jeff
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Post by jeff on Sept 29, 2015 23:47:03 GMT
The figure 2.1 organizer shows general guidelines a teacher should use to develop a differential classroom. The many examples in chapter 1 are organizers because they are heavily focused on student success. Curriculum and activities are developed based on student interest and levels of learning. Being able to connect the concepts of what is being taught with what a student is interested in creates a much higher level of learning. Using steady smaller assessments show how much a student has progressed.
2. I believe we need to find ways in which students learn the best and use all these methods. Sometimes, guiding a student direction and learning on their own actually works the best. Hands on activities can solidify this point. Providing a safe hands on learning environment where it is okay to fail at times and that we as a team can fix this and develop the skills needed to create a quality project and a sense of accomplishment.
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jeff
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Post by jeff on Sept 29, 2015 23:49:36 GMT
Answer the following questions and respond to two colleagues. 1 . Review Figure 2.1's organizer for differentiation. How do the various examples of differentiation in Chapter 1 fit into the organizer? What about your own work with students?2. Beginning on page 27, the author focuses on several key elements of the philosophy that governs differentiation: diversity is normal and valuable; every child has hidden and extensive capacity to learn; it's the teacher's job to be the engineer of student success; and educators should be the champions of every student who enters the schoolhouse door. In your experience, how does the presence of these beliefs shape schools and classrooms? What about the absence of these beliefs?
1. The teachers that use differentiation instruction are using quality curricula to meet the different needs of all their students. By making the curriculum fit the students' needs and interests, they are invested in the learning process. The teachers in the first chapter that used differentiation were great examples of being leaders for their students. I liked how the teachers knew where their students' learning level were and how they challenged their students to grow. I believe that getting to know my students' interests are key, allowing me to bring in materials that get them involved in the learning process. I need to use more assessment to ensure I'm teaching is at the right level. I believe it so important to find a student's individual greatness. We as educators need to celebrate our student differences and appreciate what they bring to our learning environment. Teachers need to remember, not only are we teaching our students but our students are teaching us. I want every student to know I'm there for them. I believe those beliefs can be found in an understanding and supportive learning environment which make students want to come to school and learn. The lack of those beliefs will hurt our students in the long run. Cynthia, good post. I think we also need to challenge the students in way that they succeed. |
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jeff
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Post by jeff on Sept 29, 2015 23:52:26 GMT
For Chapter 2 Question 1 part 1 The example of differentiation fall under the principles of differentiation, and also include flexibility and the classroom turning into a more "student driven approach" that meets the individual needs of the students. I find that throughout my 37 years of instruction that one should be more flexible in how concepts can be introduced in many ways and not just one all inclusive approach. Content and environment are areas I feel are areas of strength for me where process and product are areas I wish to enhance further to meet the students readiness, interests, and learning profile levels. Question 2-These beliefs can greatly be enhanced and manifested by incorporating the philosophy that every learner has a hidden capacity and extensive capacity to learn. I have long believed in that approach from the very first year I began in teaching and coaching in 1979. With that model being infused with a school's environment everybody has value that can contribute to a a school being positive in nature and that creating a place to look forward coming to and learn, and develop as a person. The parallel drawn to the orchestra having sections to work on and then putting it together as one finely tunes entity is the same approach we utilized in developing a sound basketball program that produced scorers, defensive stoppers, decision makers, etc. to form viable and very competitive teams that depended upon everybody contributing. To me, this is the most essential ingredient of making it all work. In essence, it should also serve as the foundation of a school system's success. I like the analogy of the different student learning interests and skills can be used in the different needs of a basketball team. |
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joel
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Post by joel on Sept 30, 2015 22:00:04 GMT
In some cases the teachers have elements of differentiated instruction listed in figure 2.1 because they are part of teaching, like quality curriculum. However, some teachers do not go any farther than that or the reader would have to make some assumptions about how the class operates. Other teachers allowed for more choices and gave options for completing assignments. In giving options to students, the teacher would proceed farther down the flowchart of differentiated instruction.
