Teaching Essays Curriculum Development Learning Styles

Teaching Essays Curriculum Development Learning Styles Focus on Curriculum Development Learning Styles Introduction: There are different learning styles that have developed with accompanying tests that helps individuals to understand their learning styles. A learning style is a method that is used to educate which is particular to a specific individual and which is assumed that if used by that individual, it will help them to learn their best. It has been described as that particular style that helps individuals to process the stimuli of their mind which helps them to understand what they are being taught. Though the concept of learning style is relatively young having gained ground in the 1970s, it has become an important process in the modern education especially on matters concerning how teachers use it in the curriculum and how it is used in the development of the curriculum. It has been found out that if teachers understand the learning styles of their pupil, they can help their students to adapt to the needs of their classroom work and hence make the process of learning interesting to them. Therefore it has been found quite important to integrate the various learning styles of students in the curriculum in order to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of the various students who are taught using the same curriculum. (Wang and Nagy, 2007) This paper looks at different learning styles that have been identified. It will try to relate the learning styles with how they are being in the curriculum. Hence the focus will be on the learning styles and how the curriculum has been developed to cater for the needs of different learning styles. But first let us look at learning styles. Models and theories of learning styles There are more that 80 learning styles that have been proposed but all of them consist of some basic styles. There are three basic learning models that have been identified and that are used by learners. Let us look at these models. Visual learners This is a model where student learn through seeing. It is a method in which ideas, concepts, and other information are closely associated with the images that are represented in a graphical manner. The learner just need to see the body language of the teacher and the facial expression that the teacher in order to understand what they are teaching. This method is mostly used by those students who are able to concentrate for a long time and who prefer to sit in front of their classrooms in order to avoid any distraction to their visual aids. These students may think in pictures and at the same time learn form the visual displays like diagrams, overhead transparencies, videos, flip charts, and other materials which use visual aids to communicate. The learners are usually very much attentive during the classroom lessons and they take notes in order to absorb most of the information that is being given by the teacher. (Lawrence, 1999) Researches have found out that visual learning theory helps students to improve in many education areas including critical thinking where they are likely to link graphics with verbal and visual information and draw understanding from such a relationship, retention where these students are likely to remember most of the information which was visually or verbally represented, comprehension where student can understand new ideas and connect then to their previous experience or knowledge, and organization where the students can actually use diagrams in order to organize large amount of data in a way that it can be easily understood. The base of this learn style lies in the way a student can visualize the data and later interpret it and build literacy along that data. (Sather, 2007) Auditory Learning Style This is a style where students learn through listening. In this style, students learn through verbal lectures which include a variety of discussions, talking and listening. The student who uses this style may not strive to be in front of the classroom but they like staying at a distance where they can get most of what is happening. They are able to interpret the meaning of a speech through interpreting the underlying tone of teacher voice, pitch, speed and other nuances of speech. They may not concentrate on writing what is being said but they are very keen on listening what is being said. They don’t rush to take notes but they take time to write their notes. The learners also can benefit a lot from reading aloud texts and also use a tape recorder. This style is used by about 20 percent of the population. In most instances, when these students are learning, the read but they cannot understand if there is no sound in the background. Therefore most to them will be reading and at the same time listening to music or any other background noise. Some of the students have been found to read when there is noise in the background. These learners focus more on the sound that they are hearing that what they are learning. When they are spelling, they usually use sounds. In case they meet with individuals, they are likely to forget their faces but remember their names. These students also like to talk a lot. (Kolb, 2003) Tactile or Kinesthetic Learners These can be described as learners who learn by moving, doing or touching. They have been descried as learning best through a hands approach in which they actively explore the physical world around them. Although they may appear like restless students how finds it hard to sit still for long period, they use their restlessness in moving and touching to learns. In this regard, this learning style is said to take place when student carry out the physical learning activity instead of