Blog Post #2

Blog Post #2

               This week in my service learning, I went to Vineyard Elementary School. Unfortunately, I had to switch schools this week, because the other elementary did not need volunteers, and did not get back to me when I called. So this week I spent an hour at Vineyard Elementary school. I volunteered and was able to help with children's recess and a little in a classroom type setting. From the briefs moments I saw, the learning theory that was exhibited most was behaviorism. Specifically, I noticed several moments when I saw the assistant principal helping the different children she worked with. One example of this was when a student had been missing from recess. The assistant principal lead with courage as she found a team to help find the student. She then found the student thanks to her other helpers. She showed behaviorism as she rewarded those who helped her find the students with a candy bar and doctor pepper. She rewarded them for their exemplary behaviors and in turn they now have made a connection in their brain that helping the assistant principal was a good thing and something rewarded. The same strategy was used at recess. At recess, we as aides were told to watch for students throwing snow, and if we did see them throwing it to threaten to take away recess. This is a consequence of actions that in turn exemplified behaviorism. As I walked through the playground and told boys and girls not to throw snow or recess would end early for them they immediately stopped and I did not see them throwing snow again. I also believe constructivism was used in the classrooms because I noticed that there were used as there were many materials in the classrooms such as blocks, and other hands on items. One specific child I worked with needed to go to the bathroom, as we took him there, he quickly ran in and ran out. I then asked if he had washed his hands and he quickly flashed a mischievous smile. Clearly this was something he did often. Yet I was not going to have it. I quickly told him he must go back and wash his hands and if he did not I was going to make him go back into the bathroom. The next time he came out, he had washed his hands and made sure they were clean afraid of the consequences. I believe this also showed behaviorism. The teacher I was with made sure she repeated items, and showed various examples various ways to help each student with their different learning strategies. This week has taught me a lot about learning strategies and how they really are everywhere we look.