I find that depending on the assignment or project, I can be found just about anywhere on the flowchart. I also find that some materials in the curriculum do not lend themselves all that well to differentiated instruction. I also find that older students are better focused, reliable, and prepared for some of the skills required of differentiated instructions and learning.
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joel
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Post by joel on Sept 30, 2015 22:11:58 GMT
Question 2
When I read these philosophies, I do not find them to be exclusively owned by teachers using differentiated instruction. I think these are beliefs or philosophies of all teachers for the most part. Most of the strategies Tomlinson lays out can be seen in regular classrooms throughout the year just not to the extend that Tomlinson is advocating they be used. These beliefs help shape the school and classroom by creating an environment where students take risks, feel challenged, show a positive morale, and find the support they need to succeed. The absence of these beliefs would find students worried about taking risks, not feeling challenged by the curriculum, showing a low morale, and not knowing where to find support or resources to complete their school work.
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joel
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Post by joel on Sept 30, 2015 22:17:41 GMT
Mark, I agree with you in that as we learn that there are more ways to learn there are also more ways to teach. Nothing says teaching needs to be teacher centered every day and looks a certain way for learning to take place. Teachers make mistakes and modify their lessons all the time because we see flaws. The same thing can be said when it comes to learning. It can be messy and even disorganized, but through trial and error students learn and improve.
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joel
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Post by joel on Sept 30, 2015 22:28:35 GMT
Rebecca, I agree that all teachers share these beliefs because it is inherent to the job. Teachers want students to succeed not only in school, but also in what they do once they leave the public school setting. One of the basic principles of education is to create productive citizens who can make the right choices not only for themselves but for their community.
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Post by mtoepke on Oct 1, 2015 0:47:39 GMT
For Chapter 2 Question 1 part 1 The example of differentiation fall under the principles of differentiation, and also include flexibility and the classroom turning into a more "student driven approach" that meets the individual needs of the students. I find that throughout my 37 years of instruction that one should be more flexible in how concepts can be introduced in many ways and not just one all inclusive approach. Content and environment are areas I feel are areas of strength for me where process and product are areas I wish to enhance further to meet the students readiness, interests, and learning profile levels. Question 2-These beliefs can greatly be enhanced and manifested by incorporating the philosophy that every learner has a hidden capacity and extensive capacity to learn. I have long believed in that approach from the very first year I began in teaching and coaching in 1979. With that model being infused with a school's environment everybody has value that can contribute to a a school being positive in nature and that creating a place to look forward coming to and learn, and develop as a person. The parallel drawn to the orchestra having sections to work on and then putting it together as one finely tunes entity is the same approach we utilized in developing a sound basketball program that produced scorers, defensive stoppers, decision makers, etc. to form viable and very competitive teams that depended upon everybody contributing. To me, this is the most essential ingredient of making it all work. In essence, it should also serve as the foundation of a school system's success. It is true! Everyone has value and everyone has something to bring to the table to make our school great! Faculty, students, and parents! I couldn't have said it any better than your sentence here Brenda! And I love that you included Faculty (not just a teacher), students and PARENTS!! |
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Post by mtoepke on Oct 1, 2015 1:07:34 GMT
1. Of those that did a well job of differentiated in Chapter 1, I believe they all fall into this flowchart very well. Take Ms. Cunningham's class for example. She has the 4 colors next to each child's name where the color represented how they were going to interpret and show that how well the understand the concert. Then moving further down the flowchart, they are all covering the same content and the product are going to be the same, just the process they will go about to get their will be a little different. The environment as well was different for each student. Some of the students were required to look around the room for examples of compound words, so knowing they were going to be up out of their seats, she could decide if a student would be able to handle that while still staying on task. And then moving to the last part of the flowchart, she selected students to be the spotlight during circle time who she thought would be capable of it. She can reach interests of students with the ones that like to write with the group that had to write a story or poem with compound words.
