A: In chapter 7, Carol acknowledged that it is hard to care. She gives several reasons. Which reason is most validating to you, and why? If you don't really connect to any of Carol's reasons, explain what you believe your "reason" is.
The thing that makes it hardest for me to care is that I can't please everyone all the time. There will always be that one parent or one student that no matter how hard I try to make learning fun, engaging, interesting, differentiated, it will never be good enough for them or meet their expectations. It will make it harder for me to care because no matter what I do this person will be unsatisfied. That just makes me discouraged. I've already had exposure to this after teaching preschool for a few years. Even in preschool I've had a parent unsatisfied with something at one point or another. It is during times like these that I feel I will grow the most and learn so much about myself, a student, and/or a parent. Please let me have a caring enough heart to keep trying! : )
B: Carol offers two final metaphors, what I call the "McNurlty Metaphor" and the "London Metaphor." Which one do you connect with most, and why?
The McNurlty metaphor made me think about my own experiences in copying a recipe given to me by my mother or grandmothers. Though I've tried to recreate their delicious talents in the kitchen there always seems to be something missing or it's just not quite to their standard yet. I really feel it comes with the years of practice and amount of love and attention they give their cooking. They have become the expert of their dishes because they've had years to perfect them and it has become second nature to them. They no longer sweat over the recipes and follow it exactly. They already know the best combination of ingredients and eyeball everything that goes into it. I feel like it will be the same for me as an educator. Though there will never be "the perfect recipe" I can perfect my recipe every time I make it. After I have some experience being a teacher I feel like I will be able to pinpoint exactly what my classroom recipe needs and tweak it accordingly. I will become an expert in certain "dishes" and I will pour all my love into my creations. I want to be able to "eyeball" what my classroom needs and being a part of something so wonderful will be second nature to me.
My grandma makes the best bread in the world! I may be a bit partial but I'm just sayin'. It's because it is never rushed and she always makes enough loaves for her and my grandpa and then for her neighbors and friends. I don't think anything tastes better than bread baked with other loaves that are given away to show love. I have so many great memories of helping her make bread and deliver them to various people with a Christmas carol greeting. It has always been one of my favorite family memories. I want to be able to emulate her giving nature by being a giving teacher. I want to show my students that they each mean a lot to me and that I care about what they learn in my classroom. I want to give them everything I have to offer and create a partnership of learning.
C: Read one or two blog responses from two or three of your classmates. Then, please give a brief message of encouragement to one of your classmates based on your reaction to their response that you read. Leave your message of encouragement on their blog as a comment(at the end of the particular blog your are responding to). Copy your message of encouragement and paste it into YOUR blog, telling me who you are responding to.
To Stephanie Benson
Stephanie! Seriously! I LOVE the quote you put on here from Esme Raji. I don't remember reading it but as I read it on your blog I was reassured once again that it is okay to be inadequate as a teacher. We are trying our best to teach to the best of our ability and it won't be perfect every time. I don't think this could come at a more crucial time than right now, preparing for our internships. We're going to mess up. Period. But, I'm so glad to be able to aim high and do my best and have wonderful friends to help validate my efforts. Knowing that we're going to be in this together gives me such a comforting feeling. I don't know if it was this quote and your blog that got me a little emotional, the amount of homework we have due in the next seven days, or this awesome Michael Jackson Pandora radio station I'm listening to but I feel a little more confident about this whole intern experience. I'm so glad I've gotten to get to know you so much more this semester. You are just plain fabulous and I am so excited for the wonderful things you are going to accomplish with your students. You will be one amazing teacher.
Meridith Walch
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Blog #7
For Blog #7, carefully read Figure 6.1 on page 70, Figure 6.2 on pages 75- 78, Figure 6.3 on p. 79, and Figure 6.4 on page 80. Really looking at this unit makes Carol's words on the surrounding pages inspiring and engaging. So, after you have read the unit in the pages listed above, find 3 subheadings in the chapter that are very clear to you now. Compare and contrast Mr. Johnson's ideas, YOUR ideas for your own class, and the 3 subheadings that are especially meaningful in that comparison. (By "subtopics" I mean the 1- to 2-paragraph sections surrounding the Figures in chapter 6.). Is there something in what you are required to teach for which you could "plan the engagement" in similar ways?
