Week 8!

Determine one unit in Differentiating in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum (Tomlinson & Eidson, 2003) that seems appropriate for the grade level of your field/student-teaching class. Read everything about that unit thoroughly. Explain: 1) what impresses you most about the unit; 2) anything you learn about differentiation, just from studying this one unit; 3) what you don't understand about the unit or how it works; 4) what, other than the content, you believe you would have to modify in the unit if you were going to teach it to your student-teaching class; 5) why you would modify it; and 6) how you would modify it.

I chose "It's All a Matter of Chance: A Mathematics Unit on Beginning Probability."
1) I was most impressed by how rich each activity seemed to be for all students. It didn't seem like the teacher had to do a lot to make it so that each student was operating in their Zone of Proximal Development. Homework was differentiated as well, and not by cutting out certain problems in the math book but by having engaging questions that students could address on their level of readiness.
2) I learned something about differentiation in the practice of the teacher who developed this unit (Laura C. Massey) of having students share their findings from their homework in a small group setting. I understand the sharing concept for team building and writing. But I had not thought of it as a way of showing kids that they are all still addressing the same problems. There would be no way to think I was "the dumb kid" or the one that was behind when my classmates were sharing things they did in homework, that though different from what I did, are still accessible to me as just a different part of what I am working on.
3) Am I going to be allowed to take 11 days for one topic in math?
4) I don't think I would have that long with a unit, but I could be wrong. I love the pattern for each day... with discussion time etc. I know that I would have to establish the kind of classroom environment that is conducive to and get my students comfortable with sharing, but I plan on that kind of classroom anyway.
5) An interesting term was used in this chapter. The wrote that, while differentiating, she knew there were the "non-negotiables" that needed to be taught and that she needed to make those accessible to all students but that a lot of things could be enriching and add a deeper knowledge. I think there is a happy medium between teaching to the core and getting the job done and done fast, and doing so much with a subject that it the students lose their interest.
6) I might cut out some of the activities. The Creating a Character activity looked like a bit of a stretch. This teacher has been indoctrinated in the same doctrine I have that everything must be integrated. At the same time, I do not want to beat a topic to death so the my students hate it because we have dome so much with it. They need to understand and use it in daily life type activities, but maybe not so much.
*** I loved that what I've heard called "Fast Finishers" were called "Anchor activities" in this unit. Students are not just being given extra work to do but are given a way to deepen their understanding of a topic. Great... just great!

Week 7

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

I think I was well taught and I feel comfortable in the idea of planning a tiered lesson. What I do need to know is this: I need to know about my students! That of course cannot be provided in our class, but I am sure excited about having a classroom of my own and learning about my students and how to access their strengths. I like what you mentioned in your blog about the fact that you could feel confident in your teaching because you had structured the lesson so we all would be able to work well (in our Zones of Proximal Development) so you knew who would need more of your supervision and could be comfortable with the others working on their own a bit. I think that most teaching that is not differentiated will mean for some kids just filling time... with something that may or may not be very rewarding. It sounds like the same goes for you as a teacher... just getting a lesson plan together is different than really getting into your work, and when that happens, like it did for you, something really rich and meaningful happens. Teachers and students are really not very different creatures, we want to stretch, but not so much that it breaks us and we want to feel like what we do is meaningful. I want to be a great teacher, and I want to learn to differentiate... I also want to be a great mommy some day and I can see it being difficult to try and meet the needs of all of the kids in my home, not to mention all of the kids in a classroom. But, I recognize that working at tiers means kind of clustering kids around a level, and not trying to plan for 31 different kids. I can do it! I'm excited!

Week 6 Reflection

Answer questions 1 and 2.

