Friday, February 8, 2013

IN CONVERSATION WITH SELF... 02-08

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In conversation with self…


The inner self, in dialogue with the mortal self 


Good and noble thoughts normally and naturally come from pious people and they spread it too. A normal human being finds this interesting, likes & 
appreciates it.

However, when it comes to implementing it in real life, people often think that, those who preach these are at a higher pedestal of enlightenment hence can implement it. They feel that it is not possible for normal individual to lead such a life.

Hence we have the classic example of preachers preaching for generations together & still not being able to bring transformation in the lives of normal people.

We continue to have two classes of people, and a process of degeneration of values in both the classes is prominently visible.

Life is a churning process (Atma Manthan), which produces both Amrit (Nectar) & Halahalam (Poison).





Those who  consume only Amrit can talk about good deeds and how it gets you satisfaction & salvation. But to think that only these people can spread noble thoughts and influence people to better & enlightened life is not correct.
Those who have consumed Halahalam (evil side of life),overcome it successfully, and transformed themselves from evil to good, are in a better position to convince people to give up the evil & take to noble ways of life. They give the confidence that, it is possible for a very normal individual to lift his life a few notches up with some serious efforts.

The conviction to give up bad for good (forever), thread the noble path comes from the experience and inspiration from this people.

So do we need more people who have lead a sinful life & then transformed themselves to nobler ways????

Yes we do…

This is in no way promotion or encouragement for evil or sinners, but a suggestion that those give up evil deeds can help bring transformation in others, or even prevent others from taking a path of sin.

People who have been through this transformation carry more conviction in their words when they speak than the ones who haven’t seen the other side of life.

What is Happiness???




Happiness is not something that can be sought & got. Happiness or unhappiness are by-products of your deeds. There cannot be any specific tasks or deeds that you can do, to get happiness.

More often than not, it is the pursuit of happiness that is the cause of unhappiness.
WHAT IS HAPPINESS???
Happiness is a feeling you get when the inner self speaks or exults. And there is no mechanism to make this happen.

Often a physical debit in terms of time, energy, or money for an individual results in a substantial credit for the soul. As with human beings, soul is also looking at the credit side & exults when it happens. AND THAT IS HAPPINESS.

When someone looks only at the credit side, he is termed selfish. In the same context,

Can soul also be termed selfish???

The credit that the inner-self gets is at the expense of huge debit to the mortal self.

Is it reasonable, & justifiable??

Is the inner self selling the product “Happiness” for a price???

Well one argument could be

 When the soul is working or making you to work for its own self-gratification it may not be correct, however since the end result is good deeds or good attitude, it can be excused for being selfish.

I know the purists will dismiss me & my argument, rationalist will debate & dissent affirmative nodding of heads in between. I welcome all shades of views and opinions, because I know, everything will result in great knowledge dissemination & that what I am looking to.


Shyam







Thursday, February 7, 2013

How to Put Metacognition in Process for Teachers 02-07

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How to Put Metacognition in Process for Teachers


from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit  






Image credit: Shyam's Imagination Library


Teaching someone a skill is not the same as helping motivate them to understand and use it.

Metacognition is a process of varying approaches thinking about and using different learning styles to enable the teacher to teach better. It is for the teachers who are already in the profession and teaching.

The process involves honing the teaching skills to go far beyond lecture. This process is to increase the depth in your imparting, so that absorption, assimilation, analysis, recall, and creative applications, production, synthesis, are improved at the students level.

The programme is conceived, designed, monitored, delivered and evaluated with different depth, and intensity; so, it should have specific customization, categorization and focus. The stress should be on applying the five senses to expand into about ten unique intelligences not just three traditional categories (written language, mathematics and non-verbal/visual IQ) but more...

Steps

Recognize the key points of Metacognition: 


Think "multiple representations" for critical thinking -- not just words, but learning experiences through a set of activities that help students think about their learning:[1] Metacognitive experiences are student's experiences that involve one's current, on-going cognitive endeavor -- using the process of thinking in learning situations. Metacognitive skills include planning the approach to a learning task, checking on comprehension, evaluating progress on a task and maintaining motivation to see a task to completion to become aware of distracting stimuli -- both internal and external -- and so to sustain effort over time.

Metacognition -- student will use prior knowledge to plan a strategy for successful learning, in steps to problem solve, using necessary tools, reflecting on, monitoring and evaluating your results, and modifying your approach as needed.

Seek "linguistic intelligence" (word smart): 

Deal with improving the language for imparting knowledge, accurate word use, selection of phrases, and pauses (such as wait time for student reaction and to answer questions) in oral and written forms, where strategies like thinking aloud while performing a task include self-questioning, such as:

Planning - 

What do I already know about this topic?

 How have I solved problems like this before?

What should I do first?

Monitoring - 

What should I look for in this reading?

 How should I proceed?

What information is important to remember? Evaluating -

 What did I learn? Did I get the results I expected?

What could I have done differently?

Can I apply this way of thinking to other problems or situations?

Is there anything I don’t understand—any gaps in my knowledge?

Do I need to go back through the task to fill in any gaps in understanding?

Evaluate "logical intelligence" (reasoning smart):

Answer a question using a plan and steps -- show comprehension by explaining the concept, applying it, example:

Plan an essay: brainstorm, listing related bits pro and con; 

Make concept maps, flow charts, semantic webs, use bubbles containing your words and connect bubbles with "kite-strings" to other relevant words in their bubbles. Make connections of your thoughts and knowledge, possibly by using a simple frame of thinking, such as:

1.Read the essay question; 

2.Identify the theme or topic of the essay;

 (3)brainstorm and choose your best ideas; 

(4) use five paragraphs;

 (5) the first paragraph states your theme and introduction;

(6) develop the body using three paragraphs of evidence and discussion: examples, comparison, contrast, etc. and 

(7) state a conclusion in a final paragraph. 

