Reflection#4: Chapters 3 and 7

 1. What information surprised you or was new to you in this chapter? Hows does this information connect to info in the main course text?
2. What information do you agree with and why? What info do you disagree with and why?
3. Describe an experience you have had that relates to the information in this reading.
4. How can you use this information in your personal or work/school life?
5. Rate this chapter on a scale of 1 to 5 and explain your rating (1 = low and 5 = high).

Chapter 3: The Power of Joy

I was surprised to read that there has not been much research into the effects of joy upon learning (Pica, 2015, p. 16). One would think that it would be a natural subject to research given the works of behaviorists such as Skinner, who used reinforcers to encourage desired behaviors (Paris, Ricardo, & Rymond, 2019, p. 28). Joy could certainly be defined as a positive reinforcement.

I agree that it is important to ensure that children enjoy learning and that stress and other negative feelings towards learning are reduced as much as possible. I also agree that testing should not cause undue stress on children. I disagree, however, with the notion that the very existence of tests are the root of this issue. Testing is necessary for several reasons: it facilitates the identification of possible learning disorders, gauges whether the present curriculum and methodology is effective, and allows for longitudinal mapping of student progress both individually and by cohort. I think that it is our attitudes about testing that need to be adjusted. Testing should be conducted in briefer bursts over longer periods of time. It should not affect grades, and it should not be the sole means of assessing student placement in Advanced Placement (AP) courses or academic support. 

For example, when my youngest son was tested for the gifted and talented education (GATE) program in third grade, as is standard in our district, he qualified for placement in that after-school program. He is autistic, so he was also placed in special education (SPED) class for support. He would "mainstream" for a little less than half the day, which means he participated in a regular classroom during that time. When he qualified for GATE, a school psychologist tried to unilaterally exit him from SPED services. His mainstream teacher reported that he was often frustrated in class, overwhelmed by the sounds of the other students, acting out, and hiding under his desk with his ears covered. His behaviors were disruptive to others, and the experience was unpleasant for him. The psychologist tried to argue that he could not be in need of SPED services if he qualifies as gifted (I suppose she somehow missed the lessons on students who are defined as "twice exceptional"). Fortunately, the rest of the team at the meeting disagreed with her, and she ultimately lost that fight. My child would have been placed in a setting that he was not emotionally prepared for based on nothing more than the results of a standard third-grade test rather than his specific needs. He finally transitioned fully into mainstream in the fifth grade with push-in support from an instructional assistant during subjects with which he struggles. He is now in sixth grade, and he has straight A grades and very few outbursts.

 
I will use this information in the future by reminding myself to keep learning as fun and rewarding as possible. I will focus more on positive reinforcement rather than negative, both with my own children at home and my kindergarten class at work. 

I rate this chapter a 5. The information, while not necessarily new, did point out an area of research that is lacking. I believe it is a relevant and important thing to consider as an educator. 

Chapter 7: Doing Away With the "Baby Stuff"

I knew that the nap time that I enjoyed in kindergarten in the early 1980s was gone, but I was unaware that it was being removed from preschools as well (Pica, 2015, p. 33). This surprised me given that the main text states that at 2 years old, children require at least 10 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period (Paris, Ricardo, & Rymond, 2019, p. 123). I personally think that naps should remain in preschool and be added back into the kindergarten day, as well. Many children come from homes where they cannot sleep throughout the night for various reasons. School might be the one place where they can get an uninterrupted, peaceful bit of sleep. 

I agree that children are being pushed too hard to achieve academically before they are developmentally ready. I believe that there is more to happiness and success as an adult than simple intellectual acuity or knowledge; the importance of emotional maturity and self-regulation is also critical. Schools should embrace, understand, and emphasize the importance of sleep. 

For example, I am currently substitute teaching a kindergarten class online for six weeks. Most days, the children are scheduled to be online in the morning for three brief periods of direct instructional time with ten-minute breaks between them. They are generally cheerful on those days and eager to do their work. On Thursdays, however, school starts much later to allow families time to pick up the meals that the school provides. Class runs from 11:40 until 1:25 with no scheduled breaks. Though I make a point of still allowing them 3 minutes to use the restroom or grab a drink, the toll this takes on them is evident. They are much less focused, and they seem tired and cranky. They've already been up several hours, and being in front of a computer for very long is taxing. My students do much better when they are fresh from sleep. 

I think I can use the information from this chapter at work. I will recommend that parents allow their small children to sleep in or take early naps on Thursdays so that they are better focused. 

Overall, I rate this chapter a 4. The information was not revolutionary or new to me, but it was a solid argument based on good research with the best interests of children at its core. 

References

Paris, J. Ricardo, A., & Rymond, D. (2019). Understanding the whole child: Prenatal development through adolescence. Open Educational Resource Publication by College of the Canyons. 
Pica, R. (2015). What if everybody understood child development? Corwin.