Shelbie's Blog:
I learned throughout the semester that you should differentiate group work in a way that is equally engaging to all students. What I hadn't thought much about what individual work. What I learned from Shelbie's blog is that you should find a way to intrinsically motivate your students. You don't want to make learning a competition, that is when students can start to feel like the "dumb" or "smart" kids in the class. What I want to do in my classroom is find a way to make what my students do a competition against themselves. If I am able to do this My students will be more motivated to learn and also they will continue to want to improve in what they are learning.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Blog Post #4: Chapters 5&6
A.) "determining what is important in curriculum is the teacher's role. Difficult as it it, it is our responsibility (and opportunity)..." (p. 60, FPDC).
How do you think you'll do in that respect? I think that I will likely struggle a bit with this at the beginning of my teaching career, but with dedication I can be successful. After teaching I will better learn what is most important and develop strategies to deepen understanding so that my students can be successful.
What type of an active learner and decision-maker are you?
I am the kind of learner who needs to see things to make sense of them. I am not a decisive person. I like to consider all of my options before coming to a decision, this can be rather unhelpful at times. Because of this I like to completely understand a concept before I really feel like I've internalized and learned it.
The brain is inefficient at rote memorization and seeks instead to make meaning of information. If we don't make meaning of what we study, we are likely not to remember it, be able to retrieve it, or be able to use it.
I have been pretty good at memorization throughout my school years, but once the test was over, the information I needed to remember went right out of my head. I did notice in my schooling that if the concepts I had to be learning built upon each other it was hard just to memorize, particularly with math. In this topic things had to connect to my current schema or I would not learn. I had a few teachers that helped facilitate that and some who left me more confused than when I came into the classroom.
Students in schools, classrooms, and educational systems that teach less and teach it better score higher on standardized measures than students in school that seek coverage of massive amounts of information with little emphasis on understanding. In other words, curriculum that is a mile wide but only an inch deep is ineffective in producing real learning.
In my experience when a teacher rushes through things I learn very little. It is clear that the teacher is knowledgeable, but in my experience they don't scaffold long enough for me to truly grasp what they are trying to teach and as a result I forget. I have found that if I really understand one concept and am introduced to another concept say on a standardized test, I would be better able to make an educated guess about the topic than I would if I were briefly introduced.
As knowledge and information grow at an unprecedented rate, it becomes increasingly clear that "coverage is an impossible educational goal. Rather, the aim of education must be to help students understand frames of meaning in the discipline, how to ask useful questions, and how to find and use information effectively and efficiently.
I have found in my study of education that we are trying to teach student different ways of thinking so that when they are on their own they will be able to figure it out for themselves.
To that end, it is the role of educators to "uncover" what is essential to know, understand, and be able to do in the disciplines. Experts of a field value such knowledge, understanding, and skill as essential to productivity in their discipline. Teacher must struggle against "coverage" and strive for "uncoverage" of meaning--distinguishing between what is essential to the discipline, what is important, and what would be nice to know if there were time to do so.
I think there are certain aspects in each grade that are essential to know. It is essential for example to know how to add and subtract. Foundational skills are very important to learn. It is important that I learn how to distinguish these so that I can place the most emphasis on these skills.
The importance of curriculum lies in helping students master and retain essential information, organize knowledge around essential concepts, develop essential understandings, and competently utilize essential skills. Unless those elements are present, interrelated, and balanced in curriculum, students weave a fabric of learning that is riddled wit holes and is insubstantial.
I want to teach my students in a way that endures throughout time. I have had teacher come up with methods of instruction that to this day are still stuck in my head. A spanish teacher I had in the 7th grade taught us a way to remember stem changing verbs. To this day it helps me when I am speaking Spanish.
Important curriculum is necessarily focused on high-level thinking . There is no other way to ensure that students make meaning of, apply, and extend knowledge, understanding, and skill. In other words, there is no lesser route toward expertise in a discipline.
As I stated above, as teachers it is our responsibility to foster different kinds of thinking. We want our students to be lifelong learners. If we want this for them then we must provide instruction that fosters the kinds of thinking they will need later on in life for learning and problem solving.
Were you aware of all of these reasons?
I am sure on some level I was aware of these reasons, but having them said straight out is very helpful. It is a good reminder of my responsibilities as a teacher. These are great reminders of how to help my students be successful.