I really enjoyed all of the subtopics Carol talked about in "Additional Strategies for Important, Focused, Engaging Curriculum and Instruction". When I read information like this it just gets me so excited to teach. If I wasn't a teacher I think I would have liked to work for an ad agency or as a radio personality. The reason an ad agency sounds appealing to me is because I have a very creative mind. I can think of little jingles, I visualize all these great things and how they'll be executed, and I get ridiculously excited about it and will do anything I can to make it happen. It will be the same way when I have my own class. I am willing to do the same thing for my students. I want the work to be fun, varied, and so engaging for them they can't wait to get started. When I interviewed for this internship opportunity I mentioned something along those lines in my interview. I believe school is a place to work hard an do your best but nowhere did anyone ever say that it had to be boring, monotonous, and tedious. It is an adventure.
Focus Student Products Around Significant Problems and Issues. I love this idea. Mr. Johnson did such a great job of this when he introduced the various ways of creating a ship that was buoyant and varied the process to coming to the same understanding. Though there may not have been a problem with buoyant ships in his area, it is a real world problem to be able to figure out how much cargo a ship can carry based on specific mathematical equations. I thought it was a very interesting way to introduce the concept of buoyancy and make it hands on. I want to be able to do the same thing in my classroom. I want to be able to create several routes, based on interest and readiness, to learning the same principle in every are of the core. I understand that I will not be able to differentiate every piece of instruction nor do I need to but I want to be able to do when it would be a benefit to my students. I will use the same method of using real life problems and finding a way to solve the issue. The part in the text when it talks about the students figuring out how to help the construction situation by the school stuck out to me because of all the construction that is always happening in Utah, especially Utah County. When students have a real issue to solve they are more likely to be motivated to find a solution and realize that the things they are learning in school is not just busy work to get them out of the house. It is preparing them for the real world and having a successful life. It is helping them become contributing members of society. It is preparing them to be heroes in their own way.
Using Meaningful Audiences. I love this too! It falls along the same lines as the previous subtopic. Mr. Johnson uses his audience as the people at the ship engineering corporation. He gave the students a different audience which enabled his students to know that they were going to have to convince this company that their way was the best. He was able to place some coopetition into this assignment. Another way to do this would be to have an actual audience like if you did a unit on plants in 2nd grade. I think it would be great if you had the students write a letter to an organization that they could ask to donate plants to them. They could write about what they were learning about and how much it would mean to them to have plants to take care of and enrich their knowledge. This would help reinforce what they would be learning and they could practice writing. You could differentiate it by changing the product or the process. This is a completely do-able thing for me. Especially now that I am becoming an expert in the area of RAFT-ing. I'm a huge fan of it.
Look for Fresh Ways to Explore and Present Ideas. This is my favorite of all. My area of expertise, if you will. This wasn't extremely evident in Mr. Johnson's buoyancy lesson plan. He brought everything together by creating different ways for the students to document their findings or come to their own conclusions. I think it would be great to be able to provide students with their own way of presenting what they learn. At the school I am interning with my team informed me that the third graders will have a book report due every month. I asked her if there were different ways for the students to present what they learned or if their were specific guidelines they had to follow. One of the teachers told me they had specific guidelines but if I wanted to alter it I could. I really appreciated them being open with that because I would really like students to be able to express what they learned from their reading using their own talents and given abilities. I know that this will also be a great motivation for them to read. IT is also a way for students to get to know each other's talents and what they are capable of. I also want to make it interesting enough for them to stay engaged and create ways for all of my students to be a little more challenged and think "outside of the box." Using cartoons, multimedia, skits, a paper, a diorama, creating a book, presenting information, pretending to be a character, interviews, etc. The sky is the limit! There are so many things you can discover about your children as you provide different ways for them to express themselves. Everyone is good at something and I want my students to know that about themselves and about each other.
