Blog #4

Part A: Hallmark #4-Flexible use of time, space, and materials. Scenario that does NOT adhere: Mrs. Hall has a 4th classroom with the desks lined up in rows giving little excess space for group or independent work. She has a tight schedule with in her class and gives exact amounts of time to finish assignments. If a student needs more time to complete his/her work, they sometimes are able to take it home.All her materials available to students are at a 4th grade level, including the reading material. Scenario the DOES adhere: Mr. White has a 3rd grade classroom with desks placed in groups of 4. This helps to create more space in the classroom for independent and group work as well as giving areas in the classroom that have space for a classroom library and art corner. His materials provided in the classroom are at a variety of levels so to accommodate the differences in his students. He breaks up the day by varying his time given on assignments to include extra time for student who need that extra.

Hallmark #12-Qualitative rather that quantitative tasks. Scenario the does NOT adhere: In Mr. Smith's 5th grade class he is requesting the students to create a science project for the science fair. Because his students are on a wide range of levels, he has decided to cut back on the requirements of the assignment and keep the requirements at a 4th grade level so that his students who struggle with assigned projects can get the work done. He is not expecting anything more from his students that are at the top of the class. Scenario the DOES work: Mr.s Robinson is having her students do a book report on a fantasy fiction. Because she has such a wide range of students within her class, she is offering a wide variety of options for the students to give their report on a book that they have chosen. Some of the options are a written report, a video, an oral report where the student may dress up as a character in their book, a poster that encourages people to read the book, and many more.

B3-The strategies "I would like to learn more about"- After reading pages 78-87 and reading about the various strategies to use with curriculum instruction that helps respond to students needs, I found that there are many that I would like to learn more about. The one that I think is extremely important because as teachers we are dealing with so many ELL students is promoting language proficiency. This is something I that would definitely like to learn more about to help my ELL students be successful in their learning. Teaming with resource specialists is another strategy that I feel would be very beneficial to learn more about. As a teacher, you are not able to be a specialist in all topics and learning styles. Being able to work with various specialists that may help you and your students where you need more expertise is critical.
Using tiered approaches to teaching is an instruction strategy that I feel is essential to your students success and for me to be a successful teacher, I need to become an expert on this strategy. Students have various learning abilities and getting the same outcome from each student will only happen if as a teacher I am able to scaffold my instruction to accomodate the varioius learning styles and abilities I will have in my classroom.

Blog #3

There are many aspects to differentiation and all are important components to this practice. The first hallmark that I find helps me understand differentiation more is hallmark #4 which states "flexible use of time, space, and material". Before understanding differentiation, I would have thought this meant to create proper space within your classroom, provide materials to students and give students ample time to work. But this means so much more in differentiation. All those are important, but all students are individuals and they all need different types of space, materials and allotted time. So you need a variety of accommodating spaces within the class. Group spacing, independent spacing, spaces that are visual, as well as spaces that are comforting, just to name a few. Time can also vary amongst students and providing proper time for your individual students is necessary. As a teacher you cannot assume that all students will take the same amount of time for each assignment or project. The materials in your class also need to be differentiated. Meaning, some students may need a lot of visuals or they may need audibles. Or a student may learn well from computers or they may learn best from books. To provide a variety of materials for your students to learn the same material is also a very important aspect of differentiation.



Another hallmark that grabs my attention in differentiated teaching is hallmark #10. Active partnerships with specialists. I know that in schools today there are many specialists that come in a class to help with students. These include speech, reading and ESL specialists. But to be successful at differentiated teaching, a teacher also needs to be able to find other specialists that will be apart of their teaching. This may include bringing a specialist into your class that may know more about a specific topic that you may want to teach, such as astronomy. As a teacher you may want your students to understand this topic and you may not have all the resources to teach it in a way that they will understand. So you bring in a specialist on this topic for the students to learn from. Another type of guest a teacher may want to acknowledge would be someone who may know how to motivate students on a topic. Maybe an artist or musician. By being aware of your limitations as a teacher and taping into other resources is a must for a differentiated classroom.

Blog #2

The phrase "emotions trumps learning" means that the first and foremost feeling that people need to feel is safety and comfort. If a person feels safe and comfortable in their environment then they will be open to many opportunities. Creating a safe and comfortable environment falls into this phrase when teaching. If a child feels threatened with their environment then all ability to learn will shut down. Their instinct turns to surviving and not to learning anything new.



How does this affect me and my views on teaching? I think that it will be extremely important for me as a teacher to create a very welcoming and enjoyable environment from the first day of school. That would be the first step for creating a productive and safe learning environment. If a child starts their first day of school in a warm, safe and welcoming class, their ability of learn will increase. A teacher needs to not only have an inviting class, but they also need to make contact with each student on a daily basis acknowledging their presence in the class and making them feel wanted, needed and safe within the classroom. As I become a teacher, making sure that my students feel safe and happy within the class will not only help to increase their learning ability but it will also create a situation where they will want to be at school learning.

Appealing Statements

1. "Effective teaching defies any set of "rules for practice": this statement is so true and I feel that going by a distinct set of rules and guidelines when teaching does not create a teacher that will have any life changing effect on a student. There are so many diversities that come into play in a classroom, that as a teacher you need to be able to examine them and find unique and interesting ways in which to connect with your diverse classroom. If you follow a set pattern for teaching then you will lose most of your students and they will now learn effectively.

2. Purpose like power and contribution, is a factor in developing a sense of self-efficacy: People need to feel that there is a reason why they should be doing something. Whether it is learning or working. If you feel that there is not a purpose in what you are doing then you will feel powerless and not be able to perform effectively. Students need to feel what they are learning is important. To do this a teacher needs to put excitement into their learning to make their students feel excitement and the want to learn.

3. Opportunity means enlivening the classroom: I love this statement! This is what I want to do in my classroom. Give my students the opportunity that I did not have. Get away from the textbook learning. Add hands-on activities. Learning that does not always mean sitting at your desk. Make it interesting and fun, so my students want to learn and they will jump at the opportunity to learn. That is my goal as a teacher in the classroom.

Blog #1

1. My favorite book for children is "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White. I would like to use this book in my classroom because not only is it a classic, but it is a great teaching tool for all ages. Reading this story in class helps students to understand the importance of friendship and trust as well as creating a love for animals.
2. My 3 favorite T.V. shows are The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Weeds, and Seinfeld. I do not watch much T.V. and prefer movies when I get a minute.
3. I collect heart shaped rocks. I have a large collection that I have acquired since I was a little girl. The Native Americans believe that heart shaped rocks bring good luck to the finder, just like a four leaf clover.
4. I have not kept many journals in my life. I love pictures, but I do not write much. My journals that I have started never acquired much writing.
5.My first choice for an after school group would be a book club, second would be art or music appreciation, and my third choice would be world peace.
6. My only art class I ever took was a pottery class. I loved the class and have always wanted to take more. I find that my time is very limited right now and I am hoping that I can return to this sometime very soon.
7.My only musical experience was when I was in elementary school and I took piano lessons in the evening. I never found my musical talents, but I admire anyone with musical talents and would love so much to have them myself. Because of my inability to play or learn I do go see many types of music whenever I get a chance. In the near future I would like to try the guitar and see if I can figure that one out.
8.My dance experience include ballet when I was 3years old and dancing whenever I go see music. I also love to take my family to the ballet and we see 1-2 shows every year.
9. I have never taken any drama or theater. 10. I think it was when and how I grew up that I have missed out on the arts. Because of this I have my children take art classes, dance classes and music classes. And they do love them. I also make sure that I give them every opportunity I can to take them to any artistic performances as I feel that the enjoyable and pleasing.