Graphic Organizers are a great way to organize thoughts and ideas. I love them because they are to the point and usually easy to follow. Graphic organizers are also very good for visual learners because they get to see how the ideas work instead of just reading or hearing about them. I think that the conversational round table is such a fun idea to do for reading assignments. I have never done one before but i think it would be a fun activity to go along with any reading and to get students to think in a different perspective than they usually do. Interactive notes are a good way to teach students how to take notes. So many people, even college students do not know how to take good notes so all of these methods are a great thing to teach students at a young age so they can use what works best for them. I would use the evaluations checklist if i was having a student in my class that was difficult or giving me a little bit of trouble with their behavior. Creating learning goals and making sure they are clear is very important for both teachers and students. Teachers must know what they want their students to learn from the lesson they are teaching and have to have steps to help them get there. I loved the chart on page 125 and 126 this is a great way to easily start a unit idea on and know what you want from the unit and what to expect from your students after the unit and during it. Learning menus are so fun! I love the idea of letting your students choose from a list of things to do and no matter which one they choose they will still be learning the same concept as the other students. This is a great way for students to feel like they have a say in their learning and have a choice in what they do. For me it makes me feel like I am having more fun with my assignment because I chose what I was going to do and I wasn't told what to do. The main menu and side dish ideas are so great. I wish my teachers would have used this when i was in school it seems like it makes the ideas of assignments so much more fun.
Complex instruction reminds me of investigation teaching. Students seem to not like this because they don't know exactly what is being asked of them and how to get to the end result, but I also think that these types of activities are the ones that students learn the most from. Students can learn so much from one another that it is important to have them work together often so that they get that experience. Task Specific general Rubrics make assignments easier because the student knows exactly what is expected of them so they know if they do not get a good grade it is their fault and the teacher can use the rubric to expain the students grade to them. I really like the ideas in this reading. There are so many different ideas that can be used in teaching. It really scares me sometimes because I feel like their is so much to learn about how to be a good teacher and so many ideas to try, but not enough time to learn it all and try it. At the same time I get more excited when I learn new ideas because I want to try it out in my classroom.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Tiering
From the reading I understand tiering as a step to teaching students in a differentiated way. Tiering, like differentiation is absolutely neccesary when teaching children. No one learning a particular subject is going to be on the exact same level, but in a classroom there are groups of students who are on similar learning levels. But there will be a gap in learning abilities from group to group. To help students learn in the best way possible without pushing them to much and just frustrating them, but pushing them enough that they are learning tiering must be used. Tiering allows multiple levels of students to be taught the same thing and do the same lesson activity, but it alters exaclty what each student does just enough so it fits that particular student's learning level and ability.
The example Think-Tac-Toe in the book is tiered because first it states what the students should know and although the activities are very similar, they are altered so that the more advanced students will get the second version and the less advanced students will get the first version because it has a little bit simpler ideas, but the two are similar enough that they are still the same lesson. I think this is a great example of a tiered lesson. I was thinking though that there might need to be three levels instead of two because of the range of students that most people have in their classroom.
The Raft Activity I do not think is tiered. It does state what the students should know and I like that the students get to choose the activity they do, but the activities are not assigned to certain students based on their learning level. In a tiered lesson the lessons are tweaked in order to fit everyone in the class and even though students have a choice, their choice is not based on their abilities. To make it tiered the teacher could pre asess the students and see where they are at and then assign them a particular project based on what they need to learn and what they already know. I might be wrong, but that is what I think about the two lesson examples.
Learning Contracts are a good way to help students understand what is expected of them and have them follow through with it. I think learning contracts are tierable because each contract is made up for each student so each one may be changed a little bit to fit that particular students needs.
ThinkDots are a great review or study activity. This is easily tiered because the questions on the cards can be changed for any students on any level, but can still ask similar questions about the same topic. Teachers can have a different group of think dot cards for different levels of students too. Depending on the level of the student they can be assigned a certain (color, size, number ect.) type of think think dots and that will coincide with their learning level and ability.
Multiple Entry Journals is already a tiered lesson example. There are different levels of questions for each level of students. The students are still doing the same activity they are just thinking about and answering different levels of questions that are best suited for them.
The example Think-Tac-Toe in the book is tiered because first it states what the students should know and although the activities are very similar, they are altered so that the more advanced students will get the second version and the less advanced students will get the first version because it has a little bit simpler ideas, but the two are similar enough that they are still the same lesson. I think this is a great example of a tiered lesson. I was thinking though that there might need to be three levels instead of two because of the range of students that most people have in their classroom.