taking their time to listen or watch the demonstration of a learning activity. Student who use this learning styles have been said to the some of the natural discoverers learners as they are able to achieve most of their learning through practical applicability of the theories unlike having thought over something for along time and then initiating the concept. However there is not evidence that has been shown to support the efficacy of the kinesthetic theory of learning. Going by the above learning theories, the visual learners makes up to 30 percent of the population while the auditory learners are around 20 to 25 percent. There fore kinesthetic learners could make up majority of the population in this regard making up to about 45 percent of learners. Kinesthetic learners have been found to be more efficient in the other physical activities at school and in other areas of application. This analysis gives us the three major types of learning styles that are used. This shows diversity that exists in the student population and therefore there is need to understand this diversity in order to be an effective curriculum instructor. This indicates that though a teacher may be having student in the same class, they m ay be having diverse needs than the physical needs that the teacher can actually see in the students. Therefore as was said in the introduction, there is need for the teacher to have full knowledge of the diverse learning styles of each and every student in order to cater for their needs. Without such and understand of the learning styles of students, it would be hard for a teacher to identify students and classify them into their respective learning styles. This would help the teacher to serve them well. Let us now look at how the curriculum is developed in order to cater for the needs of these students. (Fang, 2002) Curriculum Development and Learning Styles Curriculum is used to support the effort of the teacher in education. A curriculum is just a set of program that gives detail on how students should be taught. It acts as guideline that is systematically made to allow learner to understand concepts it stages. It is an important tool not only to the teacher but also to the learners. Educators place so much emphasize on the design of the curriculum since it has impacts on the education of the students. Curriculum and instruction are some of the most important sectors in education. Hence we can say the curriculum is the base of any education process. (McCarthy, 2004) As we have said learning theories are very imprint in the education process. This is because they have an impact on the design of not only the curriculum but also instruction and assessment. Learning theories are considered when coming up with the process since they are important in supporting the education process. Learning theories are important in the curriculum since educator place a lot of emphases on the intuition, feeing, sensing, imagination and other aspects that are important in helping the student understand what they are being taught. In the curriculum learning styles are also important in analyze, reason and the problem solving process. In the instruction, learning theories have an impact in that teachers should come up with their own instruction methods which will help the students understand what they are being taught. Teachers should come up with instruction methods that caters for the needs of the students using the above four learning styles. This means that it will first take the teacher time to understand the kind of learners who are in the class and try to address their needs in the process of teaching. A teacher will use various experiences that have been gained over time. In addition a teacher will be expect to use reflections, conceptualization and experimentations in coming up with the best teaching method that will help the students understand. As instructors of the curriculum, teachers can introduce variety of experiment elements in the classrooms like sound, music, visuals, body movement, verbal lecturing and other methods which will cater for the needs of the students. For a teacher to know whether they are giving needed curriculum and instruction to the student, they are likely to assess the students. This is a part of the curriculum which shows the effective of the design and implementation of the curriculum. In this regard, teachers must understanding the needs and learning styles of different students in order to come up the proper assessment techniques. Because teachers cannot give different assessment tests to different students according to their learning style, they should therefore employ various techniques in the assessment that will help them to develop all the brains in their classroom. In their regard, the assessment tests should be balance such that it addresses all the needs of students without giving undue advantage to others. The curriculum is made up of the above mentioned three aspects. That means that there is the curriculum content, there must be defined was in which the curriculum shall be instructed to the students, and it must provide means of assessment for the contents of the curriculum. Therefore the provision of the curriculum must be based on the learning style as had been illustrate above. Consideration of the learning styles is very crucial in the learning environment since it dictates the way the curriculum is developed. In developing the curriculum, there must be effort to address the needs of each and every student. As we have seen from our analysis, the biggest percentage among the student population perhaps the kinesthetic learner who constitute about 45 percent of the population. Therefore the curriculum must take into consideration