(8) Also, if this involves research, state your sources in the format used by your teacher, school or a standard writing manual/handbook.

Apply "mathematical intelligence" (number/geometric/abstract smart): use analytical logic, using many and varied graphical and verbal representations to:

Describe, draw, use graphs, setup Cartesian coordinates, apply geometry, use color, measure, diagram, use mapping;

Collect data, organize, find patterns and report using: logic, arithmetic, number systems, mathematical operations, algebraic relations, creating a function, sets, statistics, central tendencies (mean, median, mode), chance and probability;

Evaluate mathematical information: solve the word/story problem using a plan, steps -- explain, apply the plan to solve the problem.

Project "spatial intelligence" (visually smart): instruct students to use their abilities to create two- and three-dimensional pictures (in the mind) for the concrete or abstract subject to apply and transfer it using:

Multiple views/viewpoints to assemble 2-dimensional views: front, back, top, footprint, sides/faces;

Graphical variations, visualizing (realizing), simultaneous information (visual plane and space);

Perspective in 3-dimensional space: visualize depth, think of a focal point, realize there is convergence (a disappearing point), rather than mechanical parallel representations, in the distance/background toward the horizon;
Order, flow, steps, sequencing, presenting sequential information.

Use Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart"): physical action and interaction, physical stimulus and robust body activities are the best pathways to help them learn. Acting out learning as much as possible, activities to walk around when they are learning.

Role play as planets, moon, sun, etc., as atoms: electrons, nucleus, neutrons, protons and more by drawing and taping an atom, the nucleus and its orbits on the floor. Let your child move around on it to learn the role of all of the particles. Place objects within their sight and reach.

Use hand gestures, body action, miming of information, etc.,

Display and use the world globe, math shapes such as cube, pyramid, cone, etc. Use manipulative objects: construction sets, Legos, modeling clay, science experiments, props to use in dramatizations, outdoors gear (work shoes, bags to collect rocks, leaves, feathers, plants, flowers, etc.), storage for keeping the specimens they collect, sports equipment, puzzles, dance music,...
Model mathematic skills, addition and subtraction -- give young learners boxes and a set of plastic cubes, have them move them around in the boxes, to illustrate it.

Dimensions (length, width, area, volumes), teach them hand gestures that signify what they are. For example an area of a triangle (1/2 breadth x height) has 3 hand gestures - for 1/2 use one hand sideways to cut the other hand's palm in half, for breadth put your palms together and move them apart horizontally, for height put your hands together one on top of the other and move them apart vertically.

Science -- role play a butterfly's lifecycle from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly

Experiments, use materials and projects to learn science, mathematics, manipulatives (using objects), etc. -- Conduct science experiments - home chemistry, simple physics etc.

Geography -- Teach your child some dance moves from other countries. Have your child make up hand gestures for various geological formations that they have to learn about

History -- Help your child make a drama about the Indian independence movement and play all the characters

Play silent charades to learn about various historical occurrences
Practice musical intelligence ("music smart"). Use songs, percussion, clapping, singing geometry, rapping math facts, play music during art and other quiet activities.

Communicate using "interpersonal intelligence" (people smart): deal with the skills of classroom management, just a few rules, with many procedures and establishing a rapport and mutual trust with the students for hassle free interaction.

Know your "intra-personal intelligence" (be self smart): get on useful terms with oneself (self-motivate, plan, start/take initiative, be industrious/follow-through, finish, report out).

Help "naturalist intelligence" (nature smart): motivate through the ability to work and apply geo-science, the natural environment, to teach using nature, nature trails, field trips, plants in the windows, a school garden, planting trees, etc.

Do a formative assessment: decide and plan lessons with the needed complexes of understanding and transmission skills to reach the trainees before structuring the quality and quantity of the training. This will position the trainer and the trainee on the same wave length.
Understanding can be facilitated, when participants are engaged and applying the learning in real world problems, relevant situations, and labs, experiments, and involved with "Eureka!" experiences. The impact is necessarily different from the intellectual experience created when originally delivering the concept.

Tips

Training can be through videos, role plays, case study experiments, training exercises, which is processed with ‘understanding’ in mind, which is not a simple analysis of what happened in the experiment or video or exercise, which is what participants tend to explain, but it also deals with how this learning can be applied in their own classroom and teaching processes.
This training should enable you to have a clear focus and facilitate your handling of multiple portfolios with equal efficiency. It should help students to overcome inhibition, indecision, procrastination. This training should improve the students overall productivity and delivery levels.

The faculty members after learning and applying such training should be confident to face two challenges and manage the student and whole class behavior: 

(1) The challenge of initiative and 

(2) The challenge of restraint.

Warnings

There cannot be a uniform training for all grades and cadres of teachers.
The depth and intensity of the training should vary based on the five intelligences levels of the teachers.
The training will not bear fruit if it is not backed by sustenance programme, robust monitoring and evaluation systems for the progress achieved.
Don't settle for doing a job, but motivate yourself far beyond work and pay calculations.

Things You'll Need

Plan: actualize your inclination to improve, working toward using methods of the best teachers.
Mission: clarity in purpose and confidence in yourself, your abilities & patience to transform your methods in a natural way.
Optimal standards: goals for quality of education to understand comprehensively, reproduce learners, achieve results/transfer knowledge and concepts without dilution.

Video

Teaching matters Metacognition


Please also read Shyam's latest article


How to lead the student from the wrong answer to the correct one?


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