Week+3

 **Learning and Instructional Theories**
==== This day was filled with information that I had mostly heard of, or read, before. Although, the way Professor Asing-Cashman prepared it was new and very interesting. Unlike a majority of the classes I have taken where we are supposed to read an article or a section from a textbook and either be tested on it or present it to the rest of the class, this way was unique. It was a great way to collaborate with our peers because even though I have taken other classes with them, I have not had the opportunity of working with them. Plus, instead of explaining the theory to our class, we drew illustrations that we felt expressed it. Then, another group analyzed it and figured out which theory we drew. When we were assigned an instructional theory, we created a song that mentioned the main points. It was a great way to remember what we talked about that day. Not only that, I realized that it is a wonderful way to teach! ====

==== Children easily remember tunes they hear daily. By giving them songs that explain the material they are learning-or even better, letting them create it themselves would probably help them remember. In my internship class, the teacher showed them a song about addition and subtraction. It is very simply and short, which makes it easier for them to remember while they are working out a problem and trying to figure out if they are going to add or subtract. Something that my cooperating teacher taught me was to use poems and/or songs about whatever is being taught so that they sing them everyday and can always refer to them. An important part about using songs is also the help first graders get in their fluency. Since some are barely reading and others are reading more, they need practice with their fluency. I intend to use these ideas when I am a teacher. No matter what grade it is that I teach, I think intergrating music and art is essential when learning something new. It also lets the teacher know what the students learned or if they understood the material. We also know that some students express themselves a lot better through drawings. In order for the tacher and student to find out how they learn better, it is good to let them use multiple skills! ====