Are there any that you disagree with?
There were none that I disagreed with, I thought that Carol was right on target.
B.) Fox-Taming Teacher:
1. "...help varied students work in a variety of ways toward a common goal." (page 69) Mr. Johnson recognizes that each of his students is different and learns in different ways. This means he has gotten to know them and taken time to learn about them.
2. "...it inevitably establishes a framework for both student and teacher success." (page 71) It is clear Mr. Johnson cares about his students because he wants the to succeed. He has provided a framework that ensures each students can be challenged but not overwhelmed. They all have the opportunity to feel successful.
3. "...Mr. Johnson asks his students to think of times when some event, circumstance, or change in their lived made them "sink" or "float"." (Page 71) Mr. Johnson is trying to connect learning to the students lives to make it more meaningful. This again shows that he cares and is actually trying to connect with his students. He allows them to share which helps them feel valued in his classroom. He also is able to learn more about his students through this lesson.
4. "Although he may sometimes elect to have students discover a principle rather than presenting it to them at the outset of a lesson...." (page 71) This again shows that he knows the capabilities of his students. He pushes them, but knows their limits. A good teacher knows their students so they can know how to teach something in the optimal way.
How do you think you'll do in that respect? I think that I will likely struggle a bit with this at the beginning of my teaching career, but with dedication I can be successful. After teaching I will better learn what is most important and develop strategies to deepen understanding so that my students can be successful.
What type of an active learner and decision-maker are you?
I am the kind of learner who needs to see things to make sense of them. I am not a decisive person. I like to consider all of my options before coming to a decision, this can be rather unhelpful at times. Because of this I like to completely understand a concept before I really feel like I've internalized and learned it.
The brain is inefficient at rote memorization and seeks instead to make meaning of information. If we don't make meaning of what we study, we are likely not to remember it, be able to retrieve it, or be able to use it.
I have been pretty good at memorization throughout my school years, but once the test was over, the information I needed to remember went right out of my head. I did notice in my schooling that if the concepts I had to be learning built upon each other it was hard just to memorize, particularly with math. In this topic things had to connect to my current schema or I would not learn. I had a few teachers that helped facilitate that and some who left me more confused than when I came into the classroom.
Students in schools, classrooms, and educational systems that teach less and teach it better score higher on standardized measures than students in school that seek coverage of massive amounts of information with little emphasis on understanding. In other words, curriculum that is a mile wide but only an inch deep is ineffective in producing real learning.
In my experience when a teacher rushes through things I learn very little. It is clear that the teacher is knowledgeable, but in my experience they don't scaffold long enough for me to truly grasp what they are trying to teach and as a result I forget. I have found that if I really understand one concept and am introduced to another concept say on a standardized test, I would be better able to make an educated guess about the topic than I would if I were briefly introduced.
As knowledge and information grow at an unprecedented rate, it becomes increasingly clear that "coverage is an impossible educational goal. Rather, the aim of education must be to help students understand frames of meaning in the discipline, how to ask useful questions, and how to find and use information effectively and efficiently.
I have found in my study of education that we are trying to teach student different ways of thinking so that when they are on their own they will be able to figure it out for themselves.
To that end, it is the role of educators to "uncover" what is essential to know, understand, and be able to do in the disciplines. Experts of a field value such knowledge, understanding, and skill as essential to productivity in their discipline. Teacher must struggle against "coverage" and strive for "uncoverage" of meaning--distinguishing between what is essential to the discipline, what is important, and what would be nice to know if there were time to do so.
I think there are certain aspects in each grade that are essential to know. It is essential for example to know how to add and subtract. Foundational skills are very important to learn. It is important that I learn how to distinguish these so that I can place the most emphasis on these skills.
The importance of curriculum lies in helping students master and retain essential information, organize knowledge around essential concepts, develop essential understandings, and competently utilize essential skills. Unless those elements are present, interrelated, and balanced in curriculum, students weave a fabric of learning that is riddled wit holes and is insubstantial.
I want to teach my students in a way that endures throughout time. I have had teacher come up with methods of instruction that to this day are still stuck in my head. A spanish teacher I had in the 7th grade taught us a way to remember stem changing verbs. To this day it helps me when I am speaking Spanish.
