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Essay Instructions: This is a thesis paper for a masters degree in teaching. The topic is "Can kinesthetics improve learning in the elementary classroom?" This is just a copy of my proposal:
(Must be in APA style)
Introduction:
This thesis project will be covering kinesthetics in the elementary classroom. I intend to explore the differences in learning effectiveness between lesson plans that take into account kinesthetic learning versus those that don't. I decided to do this project so I could help benefit all of my students who have different learning abilities. It is very easy to identify students with kinesthetic intelligence. Students with kinesthetic intelligence behave differently to those that completely follow the norms set by society. These students love figuring out how things work and do not need others to tell them. They do things going by their instincts and get “gut feelings” for things around them. They enjoy and usually are seen to be successful in active sports, constructing, dancing, hands-on tasks, working with scientific probes and microscopes, robotics, digital still and video cameras etc. There can be different kinesthetic learners, such as those who feel more comfortable using different parts of their body. In different lesson plans used in the fall I will develop learning skills for those who are auditory or visual learners as well.
This project is very important to me so that I can increase learning and development in all students that enter my classroom. I have already done some research on a program called Brain Gym that has been introduced in many school systems.

So what I need is 10 pages of Identifying kinesthetic intelligence, 10 pages of kinesthetic behavior and 10 pages of a closing on the subject.


References I have looked at in my proposal: (No more than half my sources can be web-based)

Griss, S. (1998). Minds in Motion: A kinesthetic Approach to Teaching Elementary Curriculum.

Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind. Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.

Lazear, D. (1991). Seven ways of knowing: Teaching for multiple intelligences: a
handbook of techniques for expanding intelligence. Skylight Publishing.

Templeton,R. (1996). Can Adding Movement to Learning Improve the Classroom Environment? College of Education and health Sciences, Retrieved March 15, 2009, from http://www.eric.ed.gov

Witcher, S. (2001). Effects of Educational Kinesiology, Previous Performance, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status on Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening Scores of Kindergarten Students. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd_0412001_144531/unrestricted/BrainGymPaper

Essay Instructions: respond to this scenario:
You are assuming the principalship of a 600-pupil school in a low-middle class rural
community. Recently, the school received an "academically unacceptable" accountability
rating by the Texas Education Agency. About 40% of the students are minority.
Most of your 40 teachers have several years of experience. However you detect a
negative attitude from the teachers because they feel that the students in the school
cannot learn. As you walk through the classrooms you observe lots of wasted time, use of
paper and pencil activities, usage of a single textbook, and very few motivational
techniques. Students seemed bored and uninterested in their studies.
A check of the STAAR and End-of-Course (EOC) scores indicates that only 45% of the
students have passed all tests. There exists a considerable discrepancy between white and
minority student performance with only 23% of minorities passing all tests. Furthermore
a review of the special populations indicates that a disproportionately high rate of
minorities are in special education.
As an educator, you are not satisfied with the saying, "It's the home that is the problem."
To you, this is an excuse that is unacceptable.
If you believe you can make a difference in the academic and social progress of the
students, what plan of action would you develop?
essay outline

what each paragraph addresses

Paragraph 1 ??" Problem and/or Opportunity
Paragraph 2 ??" Effects Manifested
Paragraph 3 ??" Lack of shaping a campus culture by developing a shared vision
Paragraph 4 ??" Lack of communicating and collaborating with stakeholders
Paragraph 5 ??" Lack of acting with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner
Paragraph 6 ??" Lack of designing curriculum, instruction and assessment for student performance
Paragraph 7 ??" Lack of sustaining an instructional program conducive to student learning and professional development
Paragraph 8 ??" Lack of implementing a staff evaluation and development system
Paragraph 9 ??" Lack of utilizing organizational, decision making, and problem solving skills
Paragraph 10 ??" Lack of applying leadership and management principles
Paragraph 11 ??" Lack of promoting a safe physical plant
Paragraph 12 - Closure

paragraph outline:
part 1 use the TExES Competency, domain and subpart/quote

part 2 use the theory or model

Model, theory supports competency-
Lesson cylcle
Motivation theory
Reinforemcement theory
Blooms taxonomy
Erickson;s SOK
Retention Theory
Transfer theory


part 3
Techniques/strategies to fix the problem reflective of the theory or model

Outline of my response:

School intervention plan
1. Access previous years data and that of feeder schools to formulate where the academic shifts are occurring
2. Meet with high performing teachers to go over what they do to be successful
3. Meet with all academic department to get their ideas for intervention
4. Depend on data for plan of action
5. Develop a self and teacher assessment survey to mark progress of actions-long term
6. Hold a meeting with staff to exercise the severity of the school unrecognized accountability and layout the plan for improvement
7. Make a public statement about plan of action
8. Gain community input through a survey
9. Proceed with plan with developed checkpoints and critical analysis of progress


my quick outline of the scenario:
1) school stats
a) academically unacceptable
b) 600 students
c) 40 teachers with experience
d) Low middleclass
e) Rural community
f) 40 % of student are minorities
2) Teachers
a) Detect a negative attitude
i) Low confidence in learning abilities of the students
3) Students
a) 40% are minorities
b) Students are bored
c) Students are uninterested in their studies
d) 45% of students pass all 3 sections of TAKS
e) Discrepancies between white and minority student performance
4) Curriculum
a) Pen and paper activities
b) Single textbook
c) Academically unacceptable by state
5) Classroom management
a) Few motivation techniques used my teachers
b) Wasted time
6) State accountability
a) Academically unacceptable
b) 45% of student have passed all three sections of the TAKS
c) White and minority student performance
d) 23% of minorities passed all 3 sections of TAKS test
7) Special populations
a) High rate of minorities in special education

the link for the TExES principal competencies and domains is the reference with the theories and models

http://www.texes.ets.org/assets/pdf/test_descriptions/te_facmanappendixc_fld068_r.pdf

Essay Instructions: How might cognitive processes differ for students with diverse learning abilities? Describe how the classroom can be adapted accordingly to meet the need of such students.
Address how information is transformed into knowledge as it passes through the three stages of sensory, short-term, and long-term memory in these students. Cite examples of strategies employed during working memory to ensure processing into long term processing.

Essay Instructions: Below are the instrictions for the paper. I will e-mail what I have so far. I also need included in the paper:
1. Building relationships: What will be accomplished by building positive relationships with students?
2. Include ways in which a teacher will create procedures or a set of steps to keep behavior problems to a minimum.


Instructions:

A. Discuss your personal beliefs on individual student learning abilities.
B. Describe your responsibility as the classroom teacher in ensuring student learning.
1. Point out the importance of classroom management.
2. Explain why building relationships with your students will help lead you and your students toward an effective learning environment.
C. Identify the steps you will take to implement an approach that will reduce behavior problems and support learning for all.
1. Include why you will need to make the content meaningful and relevant to your students.
2. Explain the need for establishing goals, rules, and procedures.
3. Explain how you will build relationships with your students that will help lead you and your students toward an effective learning environment.