I really enjoyed all of the subtopics Carol talked about in "Additional Strategies for Important, Focused, Engaging Curriculum and Instruction". When I read information like this it just gets me so excited to teach. If I wasn't a teacher I think I would have liked to work for an ad agency or as a radio personality. The reason an ad agency sounds appealing to me is because I have a very creative mind. I can think of little jingles, I visualize all these great things and how they'll be executed, and I get ridiculously excited about it and will do anything I can to make it happen. It will be the same way when I have my own class. I am willing to do the same thing for my students. I want the work to be fun, varied, and so engaging for them they can't wait to get started. When I interviewed for this internship opportunity I mentioned something along those lines in my interview. I believe school is a place to work hard an do your best but nowhere did anyone ever say that it had to be boring, monotonous, and tedious. It is an adventure.
Focus Student Products Around Significant Problems and Issues. I love this idea. Mr. Johnson did such a great job of this when he introduced the various ways of creating a ship that was buoyant and varied the process to coming to the same understanding. Though there may not have been a problem with buoyant ships in his area, it is a real world problem to be able to figure out how much cargo a ship can carry based on specific mathematical equations. I thought it was a very interesting way to introduce the concept of buoyancy and make it hands on. I want to be able to do the same thing in my classroom. I want to be able to create several routes, based on interest and readiness, to learning the same principle in every are of the core. I understand that I will not be able to differentiate every piece of instruction nor do I need to but I want to be able to do when it would be a benefit to my students. I will use the same method of using real life problems and finding a way to solve the issue. The part in the text when it talks about the students figuring out how to help the construction situation by the school stuck out to me because of all the construction that is always happening in Utah, especially Utah County. When students have a real issue to solve they are more likely to be motivated to find a solution and realize that the things they are learning in school is not just busy work to get them out of the house. It is preparing them for the real world and having a successful life. It is helping them become contributing members of society. It is preparing them to be heroes in their own way.
Using Meaningful Audiences. I love this too! It falls along the same lines as the previous subtopic. Mr. Johnson uses his audience as the people at the ship engineering corporation. He gave the students a different audience which enabled his students to know that they were going to have to convince this company that their way was the best. He was able to place some coopetition into this assignment. Another way to do this would be to have an actual audience like if you did a unit on plants in 2nd grade. I think it would be great if you had the students write a letter to an organization that they could ask to donate plants to them. They could write about what they were learning about and how much it would mean to them to have plants to take care of and enrich their knowledge. This would help reinforce what they would be learning and they could practice writing. You could differentiate it by changing the product or the process. This is a completely do-able thing for me. Especially now that I am becoming an expert in the area of RAFT-ing. I'm a huge fan of it.
Look for Fresh Ways to Explore and Present Ideas. This is my favorite of all. My area of expertise, if you will. This wasn't extremely evident in Mr. Johnson's buoyancy lesson plan. He brought everything together by creating different ways for the students to document their findings or come to their own conclusions. I think it would be great to be able to provide students with their own way of presenting what they learn. At the school I am interning with my team informed me that the third graders will have a book report due every month. I asked her if there were different ways for the students to present what they learned or if their were specific guidelines they had to follow. One of the teachers told me they had specific guidelines but if I wanted to alter it I could. I really appreciated them being open with that because I would really like students to be able to express what they learned from their reading using their own talents and given abilities. I know that this will also be a great motivation for them to read. IT is also a way for students to get to know each other's talents and what they are capable of. I also want to make it interesting enough for them to stay engaged and create ways for all of my students to be a little more challenged and think "outside of the box." Using cartoons, multimedia, skits, a paper, a diorama, creating a book, presenting information, pretending to be a character, interviews, etc. The sky is the limit! There are so many things you can discover about your children as you provide different ways for them to express themselves. Everyone is good at something and I want my students to know that about themselves and about each other.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Blog #6
4.1) At the beginning of chapter 4, Carol includes a discussion between Charlie and his teacher, from a book called The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I’ve read the book, and it’s gut wrenching, edgy, and sometimes over the top – definitely meant for mature audiences who are not especially sensitive to harsh language and difficult lifestyles. But… this discussion moves me every time I read it. Have you ever had this type of a discussion with a teacher? Please tell me about it.