Important curriculum is necessarily focused on high-level thinking . There is no other way to ensure that students make meaning of, apply, and extend knowledge, understanding, and skill. In other words, there is no lesser route toward expertise in a discipline.
As I stated above, as teachers it is our responsibility to foster different kinds of thinking. We want our students to be lifelong learners. If we want this for them then we must provide instruction that fosters the kinds of thinking they will need later on in life for learning and problem solving.
Were you aware of all of these reasons?
I am sure on some level I was aware of these reasons, but having them said straight out is very helpful. It is a good reminder of my responsibilities as a teacher. These are great reminders of how to help my students be successful.
Are there any that you disagree with?
There were none that I disagreed with, I thought that Carol was right on target.
B.) Fox-Taming Teacher:
1. "...help varied students work in a variety of ways toward a common goal." (page 69) Mr. Johnson recognizes that each of his students is different and learns in different ways. This means he has gotten to know them and taken time to learn about them.
2. "...it inevitably establishes a framework for both student and teacher success." (page 71) It is clear Mr. Johnson cares about his students because he wants the to succeed. He has provided a framework that ensures each students can be challenged but not overwhelmed. They all have the opportunity to feel successful.
3. "...Mr. Johnson asks his students to think of times when some event, circumstance, or change in their lived made them "sink" or "float"." (Page 71) Mr. Johnson is trying to connect learning to the students lives to make it more meaningful. This again shows that he cares and is actually trying to connect with his students. He allows them to share which helps them feel valued in his classroom. He also is able to learn more about his students through this lesson.
4. "Although he may sometimes elect to have students discover a principle rather than presenting it to them at the outset of a lesson...." (page 71) This again shows that he knows the capabilities of his students. He pushes them, but knows their limits. A good teacher knows their students so they can know how to teach something in the optimal way.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom: Chapters 1,2, & 3
1. "A key ingredient in the learning environment is the "mood" of the classroom." (page 5) I went into two different second grade classrooms recently and the mood of each classroom was very different. One seemed more intense and upbeat while the other more relaxed and calming. It was then that I realized how important the mood or tone of the classroom is. I want to create a mood in my classroom that will help my students feel at home and comfortable. This mood might change from year to year or day to day depending on my students needs.
2. "One only understand the things one tames." (page 6) Once my students realize I care for them they will let me get to know them. It is only through knowing them that I will be able to really connect learning to them.
3. "Children spend the majority of their waking hours in schools and classrooms." (page 9) Because of this it is my responsibility to create an environment in which my students feel safe, loved, and happy. Differentiation is the way that will help me do that. They will feel cared about if I am giving them what they need to be challenged to achieve their learning.
4. "In the early stages of our teaching most of us do well to "manage" the students and "cover" the curriculum. There is no time, no energy, no skill for really even seeing, let alone connecting with individual students."(page 22) I do not want to be one of the "most". I know that the beginning of my teaching career will be busy, but I don't want to lose sight of why I pursued this profession. I did it for the kids. I know now that each student is an individual and I don't want to lose sight of that. If I differentiate my instruction I think this will help me see my students better.
5. "...invested teacher work hard at learning, spend free-time in pursuit of knowledge, think and puzzle over problems, and get excited about ideas. Invested teacher have clear personal goals toward which they work steadily. Invested teachers exemplify the pursuit of excellence:" (page 31) This is the kind of teacher I want to be. I want to constantly be looking for profesional development. I feel that a teacher who is always wanting to learn will be an exciting teacher and thus a better teacher. Teachers that are passionate about what they do are creative and better able to come up with ideas to help their students.
2. "One only understand the things one tames." (page 6) Once my students realize I care for them they will let me get to know them. It is only through knowing them that I will be able to really connect learning to them.
3. "Children spend the majority of their waking hours in schools and classrooms." (page 9) Because of this it is my responsibility to create an environment in which my students feel safe, loved, and happy. Differentiation is the way that will help me do that. They will feel cared about if I am giving them what they need to be challenged to achieve their learning.
4. "In the early stages of our teaching most of us do well to "manage" the students and "cover" the curriculum. There is no time, no energy, no skill for really even seeing, let alone connecting with individual students."(page 22) I do not want to be one of the "most". I know that the beginning of my teaching career will be busy, but I don't want to lose sight of why I pursued this profession. I did it for the kids. I know now that each student is an individual and I don't want to lose sight of that. If I differentiate my instruction I think this will help me see my students better.
