EmilySparks

=**Journal Article Assignment:**= __BRAIN AND LEARNING RESEARCH: IMPLICATIONS FOR MEETING THE NEEDS OF DIVERSE LEARNERS.__

Fara E. Green. (1999). Brain and learning research: implications for meeting the needs of learners. In questia. Retrieved May 3, 2012, from http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5001285062.

The article I chose, __Brain and Learning Research: Implications for Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners__ by Fara E. Green, discusses the need for diverse learning situations in the classroom due to the differences in the learning pace of students. Green touches on how "dramatic developments in brain research...are rapidly advancing our conceptualization of the human brain" which is why we understand all brains are structured the same, but they are used differently. Green mentions Gardner's Multiple Intelligences playing a very large role in today's variations in student's learning pace, which is due to using different parts of their brains in different quantities. Because of this, whenever one of the multiple intelligences is advanced (such as a Linguistic advancement), other aspects (such as Mathematical-Logical) will lack. In saying this, Green believes teachers should use more diverse teaching strategies to touch base with all multiple intelligences, to ensure areas that are lacking may be used as well. This can be done by using flash-cards for the more visual learners, or recorded tapes/lecture for audio learners. Green also suggests forms of intelligence tests for teachers becoming more aware of their own students learning needs so they can adjust to the style of learning of all of their students and adequately teach them.
 * Summary**:

This article connects to this course, as well as ED SED 225. It combines the two in a way that is very interesting. This semester in this class, we learned about learning diversity in the classroom, as well as adapting to the differences in teaching strategies for students. ED SED 225 focused a lot on how to portray these things in the classroom through observations. I think this article really helped me understand the implementations of diversity in a classroom and how it will help all students no matter what pace they learn at.
 * Reflection**:

This article will impact //anyone's// classroom. All students learn at different speeds, and because of this, teachers need to be aware of the necessity of variation in lesson planning. It may be difficult to do in the Arts because of how limited class time is for teaching methods and history; however, I believe creating a more visual-spacial based atmosphere while also playing into the other Multiple Intelligences will really create a broad outcome of artwork and technique in my future classroom.
 * Explanation**:



//Fat Kid Rules the World// by K.L. Going is about a high school senior named Troy Billings. He is 6”1’ but weighs nearly 300 pounds. The beginning of the book begins with Troy contemplating suicide by jumping in front of a train due to the life he lives with a strict father, a disrespectful younger brother and the fact that he’s very noticeably overweight. He is laughed at quite often, and he believes it is due to his weight. This plot to his own death is abruptly ended, however, when Curt MacCrae, the dropout, drug-addicted “badass” legend of their high school, laughs at him. Eventually, Curt and Troy go on to become good friends and help each other through issues as well as start a band together that started off as less-than-par but goes on to help their friendship become even stronger. However, eventually, Troy learns his worth in the world, and tells Curt to drop the drugs and live life knowing who you are instead of putting on a façade. The book ends with Troy, an originally self-conscious and overweight teenager to someone with confidence, crashing his arms down on a drum set he never thought he would be confident enough to play—much less on stage in concert.

There are several groups that I believe are depicted in this book, particularly people with weight issues, whether under or overweight. Also, other “sub” groups would be those with drug issues or families in financial issues, as well as those with strict parents or people who believe others generally don’t seem to understand them (everyone, at some point?). Also, people who are constantly made fun of in some way (also everyone).

To be honest, it didn’t really change my perception at all, mainly because the reason I am becoming a teacher is for those troubled students, whether mentally, physically, or troubled by choice of actions. So of course, I was aware of these situations and so I want to be able to help by being the teacher of a subject that anyone can take part of and enjoy somehow-and still get a grade for it. It also didn’t enhance my awareness much or give me many insights either, due to the factors listed. I chose the book due to pure interest in the topic, and it more so solidified my beliefs than helping me create/enhance them. I know I want to help anyone who is troubled, and I understand that some children openly have lower self-esteems and others just act like they don’t. I don’t want to say I didn’t learn anything in reading this, but all I really can say is that it made me more confident in what I already believe.

I do recommend this text, but I would recommend it more so for students in the late middle school-high school range. There are slightly sexual references and drug innuendos that I believe middle school students would be just on the brink of understanding, however it would be too explicit of information for those students under 6th grade.

I would recommend it to my students to read, however I would never use it as an educational read just because I am going to be an art teacher-if I used anything in class it’d be classic literature or abstract stories. I don’t know how I would ever use this in an Art subject matter.