This is something I could definitely incorporate in my lessons, but because of all the details, this is definitely something that you would have to start small with and maybe just focus on one class and do one lesson per week. Then as you get better with it, gradually do more and more.
2. If a teacher choses to ignore those beliefs, then what's the point of actually getting to know about your students? All those students affect that student, which could result in their learning styles. Also, if these beliefs are ignored, then wouldn't that make every student the same? Every student would have the same story, be in the same situations, and not have any other distractions going on in their everyday life which as we know is not realistic.
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Post by mtoepke on Oct 1, 2015 1:15:30 GMT
For Chapter 2 Question 1 part 1 The example of differentiation fall under the principles of differentiation, and also include flexibility and the classroom turning into a more "student driven approach" that meets the individual needs of the students. I find that throughout my 37 years of instruction that one should be more flexible in how concepts can be introduced in many ways and not just one all inclusive approach. Content and environment are areas I feel are areas of strength for me where process and product are areas I wish to enhance further to meet the students readiness, interests, and learning profile levels. Question 2-These beliefs can greatly be enhanced and manifested by incorporating the philosophy that every learner has a hidden capacity and extensive capacity to learn. I have long believed in that approach from the very first year I began in teaching and coaching in 1979. With that model being infused with a school's environment everybody has value that can contribute to a a school being positive in nature and that creating a place to look forward coming to and learn, and develop as a person. The parallel drawn to the orchestra having sections to work on and then putting it together as one finely tunes entity is the same approach we utilized in developing a sound basketball program that produced scorers, defensive stoppers, decision makers, etc. to form viable and very competitive teams that depended upon everybody contributing. To me, this is the most essential ingredient of making it all work. In essence, it should also serve as the foundation of a school system's success. I like the analogy of the different student learning interests and skills can be used in the different needs of a basketball team. Love the sport analogy! And I couldn't agree more with how concepts can be introduced in many ways. I says this on a weekly basis in my classroom. There isn't always that one solution for all. And both knowing those different ways and being able to teach those different ways is an essential tool for being a good teacher. |
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lori
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Post by lori on Oct 1, 2015 2:13:00 GMT
Chapter 2 1. The teachers in Ch. 1 who were differentiating had a classroom that made the students want to learn. The curriculum was such that the students had an interest in what was being taught. It mattered to them. Their assessments were both formative and summative. The teachers were continually getting information, as were the students getting feedback. The differentiating teachers made a point of determining student differences (different interests, abilities, learning styles, etc.) and then created their lessons with those differences in mind. These teachers were the leaders in their classrooms and had their students following their organized routines with ease. They realized when the content needed to be differentiated and then they provided different avenues for students to learn the content. Differentiating teachers are continually assessing and providing a variety of assessments for their students. They are making their classrooms a place where all students feel good about the learning process. These teachers are connecting the curriculum to the real world. Teachers who differentiate will preassess to determine the level or ability of students and then guide those students down the appropriate path to meet the learning goals. They are giving each student an opportunity to learn how he learns best! I feel I have a ways to go to be like many of these teachers. I definitely do not want students to struggle or even fail, but I often do see just that. I always try to work with the students who are not doing well, but I think differentiation would prevent much of the struggling and the failure from occurring in the first place. 2. A teacher just has to adhere to these beliefs. I must include a quote. I do not know who the author is. I thought about paraphrasing this opinion in my own words, but I just can't. The words are so great! I have these words posted in my room. I read them often to keep me realizing just how important my job is and how important it is to try to be my best. "The Impact of Teachers: I am the decisive element in my classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a student's life miserable or joyous. I can be the tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor ... , Hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a student humanized or de-humanized." Brenda- What a GREAT quote! It really puts into perspective why we do what we do!  We do need inspiration to keep us going! It is a very inspirational quote! |
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lori
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Post by lori on Oct 1, 2015 2:22:25 GMT
Brenda- What a GREAT quote! It really puts into perspective why we do what we do! We do need inspiration to keep us going! It is a very inspirational quote! Lori |
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steve
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Post by steve on Oct 1, 2015 21:48:55 GMT
1. Mrs. Santos, the middle school science teacher, get's her students in the mindset for the material through labs, videos, online models and supplementary material before actually reading the chapter. She varies the material through the various learning methods appealing to those who are auditory, visual, and physical in their learning methods. I get the feeling that none of this is set in stone and that she will change her methods depending upon the class. I'm not sure if I follow this ideal, but in four years I've introduced physical chemistry concepts differently each time, and it looks to be just as different the fifth year.