As I read the conversation between Charlie and his teacher I thought about a relationship I had with my sophomore English teacher, Mrs. Puscillo-Slayton, and still do. I didn't have a conversation per se like Charlie did but it was in her positive personal comments that I began to grow closer to her. Throughout the entire year she would tell me how smart I was and that I had so many wonderful talents. She would leave me personal comments on my assignments. If I needed improvement in a specific area she would guide me through the process rather than force me to go where she wanted me. She set high standards for me and of course I wanted to achieve them. We were a partnership in my education. She also appreciated my sense of humor and my personality. She could see what made up my core. Mrs. P. respected my religion and interests. I would often talk to her during breaks, in between classes, and go out of my way to say hi to her at a school activity. I was comfortable with her and she allowed me to open up to her.
When I returned home from my mission I worked for the school district in my hometown and got to help with the after school program for the high school. I was so excited to be able to see Mrs. P. again and tell her all my big plans and the things I had accomplished. She was elated when she saw me again and told me how amazing I was. She would point me out to her colleagues and tell them that I was always such a wonderful and intelligent student. That's what I loved about her. She was constantly buoying me up and reassuring me that the sky was the limit for my future. She made a huge contribution to my choice in education and in my continued love of English and writing. She will always be to me that "one teacher that made the difference".
Are my assignments…
As I read the conversation between Charlie and his teacher I thought about a relationship I had with my sophomore English teacher, Mrs. Puscillo-Slayton, and still do. I didn't have a conversation per se like Charlie did but it was in her positive personal comments that I began to grow closer to her. Throughout the entire year she would tell me how smart I was and that I had so many wonderful talents. She would leave me personal comments on my assignments. If I needed improvement in a specific area she would guide me through the process rather than force me to go where she wanted me. She set high standards for me and of course I wanted to achieve them. We were a partnership in my education. She also appreciated my sense of humor and my personality. She could see what made up my core. Mrs. P. respected my religion and interests. I would often talk to her during breaks, in between classes, and go out of my way to say hi to her at a school activity. I was comfortable with her and she allowed me to open up to her.
When I returned home from my mission I worked for the school district in my hometown and got to help with the after school program for the high school. I was so excited to be able to see Mrs. P. again and tell her all my big plans and the things I had accomplished. She was elated when she saw me again and told me how amazing I was. She would point me out to her colleagues and tell them that I was always such a wonderful and intelligent student. That's what I loved about her. She was constantly buoying me up and reassuring me that the sky was the limit for my future. She made a huge contribution to my choice in education and in my continued love of English and writing. She will always be to me that "one teacher that made the difference".
5.3) On the bulletin board that I face as I sit at my desk in my office, I have posted, just above eye-level, the following:
Are my assignments…
· Important? (authentic)
· Focused? (students know what to do)
· Engaging? (interesting)
· Demanding? (challenging)
· Scaffolded? (students aren’t left hanging)
I think this sign is helping me improve, but it’s a lot to work on. Some things are easier than others. For instance, I think I’ve come a long way in planning focused assignments, largely through gentle suggestions from students and colleagues. I think the one in which I’m “better than the others” is “demanding assignments.” Obviously, these come from Figure 5.1 on page 59. Take a look at them, with their bulleted explanations, and list them in a prioritized order for yourself… from the easiest for you to the most difficult for you. Briefly explain your ranking.