The Raft Activity I do not think is tiered. It does state what the students should know and I like that the students get to choose the activity they do, but the activities are not assigned to certain students based on their learning level. In a tiered lesson the lessons are tweaked in order to fit everyone in the class and even though students have a choice, their choice is not based on their abilities. To make it tiered the teacher could pre asess the students and see where they are at and then assign them a particular project based on what they need to learn and what they already know. I might be wrong, but that is what I think about the two lesson examples.
Learning Contracts are a good way to help students understand what is expected of them and have them follow through with it. I think learning contracts are tierable because each contract is made up for each student so each one may be changed a little bit to fit that particular students needs.
ThinkDots are a great review or study activity. This is easily tiered because the questions on the cards can be changed for any students on any level, but can still ask similar questions about the same topic. Teachers can have a different group of think dot cards for different levels of students too. Depending on the level of the student they can be assigned a certain (color, size, number ect.) type of think think dots and that will coincide with their learning level and ability.
Multiple Entry Journals is already a tiered lesson example. There are different levels of questions for each level of students. The students are still doing the same activity they are just thinking about and answering different levels of questions that are best suited for them.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Chapter 5 & 6
Chapter 5
I enjoyed reading chapter five and finding out what is really important when teaching student.s Like the chapter says, "there is so much information to teach and not enough time to teach it all" I have been so worried about this when I become a teacher and I don't know what to do. This chapter did a very good job at helping me understand what I should do. It is so imortant for each and every student to feel welcome and important to the classroom so that they want to learn. Teachers need to focus on the information that is most important and teach that info well adn not try to just rush through everything just to get everything taught. Teachers also need to know where their students are at in their learning so they do not waste time teaching things they already know or teach too far ahead and then have to play catch up. Also knowing how to teach each student in the best way for them to learn will cut time on teaching and will help the students actually learn and remember the information. Students need to be pushed and have their work be difficult and demanding, but not too much for them to handle. Before a subject is taught or understood the teacher must provide the scaffolding necessary for the studnets to understand what is being taught. Teachers should also help students know why they are learning what they are and how it will apply to their lives and their futures.
Chapter 6
This chapter also provided some very helpful knowledge on how to ensure that my students are learning and enjoying the fact that they are learning. I think when student know why they are learning and enjoy it they will do better at paying attention, doing their work and retaining the information learned. Throughout this chapter it talked about ways to engage students. First the teacher must be prepared so that they know how they will teach and what they expect from students. Teachers can also get students curious about what they will be learning if they are prepaired and know what they are going to teach. The main idea i really got from this entire chapter is to use a variety of ways to help your students really learn. Students must be interested in the subject and know and understand why it is important for them to learn. Teachers should keep students interested and use a wide variety of ways to teach, also push students to learn and grow and help them understand that you believe in them and that as long as they try their best they are succeeding. Make sure students know what is expected of them so they are pushing themselves and are not lost in the subjects and assignments. Make sure students are also helping one another learn and are involved in their peers learning and success and need to help each other.
I enjoyed reading chapter five and finding out what is really important when teaching student.s Like the chapter says, "there is so much information to teach and not enough time to teach it all" I have been so worried about this when I become a teacher and I don't know what to do. This chapter did a very good job at helping me understand what I should do. It is so imortant for each and every student to feel welcome and important to the classroom so that they want to learn. Teachers need to focus on the information that is most important and teach that info well adn not try to just rush through everything just to get everything taught. Teachers also need to know where their students are at in their learning so they do not waste time teaching things they already know or teach too far ahead and then have to play catch up. Also knowing how to teach each student in the best way for them to learn will cut time on teaching and will help the students actually learn and remember the information. Students need to be pushed and have their work be difficult and demanding, but not too much for them to handle. Before a subject is taught or understood the teacher must provide the scaffolding necessary for the studnets to understand what is being taught. Teachers should also help students know why they are learning what they are and how it will apply to their lives and their futures.
