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.