For my field experience I am assigned to a Kindergarten classroom. For this assignment, I read chapter 1 (All About the ABC's). I was glad that you asked us to read the chapter that coordinated with the grade that we will be teaching (another form of differentiation that you are using in our classroom).
I was amazed at the extensive information presented in the lesson plans to demonstrate and show us what kinds of differentiation can be done in a kindergarten classroom. I was also comforted when Tomlinson said "It is very difficult to differentiate in a primary classroom without using learning centers like the ones featured in this unit".
This whole semester I've been trying to figure out how to use differentiation in a kindergarten classroom when all of the "whole class" instructions are already difficult enough to teach without including differentiation in them. I realize that centers is the perfect time to incorporate differentiation into the lessons and provide meaningful experiences for all of the students.
It was good to have eight different lesson plans outlined on how to include differentiation using centers. I imagine that the groups would need to be pretty fluid depending on what you are working on with the students.
I worry that being in field, that I'll need to just go with what the teacher has outlined as far as groups go. Not knowing how she has outlined the groups, I may need to be adaptable to what she has established and use these groups when I try to incorporate differentiation into my lessons.
I look forward to having my own class and finding valuable ways to include differentiation in the classroom so that I can reach all of my students. As I get to know each of my students individually I'll be able to assess where they are and what they need to be taught. Differentiation is just good teaching and I know that as I use it in my classroom, I can become a great teacher and my students will receive the education they all deserve!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Week 7: What do you still need to understand?
What do you, individually, still need to know and understand in order to tier (differentiate) a lesson of your own choosing?
What a great class it was last week! It was so fun to see differentiation in action. In addition to you feeling that "love" for teaching again, it sparked an excitement in me to become a teacher and find ways to use differentiation in my own classroom.
I understand the importance of creating a differentiated classroom. I feel the value that it provides to a class as a whole and each student individually. I guess the thing that I worry about the most is how to put it into action.
As you are aware, I'd love to teach Kindergarten. I realize that I need to group my students by ability and these groups need to be fluid depending on what we are teaching. I also realize that when I work with the groups, I need to teach them at their level and provide training specifically for them and that each group may be working on something different. However, how do you maintain control of the whole classroom when they are all working at different levels?
I also worry about my students feeling they are in the "dumb" group or being prideful because they are in the "smart" group. Students realize where they are in comparison to other students. They also realize who the smart kids and not-so-smart kids are. I worry about these stereotypes being increased by grouping my students together by ability. I understand that by creating a classroom community and using Morning Meetings to help increase a feeling of community, that my students will be more understanding and accepting of each other. However, I guess I've worked with young women for so many years in situations where we feel trust and understanding for each other and yet, these girls still let their competitive and insecure feelings come out.
I also worry about knowing when to differentiate and when it's okay to teach for the whole class. Ideally, it would be best to differentiate all of our lessons, however in reality, no teacher has enough time in their day to plan each lesson for every student in the classroom individually. I imagine that much of this may happen spontaneously as you walk around the classroom and see how the students are handling the lessons, while at other times it needs to be planned for in advance.
I'm excited to become a teacher and put into action all of the wonderful things that I've been learning in this class and help my students achieve their own personal best.
What a great class it was last week! It was so fun to see differentiation in action. In addition to you feeling that "love" for teaching again, it sparked an excitement in me to become a teacher and find ways to use differentiation in my own classroom.
I understand the importance of creating a differentiated classroom. I feel the value that it provides to a class as a whole and each student individually. I guess the thing that I worry about the most is how to put it into action.
As you are aware, I'd love to teach Kindergarten. I realize that I need to group my students by ability and these groups need to be fluid depending on what we are teaching. I also realize that when I work with the groups, I need to teach them at their level and provide training specifically for them and that each group may be working on something different. However, how do you maintain control of the whole classroom when they are all working at different levels?
I also worry about my students feeling they are in the "dumb" group or being prideful because they are in the "smart" group. Students realize where they are in comparison to other students. They also realize who the smart kids and not-so-smart kids are. I worry about these stereotypes being increased by grouping my students together by ability. I understand that by creating a classroom community and using Morning Meetings to help increase a feeling of community, that my students will be more understanding and accepting of each other. However, I guess I've worked with young women for so many years in situations where we feel trust and understanding for each other and yet, these girls still let their competitive and insecure feelings come out.
I also worry about knowing when to differentiate and when it's okay to teach for the whole class. Ideally, it would be best to differentiate all of our lessons, however in reality, no teacher has enough time in their day to plan each lesson for every student in the classroom individually. I imagine that much of this may happen spontaneously as you walk around the classroom and see how the students are handling the lessons, while at other times it needs to be planned for in advance.