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?
a) Teachers who create a warm and supportive classroom environment tend to be more effective with all students- I know there is a lot to learn about how to differentiate but I also believe that if the students know they are safe and if the environment is one of caring (as built through morning meetings) I will grow and learn about students naturally and will know them well enough to know how to meet their needs.
b) Effective teachers spend a great deal of time working and interacting directly with students- I know my desk will be the place that gets piled stuff on top of it and where I spend after school time but while the kids are in my class, I will be crouched by their desks. I've seen teachers very involved in what they have to get done during the day that they take little time to circulate. My goal is to be organized enough and always keep in mind the importance of the students that I am really in the moment and mindfully there with my students.
c)Effective teachers have a solid belief in their own efficacy and in holding high standards for students. This is common among relfective teachers- This applies to me because it doesn't. I know that I could get wishy-washy about my students performance and feel like, "Well of course they're not doing well... I'm not very good at what I do." No! That can't be the way it is. There must be dual ownership as we (students and I) work together to figure out how they learn best.
d) Effective teachers carefully establish classroom routines that enable them and their students to work flexibly and efficiently- This is what I was talking about in b. If we are organized in our routines then the learning will just flow! If I have a lot of things in place then I feel safe working within the organization (we all need that feeling and I'm no different from how kids need to know there are boundaries... only I'm the one creating the boundaries but then feeling safe operating within them).

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.
The main metaphors were of spaghetti and bread but I like the little one at the end, comparing this journey of becoming a teacher who differentiates as learning to ride a bicycle. I understand the theory of it but I haven't even sat on the seat yet and I am so excited to try. I am strong enough, and resilient enough to the bumps and bruises that will come. I am ready to ride!

Week #4 Reflection

1a. How is “living what [you] believe” (Fulfilling the Promise, page 26, middle of right-hand column) both difficult and easy for teachers? The Core! The core seems to demand so much from us that it would appear that we cannot focus on anything else. This must be false... we must make it false. We cannot go into teaching with these ideal views and personalities fit for the job and then just turn into ditto making drones just to get the job done. The job isn't done unless it is done with the needs of our individual students and their "needs for affirmation, contribution, power, purpose, ad challenge" in mind. I love these quotes:"With educational decision making grounded squarely in the dignity of each individual, the teacher's plans and actions radiate outward..." And, of the student's needs as a individual, "... they are not apart from curriculum and instruction, but they breathe life into it." The basic lesson plans are actually the means not the end. A perfect writing lesson will only become something worth reading when it taps into something in each student as a writer. I know it can be doable to live what you believe and can become just that... just a part of living as a teacher.

1b. How can (might, should) differentiation affect “living what you believe”?
I liked the point made by the opening quote stating that differentiation does not mean expecting less or more from certain students but expecting the best and expecting that best to continue to increase:
"Love for students just as they are-without any drive or advance toward a future-is false love, enervating and disabling."
I loved that use of the word "disabling." Sometimes we think of the need to differentiate as arising from some type of disability on the part of the student... not necessarily the kind covered by laws... but just a lack on their part somehow. The only thing possibly disabling is not stretching a child to reach for their best, whether that best belongs to the most advanced student or one who struggles to do simple tasks. I think that if we focus, as teachers, not on producing 30 of the same product but 1 each of 30 different types of product (considering the varied talents and abilities in each child) then we'll feel the pressure lift and enjoy helping students try hard. Oh to not have to think about standards and "grade level" appropriate activities but "individual level" appropriate activities! Wouldn't that be the life!

1c. From chapter 4, explain what Tomlinson mean when she suggests that a teacher, early and often, should say to students, “Let’s figure this out together. Let’s make this our class.”
Our classroom management reading this week actually also addressed this. It described different types of teacher authority and the traditional one was examined as one where students do what they are told because, "I'm the teacher and I said so." Another was the beuracratic method which involved student input on their goals. I think also, that if a student (or any human being) sees another as a team member, then there is no reason to become defensive, to hide actions, to worry about judgement, etc. The "We'll do this together" mentality I think can help foster the safe place where students feel free to try new things, even if it might mean making a mistake.