Chapter 6
This chapter also provided some very helpful knowledge on how to ensure that my students are learning and enjoying the fact that they are learning. I think when student know why they are learning and enjoy it they will do better at paying attention, doing their work and retaining the information learned. Throughout this chapter it talked about ways to engage students. First the teacher must be prepared so that they know how they will teach and what they expect from students. Teachers can also get students curious about what they will be learning if they are prepaired and know what they are going to teach. The main idea i really got from this entire chapter is to use a variety of ways to help your students really learn. Students must be interested in the subject and know and understand why it is important for them to learn. Teachers should keep students interested and use a wide variety of ways to teach, also push students to learn and grow and help them understand that you believe in them and that as long as they try their best they are succeeding. Make sure students know what is expected of them so they are pushing themselves and are not lost in the subjects and assignments. Make sure students are also helping one another learn and are involved in their peers learning and success and need to help each other.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Chapter Four
One thing that I really liked about this cahpter is the scenreios that it had as examples of how to deal with situations. I liked this because it not only did they provide good examples of possible things that may happen in the classroom, but it helped me understand what I was reading and actually put it into the classroom situations. The classroom environment is a very important key to as students learning and success. The tone adn atmosphere of the class can help students learn better, be more trusting, form good relationships and help with classroom management. Something I think is important in the classroom environment is to help each child feel accepted and a good way to do that is to know about their background like their culture and provide things like decorations of their background in your classroom so that they feel like they are a part of the class even if they are different from the other students. The classroom environment also includes the way students react to one another and the teacher. Classrooms should have a good feeling and atmosphere so that all of the students and the teacher feels happy and safe so that learning can take place. I really like the list that the chapter provides on ways to make the classroom environment better.
-Study students culture:So you are able to make them feel welcome and understand them.
-Convey Status:Students must feel like the teacher is real and honest in their comments.
-Commend Creativity: This will bring up the atmosphere of the classroom.
-Make Room for all Kinds of Learners: It is important that everyone feels comfortable and every learning style has a place in the classroom.
-Help Students Know About One Another: Students should be friends and feel accepted by all of their peers and know that they are accepted by everyone. A great way to do this is Morning Meetings.
-Celebrate Success: each student should be happy when they succeed and be able to celbrate their success.
Commuincation in the classroom is another thing that is very important and this chapter had a list of great ways to improve the communication in the class. Making sure that the classroom runs smoothly and is set up in a way that students know the rules and what is expected of them so that less time is spent on managing the students and more time is spent teaching the students. Everyone in the classroom should be held responsible, even though it is the teacher who is held accountable each child should be too so that they feel like it is not just the teachers classroom but is theirs as well. This chapter had great ideas on how to make the classroom environment the best learning environmet for students. I really think that the classroom environment plays a huge roel in students success in shcool as well as their love for learning and the classroom atmosphere.
-Study students culture:So you are able to make them feel welcome and understand them.
-Convey Status:Students must feel like the teacher is real and honest in their comments.
-Commend Creativity: This will bring up the atmosphere of the classroom.
-Make Room for all Kinds of Learners: It is important that everyone feels comfortable and every learning style has a place in the classroom.
-Help Students Know About One Another: Students should be friends and feel accepted by all of their peers and know that they are accepted by everyone. A great way to do this is Morning Meetings.
-Celebrate Success: each student should be happy when they succeed and be able to celbrate their success.
Commuincation in the classroom is another thing that is very important and this chapter had a list of great ways to improve the communication in the class. Making sure that the classroom runs smoothly and is set up in a way that students know the rules and what is expected of them so that less time is spent on managing the students and more time is spent teaching the students. Everyone in the classroom should be held responsible, even though it is the teacher who is held accountable each child should be too so that they feel like it is not just the teachers classroom but is theirs as well. This chapter had great ideas on how to make the classroom environment the best learning environmet for students. I really think that the classroom environment plays a huge roel in students success in shcool as well as their love for learning and the classroom atmosphere.
Chapter 3
Chapter three was a little difficult for me to really understand compaired to the previous chapters. I had to read it a few times so that I could really understand the point that the author was trying to get to. Teachers need to not make excuses and get to know each student in order to really understand how to help each student learn to the best of their ability. Teachers have a very busy and demanding job. There are so many things a teacher is required to do that it makes it easy for the teacher to say that they just simply don't have time to become close to their students and really understand them. If teachers do this then their students will be the ones who suffer. No student learns the same as another and if teachers do not take their relationship with their students to a deeper level than the teacher will never truly understand how to teach that student and they will never know what that particular student needs help with or is behind other students in.
The classroom is a place where students should feel comfortable and not only gain knowledge in school subjects, but also gain self esteem and become self efficiant. Teachers must provide students with the opportunity to become the best that they can in their lives, but without really knowing your students individually the teacher can not provide that for their students because they do not really know what that student needs. Teachers need to believe in their students and the child needs to know that their teacher believes in them, trusts them and wants nothing but the best for them. This means that teachers must have high expectations for their students, but not expectations that the student is not going to be able to reach and if teachers do not know their students then they will miscomunicate their expectations for the child and will most likely put the child down and hurt their learning and self esteem. Teaching is an investment, it takes time, but it is worth the time to get to know each individual in your class so that the teacher can make sure each child is learning in the way that suits them best and also knows what the child is going through in their lives so that they can alter lessons and classroom activities to suit the students needs. I love the list that the chapter gives on what invested teacher are.