this proportion of the population in order to have relevant and effective contents. The content of the curriculum must give specific details which ensure that the deliver of the contents will have more practical work than theoretic work. This is in order to work with the percentage of the population that is high in the population. Unfortunately many curriculums that have been designed have not kept to the issue of learning theories in the population. This makes many of the curriculums unable to meet their expectation. The expectation of any curriculum is to impart knowledge to the students in the simplest manner possible. This will help them to gain knowledge easily. Therefore if the curriculum is to meet its goals, it must be designed in a way that it addressed the needs of each and every learner in the population. In this regard the curriculum may be having the contents that take care of the learners but the instructors may fail to implement these provisions. This makes learning ineffective and student underperforms. Conclusion As we have seen there are various learning styles that are used by students. These learning styles are important since they help each and every student to understand the contents of the curriculum in the simplest way possible. Teachers as the instructors of the curriculum must understand the learning style of their students in order to give them the best instructions that they need in their learning process. The design of the curriculum must also take care of the needs of each and every student. Therefore the curriculum should be developed in a way that its content, instruction and the assessment guides must give each and every student an advantage. This means that teachers as the instructors of the curriculum have a role to play to ensure that the needs of each and every student is met. Reference Fang, A. (2002). Utilization of learning styles in curriculum development. New York State Kolb, D. (2003). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. New York: Wiley Lawrence, G. (1999). Practical Guide to Learning Styles; Oxford University McCarthy, B. (2004). Teaching to Learning Styles; London: Routledge Sather, A. (2007). The benefit of principals and teaching of supporting youth engagement in school; NASSP Bulletin December 2007 Wang, N. Nagy, J. (2007): The alternate route teacher transition to the class. NASSP Bulletin, March 2007

Characteristics of Effective and Dynamic Followers Essay

Article Review on the Characteristics of Effective and Dynamic Followers Leadership, defined as the influence over a group of people, is one of the essential elements in organizations and defines the type of followers in an institution. Webber, in one of his leadership letters, discusses characteristics of followers in an organization or a society. This paper seeks to review Webber’s article ‘Kinds of followers.’ The author compares an organization to a human body whose functionality is impaired as long as one part of the body is not well. This, he argues, is the foundation of spiritual strength in the sense that a church works under functionalist theory in which different parts depends on each other for sustenance. According to the author, this establishes the essence of effective followers, besides effective leaders, for a successful organization. Followers can be classified according to the way they think or the way they act. Classification according to how people think leads to two groups, independent followers, also known as â€Å"critical thinkers†, and dependent followers, â€Å"uncritical thinkers† (Webber, 2003, p. 1). Independent followers are considerate of their environment, initiatives, and even other people’s initiatives. They exhibit and are willing to exploit their capacity to generate solutions and alternatives. Dependent followers, however, lack creativity and only cling to offered directions. This level of obedience instructions among ‘uncritical thinkers’ is reported even in cases that demands creativity into alternative actions. Followers can also be classified according to their actions as either active or passive. Active followers participate in activities and engage with other members of the organization while passive members are limited in their actions and relations, and require regular supervision. While different other categories of followers may exist with a combination of these characteristics, survivors exhibits combined characteristics of active, passive, dependent and independent followers (Webber, 2003). Webber, therefore, successfully explores the five categories of followers and points to survivors as the most effective and dynamic followers because of their diversified characteristics. Reference Webber, M. (2003). Kinds of followers. Retrieved from: http://www.leadershipletters.com/2003/02/13/kinds-of-followers/

Vampires in Modern Culture

One of the oldest and well known mythological monsters throughout history are blood sucking immortals known as vampires. They transgress the boundaries that humans are always trying to establish. Vampire lore has reflected the values and social structures of the culture it has existed in, but over the past century the values have transformed. From the classic story of Stoker’s Dracula where he is presented as sinister and non-human, the vampire aspect of literature has evolved drastically to a more heroic immortal.Physically, vampires have changed their appearance over the last century from the dark and non-human approach to a more modern and humanistic look. Earlier authors focused on gothic themed vampire narratives giving them malevolent features making them appear foul and evil. Nosferatu, being one of the most famous vampire narratives from the early twentieth century