Fulling the Promise pgs 120-162

Here are a few ideas that I loved learning about in this weeks reading.....
*Graphic Organizers are a great way to help the students learn to organize and analyze ideas.
*A Conversational Roundtable is a great way for students to discuss 4 different aspects of a topic.
*Evaluation Checklist is an awesome way for students to evaluate how well they worked.
*Developing Clarity About Learning Goals is great way for students to break down the steps of what they should know, should understand, and what they should be able to. This would be a great idea use in the classroom starting new units.
*I love the Novel Think-Tac-Toe! I love how the students have options.
*I love the idea of writing in your journal before and after learning a new idea.

This section is filled with so many useful ideas that I will for sure many copies for in my own classroom. I am looking forward to seeing how they benefit my students and me as a teacher!

Chapter 7

This was by far my favorite chapter!!!! Here are a few quotes I liked...

"All students are highly engaged in learning, and make material contributions to the success if the class by asking questions and participating in discussions, getting actively involved in learning activities, and using feedback in their learning. The teacher ensures the success of every student by creating a high-level learning environment; providing timely, high-quality feedback; and continuously searching for approaches that meet students needs."

"It's really all quite simple. Learning is hard work. People learn better when they feel valued and supported. To value and support learners, we must know them."

"Teaching is more efficient and effective when it matches the learners needs."

"It's really quite simple. Teaching is about building sound lives through the medium of the most worthwhile knowledge, understanding, and skill."

"It's quite simple. Effective teaching is responsive teaching. It begins with creating ties to each child. It begins with taming the fox."

"If we allow ourselves to fall in love with what we do, we will be born countless times, almost always in a form stronger and more fully human than the one that preceded it. Thus it may be that to teach more responsively, more effectively, we ultimately need to accept two challenges. First, we need to cultivate passion for what we do. Second, we need to remove our protective armor and allow our students to shape us, reflecting on and learning from what we see."

I wanted to end with this quote, because it is filled with the passion I want when I become a teacher. I have truly enjoyed reading, Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, it is filled with stories and strategies that I will use in my future teaching. I want to thank Carol Ann Tomlinson for her words of wisdom.

Chapters 5 and 6

"Teachers shape lives, not by providing a sturdier network of social services, not by helping the child explore the psyche, not be standing on the sidelines and providing strategies designed to capture the game point, but by equipping students with the intellectual wherewithal necessary to make their way in a world that increasingly demands academic preparation for full societal participation."
I started this post with this quote, because I thought is was powerful. This quote shows how priceless a teacher really is. Chapter 5 covers five elements of effective curriculum and instruction. The 5 elements are: Important, Focused, Engaging, Demanding, and Scaffolding. I found some key ideas for each element and they are...
Important- What we study is essential to building student understanding.
Focused- Whatever we do is designed to get us where we need to go.
Engaging- Students see themselves and their world in the work.
Demanding- Standards for work and behavior are high.
Scaffolded- Criteria for classroom operation and student behavior are clear to the students.

"Curriculum and instruction that are important, focused, engaging, demanding, and scaffolded give the students lofly things to do, establish an environment crafted on relationships and procedures that maximize the likelihood of success, tap into what matters to the learner, and build bridges between today's realities and the vision of tomorrow's suceess."
Wow... right now I can only dream of having a classroom like the one described in the quote above. I think if teachers applied these 5 elements in their classrooms, they would be amazed with the outcome.

Chapter 6 shares strategies for the 5 elements.
Strategies for Important, Focused, and Engaging
-Focus student products around significant problems and issues
-Use meaningful audiences
-Help students discover how ideas and skills are useful in the world
-Provide choices that ensure focus
-Look for fresh was to present and explore ideas
-Share your experiences and invite students to do the same

Strategies for Demaning and Supported
-Use tiered approaches
-Incorporate complex instruction
-Use a variety of rubrics to guide quality
-Provide learning contracts at appropriate times
-Aim high
-Take a "No Excuse" stance
-Become computer savvy
-Help students realize success is the result of effort
-Use the New American lecture format
-Designate a "Keeper of the Book"
-Try ThinkDots
-Directly teach strategies for working successfully with text
-Use think alouds
-Use small group instruction as a regular part of instructional cycles
-Establish peer networks for learning
-Promote language proficiency
-Use weekend study buddies
-Make peer-critique or peer-review sessions a regular feature
-Cue and coach student responses
-Team with Resourse Specialists

I thought this was an awesome chapter... there were so many helpful ideas to help establish the 5 elements into your classroom. I will honeslty take to heart these helpful strategies and incorporate them into my own classroom.