-Personally engaged in what they ask students to do.
-work hard at learning and get excited about ideas.
-exeplify the pursuit of excellence.
-believes in the possibility of each individual and is not easily discouraged.
-does not assume that the student can not learn, but assumes the student is not learing in the way they are being taught.
-when the student fails the teacher fails.
-acknowledges the distance a student has come academically but makes it clear the distance they have yet to go.
-points our learning has no finsih line.
-failure is not an option.
I learned a lot from this chapter and it really helped me see what a teacher should really be like and focus on the students needs and not on just teaching the curriculum. Although that is important it is not the only thing that is important in a students education.
The classroom is a place where students should feel comfortable and not only gain knowledge in school subjects, but also gain self esteem and become self efficiant. Teachers must provide students with the opportunity to become the best that they can in their lives, but without really knowing your students individually the teacher can not provide that for their students because they do not really know what that student needs. Teachers need to believe in their students and the child needs to know that their teacher believes in them, trusts them and wants nothing but the best for them. This means that teachers must have high expectations for their students, but not expectations that the student is not going to be able to reach and if teachers do not know their students then they will miscomunicate their expectations for the child and will most likely put the child down and hurt their learning and self esteem. Teaching is an investment, it takes time, but it is worth the time to get to know each individual in your class so that the teacher can make sure each child is learning in the way that suits them best and also knows what the child is going through in their lives so that they can alter lessons and classroom activities to suit the students needs. I love the list that the chapter gives on what invested teacher are.
-Personally engaged in what they ask students to do.
-work hard at learning and get excited about ideas.
-exeplify the pursuit of excellence.
-believes in the possibility of each individual and is not easily discouraged.
-does not assume that the student can not learn, but assumes the student is not learing in the way they are being taught.
-when the student fails the teacher fails.
-acknowledges the distance a student has come academically but makes it clear the distance they have yet to go.
-points our learning has no finsih line.
-failure is not an option.
I learned a lot from this chapter and it really helped me see what a teacher should really be like and focus on the students needs and not on just teaching the curriculum. Although that is important it is not the only thing that is important in a students education.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Surveys
I feel like this reading there was not a lot to read about, but had a lot to learn. Finding out about your studetns is so important!!!! I am always scared that I will miss something in one of my students lives or I will not know something about them that I need to know. There are so many things about being a teacher that absolutely terrify me and one of them is not knowing how to best teach each child and in the end being a bad teacher because I didn't know what to do. So I really liked all of the ideas and surveys that were given. What a perfect way to, not only get to know each and every one of your students, but also to learn about their learning interests and they way they feel that they best learn. By giving students surveys to feel out, the teacher will be able to tweek lessons so that the lesson is better fit for their particular class and for each particular student. I also think that students feel like their teacher really wants to get to know them and is interested in their lives which starts out the school year with the students already beginning to trust their teacher.
The book gave some great ideas on what to ask students and different ways to do it. I liked the chart on page 101 because its not just asking the students questions and having them answer them. It has the student make a chart and also practice their cutting and glueing skills (for younger grades). All of the survey information on Blackboard was very useful and each one had good ideas. I really liked the multiple intelligences survey with the smiley faces. I want to teach younger grades so i think that this is such a great way for students to tell you have they feel about something in a fun and easy way for them. It is also simple for the teacher to score and with around thirty students in your classroom simple is best in my eyes. I liked all of the surveys with pictures because I think it makes the students more interested in answering them and it is simple so even really young students can do it. For older grades the Thinking about reading and Writing Surveys were great. It gets students to think about themselves and judge their own work so that the teacher is able to see how the students feel about their work and about reading and writing. It is important to know how your students feel about things so that you as a teacher can help them learn and grow. I love all of the chart surveys because they are fun for students to do and easy for the teacher to look at and understand. I got some great ideas from the readings on how to better understand my students learning. I printed everything off and definately plan on using surveys in my classroom to learn how to teach each student in a way they will understand and learn.
