write these things. So whether you like it or not, I am an  intelligent person, LIKE YOU!

Three Dimensions of Human Intellectual Competence

On his article The Role of Intelligence in Modern Society published in the July-August 1995 edition of American Scientist, Earl Hunt described Raymond Cattell and John Horn’s Three Dimensions of Human Intellectual Competence. These are:

1. Fluid intelligence (Gf) -  the ability of the individual to devise new strategies to direct problems that is new and extraordinary  from his own viewpoint.

2. Crystallized intelligence  (Gc) – recognized and relevant prior ability gained from experience is brought and applied by the individual  to the current problem/situation.

3. Visual-spatial reasoning  (Gv) – the utilization of imagery and visual relationships to solve problems.

Hunt noted that fluid intelligence tends to decrease after reaching adolescence stage while crystallized intelligence continues to increase as the individual ages. He added that alcoholism also contributes different effects on  fluid and crystallized intelligence. He did not discuss further visual-spatial reasoning dimension.

To read more about Earl Hunt’s views on the impact of intelligence in modern society, please visit http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/issue.aspx?id=878&y=0&no=&content=true&page=8&css=..

Thiagi's Seven Laws of Learning

For facilitating experiential learning activities for many years, Sivasailam Thiagarajan came out with Seven Laws of Learning, and I quote:



“1. Laws of Reinforcement – participants learn to repeat behaviors that are rewarded.

2. Law of Emotional Learning – events that are accompanied by intense emotions result in long lasting learning.

3. Law of Active Learning – active responding produces more effective learning than passive listening or reading.

4. Law of Practice and Feedback – learners cannot master skills without repeated practice and relevant feedback.

5. Law of Previous Experience – new learning should be linked to ( and  build upon) the experiences of the learner.

6. Law of Individual Differences – different people learn in different ways.

7. Law of Relevance – effective learning is relevant to the learner’s life and work.”

I believe that the above laws will be helpful in devising learning materials and creating suitable environment for learners. Aware of these, the teacher can align his/her teaching styles to accommodate some of these.

Although Thiagi’s laws have no scientific basis or study by his own, his experience is enough to prove his points. To know more of about S. Thiagarajan and his thoughts, please go to http://squarewheels.com/articles2/thiagi.html

Learning and the Senses, A Fraud?

I have came across the entry below in Reynaldo Flores' blog at http://reynaldojrflores.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/module-2-learning-styles-theories-part-1/. Rhed cited this at http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/learning/Introduction.htm



Accounting for the differences of individual learning styles in relation to the five senses, it is interesting to note that on the average, as enumerated by Rief (1993), we tend to retain:

• 10% of what they read


• 20% of what they hear


• 30% of what they see


• 50% of what they see and hear


• 70% of what they say


• 90% of what they say and do

I tried to find out more about Rief and his observation in the internet. Specifically, I would like to know what measurement/assessment was used for this result; how many respondents were involved; and from where.

My search landed me nowhere. Instead, I found out an article who disputed this result and labeled it as fraud.I Will Thalheimer tried to trace the "history" of this quote in his blog. He convinced me that this observation  was indeed a fraud although it was being circulated worldwide and had been accepted as true. This was partly due to the fact that no scientific method or research had been done. Also, the identity of the first person who coined it was unknown.

Read more of Thalheimer's perception at  http://reynaldojrflores.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/module-2-learning-styles-theories-part-1/ and have your verdict.

How Pacman Gave Me the Flu…err.. “Flow”

The are moments in our lives that we feel that we do not exist at all, that we are in another dimension looking in but not a part of it. It is an unexplainable feeling of happiness, contentment, bliss and achievement. Well, Pacman gave me that. Oh no, it’s not Manny Pacquiao or the “kamao ng bayan” who gave me the“flow”.  It's Pac-Man. Before I introduce him, let us first understand flow.
What is the concept of flow?

That state of consciousness when your self is somewhat detached from your task because of deep concentration, immersion or absorption is referred to as flow by Mihali Csikszentmihalyi as cited by Tom Butler-Bowdown (2003). Csikszentmihalyi further suggested that when the activities are of the highest value and if undertaken, worry and thoughts of other things suddenly banished then optimal experience or flow is happening. He described this state of being as what athletes called “being in the zone”, in “ecstacy” for mystics and “rupture” for artists.

Who is Pac-Man and how did he gave me this “key to happiness?”

Pac-Man is a very popular game in the 1980s and the first interactive and non-violent arcade game developed by Toru Iwatani of Namco in 1977. The mechanics of the game is very simple – the player or Pac-Man needs to consume all the glowing dots inside a maze to advance to the next level. He does this with the navigation keys (up, down, left and right) in a computer’s keyboard. The task becomes difficult with the introduction of four ghosts who are chasing Pac-Man. The player loses a life when any of the ghosts touches Pac-Man. The four larger yellow dots or “energizers” at the corners of the maze when eaten by Pac-Man make the ghosts invisible, retreated to the “ghost house” and they can also be eaten. The scores of the player increases when he consumes fruits appearing randomly in the maze.

