How does math and music impact you as a teacher?

Music and mathematics have been the source of research in many areas of mathematics and in is used in everyday lives.  Studies have shown that children tend to learn math more proficient when being in a relaxed environment.  Music is a good way that a teacher can help children learn math.  Using various types of mathematical games would be a good approach to teaching math.  In the field of cognitive research, the mind and body connections between both music and mathematics might be able to explain why the small parts of the human brain are most active when listening to music as when being engaged in spatial-temporal reasoning.  Also, the visual and spatial skills that a child exercises every time he/she practices and instrument and plays music,might be able to strengthen the mental-physical connections of the brain.  The slow work of practice, the attention to detail and the discipline it takes to learn an instrument are also excellent preparations for the practice that is involved in building strong math skills.

Journal 5

After watching the videos on Language and Reading, how does this information impact you as a teacher?

As a teacher I believe that children should to acquire their language at home.  Parents should read to them daily so that they can build that foundation of language.  Talking to their child and having a conversation will help the child learn new words.  These activities are done on a daily basis at home so that when the children are ready to start school, they will already be comfortable speaking with their peers and adults including their teacher.  If at any time the teacher suspects that there could be a speech delay problem she/he need to schedule a parent conference with the parents to discuss outside resources and getting the child tested to see if the child will qualify for a special educator.  The same goes with reading, the child needs to have a solid foundation of language in order to be good readers.
 There are many speech delay problems that can occur such as having difficulties in the classroom with understanding oral directions, vocabulary kills, using complete sentences and or correct grammar, completing their homework assignments, in class assignments and can become easily frustrated.  As the teacher, I should be made aware of this problems and be able to prepare lesson plans in which I can introduce my students to phonemic awareness, create games in which my students can benefit from learning and grasping the language by sounding out various sounds words make.  Once this is accomplished then I can begin to introduce and teach reading