Engaging
Important
Focused
Demanding
Scaffolded
I have always been very creative when it come to engaging students into a task and keeping their interest. I've implemented raps, created movies as hooks for several topics, incorporated art, music, and always try to make it interesting based on the students personalities' and personal interests. I don't like to add anything pointless and I'm very against busy work. Life is too short to do worksheets all day and drill things into student's heads. I like to stick to the important things students need to learn while making it engaging. Next is making sure the tasks are focused. I feel like I can do this well it's just not my strongest talent. I know the importance of keeping assignments focused because there is an end goal that I want all of my students to achieve and in order to that, we all have to know where we're headed and why. It gets a little more difficult for me to make sure the work is demanding. I know I will get better at this over time and as I get to know each of my students. I put this toward the end of my ranking because I just haven't had as much time to learn how to create my assignments based on ZPD. Scaffolding has so many different elements to it I just feel like I still need some practice learning hoe to vary materials, modes of teaching support, and avenues to support a variety of learners. I know that is why this class will be so helpful to me because I am gaining the tools I need to learn how and then I will be able to do. I know that this is such an important element and I am working hard to glean as much as I can from this course to improve each of the elements needed to be the best.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Blog #5
For this blog, please find two different places where Carol makes a statement or quotes someone else, and this statement really touches you... really calls to your heart.
In your blog response, for each statement, give the page number where it is found in the book, copy the most important portion of the statement, and briefly tell why it matters to you -- why it has significant meaning for you.
On page 25 in the text Carol quotes Barbara Kingsolver who "reminds us that the very least we ought to expect of ourselves is that we figure out what we hope for in this life. The most we can do is to make sure we live inside our hopes rather than admiring them from a distance."
I absolutely love this quote. It is a lovely reminder to me that it is important to remain hopeful of the goals and ambitions we have in this life. Hope is such a powerful word to me because sometimes in life it is the only thing left we have to hold on to. A hope for something better to come. A hope that everything will turn out okay. A hope for the betterment of someone around me. As a teacher my hopes revolve around my students. I want my hopes to become their hopes and their hopes to become mine. Sometimes we are the last thing students have to hold on to. The hope of something better. The hope for a second chance, to succeed, and reveal their true selves to someone.
On page 58, when asked by Carol to "invest in me" Mrs. Wannamaker (her 9th grade German teacher) replied, "I will learn about you and do whatever it takes, using this subject matter, to make sure you are a fuller and more potent human being than you were when you walked in this room. Please be my colleague in that quest."
I was blown away by this response. The passion that this teacher had for her career and for her students is a trait I would love to emulate. As a student I can't imagine another response that would have a greater impact on me. If I knew that my teacher was going to invest everything she could in me I would step up to the plate and make her proud. Teachers like this are a reminder to me of how much we can effect our students in their success and their self esteem as a learner. Their educational quest is a joint effort with the teacher and as a hallmark in differentiation I can see the importance of that teamwork and the lasting impact it has. A teacher's job isn't a nine month gig. It's an opportunity to build relationships that will last for years.
In your blog response, for each statement, give the page number where it is found in the book, copy the most important portion of the statement, and briefly tell why it matters to you -- why it has significant meaning for you.
On page 25 in the text Carol quotes Barbara Kingsolver who "reminds us that the very least we ought to expect of ourselves is that we figure out what we hope for in this life. The most we can do is to make sure we live inside our hopes rather than admiring them from a distance."
I absolutely love this quote. It is a lovely reminder to me that it is important to remain hopeful of the goals and ambitions we have in this life. Hope is such a powerful word to me because sometimes in life it is the only thing left we have to hold on to. A hope for something better to come. A hope that everything will turn out okay. A hope for the betterment of someone around me. As a teacher my hopes revolve around my students. I want my hopes to become their hopes and their hopes to become mine. Sometimes we are the last thing students have to hold on to. The hope of something better. The hope for a second chance, to succeed, and reveal their true selves to someone.
