Fulfilling Chap 7

Pg. #88-93:

If teaching seems so simple, then why is it so hard?

Students just want to be validated, cared and respected. 

Sometimes I think that this so going to be so easy. I think, all I have to do is get to know all of my students and plan accordingly. But this book really helps you to realize that it isn't going to be as easy as that. It's refreshing to hear a real-life explanation of how it really is going to be. What is comforting to know is that I will be able to make a difference if I just put forth the effort. I know that no-one can be perfect, so I don't intend to be, but I sure want to try. I want my students to get something

Fulfilling Chap 6

Pg 71-73

Strategies for important focused engaging curriculum and instruction

-Focus student products around significant problems and issues

This is a fantastic way to help students really understand the material, is if they can connect with the material. Otherwise it is just another fact or idea that means nothing to them.  I wish that we could help each student make those connections all the time. Wouldn't it be something to be able to remember all the things you discussed in school?

-help students discover how ideas and skills are useful in the world

I think this goes back to helping students understand and make connections to the real world.  This also reminds me of a  Comedian who was trying to help adults understand what a child is going through when they accidently let go of their balloon. He said "Imagine if your wallet just all of the sudden started floating away. You would be freaking out the same way, and you wouldn't care if you could get one just like it, you want "that one"' In the same regards students need to understand what it's like to be an adult, in a small regard. They need to make connections to their world and their perceptions.

Fulfilling Chap 5

pg. # 58-67: The Characteristics of effective curriculum and instruction

1. Curriculum that is important
   
2. Curriculum and instruction that are focused
3. Curriculum and Instruction that are engaging
4. Curriculum and instruction that are demanding
5. Curriculum and instruction that are scaffolded
6. Curriculum and instruction that are scaffolded

I have always felt strongly about curriculum and it's affects on students. Students know when they are 'learning information that isn't important. The reason they know it isn't important is because it isn't any of these. It's not engaging, it's not demanding it doesn't scaffold or provide structure to build off of. To students it merely is information which isn't important to them. We as teachers really need to recognize that students are not going to simply latch on to whatever we try and teach them. They are smart enough to know if it is important or not.

So what can we do? I know that we need to make the students feel a connection to what they are learning. I'm sure that if it is demanding and scaffolded and engaging the students will be much more likely to WANT to learn the material.

Fullfilling Chap 3 and 4

p.26They are remarkable, because they live what they believe"

This is so inspiring and humbling at the same time. I feel I hold a special set of beliefs in regards to education, however, do I live my beliefs. When I teach my students one thing, am I merely living a lie, or do I hold true what I said. In one aspect I would have been living a lie. I have not been a reader. Never have been. I decided that I could no longer be a hypocrite and I bought the Chronicles of Narnia set. I have not been able to put them down. I hope that I can show my students that I live what I believe.

p. 27 'The invitation to learn is of prime importance. It must be issued as the learner first enters the learning place- and reissued continually."

I think the best way for an invitation to be accepted is by making it genuine. If it is not genuine, students will not accept. For example, if you were invited to a great birthday party, but your friend said it as if he was forced to invite you, you wouldn't really want to come. Children are the best lie detectors, so be genuine.

p.29 Examples of Esme' Codell

I really like the idea of unburdoning our students before they enter our classroom. Not that every care in the world is forgotten, but it is a great way to invite our students to be comfortatble and that you care about them. This would be a great activity during morning meeting.

p.30 "opportunity requires hard work, but it is work with a purpose."

I have always been a firm believer in work that is applicable to their lives and future life. I hate worksheets. I don't know what job makes you do worksheets. If students can see a real purpose to what they are doing, I think they will be more than willing to work hard. It is the times when there really is no purpose to their work that they don't work hard.

p. 47 'Clear and predictable routines are probably the difference between productivity and chaos for classrooms where teachers attempt to address variations among learners."

I am so scared of this! I want my classroom to allow for independence but I don't know if I am going to be able to set it up in such a way that I can prevent chaos. I would really like just one plan from someone and just have it place.

