Week 8

1 I chose to read the unit What Plants Need. What impressed me the most about it was the organization of activities, discussions, and assessments. I liked Caroline's comments that explained the purpose and adjustments needed for each part of her lessons. I felt that it proved that she had a purpose for each activity and had identified what her students needed to succeed. I also liked how the lessons are very hands-on and allow the students to come up with their own theories and conclusions, rather than just being told facts to memorize.

2 From studying this unit I was reminded that differentiation isn't only about grouping students according to abilities, interests, and learning profile. You can meet those needs in ways other than, for example, creating 3 different tasks for 3 different groups. You can do other things such as using routines. Routines are great for struggling learners because they benefit from knowing what comes next and what is expected of them. After doing a similiar activity a few times, those students (lower level, ESL, etc.) will catch on and be able to participate more and have the feeling of success that the other students experience.

3 The unit was very well written out, and I found it very clear. I did not find anything that confused me.

4,5,6 I found this lesson to be very accommodating for fast finishers, ESL students, and students from all readiness levels. The only thing I think it is lacking in is literature. If I were to present this unit to my students I would find books that I could read aloud to my students about plants, their parts, and their needs. I feel that students benefit from gathering together and listening to their teacher read. There are questions and details I can bring up that they might not think of on their own. We can discuss the books as a class all together on the floor and I think that would create a friendlier, safer environment. Then as they work on their other activities they can go back to the books we read and discussed, and remember what they learned from that experience.

Week 7

What do you, individually, still need to know and understand in order to tier (differentiate) a lesson of your own choosing?

Last Thursday's class was exactly what I needed! Several of my classes throughout the program have stressed the importance of differentiating for our students' many different needs. However, I've never actually seen it be done. I LOVED the lesson and it was so refreshing to actually see it be done and experience it. I'd love to see and explore more examples of differentiation through readiness. I'd also like to learn more about the process you went through while choosing who to put in each group. What did you look for? How did you decided a group for all 30 + students? You seemed to be right on too! Everyone was comfortable in their groups and able to contribute. I'd like to learn more about how to divide the groups and to be as spot on as you were!

Thank you for all the time and energy you put into that lesson!

Chapter 7

1. Choose 4 bullets from the list on pages 88 & 89 of chapter 7 (repeat them in your posting), and explain why you believe these 4 traits, or beliefs, or mantras are true for you?

• "Students consistently want teachers who respect them, listen to them, show empathy toward them, help them work out their problems, and become human by sharing their own lives and ideas with their students."

I know this to be true because this is what I wanted from my teachers. I may not have really known that's what I wanted/needed at the time, but I remember those teachers that gave all those things to me because I felt successful, loved, and safe in those classrooms. When I felt those feelings, that's when I learned the most.

• "Teachers' enthusiasm for learning and for their subject matter is an important factor in student motivation that, in tune, is closely linked with student achievement. "

Teachers that show their enthusiasm in a subject are saying, "I believe this is important and there is a reason for why I am teaching you this. This is interesting and worth our time. You are going to love knowing this!" If you get that impression, you'll be so excited and motivated to find out what in the world is so cool about that topic. This will make the student focus more to find out what the teacher is so passionate about and make it more meaningful than if the teacher just presents the information with the attitude of " you have to know this for the test, so learn it". If they are excited about it and interested in the information to begin with then they will achieve at a much higher level.

• Effective teachers clearly identify learning goals and link them with activities designed to ensure student mastery of the goals.

I think this quote is a "Well Duh!" quote, but I think anyone can do the opposite when they aren't being careful. Students go to school to learn; so, everything they do in school should be centered around the things they need to learn. Not only is it important that the activities are centered around the goals, but the activity needs to fit the students' development, abilities, personalities, and needs. I like that! If I find a neat activity that goes with what I'm teaching, I need to make sure it is appropriate for my students and determine whether or not they will get out of the activity what I want them to. It's taking a step further to make sure I'm being efficient in my teaching.

• Teachers in schools with high achievement rates pre-assess in order to do targeted teaching.
  

This reminds me of the video clip we watched of that teacher you love (I forgot his name, sorry!). He showed a great example of this by having his students tell him what they thought 'voice' in writing means. He did this before he started to plan his unit! This way he was able to determine what his students already know and what they are still confused about. Then he created his unit centered on what his students needed to learn. That's so awesome! He only taught what they needed to know making their time, and his, more meaningful and beneficial.