On page 58, when asked by Carol to "invest in me" Mrs. Wannamaker (her 9th grade German teacher) replied, "I will learn about you and do whatever it takes, using this subject matter, to make sure you are a fuller and more potent human being than you were when you walked in this room. Please be my colleague in that quest."
I was blown away by this response. The passion that this teacher had for her career and for her students is a trait I would love to emulate. As a student I can't imagine another response that would have a greater impact on me. If I knew that my teacher was going to invest everything she could in me I would step up to the plate and make her proud. Teachers like this are a reminder to me of how much we can effect our students in their success and their self esteem as a learner. Their educational quest is a joint effort with the teacher and as a hallmark in differentiation I can see the importance of that teamwork and the lasting impact it has. A teacher's job isn't a nine month gig. It's an opportunity to build relationships that will last for years.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Blog #4
Choice B) Tell me about any part of Principal Sylvia Allan's presentation that "struck a chord" in you, (either positively or negatively), and how you think it will affect you in your teaching.
Honestly, I was gobbling up every word she said and all of it was such wonderful information. My favorite part about it was her personality. That made the biggest impression on me. She was so funny and kind and all of her strategies for management were helping students govern themselves and figure out what they were there to do. I love making people feel comfortable and loved and humor is my biggest and best tool for that. I was so excited when she spoke because I felt like we are very similar and I knew I could have morning meetings the way she described them. It was a huge confidence boost for me and things seemed less overwhelming and scary. Sometimes I forget that school can be a blast and learning doesn't have to be dreary and dreadful. I have recently gotten lost in the bajillion technical things that I have forgotten about the fun parts (which is seriously unlike me so I am so grateful for the slap-in-the-face-reminder this was for me). I am so excited to learn how to find that balance. I want my class to be the one where everybody wants to be in it because it's fair, based on a community effort, and we laugh every day multiple times.
I was so amazed by the story about Carlos and the end of the year morning meeting. Of course by the end I wanted to know if he got baptized and was married in the temple now : ) but even to know that he had that special experience was enough for me. I served a mission in Dallas and missionary work is very dear to my heart. I just want everyone to feel that same peace in their lives. In a classroom it's the same thing. We don't have to have a morning prayer or share a spiritual thought but it's our attitudes and examples that promote that "spiritual" environment; a place where learning is at its optimum level because everyone is doing their part to lift each other up. People recognize that. Some may not be able to put their finger on it but I know. To me it's providing a safe place for my student in every way and though my religious views won't be shared I feel like my understanding of the importance of community based on those views will be such a great addition to my classroom. I feel like I just had a mini epiphany and I am seeing connections I've never seen before. I am exactly where I need to be right now and doing what I need to be doing.
Honestly, I was gobbling up every word she said and all of it was such wonderful information. My favorite part about it was her personality. That made the biggest impression on me. She was so funny and kind and all of her strategies for management were helping students govern themselves and figure out what they were there to do. I love making people feel comfortable and loved and humor is my biggest and best tool for that. I was so excited when she spoke because I felt like we are very similar and I knew I could have morning meetings the way she described them. It was a huge confidence boost for me and things seemed less overwhelming and scary. Sometimes I forget that school can be a blast and learning doesn't have to be dreary and dreadful. I have recently gotten lost in the bajillion technical things that I have forgotten about the fun parts (which is seriously unlike me so I am so grateful for the slap-in-the-face-reminder this was for me). I am so excited to learn how to find that balance. I want my class to be the one where everybody wants to be in it because it's fair, based on a community effort, and we laugh every day multiple times.