While playing this game on a PC during those days made me unaware of anything and anybody around me as if they did not exist at all. Advancing from level to level, eating dots, chasing and avoiding ghosts gave me an invigorating energy and happiness. I was so absorbed in my pursuit of eating those dots and fruits that I forgot the passing of time, the hurting of my fingers keying those controls, the sweating of my right palm and growling of my stomach. In the end, I was relieved of my worry as if I conquered all those ghosts who were trying to destroy my being.

Although I did not come close to the score of Billy Mitchell of Hollywood, Florida with 3,333,360 points without losing a life, I felt that Pac-Man gave me the feeling of flow that I will cherish and pursue for the rest of my life.
Images from
http://technetcrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/pacman-2.jpg
http://www.sl-designs.com/wp/quotes-happiness-hug_wallpaper.htm

References

Birch, C. (2010). Understanding Pac-Man Ghost Behavior. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://gameinternals.com/post/2072558330/understanding-pac-man-ghost-behavior
Bowdown, T.B. (2003). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. In 50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Book To Transform Your Life (London & Boston: Nicolas Brealey). Retrieved from http://www.butler-bowdon.com/flow
Pittman, J. (2011). The Pac-Man Dossier. Retrieved fromhttp://home.comcast.net/~jpittman2/pacman/pacmandossier.html#Introduction

Can You Motivate Me?

I know that motivation comes from within – that the self more than anything else directs him to move. However, there are times that the same individual suddenly loses the drive to go forward. He becomes an organism with unclear purpose or no purpose at all albeit alive. He is in the crossword of nowhere. That person could be you or somebody you knew. He is me now.



I am working in this organization for so many years now, a total of 17 years, so to speak. I stay because I feel appreciated as I share my knowledge and skills. I love my work and I do not consider it as an activity but a sort of relaxation or hobby. At the same time, the experience gives me financial freedom, security and fulfillment.

This week, the same drive, force, power, inspiration, aspiration, stimulus or whatever you call it that keep me going through the years suddenly wanes. Waking up and going to work becomes an ordeal. The tasks seem routine and boring. The clock ticks slowly while it was unnoticed a week ago. The reasons?

The Accounting Department is the most love and hate section in an organization. Accounting staff are admired and loved during payroll and bonus distribution. They become monsters when implementing measures that save resources or reduce costs. The direct targets of course are the employees who bring stationery home, sleeping employees while on overtime, erring workers who get penalties, etc. The immediate effects of these measures are reduced salaries, benefits and freedom.

I am working in the Accounting Department but at the same time, I am also carrying out some of the functions of the Personnel Department. The scheduling and travel arrangement of our workers was given to me by my boss because the one in charge could not do it efficiently. Even the issuance of medical referrals rests on my shoulder because, again, the one responsible could not handle it properly. Adding to this extra work is the occasional request from my boss of preparing memos. Memos are usually used to inform or explain. In our company, most of the memos posted on the board or given to the employees are cost-reduction memos, penalty and warning letters.

Because our employees knew that I was the one preparing the memos and at the same time I am from the Accounting Department, it is more often than not, they concluded that I was the originator of that memos and not my boss. They came to this conclusion because of the many things that had happened in the past. The culprit?

My boss is one of the partners of the Company. The problem with him is that he could not stand firm with his memos. When he declared that nobody can get a loan, in a day or two, he would ring me and tell me to give such employee a loan. He signed time sheets without overtime authorization although he ordered a day before that no overtime shall be considered without approval. He approved a 120 day vacation leave when the Company policy specified a maximum of 100 days. All these “small favors” that my boss thought he gave to our employees backfired to me. All of these proved that I was indeed the one giving “hardships” to my co-workers.

Because of this misconception, I gain enemies instead of friends in the rank and file. However, the problem did not stop there. Instead of helping the boss or me in defending the memos, some of the junior and senior staff are pinning me down and they are in harmony with the workers. This is because most of these staff envied me or were jealous of me because of the many benefits my boss gave me for being a loyal, industrious, effective & efficient worker. I calculated that a great number of our employees hate me in some degree. This troubles me as I cannot function as efficiently as before. I also realized that a situation and other persons’ perception towards you can shape the way you act or react. Because I feel threatened, or away from the second level of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, my performance or behavior was somewhat affected.



I am now a less motivated organism with low morale and less enthusiasm surrounded by jealous and indifferent staff, misinformed workers and irresolute superior. How I can get out from this mess depends of my reevaluation of my purpose, my goal, my aspiration and level of sacrifices.

Can you motivate me?



Image from

http://www.esubulletin.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/handss-300x215.jpg