I'm excited to become a teacher and put into action all of the wonderful things that I've been learning in this class and help my students achieve their own personal best.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Week 6: Chapter 7
I LOVE "Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classrom". What a great book. When I was previewing the chapter before reading and realized that this was the last chapter in the book, my heart was sad. I look forward to the reading assignments in the book and the opportunity I have to reflect on it in my blogs.
1. Bullet Point Reviews:
"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've enjoyed having you as my teacher. I can truely say that you have inspired, enriched and empowered me. I know that you respect me, listen to me and have helped me become a better student and one day a great teacher. I appreciate your vulnerablity by sharing your life with us and connecting to us individually. You live this principle of differentiation.
"Effective teachers carefully establish classroom routines that enable them and their students to work flexibly and efficiently."
I am a very organized person. I need order in my life. I find that I function best when I have a routine that I can follow. One thing I've learned about differentiation is that flexibility is neccesary and that I'll need to be able to find ways for my students to be working at different levels at different times and that it's a good thing. As I provide these opportunites in my routine as a teacher, I'll be able to help my students individually.
"Effective teacher set high expectations for themselves and their students with an orientation toward growth and improvement evident in the classroom"
I have very high expectations for myself. My goal is to receive straight "A's" until I graduate. I realize that "A" students don't always a good teacher make. However, to me these grades represent a level of dedication and desire to always do my best and I know that I can achieve this goal because I am capable of it. I want my students to know that they are capable to accomplish their own personal "best" and that I believe in them too.
"Teachers in schools with high achievement rates pre-assess in order to do targeted teaching"
If there is one thing I've learned about differentiation, it's that pre-assessing is vital to the success of a differentated classroom. If a teacher doesn't know what her students already know, how will she know what to teach and which students need more or less.
2. Metaphors
"Making bread somehow makes him who he ought to be. As he grows, the bread evolves, he explains, and that makes him one with his bread.... allow ourselves to be reshaped by what we do, to become one with it"
I'm not a good recipe follower. I'm always trying to find a way to make it better. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. In fact, I've made some crummy meals in my time by reinventing a recipe. I love recipe books to get me started and help me know what herbs go good with what meats and what kind of ingredients work well together. When I find a recipe I love, I still don't follow it exactly the same the next time. I believe that we need to always find ways to improve our lessons and not just do the same thing before it worked great last time. Sometime it will work, and sometime we need to go back to the recipe, but we need to alway be evolving.
1. Bullet Point Reviews:
"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've enjoyed having you as my teacher. I can truely say that you have inspired, enriched and empowered me. I know that you respect me, listen to me and have helped me become a better student and one day a great teacher. I appreciate your vulnerablity by sharing your life with us and connecting to us individually. You live this principle of differentiation.
"Effective teachers carefully establish classroom routines that enable them and their students to work flexibly and efficiently."
I am a very organized person. I need order in my life. I find that I function best when I have a routine that I can follow. One thing I've learned about differentiation is that flexibility is neccesary and that I'll need to be able to find ways for my students to be working at different levels at different times and that it's a good thing. As I provide these opportunites in my routine as a teacher, I'll be able to help my students individually.
"Effective teacher set high expectations for themselves and their students with an orientation toward growth and improvement evident in the classroom"
I have very high expectations for myself. My goal is to receive straight "A's" until I graduate. I realize that "A" students don't always a good teacher make. However, to me these grades represent a level of dedication and desire to always do my best and I know that I can achieve this goal because I am capable of it. I want my students to know that they are capable to accomplish their own personal "best" and that I believe in them too.
"Teachers in schools with high achievement rates pre-assess in order to do targeted teaching"
If there is one thing I've learned about differentiation, it's that pre-assessing is vital to the success of a differentated classroom. If a teacher doesn't know what her students already know, how will she know what to teach and which students need more or less.
2. Metaphors
"Making bread somehow makes him who he ought to be. As he grows, the bread evolves, he explains, and that makes him one with his bread.... allow ourselves to be reshaped by what we do, to become one with it"
I'm not a good recipe follower. I'm always trying to find a way to make it better. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. In fact, I've made some crummy meals in my time by reinventing a recipe. I love recipe books to get me started and help me know what herbs go good with what meats and what kind of ingredients work well together. When I find a recipe I love, I still don't follow it exactly the same the next time. I believe that we need to always find ways to improve our lessons and not just do the same thing before it worked great last time. Sometime it will work, and sometime we need to go back to the recipe, but we need to alway be evolving.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Week 5: 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.