I was so amazed by the story about Carlos and the end of the year morning meeting. Of course by the end I wanted to know if he got baptized and was married in the temple now : ) but even to know that he had that special experience was enough for me. I served a mission in Dallas and missionary work is very dear to my heart. I just want everyone to feel that same peace in their lives. In a classroom it's the same thing. We don't have to have a morning prayer or share a spiritual thought but it's our attitudes and examples that promote that "spiritual" environment; a place where learning is at its optimum level because everyone is doing their part to lift each other up. People recognize that. Some may not be able to put their finger on it but I know. To me it's providing a safe place for my student in every way and though my religious views won't be shared I feel like my understanding of the importance of community based on those views will be such a great addition to my classroom. I feel like I just had a mini epiphany and I am seeing connections I've never seen before. I am exactly where I need to be right now and doing what I need to be doing.
Blog #3
Blog #3: With the reading you've done so far, about differentiation, can you see any differentiation I have organized for you in this course? Look at the assignments (listed on page 3 of the full syllabus and outlined on pages 7 - 11). Which one appears to you (not your friends, or study buddies, but to YOU) as if it may be the product and process differentiated for student interest? Briefly explain why you think so, and connect it to something you read in Ch. 1 of Fulfilling the Promise.
I feel like I personally have already been a part of a differentiated classroom while learning about it. There are variety of ways the material has already been presented in class. We have watched movies and seen examples, cried after watching the Oprah special (or maybe that was just me...), read about it in the text, and had a presenter come in and talk about what makes an excellent morning meeting. These strategies have all enabled various types of learners receive their information in a way they can retain it and appreciate it best. I have really enjoyed these different ways because I never know what we're going to do next. It's always a surprise and I love it! The class discussions and participation also enable us to share ideas and reinforce the material covered in class.
In the syllabus there are also several ways differentiation is being used to enhance the assignments we turn in. There are both individual and group assignments and we are able to blog about the many things we've been learning. The variety here also helps those who work better in groups, individually, or love blogging and technology in general, to feel like their style of learning is being used and validated throughout the semester. I especially appreciate the group work because I personally work well with groups and often times learn more than if I were doing an assignment independently (can I just throw in here that I am so grateful for collaboration!). This also provides an opportunity to enhance team building skills and create a better sense of community. The key assignment also allows for differentiation. There are four different options that will attract different interests and appeal to different student profiles. This is my favorite part because I feel like I have a choice but you as our teacher can see throughout the different assignments what we have been learning no matter the option we choose. We both come out benefiting from it.
I feel like I personally have already been a part of a differentiated classroom while learning about it. There are variety of ways the material has already been presented in class. We have watched movies and seen examples, cried after watching the Oprah special (or maybe that was just me...), read about it in the text, and had a presenter come in and talk about what makes an excellent morning meeting. These strategies have all enabled various types of learners receive their information in a way they can retain it and appreciate it best. I have really enjoyed these different ways because I never know what we're going to do next. It's always a surprise and I love it! The class discussions and participation also enable us to share ideas and reinforce the material covered in class.
In the syllabus there are also several ways differentiation is being used to enhance the assignments we turn in. There are both individual and group assignments and we are able to blog about the many things we've been learning. The variety here also helps those who work better in groups, individually, or love blogging and technology in general, to feel like their style of learning is being used and validated throughout the semester. I especially appreciate the group work because I personally work well with groups and often times learn more than if I were doing an assignment independently (can I just throw in here that I am so grateful for collaboration!). This also provides an opportunity to enhance team building skills and create a better sense of community. The key assignment also allows for differentiation. There are four different options that will attract different interests and appeal to different student profiles. This is my favorite part because I feel like I have a choice but you as our teacher can see throughout the different assignments what we have been learning no matter the option we choose. We both come out benefiting from it.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Blog #2
1. In the "morning meeting" readings you were exposed to several teachers who do morning meeting in their classrooms. Please find one of them, list his or her name, and explain what they do or believe about morning meeting.