Chapter 3/4 Letter to Jaremy

Dear Jeremy,
In my Differentiation Class, Jamie explained the hardships you are dealing with currently, and my heart goes out to you and your students.
"Teaching is fundamentally about building lives. Differentiating instruction focuses on the uniqueness of each child's life as well as its commonalities with all other lives. To build lives in a differentiated classroom means building them both collectively and individually (pg24). In my class we learn about 5 key teacher responses to students needs and they are: Invitation, Opportunity, Investment, Persistence and Reflection. I am going to break them down....

Invitation The teacher's words, demeanor and actions meed to communicate the following:
1- I respect who you are as well as who you can become.
2-I want to know you.
3- You are unique and valuable.
4- I believe in you.
5-I have time for you.
6- I lean when I listen to you.
7- This place is yours too.
8- We need you here.

Opportunity The teacher's words, demeanor and actions meed to communicate the following:
1- I have important thing for you to do here today.
2-The things I ask you to do are worthy things.
3- The things I ask you to do are often daunting.
4- The things I ask you to do open new possibilities for you.
5-The things I give you to do here help you become all you can be.
6- You have specific roles here that make us all more efficient and effective.

Investment The teacher who communicates investment to learners makes it clear:
1- I work hard to make this place work for you.
2-I work to make this place reflect you.
3- I enjoy thinking about what we do here.
4- I love to find new paths to success.
5- It is my job to help you succeed.
6- I am your partner in growth.
7- I will do what it takes to ensure your growth.

Persistence The teacher needs to help students understand that this is a place where persistence is a hallmark. To do that, the teacher must communicate the following:
1- You're growing, but you're not finishing growing.
2- When one route doesn't work, there are others we can find.
3- Let's figure out what works best.
4- There are no excuses here, but there is support.
5- there is no finish line in learning.

Reflection Not only do teachers benefit from reflective practice, but students derive important messages from reflective teachers as well. To the student, a reflective teacher communicates the following:
1- I watch you and listen to you carefully and systematically.
2- I make sure to use what I learn to help you learn better.
3- I try to see things through your eyes.
4- I continually ask, "How is this partnership working?"
5- I continually ask, "How can I make this better?"

Jaremy I hope my thoughts help you in this time of need. I know you are going to make a great teacher, because you are making time to see the invisible. These students need you Jaremy! Don't be the one who gives up on them. Be the one who makes the difference. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Sincerly,
Mallory Murphey

Student Profile/Interest Survey and Pre-Assessment

*I viewed the Student Profile Survey and I like how there are two columns stating, "Like me" and "Not like me". However, I am not a big fan of how the directions are set up. I know this is an easy survey, but if you were a third grader, and you saw the directions, wouldn't you feel a tad over whelmed. As a teacher I would go over the directions as a class so I know everyone understands.

*I loved the Student Interest Survey! The directions are sweet and to the point. I like how there are some in depth questions and then again fun questions like, favorite sport or movie. I will for sure use this in my class!

*I checked out the Pre-Assessment Inventory on Blackboard, and I think it is very helpful. I like how it is very organized and thought out. It is nice how there is a column for what is being inventoried, a column for the students trait, and also it is great that there is a comment column that gives you feedback and ideas and you can add to it too! I think this would be very beneficial in my classroom!

What's is Being the Idea of Differentiated Classroom?/ Student Needs as the Impetus for Differentiation

Chapter 1 Quotes

"Teachers must take into account who they are teaching. The goal of a differentiatied classroom is to plan actively and consistently to help each learner move as far and as fast as possible along a learning continuum." pg2 

"The one-size-fits-all teacher may very well discover that the "size" of instruction he or she has selected fits almost no one." pg 2

"There are 4 student traits that teachers must often address to ensure effective and efficient learner. Those are readiness, interest, learning profile, and affect." pg 3 

"There are also 4 classroom elements they can modify in response to variations among students. Those are content, process, product, and learning environment." pg 4

"We make time to see the invisible."pg 9

"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." pg 12

Chapter 2 Quotes 

"If a child feels unsafe, threatened, or insecure, the brain blocks off the pathways to learning and attends to the more basic human needs instead." pg 15

5 Key Needs of Learners: Affirmation, Contribution, Power, Purpose, and Challenge. pg 16-19

"Effective differentiation begins with awareness and understanding of basic student needs. It progresses as teachers become more and more adept at understanding how those basic needs are manifested in the classroom and how each facet of classroom experiences meets a learner's need-or misses the mark for that learner." pg 19-20

"The truth is, we will never really do all each child needs us to do. A simultaneous truth is that the first truth is no reason to stop trying." pg 22

"Connecting with each child is at the heart of differentiated teaching, because this approach to teaching does not accept learners as interchangeable parts." pg 22

"Teaching is fundamentally about building lives." pg 24

"Differentiating instruction focuses on the uniqueness of each child's life as well as its commonalities with all other lives. To build lives in a differentiated classroom means building them both collectively and individually." pg 24

  

Thoughts on Chapters 1 & 2  

This blog is like my journal... so I want to write down all of the quotes I like and then write my thoughts and feelings about how I felt about the reading. 

