Week 1 T2P Essay & Statement

T2P Essay

We began class with discussing breakfast and a little getting to know each other. A little humor is a nice way to break the ice. Our main focus for the day was stated on the board to help us stay focused and see our purpose for the day. "What do I bring to the mix as a learner?" Also a list of activities to accomplish before lunch to which helps the students see what goals and the progress we made throughout the day.

We moved on to what is formal and informal learning. Where does learning happen? How do our experiences and preconceptions effect our learning? Learning happens in such a variety of places and ways. Some is structured and purposefully directed while some is vicarious and through observation. We all bring something whether we realize it or not. Our demographics, our motivations, our environment, and our experiences all effect our learning. If a teacher is aware of this then he/she can respect the differences and attitudes of the classroom. All students have something to share and contribute to the learning environment and by doing so enrich the learning experience for all. By sharing and discussing ideas and topics as a class we learn so much more from hearing other perspectives.

The concept maps of learning forced us to put these ideas on paper and see how they interact and construct a visual diagram of our thought process. As a teacher this can help us to see where our students are at and allow us to evaluate there development over time.

One thing I really appreciate is we always have time and are encouraged to ask questions before moving on to the next activity for the day.

Some T2P's

T2P #1 If a student knows how the learning activity fits into the overall course curriculum then the student can see the purpose of the activity and is more willing to engage in the classroom material which can lead to learning because a student needs to find meaning and purpose in the material and make connections for learning to occur.

T2P #5 If a student feels comfortable and emotionally safe in the learning environment, then the student will be able to engage in the learning process because he/she does not feel threatened or fearful of sharing thoughts, ideas or asking questions.