Blog Reflection #8

A: In chapter 7, Carol acknowledged that it is hard to care. She gives several reasons. Which reason is most validating to you, and why? If you don't really connect to any of Carol's reasons, explain what you believe your "reason" is.
I think the reason that most validates me would be, caring teachers intentionally develop awareness of their students' cultures outside of school. I LOVE learning about other people, especially people that I am with constantly. I like to know what makes somebody who they are. I am so excited to learn each and every one of my students, and if time/budget permits I would love to visit their homes. Knowing a child's home/family explains a lot about them as a person. I also think that when a teacher knows a student, that student is much more likely to trust them.

B: Carol offers two final metaphors, what I call the "McNurlty Metaphor" and the "London Metaphor." Which one do you connect with most, and why?
I'm not exactly sure which metaphor I connect best with, but I think it's the second one, "London Metaphor." I look forward to being one with teaching and getting lost in the act of teaching. I already find myself dreaming about what my classroom is going to be like, and I can't wait to see what it actually is like. The quote I liked the best was, "to allow ourselves to be reshaped by what we do, to become one with it." If we don't do this as teachers, we will hate our jobs. I have a lot of "reshaping" to do, but I'm sure it'll make me love teaching even more.

C: Read one or two blog responses from two or three of your classmates. Then, please give a brief message of encouragement to one of your classmates based on your reaction to their response that you read. Leave your message of encouragement on their blog as a comment (at the end of the particular blog your are responding to). Copy your message of encouragement and paste it into YOUR blog, telling me who you are responding to.

• Responding to Jordan (blog #4): I also like the idea of a community in the classroom. I can't imagine any other way to have your class come together and become "one." I have heard the book has so many good ideas, please share if you fall in love with any of them!
• Responding to Debbie (ch4/ch5): Debbie, I really like the part where you talk about teachers making what they teach meaningful to the children. Teaching students with hands-on activities, guest speakers, etc are all really good ways to help students remember material/lessons. I know that the lessons I remember the best are lessons where we did not just read from the textbook.
  

Blog Reflection #7

So, after you have read the unit in the pages listed above, find 3 subheadings in the chapter that are very clear to you now. Compare and contrast Mr. Johnson's ideas, YOUR ideas for your own class, and the 3 subheadings that are especially meaningful in that comparison. (By "subtopics" I mean the 1- to 2-paragraph sections surrounding the Figures in chapter 6.). Is there something in what you are required to teach for which you could "plan the engagement" in similar ways?

3 subheadings:

1. Help Students Discover How Ideas and Skills are Useful in the World: I really liked the part when they talked about when a guess speaker comes (ex: a Holocaust survivor) to speak to students. When a child can hear somebody elses experience, the words in the textbook will have a completely different meaning.
   
2. Use Meaningful Audiences: Something that came to mind when I read this subheading was the classroom I did my field work in last semester. I was in a first grade classroom and they had "big buddies," who were sixth graders. The sixth graders would help them with their reading/writing, and the first graders LOVED it.
   
3. Aim High: Even if a student is struggling they still need to know that their teacher thinks they are smart and can do anything. If we, as teachers, don't aim high for our students, our students will never truly succeed.
   

I really enjoyed Mr. Johnson's ideas about a tiered-approach. At first, tiering was confusing for me (I'm not really sure why), but after learning about my strategy (in class presentation) and reading this, I can't imagine any other way to run a classroom. You can tell, by reading Mr. Johnson's buoyancy lesson that he is very clear in what he wants the students to do/know. And I 100% agree that he uses several of the hallmarks to make his lessons possible. Mr. Johnson is very aware of his students and knows their needs, which I'm learning is a very key thing in a classroom.

Blog Reflection #6

4.2) Chapter 4 is all about teacher responses to student needs. Throughout the chapter there are multiple bolded subheadings (scenarios, specific strategies, and ideas for classroom routines). Choose three of them that you believe you can work on or that you would like to do in your own classroom, and explain why you chose them.

1. Commend Creativity- I think this is a huge one because when a classroom has color and fun things, students want to learn and are going to be interested in what is going to be discussed in class. Also, students will probably become more creative if the classroom is creative.
2. Help Students Know About One Another- Since doing Morning Meetings in class I have gotten to know the people from the other cohort, and even people who were in my cohort. I can relate to them about certain things and I can ask questions depending on their answers to specific things they said. I want my students to have the same opportunity.
3. Use Dialogue Journals- I know we did a "Writer's Notebook" in our class last semester, but I kind of think they are similar to a dialogue journal. I think giving students a chance to ask questions indirectly will help students open up more and not feel as scared to ask questions.

5.3) Obviously, these come from Figure 5.1 on page 59. Take a look at them, with their bulleted explanations, and list them in a prioritized order for yourself… from the easiest for you to the most difficult for you. Briefly explain your ranking.

1. Focused
2. Scaffolded
3. Important
4. Engaging
5. Demanding

I feel that I don't have a problem planning lessons, but I have difficulty when it comes to making them unique, or in other words, differentiating my lessons. I hope that through this class I can improve on that.

Blog Reflection #5

For this blog, please find two different places where Carol makes a statement or quotes someone else, and this statement really touches you... really calls to your heart.