Week 3 Reflection

We’re taking a bit of a detour this week, and looking more closely at hallmark #1. Keeping this hallmark in mind, take a look at 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.
I think these surveys are a great way of allowing students an opportunity to assess their own learning in a way that does not put a label of good or bad on specific topics. For the Student Profile Survey, I know that I would not put "Very Logical" under the "Like Me" category. I worked once in a team setting and realized that it was okay that I wasn't the most organized or most detail oriented worker. I had group mates that relied on my not being. I was more of a creative genius in the group and others in the group felt comfortable organizing the PowerPoints or editing while I was more the person who helped create the ideas and word things well. Anyway, that may be a tangent but what I'm getting at is that students can be very confident taking these surveys and be happy to shout their strengths from the mountain top. The Student Interest Survey I found a little harder to wrap my head around. I think there are some questions that students, well myself and other adults even, do not really know about themselves unless they are actually confronted with a particular situation. I don't know that I could have identified what ways of learning worked or didn't work for me maybe even until I got into this program...I never really thought to address them. Teachers had different styles and I kind of think I just assumed it was my job to perform no matter how the material was being presented. I think something more like the intelligences test we took might work better at really assessing what type of learner a student is or even a test that offers different scenarios and options (e.g. If you were asked to answer the multiplication problem 8x9, and you did not already know the answer, would you want to use colored blocks or to work it out on a piece of paper, or, "At Thanksgiving dinner in your home, what are you most likely to be doing right before dinner is served? a)Helping cook B)Playing outside with the cousins c)Playing on the Wii?).

Also “read” (review/skim, etc.) the “File of Inventories/ Pre‐Assessments”posted on Blackboard in the “Inventories” folder, inside of the “Differentiation” folder. Be sure to scroll through the entire document, and notice the variety of types of inventories there are. If you are interested, the "Index to Inventories" document is just that -- an index that gives you information and advice about when or how to use different inventories. 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?
From these inventories I noticed a lot of opinion words like likes or dislikes, preferred, would rather, etc. It seems, that learning, and teaching, should actually be something that students enjoy! Imagine that. I also felt that a lot of assessment should be going on. I think that the desire to see where students are comfortable and strong does not necessarily negate that they may need to work in the ways that are not their favorite but it does then show the teacher that something in the approach needs to change. People usually dislike something that they find difficult or don't really understand. So, if a student is assessing that they think of a math problem in one way, I as their teacher would likely show them another way to try and broaden their knowledge base, but would be comfortable with them doing math the way they understood it best. I think differentiation is just about finding strengths and building on them and learning about biases and trying to change them. Mine strengths as well as my biases are changing all the time.

1) Carol Tomlinson mentions "definitions" or partial definitions of differentiation in chapter one. What makes sense to you, in attempting to define differentiation?
An element of differentiation that makes sense to me is what was termed, "Learning profile." This means material is presented or offered in the way the, "students learn best." I know that certain classroom activities really get me going because they're "my thing." What a great thing for a student to feel and know that they are good at the activity in class and to know their strengts. We can only help them identify those strengths if we offer opportunities to work with them.

2a) Carol Tomlinson mentioned a metaphor of baseball camp in last week's reading, and introduces the metaphor of taming the fox in chapter 1 of Fulfilling the Promise. Can you think of a metaphor that indicates your current understanding of differentiation?
I hope this is not too close to the metaphor of the baseball camp but it got me thinking in terms of athletics as well. The metaphor I was thinking of though is of a personal trainer. I understand the metaphor of baseball camp and think it only works because a baseball team would include a coach who wants to win and so it would be harder to help the student feel good about progress when their grades reflect on the teacher. So I think of a trainer. I was a swimmer and really bulky and muscly. That was appropriate at the time but it's not now. Now I'm focused on being healthy and also on looking cute. I've never really been "cute" because I'm fairly large in stature (just plain tall). When I worked with a personal trainer, we assessed my goals and the were just to trim down. The way I lift weights has to be different than it used to be because I'm not trying to build muscle, just tone. I'm not training for an competition or marathon but someone who was, would need to train differently than I do. Also, once goal weight or body type is achieved, maintenance becomes important and so the training is typically not as intense. When I am older, I know that I'll have a different type of workout then too. This is like how we can differentiate for our students. They all have different needs and different things that drive them. Along with that, they have different limitations. My mom has bad knees so training for a marathon with lots of running would not work for her but swimming may be great. Once she has made some progress with her health and fitness, her knees will improve and she'll be able to add more strenuous activity. This would be like scaffolding and building from where the student is to where they want to be.