2. I'll answer this in a round-about way. The average core body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, but if doctors treat people based on this "fact" then a large part of the population will either have too high a core temperature or too low. The problem is the "average" label which suggest this is "normal." 98.6 is not normal, it's just average. My normal is 97 degrees, so I start to feel messed up when my temperature approaches the "normal" of 98.6 while a person who's normal is 99 would feel a bit chilly at 97. I admit that we can't treat everyone as normal because "abnormal" is the real normal.
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steve
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Post by steve on Oct 1, 2015 21:53:16 GMT
In some cases the teachers have elements of differentiated instruction listed in figure 2.1 because they are part of teaching, like quality curriculum. However, some teachers do not go any farther than that or the reader would have to make some assumptions about how the class operates. Other teachers allowed for more choices and gave options for completing assignments. In giving options to students, the teacher would proceed farther down the flowchart of differentiated instruction. I find that depending on the assignment or project, I can be found just about anywhere on the flowchart. I also find that some materials in the curriculum do not lend themselves all that well to differentiated instruction. I also find that older students are better focused, reliable, and prepared for some of the skills required of differentiated instructions and learning. Interesting thought. Some of the material must be taught a certain way because the student must perform this in a certain way. I could present ionic compounds in a thousand different ways (okay, four), but in the end a cation and anion will only go together in one particular ratio. There is no, "it depends" on that skill. |
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steve
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Post by steve on Oct 1, 2015 22:08:56 GMT
1. The various examples of differentiation fit into the organizer by the teacher is using instruction that responds to student variance, the assessments inform teaching and learning and students are able to manage their work and show more ownership. The teacher also looks at readiness, interests and learning profile and thats how the teacher differentiates the content, process, product, and environment. Teachers will get to know their students better and this may help them plan some of their lessons according to their interests in certain areas. I feel that I have an inviting environment in my classroom. I welcome my students and tend to their needs. We work on our academics and also work on all the daily things that come up with the "little people" in my classroom. I am trying to help mold these young children into becoming more independent thinkers and problem solvers. Their work is displayed throughout the classroom and the hallway. They get so excited to see their projects displayed around the room. My students come in at many different levels and they are all warmly accepted and valued as who they are. We work hard and we will continue to grow as the year progresses. 2. As a teacher I feel you do believe that every student can succeed and it is our job to help them find their way. We want our students to be thinkers and problem solvers and we do everything in our power to guide them in the right direction. When teachers and students work together they can see more success and students will be eager to learn and be excited about it. Lets value and respect our students and let the learning process begin! When these beliefs are not present, we are not reaching all of our students. Our low students may continue to struggle feeling that we are not reaching them, the average students may not put forth all of their effort to strive to get higher, and the high students may not feel as challenged as they should be. Thoughtful and reflective teaching contributes to the success of our students. I guess I'd take exception to the term "low" student. As Albert Einstein is misquoted, "if you test a fish on how well he can climb a tree, he'll feel like an idiot." But, me saying that is probably pretentious. I still test students according to strict guidelines designed to separate the students who are geniuses at taking tests from those whose genius lay someplace else. So, what's the answer? |
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