Javier emigrated from Mexico with his family and is starting third grade with minimal ability to speak English. His teacher, a recent graduate from an urban state university, is not optimistic about Javier’s chances for success. The school offers few resources for bilingual education and the principal tells her “Just do the best you can.” How should the teacher approach this situation? How will her pessimistic attitude impact Javier’s
Psychology 3302
Part 1: Short answer questions: the answers may require a
few sentences to a paragraph. Six
questions at 12 points each.
- Javier
emigrated from Mexico with his family and is starting third grade with minimal
ability to speak English. His teacher, a recent graduate from an urban state
university, is not optimistic about Javier’s chances for success. The school offers few resources for bilingual
education and the principal tells her “Just do the best you can.” How should the teacher approach this
situation? How will her pessimistic attitude impact Javier’s experience?
- A
teacher is conducting a study in his classroom. He wants to determine whether
students perform better on a concepts test after using a mini-lecture approach
or after engaging in a group activity. What type of research should he use to
conduct this study and how will he gather the information he needs?
- “High
horse power, poor steering,” is a common phrase describing adolescent brain
maturity. What does this mean?
- Sierra
walked into class late and felt quite embarrassed. To make matters worse, she
was having a bad hair day and felt like all eyes were on her, judging her, and
rejecting her. Explain what is happening her from the perspective of Piaget’s
developmental model.
- A new
fifth grade teacher is surprised to learn that her school has reduced the
amount of recess for all students and eliminated time for physical education in
the fifth grade curriculum. Kim believes that exercise and recess enhance
academic performance. Based on national trends, why is her school (like many
other schools in the U.S.) most likely reducing recess and physical education?
- A
school counselor has noticed that a student shows signs of anorexia and another
shows signs of bulimia. How can he help?
Part 2 Essay: Choose one
of the following and answer with a few paragraphs or a page.
- A
beginning teacher in suburban Houston will be teaching fifth grade math and
science and wonders how the diversity of his class will compare to the
diversity he experienced growing up in Chicago. His principal describes the
school as a typical representation of the diversity found in schools across the
United States. Describe the diversity he might expect based on national norms.
Include racial, ethnic, language, economic, and developmental diversity. How
will he best teach every student the same curriculum?
- A
second grade classroom of 26 students represents a wide range of diversity. The
students include six English learners, one student who just arrived from
Mexico, three students with special learning needs, students from extreme
poverty to middle class, and students from various ethnic groups. She has
divided students into three reading groups and expects other students to work
silently and independently as she works with reading groups. All students work
on the same spelling tasks and worksheets during their independent seatwork.
How might the teacher adjust procedures during reading group time to follow
Vygotsky’s ideas about the zone of proximal development?
- Two of
the students in a second grade class exhibit aggressive behaviors. They use
aggressive language, name calling, and threats to hurt others. One of these
students instigates physical fights and has difficulty following class rules
about showing respect and keeping hands to self. Discuss sources that
contribute to such aggression and describe how the teacher might deal with such
aggression in this classroom.
experience?