About Me!

1. What is your favorite book for kids… something you would like to use in your future classroom? Why do you like it?
Not a fair question! I love too many to count. My favorite Christmas presents were a stack of picture books on my Amazon Wish List. Cute and fun right now I love The Biggest Thing In The Ocean. It's about perspective and looking on the bright side. Another, and this one I gave to my parents for Christmas. It's called The Empty Pot and it's a beautiful book about how your best will always be good enough.

2. Name your three favorite T.V. shows, even if you don’t have time to watch them! What can you (or what are you willing to) tell me about your T.V. viewing habits? I’ll tell you mine if you’ll tell me yours! I loved The Office...but have given it up recently because it got too dirty for my tastes. I used to love a show called Pushing Daisies (really beautiful show with a lovely color palate and style about a man who can bring things back to life but can't touch them again or they die...he brings his girlfriend back to life but can never touch her...and he solves murder mysteries with a private detective by bringing the victims to life an asking them questions and then redeading them). The show got cancelled after two seasons. Bummer! My roommates love a new show called Modern Family and I like watching it too, when I have time.

3. Do you collect anything? Tell about your collections:
I collect aprons. I love things to do with the '50s (well not racism) but the classic, cozy, idea of a mommy in a kitchen and someone to come home to with cookies and a smile and warm hug. Some of them I have purchased from antique stores and some were inherited from my grandmother.

4. Do you keep any kind of a journal (or blog?) besides this one? Tell me about it, and what you like to write about:
I do keep journals and blogs. I have a blog that is public that I keep with pictures and thoughts. It usually contains my musings. I started it because I was sick of feeling like I needed to be married or have children to post about in order to have a blog. I have interesting things to share and I share them. I also have a private blog I keep documenting an interaction (or more) I had with a lovely other human being that day. Sometimes it is just positive and gratitude filled and sometimes it is negative with musings and lessons learned or what to do differently in the future. People are very important to me and I want to be a part of their lives.

5. If you had to be the sponsor of an after-school group, select your 1st, 2nd & 3rd choices:
__ contemporary moral issues __peer relationships
__national security __world peace
__career opportunities & choices __art or music appreciation
__gender issues __ethnicity issues
__death & dying 2 sports
3 book club 1 writers group
__ecology __tutoring

6. Have you ever taken art lessons or attended art classes outside of school? Tell about your artistic talent and/or interests:
I bought a sketch book once. I liked doing pencil drawings and think I could be pretty goo if I really tried. I liked working on shading. I had a friend tell me once that drawing is as much about what you don't put down on paper as what you do (referring to the light and dark spaces on a paper and how no lines in nature are actually lines...like drawing a jaw line or a nose).

7. Have you ever taken music lessons or belonged to musical groups outside of school? Tell about your musical talent and/or interests:
I can sing. I was in choir in high school and in my religious group. I learned to play the piano but it would take a while for me to polish that up and I played the violin as a kid.

8. Have you ever taken dance lessons or belonged to dance groups? Tell about your dance talent and/or interests:
I grew up in dance until junior high. My parents knew I'd be tall and wanted me to be graceful and have control over my body. It was fun but I never felt like I fit in.

9. Have you ever taken drama classes or performed in a theater production? Tell about your theater talents and/or interests:
I took an acting class for fun once (the cute boy I liked at the time wanted to take it). It helped me get a little out of my comfort zone and my teacher liked me. I think he thought I was a pretty good phsical comedien because my facials and body language are fairly overt.

10. What have I not asked you, that you would like me to know about you?
You have not asked if I am a happy person and the answer is yes. I am so excited about knowing what I want to be when I grow up, finally, that I'm bursting at the seems. Also, happiness is a choice and I chose it a long time ago!