2. Comment on one of the metaphors in this chapter. Explain why it makes sense to you, or why you don’t agree with it.

I can relate to the spaghetti "gravy" metaphor because it reminds me of my mom. My mom is one of the best cooks I've ever known. She hardly ever uses a recipe, and if she does she usually changes it. She can do this and create something delicious because she knows every spice, every taste, perfect consistencies, and measurements. She's spent so much of her life in the kitchen and knows when food needs something different and exactly what it needs and how much. Every meal or treat she makes is a representation of her love for those she makes it for. Because of this, she has researched and tried several different spices, herbs, and tricks to creating the perfect meal. She didn't know all this right when she first started cooking, it took time and dedication on her part to get to where she is now.
This relates to teaching because when I first start teaching I'm not going to know how to create perfect lessons and when something might be missing and how much. I'll be looking at lesson plans and following it exactly so I don't "screw up". But as I teach more and more and really have a passion for it, research techniques and strategies, get to know my students' interests and needs, I will eventually become that type of teacher. My lessons will be a representation of my love for my students. They will be full of rich and exciting elements that will be "delicious" to partake! I will design them to fit their needs and when something needs to be changed, I will know what it is and what I can replace it with to make it perfect for my students.

Chapters 5 & 6

1. In chapter 5, Tomlinson discusses 5 (five) bullet points about the differences between teaching curriculum that is important, and “covering” what she calls “scaling Everests of information [that is] not effective for our students." Choose two of the bullets to explain what they mean to you, and how they help you envision the kind of teacher you want to be.

Bullet Point 1: 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.

Well, I think that most everyone would agree with this because they see it in their own life. Those concepts that I really studied and discussed about in school, and didn't just memorize, I can remember. The topics in school that I just memorized for the test, I've forgotten. I wish I had a photographic memory, but most people don't! So it is important that students understand why and how things are the way they are, so they can remember the information and use it.

Personally, I don't see the point in having my students memorize things without understanding the meaning and truly retaining the information. My job as a teacher is to teach my students concepts that will make them a successful human being. If I take all the short cuts then I'm not doing my job and I am doing my students and country a disservice.

Bullet Point 2: Students in schools, classrooms, and educational systems that teach less and teach it better score higher on standardized measures than students in schools that seek coverage of massive amounts of information with little emphasis on understanding. In other words, curriculum that is a mile wide bu only an inch deep is ineffective in producing real learning.

I think this is a common misconception. With all the hype about NCLB and standardized testing, I think teachers are so stressed about teaching all the things that could possibly be on the test that they are less focused on whether the students actually are understanding the concept. If students are taught less, in more depth, than it will give them the foundation needed to figure out logically things that maybe haven't been taught yet or in as much detail. Also, it's better for them to know a fair amount of information in depth, than just vague pieces of a lot of information.

When I am a teacher I need to make sure that I choose what is most important for my students to know and not go on until they truly understand it.

2. From chapter 6, share 2 (two) exact quotes that are meaningful to you and explain why they matter to you.

"The most successful students understand that their success results from their own effort."

I like this quote because it proves that in order to have success students need to demonstrate accountability with their work. They are not in school just to do whatever their teacher wants, but rather so they can learn what they need to succeed in their life. When students understand that they will have more pride in their work and find success.

"Aiming high means, at least, that all tasks require serious thought, that they deal with important ideas, and that they cast students as problem solvers."

I really like this quote because I think it would be a great goal for my future classroom. I love the idea of Aiming High! I'll use that in my classroom. I like that in the text aiming high requires students to think seriously about what they are doing, realize that every assignment has a purpose, and they are able to take on the position of problem solver.

Quotes from Chapters 3 and 4 of Fulfilling the Promise

2. Share 3 (three) exact quotes that are meaningful to you (from across these two chapters), and explain why they matter to you.

Page 26. "They are remarkable says Meier, because they live what they believe." I thought this was very powerful especially as a soon-to-be teacher. Because of school and my observations I have several ideas, beliefs, and visions of how a class should be run. Now I must find a way to incorporate all of those into my future classroom and actually put them into practice. I need to find the time to practice those attributes and not get too distracted from them.
I think that there are many teachers who want to teach with more "differentiation", but get so caught up in routine and distractions that they do not end up teaching that way. They may feel that is how they want to teach, but find excuses for why they can't do it. Obviously, it is so important to teach what and how you believe is best. If the teacher teaches what they believe they will be more invested in their lessons and the success of their students.