was abject and debase. His rat-like features eluded a sense of fear and horror to everyone around him, an d his physical appearance was unappealing and nightmarish.Vampires from early history were connected to the appearance of bloated leeches since they were blood sucking immortal monsters, but over the past hundred years they have turned into beautiful immortals. The qualities of vampire narratives from Eastern Europe descent which consist of dark and frightening apparel, long bloodcurdling fangs, and chilling accents have transformed entirely to look nothing like its predecessor. Modern vampires are dangerously gorgeous with lean bodies, sparkling skin, and beautiful facial features.The notable change in physical appearance of vampires over time is the disappearance of terror and evil and the welcoming of beauty. Vampires have always had a certain sex appeal, but the level of it has changed over the last century from luring and mysterious to a more romantic approach where love is the focus and instead of just the sexual charge of the relationship. Throughout the past century, vampire s transformed from the demonic, to aristocratic and sensual, to sexualized and misunderstood.In the modern media, sex appeal is what characterizes the roles of vampires, but love overpowers lust which was not the case in the twentieth century. Dracula’s character focused more on just the sexual aspect of his prey, and he was seen as a threatening predator. Modern vampires develop a deeper connection with other immortals as well as humans, but the thirst for blood still remains in vampires no matter what the time period. Since a key aspect to the being of a vampire itself is the fact that they live off of drinking blood, the hunting quality is crucial.Vampires, such as Dracula, would hunt solo not surrounded by other vampires. The focus was more on the individual rather than a family of vampires. But over decades, the culture of societies influenced the way vampire societies were formed. Instead of focusing on solitary actions like Dracula did, society played a role in the way vampires reacted to other species. Because of the growing population, vampires tend to group together and hunt as a gang for protection. Fear is crucial in considering the actions of vampires, and if they want to focus on themselves or their fellow vampires as well.In Stephanie Meyers’, Twilight, family is a key part of the relationship of vampires, and they all stick together to support and protect each other. Not only has the physical facet of vampire narratives evolved over the past century, but the power and force of them has changed also. The limitations of vampires differ from each piece of literature, but the level of these precincts change more with each decade. Throughout history there is the battle between living versus nonliving, and what is real and what classifies as a monster. Although vampires are immortal and differ from humans, the way in which they act varies on their surroundings.In the early twentieth century, the popular vampire myth known as Dracula was known as having the strength of twenty men and being fast and forceful. Over time, the powers of vampires have advanced along with the influence of the western culture. Powers such as mind reading and seeing into the future help with the immortals ability to defeat their enemies. Limitations have also evolved to more human friendly affiliations, and vampires are now blended in with modern society. Although vampires have always been known for drinking blood and immortal, the nature of their kind has developed over time into a more compassionate kind.Dracula and Lestat centered more on European and aristocratic culture and the immortal aspect of the monster where they were sinister and preyed on the weak. The culture of vampires were seen as malicious and predators, whereas the Cullens are the â€Å"good vampires† that do not feed on human blood. Throughout the twentieth century, vampires main focus in on the Western culture. Since the barrier between human society and the imm ortals has been broken down over the past century, the vampires in modern media are now viewed as more of a misunderstood, heroic character. Protection over the nes the vampires care about is a vital part of their identity. An important detail of the role of vampires is how they can be destroyed. The death of vampires has evolved over the last century from a stake to the heart to breaking the neck and being burned. While it has always been known for vampires to stay away from the light, the severity of it changes with each vampire narrative. Sunlight is key to giving away the discreet features of the immortal being, whereas Dracula loses his powers during daylight hours, and Edward Cullen sparkles and gives away his identity which can lead to his death.The transformation of vampire narratives over the last century has a lot to do with society and the focus on culture. Instead of vampires being seen as evil predators, they are now seen as misunderstood protectors. The history of vamp ires in the 20th century is one of domestication. In response to society, they are defined by external rulings and that is why they are categorized as inhumane along with the fact of them being immortal. Works Cited Brandy Ball Blake and L. Andrew Cooper, ed. Monsters. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead, 2012.Print. Dracula. † Count. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Nosferatu. † Turner Classic Movies. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"The Real History of Vampires. † Squidoo. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"The Vampire in Modern American Media. † Dartmouth. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. .

