T2P Week One

I stayed engaged and mentally "with it" for the entire day, which I admire in a teacher's orchestration of class. I think the reason was that we flowed from activity to activity. GNA also used the variable-interval schedule of reinforcement (something I learned in the Goodman work), which caused me to be vigilant about my thinking. I knew I could be called on, so my mind was forced to think critically about my response. Also, though, I had to pay attention to my classmate's responses.
The assessment system is awesome because it takes away pressure. I find that I learn better when there is less pressure. For example, reading for pleasure and reading for a school project are entirely different experiences for me, even if the book is the same.The lack of constraints causes me to lose the stigmatized though of what a "good student" would do, and just relax! When I'm relaxed, my mind is open and more likely to be critical. So I think this will translate well to my learning experience in this class.
I felt myself learning about teamwork and collaboration, which is new for me because I am very solitary. My group was told to work together to solve a problem and we did it. This opens up a world of different opinions and thoughts. It is like looking at something through someone else's perspective.
I noticed how GNA made sure that every person had "clarity" about each task. Many times in school, I would be assigned a task but fail to understand it. As a shy person, I failed to go out and gain clarity. As a result, I completed tasks incorrectly or poorly. I would like to implement this habit in my future classroom.
After learning the variables of learning, we were asked to apply them to our own lives and past experiences. This helped me put it in my own context and solidify the theory.
I gained a better sense of community with my peers today. GNA made an attempt to know everyone by asking what we had for breakfast. It was a fun way to highlight our similarities and break the ice.


If the in-class schedule allows for constant change in presentation modes, then both the teacher and learners will experience a high-level of energy and motivation throughout the day because both participants are learning in different ways, rather than a droning presentation which allows for mental drifting.