Content Knowledge Questions

E-portfolio

Content Knowledge Tab (Questions)

IDC – 201

L. Noelle Murphy

April 2019
Content Knowledge Questions

All students within a classroom learn in many different ways. As teachers, we need to be

aware and competent with every learning style. We also need to understand that it is perfectly

acceptable for our students to learn differently than one another. More importantly it is

acceptable for students to learn differently than you. One way to start learning about these

different learning styles would be to identify how you learn yourself. You may learn best under

one of Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. This theory insinuates that there are

eight forms of intelligence, which each work individually and differently than the others. These

eight forms of intelligence include verbal, musical, logical, spatial, bodily, interpersonal,

intrapersonal and naturalist. With this, Gardner believes that each human ultimately carries all

of these intelligences but maybe “more of one or less of another” (Seifert, 2009). This means

that people usually have one area of intelligence they excel in but can still learn through the

others. I think that there are many ways to learn including Piaget, Vygotsky and Skinner’s

theories, but I believe these intelligences are the most crucial pieces of information in

determining how exactly you learn.

Determining which learning style you learn best in depends on the specific content area.

People can learn differently within different content areas. Along with this we need to be

comfortable with certain things coming to us more clearly than others. I believe that my

strongest content area is reading. Throughout my entire education career, I have always

excelled with reading. When I was in elementary school, my teachers and administrators always

raved about how high my test scores were compared to the rest of the students in the school.

In middle and high-school, I have always had a passion for reading. Reading was an escape for

me and allowed me to travel and explore places I could never actually go. During my college
Content Knowledge Questions

career, PRAXIS reciprocated these beliefs. I got an above average score on the reading portion

compared to the math and writing. I believe reading has come naturally to me because ever

since I was a child my mother encouraged us to read in our free time, as she did. As a way to

study, I always increase the intensity of the books I choose. I take advantage of tools like the

dictionary, thesaurus and even google if I do not completely understand a word. The library is

also another resource that I am available to use. There are so many options for me to explore in

the areas around me in order to study. I also believe that this is why I can take in information a

lot better in a quiet environment. I do not work well with noise and commotion. Although we

are at an advantage in this day in age with all of the technology around us, I would much rather

read from a physical book. I would consider this one of Gardner’s eight multiple intelligences. I

believe this would fall under Bodily/Kinesthetic, because I am hands-on and need to physically

feel the book in my hands to fully learn. I love the hands-on experience, and having the ability

to highlight, underline and even make notes as I am reading along. I believe when I read a

physical book, I interpret a lot more information because I do not have the interruptions that

would happen when I am using my laptop or cell phone. Knowledge is key, and I believe that

reading is the best way to gain the most knowledge. Since I have such a love for reading, I think

it will encourage my future students to have the same love for books as I do.

Now on the other hand, my most challenging content area is most definitely math.

There are parts of math I love such as statistics, but other areas confuse me. I think the worst

part is there is always a right answer and there is no room for argument or debate. This causes

me to over think and second guess myself every single time I do a problem. I have learned that

there are many ways to increase my comfortability within math. Websites such as Kahn
Content Knowledge Questions

Academy have helped me exponentially through my college career. I hope to be able to use this

form of tutoring for my students if needed. The reason Kahn Academy is so helpful is because

you are talked to as equal and there is room for mistake. With this, as a student you do not

have someone breathing down your neck seeing if you have the correct answer. You can go at

your own pace with Kahn Academy. Students can constantly pause, re-wind and start from the

beginning as many times as needed. This creates for a safe haven for students to learn, at least

that is how I felt. Increasing my comfortability in this specific content area is important before

going into education because your students will know if you struggle or dislike a subject.

Students pay attention and if you make a certain subject seem less interesting or less important

just because you do not fully understand, it will cause your students to feel the same way.

As stated above, I have come to the conclusion that I am a more Bodily/Kinesthetic

learner according to Gardner’s theory. I like to be able to see and feel the object in my hand

along with physically being able to make notes and mark pages really helps for me to fully

comprehend. I believe that since I know how I learn, and I know there are many different ways

of learning, I will be more conscientious when teaching. I will teach using many different

learning styles. These styles may include Vygotsky’s social constructivism where it is believed

that lower level students work better with a more knowledgeable group of peers. Along with

this I will also use Piaget’s cognitive constructivism, where it is believed that students learn best

individually. Using these different forms of learning within my classroom will lead to a well-

rounded group of individuals given that they can learn at their own choice. Not all students are

identical, and neither are their learning habits. For you to succeed and for your students to

succeed you need to be competent in all forms of learning.