Page 26. "I want to be a leader in creating a place where each of you becomes more keenly aware of the possibilities in yourself, the people around you, and the power of knowledge."
Ooooh, that gives me goosebumps! What a fabulous quote! That is the attitude and atmosphere I want to bring to my future students! That pretty much sums it up! I want my students to see that I value each one of them, and I want them to value themselves and each other. I want them to see their potential and know that they can be successful. I also want them to truly grasp the importance and the power of knowledge. This way they are excited to learn more and see the reason for it, and have a desire to go far with their education.

Page 40: "When a room contains color, interesting things to look at, and evidence of the personality of teacher, students, and class as a whole, ther is a sense that many kinds of people make contributions to the room."
I liked this quote a lot because it really got me thinking about how much the decorations, furniture, and placement of both tells a lot about a classroom. Is the teacher's desk and class supplies easily accessable? Are desks arranged so everyone has a good view of the front of the room? Are the desks put together in tables? Are there a lot of colors, the alphabet, words on the walls? Is student work proudly presented for all to see? When "designing" my classroom I need to keep this in mind and make sure that my classroom depicts the type of community I want for my students.

Other quotes:
Page 30: "We don't just keep them busy. We're giving them an opportunity."
Page 31: "invested teachers are personally engaged in what they ask the students to do."
Page 32: "Different is not a synonym for deficient."
Page 32: "When a student is "missing the mark," the persistent teacher does not assume the student cannot learn, but rather assumes the student is not learning in the way he is currently being taught. The persistent teacher will find another way. In the eyes of that teacher, when a student fails, the teacher fails."
Page 33: "There was always a way that would work, if I just kept looking."
Page 33: "Failure is not an option."
Page 35: "To establish ties with a student, we must come to see how each student is unlike every other--and to see that, we must form ties with that student."
Page 41: "One teacher made it a point to call the parents of several students each week to share something positive that had taken place with their child in the classroom..."
Page 43: "working for a bingo." -teacher asks students if their particular work is a "bingo", meaning they had done everything they could to achieve excellence.
Page 46: "Fair is ensuring all learners get what they need to succeed."

Surveys and Inventories

Fulfilling the Promise, pp. 100‐103; How might you use the information this would produce, in differentiating? What would you, personally, want to add to or remove from this inventory? Explain.

Well there is a lot of good that comes from simply asking the students what they like and how they learn. The surveys found on pages 100-103 I liked for different reasons. The first one I like because it is simple and quick for those students who have a hard time focusing on these types of tasks. However, I don't think it goes into as much detail as I would like. If I were taking the survey I would want to explain my answer and why one of the statements kind of sounds like me, rather than saying it is or it is not. There's no place for explanations. If I were to give my students this survey I would tweak it a little so they have a place to explain their answers. However, if I'm just looking for a quick idea on my students' personalities then this would work well as it is.


The second survey goes into more detail about the student. I think this can give me more incite on my students' interests and personalities. This is more time consuming for both me and my students, but it goes more into depth and gives a more accurate representation of the student. For younger grades I would probably want to give some examples for some of the questions. They may be too broad for some students to really be able to think of an answer. Like the question, "What are some ways of learning that work for you?" By the question I could write some examples like memorization, visual aids (pictures, objects), writing/taking notes, repeating information, making up songs/poems, reading, etc.


By having my students fill these surveys out I can gather information about how my students learn, their background, and what motivates them. With that information I can then adapt my lessons to fit their needs and personalities. If I utilize the information I will be able to create lessons and assessments that are more meaningful, and where every student has an opportunity to learn and understand what I am teaching. That's my goal in teaching! I want all my students to have the opportunity to succeed, so why wouldn't I adapt my lessons to fit their needs.

What are some relationships you see between this variety of inventory types, and what we are beginning to learn about differentiating content, or process, or product for readiness, or learning profile, or interest?

I loved all these inventories and I'm so glad to now have examples of them! A lot of these inventories are good for students to reflect on how they feel about assignments, how they do them, and if there is anything they can work on. I think it would be very interesting to have my students take a few of these surveys at the beginning of the year and then again at the end, and even perhaps in the middle of the school year just so not only I can see their progress but they will see it as well.

I can use the information provided by these surveys in many other ways such as:

• planning my lessons-discover their learning styles, what areas they are struggling in, what points they have already mastered and I just need to do a brief review.
  