I really enjoyed the article about Mr. Saunders and his class. He believed in making Morning Meetings an engaging learning experience. When he noticed the "Sharing" aspect of his Morning Meeting seemed to be lacking in both of those senses, he decided to take action. Three students signed up for a day to share an experience with the rest of the class. To help make the experiences more lively, he asked open-ended questions to the students who would be sharing the following day. He also incorporated what they were learning in their writing and reading to remind the students what makes an engaging and interesting story. These short interviews before the day of the individual shares as well as a reassuring comment from him right before Morning Meeting, transformed the attitudes and excitement level of each student in his classroom. He believed in finding the kinks in his Morning Meeting routine and wasn't afraid to change them or take the extra short time to improve the entire classroom community's experience. He was a very positive and encouraging teacher and that is what I admire about him.
If you are going to do Morning Meetings, do them right. Always be on the lookout for ways you can improve and engage your students even more. Utilizing what you're learning in other areas of curriculum not only reinforces what students are being taught but also helps them understand that the things they are learning are valuable and useful in everyday life (and amazingly enough, in social experiences as well).
2. In both part I of Differentiation in Practice and chapter 1 in Fulfilling the Promise, you find a short list of curricular elements that teachers can adjust and a short list of student traits or characteristics teachers can respond to. One of the books lists 4 of these, while the other lists only 3. What do you think changed in Tomlinson's thinking to add a 4th curricular element and a 4th trait to her original list?
The curricular elements in the article were: content, process, and products. Adding in the importance of the learning environment is a great addition to the other important elements of a successful differentiated classroom. The other elements would seem to naturally evolve the classroom into the desired learning environment however the added focus to the importance of this element was probably the reason it was added in by Tomlinson. The learning environment of a classroom makes or breaks your experience with the students and how they view the learning process. It is so important to provide a safe, warm, and loving environment for your students so that maximum learning experiences are fostered there. Tomlinson knows how important this fourth element is to provide an even more successful differentiated classroom and further enables students to receive the individualized instruction they need based on their characteristics. Each of the elements work together with the characteristics and feed off of each other. It's kind of like the perfect algorithm for best and most successful differentiated classroom.
Affect is the fourth student characteristic added to the list of readiness, interest, and learning profile. A student's perception of how they feel about themselves has a great impact on their achievement as well as the learning environment. Some things that make one student feel successful might make others feel less than adequate. Tomlinson probably added this to her list of curricular elements because it is so important make sure each of our students feel successful as much of the time as possible. We need to help build our student's self-esteem and perception in a positive manner to enable them to feel like they are capable of completing the tasks they are given. When a student feels confident in their learning and abilities their desire to grow and take on challenges improves immensely. It is our job to create a balance of helping everyone find their successes without making others feel of less significance. I feel like this idea can be summed up into one quote from the end of this article, "Do the best you can with what you bring." and show them that they each have unique individual talents and abilities.
3. In the introduction to The First Six Weeks of School you read about the importance of establishing a friendly, predictable, and orderly classroom as a "prerequisite for children's academic achievement." Is "friendly" as important as "predictable" and "orderly"? Why or why not? (Please refer to ideas you find in the introduction to The First Six Weeks of School.
Friendly is just as if not more important than establishing a predictable and friendly environment in your classroom. I believe it is the foundation that sets the stage for everything else to function properly. A predictable and orderly classroom enables students to know their expectations and function smoothly. A friendly classroom is just as important to academic achievement because that is how the student's learning is fostered and grows. We have all learned about the importance of the classroom environment (hence the several classes in classroom management) and have seen the effects of a nurturing and friendly environment. I have also seen classrooms where no team building activities are incorporated and it was visible how their lack of classroom community spilled over into other areas of interaction with each other. In my previous field experience I was disappointed to see how much this effected students at recess during social interaction and in team games during PE. It seemed like a vicious cycle because the less the students worked together, the more they would argue and tear each other down outside of class, and the less they supported each other's comments and ideas inside the classroom.
If children are anxious and timid to share who they are with the other children, they are unable to grow and support each other. This is the case socially, as well as when it comes to sharing ideas and knowledge. Without this sharing it is extremely difficult for us as teachers to assess the individual needs of students which in turn doesn't allow us to help the student in those areas of need and the student is less likely to succeed.
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