Practice P. 1-14

A Brief Primer on Differentiation

p.1 'Effective teachers, like effective parents, work from a coherent but ever evolving set of beliefs and principles about teaching and learning'

I love the idea that an effective teacher is one that continually learns. I know that sounds obvious, but it seems there are a lot of teachers out there who quit learning, almost as if they say, I know how to teach, I don't need to know anything else. First of all, our society is changing everyday. It is ludacris to think that you can teach the same way you did 1o years ago and still be effective. I hope to continually expand my knowledge of education.?


p.2) Differentiated teaching is responsive teaching.

I really like this definition. What this definition says to me what I need to do is to be a defender in a basketball game (not that we don't want our students to learn) however a good defender is always watching the one dribbling the ball and making moves based on the moves made by the ball handler. If they dribble with their left hand you move your right hand to defend the ball etc. You have to be aware of every move or they will pull a move and they score a basket. We need to know the skills of effective teaching and be constantly aware of our students to pull out those moves and help them to succeed.

p.5 The more fully she understands who she teaches, the more aware she is that she MUST adapt what she teaches to serve individual learners well.

I bolded MUST because when you are now entrusted with more knowledge and with greater knowledge comes a greater responsiblity. In order to be great teachers, we need to use the knowledge that we can from getting to know our students to benefit them, not just to be friends.


p.14) 'A primary goal in life, baseball camp, and school is to do the best you can with what you bring. It's the job of the coach and the teacher to support that effort"

I love sports analogies. I really enjoyed playing sports in high school. I played football. I wasn't very good, unlike my brother who got a scholarship to play at USU. He brought with him raw talent. I had none. However, I played my guts out. I tried my hardest. It was because my coach believed in me. He didn't care if I wasn't as strong as my brother, he didn't care that I wasn't as quick as my brother. He just wanted me to play the best football I could. I hope I can inspire my students in the same way. To not compare themselves to others but do the best job they possibly can.

Fulfilling Chapter 1

What's Behind the Idea of Differentiated Classrooms?

p.1) 'The idea of differentiating instruction to accommodate the different ways that students learn involves a hefty dose of common sense, as well as sturdy support in the theory and research of education"  

When I first read that, I felt relieved and afraid at the same time. I feel comforted by the notion that it requires common sense, however the sturdy support in theory and research scares the daylights out of me. I believe that I have common sense, however I lack the confidence in all of the research.  

How can be more confident in that are of content?  I think I need to expose myself to more literature and research in order to become more confident in that are but I think it will also require time for me to absorb and solidify all of that information.

p.3  Student Traits

Readiness-refers to a student's knowledge, understanding, and skill related to a particular sequence of learning.

When I hear the term readiness, I think of the scout motto "Be prepared". I don't think that it's fair to say "intelligence level" or 'ability'. Some students are more prepare for certain information based on life experiences and other factors, not necessarily intelligence.

Interest-refers to those topics or pursuits that evoke curiosity and passion in a learner.  

I love the word passion! How I wish that someone had helped me to become a PASSIONATE learner  in elementary. I had fun, I enjoyed myself, I learned. But I didn't have PASSION!  I think a key to helping students is to understand them. When we truly understand our students we can give them opportunities to build that passion

Learning Profile-refers to how students learn best

How do you learn how a student learns best? I am aware of the multiple intelligences, but how can you best assess learning profiles?  I think it is probably similar to interest. It is vital that a teacher connect with the student and understand what is going on in their heads

Affect- has to do with how students feel about themselves, their work and the classroom as a whole.

As mentioned before, students come to school with varied backgrounds and emotional states. It is naive to think that a student who is in the middle of a divorce is going to learn in the same way that other students learn.  It also suggests to me that we as teachers need to try and influence the way in which they view themselves.

p.5) Learning Environments

"Learning environment is the 'weather' that affects virtually everything that transpires in the classroom"

I really like the analogy of weather to the environment. The only major difference is that we can do our rain dances or sun dances and change the 'weather' in our classrooms. We have a huge effect on how this environment takes shape. If we are the 'fun' class but don't do much or if we are the 'busy but bored' class or we can be the " Work-loving Celebrators" If the teacher does not value hard work or important work, the students won't either.

p.5) 'the most effective teaching does not seek transmission of knowledge isolated from human need , but rather attempts to help young learners discover the power of knowledge to reveal, amplify and develop the best that is in them."

This quote almost brought me to tears.  When we look at students, do we see just students, or do we see individuals who have hopes dreams