In your blog response, for each statement, give the page number where it is found in the book, copy the most important portion of the statement, and briefly tell why it matters to you -- why it has significant meaning for you.

The first part of the reading that jumped out to me was on page 17. It says, "Not only do people tell me I am worthwhile, I can actually see that I am." I love this. It reminds me of the phrase, "actions speak louder than words." This is so true, especially with children. They may not remember everything their teacher says, but they will remember if their teacher was respectful and showed to them that they were important.
The next part of the reading that I really enjoyed is found on page 33. It says, "We're all on a journey." It's a short phrase, but a really powerful one. Each student in the classroom is on a journey, but on their own journey. No two people are the same, or are even going to end up the same. I think it's important for teachers to inform their students that they need to be individuals, and pursue the things that make them happy.

Blog Reflection #3

With the reading you've done so far, about differentiation, can you see any differentiation I have organized for you in this course? Look at the assignments (listed on page 3 of the full syllabus and outlined on pages 7 - 11). Which one appears to you (not your friends, or study buddies, but to YOU) as if it may be the product and process differentiated for student interest? Briefly explain why you think so, and connect it to something you read in Ch. 1 of Fulfilling the Promise.

I FINALLY got my textbooks. Hallelujiah! Back to the blog... The first thing that comes to mind when I think of you and differentiation in the classroom is morning meetings. I think it's great that you have each of us do a morning meeting. It helps bring out our unique qualities and helps us to see several ways of doing, essentially, the same thing (morning meeting). I love that I've been able to learn new games, as well as group activities. I've also learned how to share news in a more effective way...it's great! The second thing that comes to mind when I think of differentiation is our final project. You're allowing us to show differentiation by letting us choose which final project we want to complete. Each of us is different and I think it's great that we're allowed to choose the final project that best suits ourselves. I think the biggest connection I made to the text was when it said the following, "If we risk taming the fox, days in school are no longer monotonous. Each day is a revelation" (page 9). I think that this is great. Children should learn something new every day and have those "ah-ha moments!"

Blog Reflection #4

If it's alright, I'm going to do reflection 4 before 3 because I am still waiting for you to send me a copy of the reading... I hope this is ok!

Tell me about any part of Principal Sylvia Allan's presentation that "struck a chord" in you, (either positively or negatively), and how you think it will affect you in your teaching.
Honestly, I loved EVERY part of Sylvia's presentation. First off, I loved that she had so much energy and that you could tell she was so enthusiastic about teaching and what she believed in. I truly believe that if a teacher wants her students to get excited about something, the teacher must sell the students on how great the idea is. That is exactly what she did! She sold me on Morning Meetings, and I hope to incorporate them into my daily routine. I like the idea that she is so direct with her students and that Morning Meetings are routine for students, but also very unique. I think one of my favorite parts about Sylvia's "Morning Meetings" was the news section. I have sat in on classes who have "Morning Meetings," but none of them did a "news" section, which she definitely made a point of addressing. I think it's important for students to share what's on their minds, and what they have heard or learned. All students like to share information/news with their teacher/classmates and this is the perfect opportunity for several students to share. It's great! I'm really excited to implement this into my classroom this fall, and I hope that it can be half as good as Sylvia's :)

Blog Reflection #2

1. In the "morning meeting" readings you were exposed to several teachers who do morning meeting in their classrooms. Please find one of them, list his or her name, and explain what they do or believe about morning meeting.
One teacher who really stood out to me in the reading was Lilian Katz, in Morning Meeting, An Overview. I really enjoyed what she had to say about socialization in the classroom. I truly believe that if teachers help students develop social skills at an early age, they will be more successful in the future, and in later grades. I liked that Lilian talked about how things students learn/experience in kindergarten can be "pushed up" to later grades, rather than be "pushed down."

2. In both part I of Differentiation in Practice and chapter 1 in Fulfilling the Promise, you find a short list of curricular elements that teachers can adjust and a short list of student traits or characteristics teachers can respond to. One of the books lists 4 of these, while the other lists only 3. What do you think changed in Tomlinson's thinking to add a 4th curricular element and a 4th trait to her original list?
I will be honest with you, I haven't yet received my books for this class, which means I was only able to read some of the reading assignment for this blog. I read Differentiation in Practice and read about the curricular elements. I thought I would comment on these since I am unaware what the 4th curricular element is. Content, process, and product are all very important things to have in a classroom. My reasoning for this is because students must know that there is consistency in the classroom and that the curriculum will not change. Also, students need activities to help them understand concepts, and they need to be able to see how the content relates to them in their life.

3. In the introduction to The First Six Weeks of School you read about the importance of establishing a friendly, predictable, and orderly classroom as a "prerequisite for children's academic achievement." Is "friendly" as important as "predictable" and "orderly"? Why or why not? (Please refer to ideas you find in the introduction to The First Six Weeks of School.
This is another book that I haven't received yet so I thought I would tell you why I think "friendly" is just as important as "predictable" and "orderly." I think when teachers are orderly and predictable, students feel safe and comfortable. Students will also trust a teacher when they keep their class in order. When students trust a teacher, a friendship develops and takes place. I think all three of these things go hand in hand.