The Search for Utopia in The Great Gatsby Essay - 1131 Words

In Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, the reader discovers multiple interpretations of utopia. Each character is longing for one particular paradise. Only one character actually reaches utopia, and the arrival is a mixed blessing at best. The concept of paradise in The Great Gatsby is â€Å"a shifting, evanescent illusion of happiness, joy, love, and perfection, a mirage that leads each character to reach deeper, look harder, strive farther†(Lehan, 57). All the while, time pulls each individual farther from the moment he seeks. There is Myrtle Wilsons gaudy, flashy hotel paradise in which she can pretend that she is glamorous, elite, wanted and loved. She clings fiercely enough to this threadbare dream to brave the ire†¦show more content†¦But -- she began in obscurity and in obscurity she dies, her life violently extinguished, knelt in the road and mingled her thick, dark blood with the dust (Fitzgerald, 145). There is an ashes to ashes dust to dust element to every action in the novel, and Myrtle is no exception. We as readers focus more on Daisy and Tom, Gatsby and Nick; Myrtles fall is telling the same story as Gatsbys, as Daisys. In the end, her life is worth no more and no less than the great millionaire in his mansion on West Egg. Daisy and Tom are bereft of these dreams. Daisy at one point in the novel suddenly rebelled, realizing that she did not love the man she was going to marry despite his rich gifts, and Jordan describes her struggle Tell em all Daisys change her mine. Say Daisys change her mine! She began to cry -- she cried and cried . . . She wouldnt let go of the letter. She took it into the tub with her and squeezed it up into a wet ball and only let me leave it in the soap dish when she saw that it was coming to pieces like snow. (Fitzgerald, 81). Society in the form of Jordan Baker was there to spread on more lies to cover the rough spots, to make the surface elegant and hope no one had depth enough to look beneath it. When Daisy marries Tom without so much as a shiver she becomes an empty person, who lives but takes no joy in it. It could be said that she exists. When Gatsby returns with all her old dreams in his hat andShow MoreRelatedEssay about A Critical Review of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby1555 Words   |  7 PagesA Critical Review of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a universal and timeless literary masterpiece. Fitzgerald writes the novel during his time, about his time, and showing the bitter deterioration of his time. A combination of the 1920s high society lifestyle and the desperate attempts to reach its illusionary goals through wealth and power creates the essence behind The Great Gatsby. Nick Carraway, the narrator, moves to a quaint neighborhoodRead MoreThe Dream in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby Essay1780 Words   |  8 PagesThe Dream and The Great Gatsby      Ã‚   The story of America is an exciting one, filled with swift evolution and an amazing energy unprecedented in world history. In Americas short existence, it has progressed from a small collection of European rebels to the economically dominant nation that it is today. Mixed up in the provocative reputation of America is the celebrated ideal of the American Dream, the fantasy of complete independence and self-reliance mixed with the opportunity to attain wealthRead MoreInterpretations Of The American Dream1718 Words   |  7 Pagesinterpretations and instructions along the very term ‘American Dream’ ranging from its definition, the different concepts of people about it and its ultimate aim to the doubts upon its realization. Alfonzo Reyas, a Mexican humanist, says that â€Å"America is a utopia†¦ it is the figure of human hope† (qtd. In Parrington Jr. Preface). James Truslow Adams, who was firstly coined the phrase in his 1931 book The Epic of America, however, defined it as a â€Å"dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and