• creating tests or other forms of assessments-Some students do poorly on written tests even if they know the answers. I can find other ways to test my students' knowledge. My assessments should correlate with my lessons. Students should know what I will be testing them on. I can first use what I find from surveys to discover what they don't already know to create an assessment, and then create a unit from my assessment.
  
• designing homework assignments-do my students need assignments that are more interactive, less time-consuming or a little bit easier because they don't have help from home.
  
• placing children in groups-If I notice that several students are missing something, I can create a lesson or unit for the whole class on that issue. If there are a few students who have similar results I'll break them into groups and provide activities for those different groups centered on what they need further instruction.
  Not only can I group students by abilities or needs, I can also group them by interests and common learning styles. Pairing students that struggle in a certain area with others who have mastered the concept, may be good too. Perhaps the student who has mastered the concept can explain it to the struggling student in a different way that makes more sense than I explain in class.
• self reflection- A couple of the inventories would be good for students to have easy access to so they can make personal checks as they are reading or writing to make sure they are making the most of the experience.
  

There are several ways I can use the surveys provided in my classroom. Surveys are a valuable way to learn quickly how I can adapt and create the best possible curriculum for my students. I am so excited to have so many now that I use in my future classroom.

Fulfilling the Promise chapters 1&2

1) Carol Tomlinson mentions "definitions" or partial definitions of differentiation in chapter one. What makes sense to you, in attempting to define differentiation?

To me differentiation means adapting all aspects of the classroom to fit each individual student's needs. Not just lesson plans, but my attitude, interactions with my students, my rules and expectations, my letters home, the environment I create for my classroom, the way I discipline my students, and how I reward and praise them.

In order to adapt in a way that my students need, I will have to do my own research on my students and go beyond the classroom. I need to find out about their families, traditions, cultures, lifestyle, learning strategies, interests, goals, and personalities.

It can be very overwhelming thinking about how to do all that for each individual student when I know they will all be very different. I think that it will take practice and I will need to find a good balance so that I will not be stretched so thin that it puts all my efforts in vain.

In my ESL class we've been discussing this topic. We watched a news segment done on The Freedom Writers. I believe that teacher performed differentiation beautifully with her students. During our discussion someone in our class shared the realization that the teacher was able to find a common starting point where they all could relate. That made it a lot easier for the teacher. Perhaps, I can find something that relates to all the students to start off with and so they all have a common ground. Then I can focus on the individuals within that topic. (I hope that makes sense! )

2b) There are two powerful insights on page 12 of Fulfilling the Promise -- powerful to me, anyway. Are there any statements, quotes or insights that "speak" to YOU, from chapter one and/or chapter two? Explain.

Chapter 2, page 15: "until a human has basic human needs attended to, until that human feels safe, until that human feels a sense of belonging, energies cannot go to learning." I really liked this passage. The first concern a teacher should have for their students is making sure their basic needs are met. If one of those areas is lacking their bodies and minds cannot focus on anything other than that basic need. I also feel very strongly that a classroom should be a safe, friendly environment for everyone. As a teacher I will need to look beyond the surface to make sure I know if one of my students is lacking a basic need.

I also really liked in Chapter 2 how Tomlinson talked about purpose. So many times in school I have wondered, "why are we doing this?". I think that it is important to make the purpose of each assignment clear for the students. If I know I have to report to my class why I am having them do a particular assignment, it will be a good check for me to make sure that there is a clear and good purpose for having them do that activity or assignment. This will get rid of busy work and meaningless activities. Really, I will have very little time for everything that needs to be taught, so I need to make the most of it. If students understand why assignments are given to them, and if it is a legitimate reason, then they will generally put more sincere effort into their work.

And finally, the very end of Chapter 2 gave several scenarios of students whose teacher thinks they are being accommodating, but are not seeing the whole picture. This was an eye opener to me. When the teacher is just looking at the group as a whole, or at the individuals on the surface, they are missing what really may be going on. Sometimes the teacher just does what they think should be done without following up and seeing if it really is working. That was the case for Lee. His teacher put him in groups because she thought it would benefit him and make him feel included, when really it made him very uncomfortable and feel alone. It's not that the teacher wanted him to suffer, it's just she didn't take the time to see if her plan was really working. I need to make sure I am aware of what is really going on and always follow up with my students to see what is working and what is not.