5. "...invested teacher work hard at learning, spend free-time in pursuit of knowledge, think and puzzle over problems, and get excited about ideas. Invested teacher have clear personal goals toward which they work steadily. Invested teachers exemplify the pursuit of excellence:" (page 31) This is the kind of teacher I want to be. I want to constantly be looking for profesional development. I feel that a teacher who is always wanting to learn will be an exciting teacher and thus a better teacher. Teachers that are passionate about what they do are creative and better able to come up with ideas to help their students.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Differentiation
1. Differentiation is necessary for each student to obtain one year of growth. Each student starts in different place on each subject. It would be unfair of me as a teacher to expect all of my students to be the same and learn in the same way. Students have different learning profiles and come from different backgrounds. I should keep this in mind while planning.
2. Differentiation diminishes discouragement. If I teach all of my students the same way, some of them are bound to get discouraged. This will hinder their learning. They may stop trying or think they aren't smart enough. "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." (Albert Einstein) It is important that I emphasize to my students that there are multiple ways to achieve success.
3. Differentiation helps provide a supportive environment. It stops becoming about teaching the content and starts becoming about teaching the content to the child in the right way. This helps students feel cared about, which provides a positive classroom environment.
4. The way you learn is as unique as your fingerprint. A good teacher knows her students and looks at their class as individuals who make up a whole instead of the other way around. It is important for teachers to know how their students learn and their interests so that students will be motivated to continue learning.
5. You can't improvise differentiation. You have to "plan for unpredictability."You may not know which students for which subjects will need extra help or extensions to deepen their learning, but there will be students in all categories. If you plan to differentiate you will be able to help your students. One size does not fit all.
6. Differentiation provides teachers with the opportunity to teach their students in an efficient way that provides genuine learning experiences. As a teacher what is my goal? My goal is for my students to learn. Differentiation is a means to accomplish this goal.
2. Differentiation diminishes discouragement. If I teach all of my students the same way, some of them are bound to get discouraged. This will hinder their learning. They may stop trying or think they aren't smart enough. "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." (Albert Einstein) It is important that I emphasize to my students that there are multiple ways to achieve success.
3. Differentiation helps provide a supportive environment. It stops becoming about teaching the content and starts becoming about teaching the content to the child in the right way. This helps students feel cared about, which provides a positive classroom environment.
4. The way you learn is as unique as your fingerprint. A good teacher knows her students and looks at their class as individuals who make up a whole instead of the other way around. It is important for teachers to know how their students learn and their interests so that students will be motivated to continue learning.
5. You can't improvise differentiation. You have to "plan for unpredictability."You may not know which students for which subjects will need extra help or extensions to deepen their learning, but there will be students in all categories. If you plan to differentiate you will be able to help your students. One size does not fit all.
6. Differentiation provides teachers with the opportunity to teach their students in an efficient way that provides genuine learning experiences. As a teacher what is my goal? My goal is for my students to learn. Differentiation is a means to accomplish this goal.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Blog Post #1: Morning Meetings
Teachers take the time to do morning meetings because they notice a difference in their classroom. Teachers believe that because of morning meetings other areas of teaching are affected in a positive way. They have noticed higher scores that other teachers who don't do morning meetings. Morning meetings help teachers create a positive environment in their classroom. Students can feel a sense of community in their classroom which helps them to feel safe. It is common knowledge that students who feel safe in a classroom are better able to learn material.
I have never seen a morning meeting like that discussed in the packet on canvas. The only ones that I think I saw involved the teacher asking a question and students answering via a tally on the whiteboard. It seems that if it is done as outlined in the text actual changes in the classroom will occur. I think that my classroom would benefit from morning meetings. My only concern would be that I would be able to implement it in such a way that it would actually be beneficial to my students and not a waste of instructional time.
I have never seen a morning meeting like that discussed in the packet on canvas. The only ones that I think I saw involved the teacher asking a question and students answering via a tally on the whiteboard. It seems that if it is done as outlined in the text actual changes in the classroom will occur. I think that my classroom would benefit from morning meetings. My only concern would be that I would be able to implement it in such a way that it would actually be beneficial to my students and not a waste of instructional time.
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