Educational Psychology Module 2

The readings and resources this week had me in a panic.  I only scored a 99 on my IQ test and thought to myself am I not intelligent? After further reading I find I am average. With my past experience in taking tests I am ok with.  This is were it all clicked after reading.  With different types of learning and disabilities that could be possible are IQ tests even accurate.

I also currently work with special education students with an array of disabilities. Reading about disability etiquette was one of the major points that caught my eye.  Realizing that the structure of your sentences can be offensive to the students is something I did not think of.  Granted I knew the basics of what to say and what not to say but for example " Students with learning disabilities" NOT "Learning disabled students." (Woolfolk, 117) Also, the different types of intelligence was very interesting. I always had the mind set of book smart and street smart. Obviously I was incredibly wrong. I found that the Triarchic theory of successful intelligence explains learning the best way possible.  It covers the three main learning influences that I see most while working with my students.

1) Thought process: My students, with various disabilities, their thought process are all different not only from one another but sometimes each day. The day to day change is usually  caused by an out side influences or experiences.
2) Coping with new experiences: Some experiences may be positive and some may be negative. Depending on the severity of the negative experience I have noticed that these are usually that cause for thought and behavior change.
3) Adapting to context:. This can be explained in several ways but I am choosing the path of culture and upbringing. For example, solely based on what I have been told from friends in the culture and experience within this culture, Middle Eastern cultures do not look at women in the same light that we as Americans do now a days. How does this point tie in? Well if you look at it from the outside you may disagree with someone else culture but if you understand and respect it than a behavior can be correct or understood due to the context.  

I know this is consitraited mainly on chapter four of Educational Psychology (Anita Woolfolk), but again with working in a special education program this is what caught my eye.