The book gave some great ideas on what to ask students and different ways to do it. I liked the chart on page 101 because its not just asking the students questions and having them answer them. It has the student make a chart and also practice their cutting and glueing skills (for younger grades). All of the survey information on Blackboard was very useful and each one had good ideas. I really liked the multiple intelligences survey with the smiley faces. I want to teach younger grades so i think that this is such a great way for students to tell you have they feel about something in a fun and easy way for them. It is also simple for the teacher to score and with around thirty students in your classroom simple is best in my eyes. I liked all of the surveys with pictures because I think it makes the students more interested in answering them and it is simple so even really young students can do it. For older grades the Thinking about reading and Writing Surveys were great. It gets students to think about themselves and judge their own work so that the teacher is able to see how the students feel about their work and about reading and writing. It is important to know how your students feel about things so that you as a teacher can help them learn and grow. I love all of the chart surveys because they are fun for students to do and easy for the teacher to look at and understand. I got some great ideas from the readings on how to better understand my students learning. I printed everything off and definately plan on using surveys in my classroom to learn how to teach each student in a way they will understand and learn.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Redo of ch. 2
I did the readings of chapter one and two over the weekend. I SHOULD have written my blog after I was finished, but being the procrastinator I am I waited till monday evening to do it and.......of course EVERYTHING goes wrong, i worked on trying to get the internet to work for two hours AHHHHH and then when it did work it kept stopping and shutting off. Needless to say I was frustrated and cut my blog short because after trying for three hours to post a short blog I gave up and apperantly it was pretty obviouse, so I want to go over a little bit about chapter two that I really liked.
I love how ch 2 started out with student's needs, because after all, that is why we are all here. Step one: Affirmation, students need to feel comfortable in the classroom and safe to be able to learn and once they feel accepted and know they are safe in the class they can move forward. Step two: Contribution, every child has something they can bring to the classroom that another student may not. I think that everyone in the classroom including the teacher learns from the other people in the class and the more a student includes themselves the more will be learned. Step three: Power, I really think that students need to feel like they have control over their lives. School may be the only place they feel like they have control over themselves and it can really help them learn and grow as a person and learn how to act in real life situations. Step four: Purpose, I know throughout my schooling there are so many things I learned that I wondered why, why do i need this? But if a student has a purpose for learning and understands how to apply it to life situations they will not only understand why they are learning what they are, they will take it in and remember it because they have a reason to. Step five: Challenge, Everyone needs a challenge and without challenge in life there will never be any growth. I love these steps and could really go on and on about why I like them and why they are important.
My favorite part of this chapter was similar to my favorite part in ch 1. I really like the tables and charts they put into the chapters. They are intersting, straight to the point and easy to understand. Figure 2.4 (the classroom scenerios and students needs) was by far the thing I learned the most from and enjoyed reading the most. It is so amazing how differently a teacher can think one way and a child can think another. These expamples really go to show you that teachers need to have a relationship with their students and understand them. No one ever knows what another person is thinking unless they tell them and if a child does not feel accepted by their teacher and doesn't trust them then the teacher will never know how the student is really feeling. Even if teachers try to do everything they can, they do not know how the child is interpreting the situation. Each classroom needs to be a safe and comfortable learning atmosphere. I really hope that I can do everything to make my future classroom a safe place for all of my students.
I love how ch 2 started out with student's needs, because after all, that is why we are all here. Step one: Affirmation, students need to feel comfortable in the classroom and safe to be able to learn and once they feel accepted and know they are safe in the class they can move forward. Step two: Contribution, every child has something they can bring to the classroom that another student may not. I think that everyone in the classroom including the teacher learns from the other people in the class and the more a student includes themselves the more will be learned. Step three: Power, I really think that students need to feel like they have control over their lives. School may be the only place they feel like they have control over themselves and it can really help them learn and grow as a person and learn how to act in real life situations. Step four: Purpose, I know throughout my schooling there are so many things I learned that I wondered why, why do i need this? But if a student has a purpose for learning and understands how to apply it to life situations they will not only understand why they are learning what they are, they will take it in and remember it because they have a reason to. Step five: Challenge, Everyone needs a challenge and without challenge in life there will never be any growth. I love these steps and could really go on and on about why I like them and why they are important.
My favorite part of this chapter was similar to my favorite part in ch 1. I really like the tables and charts they put into the chapters. They are intersting, straight to the point and easy to understand. Figure 2.4 (the classroom scenerios and students needs) was by far the thing I learned the most from and enjoyed reading the most. It is so amazing how differently a teacher can think one way and a child can think another. These expamples really go to show you that teachers need to have a relationship with their students and understand them. No one ever knows what another person is thinking unless they tell them and if a child does not feel accepted by their teacher and doesn't trust them then the teacher will never know how the student is really feeling. Even if teachers try to do everything they can, they do not know how the child is interpreting the situation. Each classroom needs to be a safe and comfortable learning atmosphere. I really hope that I can do everything to make my future classroom a safe place for all of my students.
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