-I thought this weeks reading was quite touching. I want to be that kind of teacher who sees the invisible and connects with each student. I want to create a classroom environment where my students feel like they can contribute, feel affirmative, have power, feel purpose, and are challenged. I want my classroom to be secure and non-threatening. I want to teach so each student can succeed. This weeks reading really touched me, because I've had teachers who compare to the reading, and I can truly say, they made me who I am today.  

A Brief Primer on Differentiation

I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed the reading.... this book isn't like other textbooks. When I was reading I highlighted the things I wanted to reflect on or I thought interesting; thus, I am going to write a few quotes I liked.
*"Effective teachers, like effective parents, work from a coherent but ever-evolving set of beliefs and principles and teaching and learning."
*"Differentiated teaching is responsive teaching"
*"She must balance two factors in her classroom: the needs of her students and the requirements of a curriculum."
*"Four classroom elements: who she teaches, where she teaches, what she teaches, and how she teaches."
*"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."
*Students Characteristics: Readiness, Interest, and Learining profile.
I thought the section I read was very helpful and easy to understand. I look forward to future readings.... I am actually being honest I love how the authors speak to me.

Professional Development Profile

My Opinion of Students with Technology

I think we have so many useful resources in our day and age and we should use and benefit from the technology we have at our fingertips. When our students use technology, they need to be careful because it can be dangerous when not used with caution. I think having technology (cell phones, I pods, Mp3 players) in the class room setting is very distracting and shouldn’t be allowed; however I think if you need to contact a parent or guardian then take the call in the hall, so you aren’t distracting the other students.

Millennials

I found this site to be quite imaginative… I thought some of the ideas were hilarious and then I remembered the ideas came from children. Here are a few examples of the cute/funny ideas…

-having a calculator built into you pencil

-having a robot or a digital teacher

-automatically transferring knowledge to your brain using pills, gum or a hat

I thought these were fun ideas, but I think its quite ridiculous how lazy this generation has become. Students want everything handed to them and they don’t want to work for the knowledge, an example would be having a calculator built into a pencil… oh come on, why has it come to the fact we can’t do simple math? It’s because we have relied on other sources to do the work for us.

I think having online games and classes would be a great resource for the students. I also think it would be great to have your textbooks online, because you can easily access the info. The school would be saving a lot of money buying the books and the money being saved could benefit the students in other ways.

Social Networking

I really enjoyed this video I think it is fascinating how quickly the social networking is growing. I think it's great that students are learning technology skills, creativity, being open to new points of view and communication skills. I think having online classes and ebooks will of course save money and be quite the time saver in the long run. I am a social networker believer and I keep in contact with all of my old friends through Facebook and Myspace.

New Tech Trends

There is new technology coming out everyday for example the iPhone; the manufactures are trying to accommodate prices so more people will use and buy. What I found interesting from this video was how the internet companies like Comcast and AT&T are willing to charge customers who use it more than others. I think it is ridiculous how teachers want their students to get online and do research and homework, and now they are going to be charged if they go over their monthly time limit. This topic is a hard one to discuss especially when you are a parent who wants to support the school, yet you can't afford it.

Study: Teens See Disconnect Between Personal and School Writing

The article states, "According to the study, 73 percent of the teens surveyed said their electronic communications have no impact on on their formal (school) writing, and 63 percent said that "using computers to write makes no difference in the quality of the writing they produce" I don't completely agree with this article, I think there is a new language of texting and IM and it gets mixed in with our daily discussions and writings. I've read students' work and the texting lingo comes in on accident and it's hard to understand.
The article also stated, "Eighty-six percent of teens surveyed said they thought "good writing ability" would be important for later success in life, according to the survey, and 82 percent said they thought their writing would improve if their teachers spent more time on it in class." I agree with this quote and I think it would be great if teachers spend more time on writing.

Millennial Generation

This video was on media mobility and having your media on the go. The students on this video talk about what they want for the future for example smaller computers. They also discussed how credit cards will become obsolete and they will use finger printing; thus there will be no identity theft. I think this idea is amazing and smart!

A Vision of K-12 Students Today

I thought this was an insightful video and I think we need to take the advice students are giving us and help them grow mentally and physically. Teachers are creating future generations and they need to grow and accept technology and use it in daily teaching.

Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?

Having technology in the classroom for sure makes it more fun and interactive. The article states, "Integrating technology into classroom instruction means more than teaching basic computer skills and software programs in a separate computer class. Effective tech integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process. In particular, it must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts." I think having technology in classrooms will help the teacher and the students grow, and become experts in the real world. If you aren't continually learning then you will get let behind in the real world.

UNI Teacher Technology Compentencies

After I took the UNI survey I realized I have some work to do. I thought I was tech savy, however I guess I only know the basics. I want to help my students to their fullest potential, therefore I want to learn as much as I can, so I will be able to use technology in my classroom daily.

NETS for Teachers

I looked at the site, NETS FOR Teachers 2000, and I feel like it's something I can achieve, the format and wording makes it less overwhelming compared to the UNI survey. NETS site states, "Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology." I agree with this statement, I think we should invite technology into the classroom; by doing this it will help the students develop higher technology skills and creativity.

Strengths and Weaknesses

I think some of my strengths would be relating to the students, and creating something they would enjoy and learn from. I enjoy learning new information and teaching those around me about it. I think one of my weakness might be having the patience to work with and practice on the technology, but once I know what I am doing then I enjoy it... kind of like this whole blog thing!

Did You Know Video

I thought this was a very insightful video clip, I was shocked with the facts. A few examples of the facts I enjoyed were...

-Many of today's college majors didn’t even exist 10 years ago

-Today’s 21year old has watched 20,000 hrs of TV, 10,000 hrs of video games, 10,000 hrs on the phone and has sent or received 250,000 emails of instant messages

-More than 70% of the US 4 year olds have used a computer.

Watching these facts pop up on the screen blew me away, I know we are constantly surrounded with technology; however I think we should manage our time and use it when it is necessary; instead of being glued to your TV or phone.

WebQuest

I think using WebQuest is a great way to get technology into the classrroom. I think it is great that you can create a WebQuest on any topic, and it is also a great opporunity to be creative. I am looking forward to creating my own WebQuest, it will be quite the journey! C.J., Shelly and I created a WebQuest on Germs. We chose germs because it is flu season and we thought it would be a great recap to have! As a group we had some ups and downs, but we all worked together and got it done!

Week 3 of Student Teaching

Oh my goodness what a week! I taught on Wednesday about direction, and how to use the stars, sun, and compass when lost. On Thursday from 8-9 am I took my students into the computer lab, and we did a lesson on comparing and contrasting the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians. When we got back to class, the regular teacher was no where to be found. However, I knew the schedule and I got the students started on their next project. My supervisor from UVU was observing me and asked to speak with me in the hall; during this time I asked one of the parents grading papers to locate the teacher. While I was in the hall, the parent told me that she found out that the teacher was in a meeting. I was quite surprised, yet I knew everything was going to be fine. About 5 minutes past, and a different teacher came up to me and told me that my teacher went home sick. She then explained to me, that I would be substituting for the rest of the AM group. At this point I was really surprised, yet I smiled and said, "No problem, I have everything under control." My UVU supervisor seemed speechless, and ask me if I would be okay. I reassured her and she left. I then walked into the classroom, and followed the rest of the lesson plans for that day. When I was getting ready to leave, one of the teachers came up to me and explained that my teacher was going to be sick on Friday and that I would be substituting again. I smiled and said, "Sounds good!" I came in on Friday and following the lesson plans according to the schedule and everything went very smoothly. When the bell rang the students were sad to see me go, they all hugged me goodbye. I had a wonderful experience student teaching, and I will miss seeing my students everyday!

Week 2 Student Teaching!!!

This week was very smooth and easy going because, I felt like I had the routine down. On Wednesday I taught about Northern Explorers and Settlers. On Thursday we had a recap of what we learned the previous day, and then students presented their posters they made on their explorers. On Friday we discussed Gratitude, and the different things we should be grateful for. Then my students made turkeys to give to their Kindergarten Buddies. This activity was a great way to end the week!

Week 1 Student Teaching!!!

This has been such a fun week! The first 2 days I was basically observing and helping out when I could. I would make sure the students were on task while the actually teacher was teaching. I would also help with a assignments and grading. On Wednesday the class had a substitute and I was mainly in charge, because I knew how the class functioned. The week continued with me taking on more responsibilities and I loved every minute of it. On Friday when I was getting my things to go, the teacher told me that I was a natural, and that I would make a great teacher. I was touched by that comment and I am truly looking forward to the next 2 weeks.

Welcome Students

Welcome new students! I am excited to start this new school year off with such an exciting bunch! This year holds so many possibilities. I look forward to your ideas and feed back on ways to make this a fun year!