Week 2
Many would argue that Behaviorism still dominates today's schools. Do you see evidence of behaviorism
in schools today? How about in your own classes? Do your teachers offer rewards? How about
punishment? Do they try to change student behavior? How? What are the advantages and
disadvantages that come from using behaviorist theory to structure school practices and environments?
Week 3
Try to think of a time during your adolescent schooling where a teacher used scaffolding to help you
acquire new skills...do you recall specific concrete examples how they did that? Perhaps it was to guide
classroom behavior or maybe in classroom instruction?
Week 4
One way to think about adolescence is that it is the time in which we most actively seek out our
own individual identity. This searching is often very clearly illustrated in middle schools where
kids try out different identities, language patterns, styles of dress, hair, makeup... as well as
different interests, activities, and even friends. What kinds of factors do you believe promote
positive identity development? What may be the effect if we do not achieve a healthy sense of
identity? What's the relationship between identity, self-esteem, and confidence? What's the
relationship between these and learning?
Week 5
In what ways do males and females behave differently in our society? What factors in our society might
contribute to these differences? As a teacher, how might YOU benefit from having students with special
needs in your classroom?
Week 6
Think of teachers you've had who encouraged you regularly in higher level thinking. What
strategies did these teachers use to promote such thinking?
Week 7
How important are interest and motivation in learning? Are these impoverished concepts in schools
today or are teens adequately interested? If so, is that just a factor of the individual person or is interest
associated with a situation?What's the link between self-concept and interest? What's the link between
self-concept, interest, and achievement? What do you think about flow? Is flow something we should be
shooting for in schools and classrooms? Can you recall a time you experienced flow in a learning
situation?