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."
I know from personal experience that unless my brain can wrap a meaning around a concept and make a personal connection to it, that it will be harder to retain that information. As teachers make their lessons personal for their students and help them make connections to it, they will not just hear the information, but will be able to internalize it. I want my students to have passion with the lessons that I teach. This won't "just happen" without purposeful planning on my part. I'll need to know about my students interests and personalities for this to happen.
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 my own learning, the topics that I've had greater experience with have been retained longer and my desire to learn it has increased. I believe having themes of the week and centering my lessons around that theme will give my students greater understanding and experience with the topic being taught. This will help them retain the information better and internalize it.
2. From chapter 6, share 2 (two) exact quotes that are meaningful to you and explain why they matter to you.
"Aim High. It is likely that we underestimate what any student can accomplish, often establishing as performance ceilings goals that ought to be planks in the floor. That is the case for advanced learners, students with learning problems, English language learners - and teachers, for that matter. It is highly likely that students achieve much more when we present them with tasks that we genuinely believe to be beyond them, and then set out to ensure their success on those tasks. Aiming high means, at least, that all tasks require serious thought, that they deal with important ideas, and that they cast students as problems solvers."
I have a good friend who has a daughter in sixth grade. She is very advanced for her age and is often bored in class as her lessons are more like floors than they are ceilings. The goals that she sets for herself are things that she has already accomplished. She doesn't have to try in order to succeed in class. She needs something to aim for and a ceiling to reach for and challenge her. If her teacher used differentiation skills in the classroom, she would feel better about the work that she does and would enjoy school more.
"The most successful students understand that their success results from their own efforts. Although they will not succeed 100 percent of the time, they know that their continued effort is likely to lead to success. Students who have been less successful in school often attribute success and failure to luck, teacher bias, chance, and lack of ability. It's critical to student success that each student realize his or her persistent effort is linked to success."
This is one lesson that I've learned while back in college. I realize that I am in charge of my own education and what happens with it is what I make of it. I've had the opportunity to witness other students who struggle more and didn't receive the scores that they desired. I've also witnessed their excuses on why they received the poor grade and they often attribute it to something other than their fault. I want my students to know that their efforts do make a difference and that they are capable of achieving great things if they put their heart and mind to it. They are in control of their success and they can do anything they set their minds to.
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."
I know from personal experience that unless my brain can wrap a meaning around a concept and make a personal connection to it, that it will be harder to retain that information. As teachers make their lessons personal for their students and help them make connections to it, they will not just hear the information, but will be able to internalize it. I want my students to have passion with the lessons that I teach. This won't "just happen" without purposeful planning on my part. I'll need to know about my students interests and personalities for this to happen.
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 my own learning, the topics that I've had greater experience with have been retained longer and my desire to learn it has increased. I believe having themes of the week and centering my lessons around that theme will give my students greater understanding and experience with the topic being taught. This will help them retain the information better and internalize it.
2. From chapter 6, share 2 (two) exact quotes that are meaningful to you and explain why they matter to you.
"Aim High. It is likely that we underestimate what any student can accomplish, often establishing as performance ceilings goals that ought to be planks in the floor. That is the case for advanced learners, students with learning problems, English language learners - and teachers, for that matter. It is highly likely that students achieve much more when we present them with tasks that we genuinely believe to be beyond them, and then set out to ensure their success on those tasks. Aiming high means, at least, that all tasks require serious thought, that they deal with important ideas, and that they cast students as problems solvers."
I have a good friend who has a daughter in sixth grade. She is very advanced for her age and is often bored in class as her lessons are more like floors than they are ceilings. The goals that she sets for herself are things that she has already accomplished. She doesn't have to try in order to succeed in class. She needs something to aim for and a ceiling to reach for and challenge her. If her teacher used differentiation skills in the classroom, she would feel better about the work that she does and would enjoy school more.
"The most successful students understand that their success results from their own efforts. Although they will not succeed 100 percent of the time, they know that their continued effort is likely to lead to success. Students who have been less successful in school often attribute success and failure to luck, teacher bias, chance, and lack of ability. It's critical to student success that each student realize his or her persistent effort is linked to success."
This is one lesson that I've learned while back in college. I realize that I am in charge of my own education and what happens with it is what I make of it. I've had the opportunity to witness other students who struggle more and didn't receive the scores that they desired. I've also witnessed their excuses on why they received the poor grade and they often attribute it to something other than their fault. I want my students to know that their efforts do make a difference and that they are capable of achieving great things if they put their heart and mind to it. They are in control of their success and they can do anything they set their minds to.
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