Week Nine: Chapter 7

There were so many great bullet points from this chapter but I will only list 5 that stuck out to me.

• Effective teachers carefully establish classroom routines that enable them and their students to work flexibly and efficiently. 
• Caring teachers intentionally develop awareness of their students' cultures outside of school. 
• High levels of teacher motivation relate to high levels of student achievement. 
• Effective teachers know and understand their students in terms of abilities, achievement, learning preferences, and needs. 
• Effective teachers match instruction to learners' achievement needs. 

There were so many more and it became slightly overwhelming because I felt like I needed to be all of those things at once. Maybe I do. But for now, I am going to pick a few to work on at a time. 

I agree with the book and most of the reasons it list's as to why teaching is hard. But I got thinking, no matter what profession I went into, it is always going to be hard to some degree. This is when you adapt, learn, and make things work. I know there are many things that are going to be hard as a teacher, I will probably want to pull my hair out at some point, but I know it will all be worth it in the end. 

"Through cultivated passion for whom we teach and what we teach, we become what we can be, even as we accept the quixotic challenge of helping every learner we encounter to become what they can be." 

I agree with this, and can't wait to start my journey. 

Week Eight: Chapter 6

I really like this chapter because it showed even more how to apply differentiation to our planning. I like how it says to "plan multiple ways to teach and revisit the essentials". I think this is a key part in really helping students understand the curriculum. It's very important to create and engaging curriculum so the students aren't just memorizing material but actually learning the material. I like how it said to "focus student products around significant problems and issues." I agree with this. It's going to make the learning so much more engaging. I think it's my responsibility as the teacher to make sure I'm trying my best to make as many things as I can engaging. This means I will definitely have to differentiate for the students in order to make sure they are all engaged.
Another thing the book mentioned was "provide choices that ensure focus". It can be from RAFT's to Think-Tac-Toes to Learning Menus. These all give great options for each student to crease something that will ensure their focus.
It's also important to make sure you are keeping your teaching fresh. If you teach each subject the same exact way, it's going to get boring really quickly. Now this isn't saying you have to do this everyday, but make sure there is some variation at least sometimes.
Then the last thing from this chapter I want to mention is when it talks about "Aiming High". We often underestimate what students can do. It's very likely student can achieve much more if we push them just a little bit. I think this is where differentiation plays a huge role. If students are getting challenged in their own differentiated way, they will surely have success.

Week Seven: Chapter 5

Before I discuss my reading, I wanted to discuss the guest speaker we had today in class. I really enjoyed his style, because it was HIS style. He didn't do morning meetings in the format we do in our class. He did them how he knew would be best for him and his class. This was super refreshing for me. It's nice to get a reminder that you don't HAVE to do things such as morning meetings in set way. I as the teacher have the freedom to adapt it to my own class. Ok, moving on.

I really like the passage from the book where it says, "Thus the teacher shapes lives... by equipping students with the intellectual wherewithal necessary to make their way in a world that increasingly demands academic preparation for full societal participation." Wow, a bunch of fancy words right? Basically we are educating students to become better people for society. My take on this is not only with books smarts but with peoples smarts as well. This includes caring for one another, making sure they are kind and know they can achieve much more than they think they can.

"Clarity about learning goals makes preassesssment both easy and nonnegotiable item in a strong classroom." I love goals! Goals I feel make many things achievable. This helps students and the teacher know what track they are one and where they should be headed. I think the key for teaching students curriculum is to make sure it is differentiated so one student isn't constantly on his or her frustrational level but they are able to be tiered. Just like we talked more about in class. Another passage I liked, "No student knows how to grow in a subject until a teacher makes necessary the growth and provides the support system that guides the growth. Yes yes yes! Not only do I as a teacher need to be a support system but I want my class to help each other and become support systems for each other as well.

Week Six: Chapter 4

I really enjoyed the part in my reading where it says "By accepting every student's need for affirmation, contribution, power, purpose, and challenge, the teacher intends to provide invitation and opportunity for each student through investment, persistence, and reflection." How true is this? I remember being in some grade school classrooms growing up where I don't think this was the case. Yes, the teacher would say good job, or lovely work. But they would never really make me feel like I was contributing or had a real power or purpose. Now I contrast that with my first and second grade teacher who happened to be the same teacher. Her name was Ms. Sutton. She was wonderful!!! She made me feel like I could do anything and always challenged me and made me feel like I had a part in the classroom and she valued the part I played. I want to do this for my students. I want them to feel, no matter what level they are on, they are a key part of the classroom and can do more than they think. I think this is where the environment of the classroom comes into play.

"From the first day of a class until the last, environment will quietly but potently form a line of communication from teacher to student, student to student, and student to teacher." I agree with this completely. I love how it creates a full circle. If the students are listening to the teacher, then to each other, and if the teacher is listening to them, everyone can be one the same page. This creates fluidity throughout the classroom and helps everyone become each others friend.

From the book it says classroom communication helps with,

• Building a group identity
• Ensuring that the teacher has ways of getting to know students better. 
• Enabling the teacher to share his or her thinking about teaching. 
• Providing a shorthand for quick communication among members of the classroom community. 

I think all these bullet points will be covered if morning meetings are implemented. Now that's not saying morning meetings are the only time these things will be encouraged, but it sure is a good way to 'start' them. I've always thought communication with students was very important and this chapter solidified it for me. 

Week Five: Chapter 3

I really enjoyed the reading. The reading talks about a Principal named Deborah Meier. She has a faculty that is really superb. When she was asked what make them so great she said, "They are remarkable, because they live what they believe." This really struck me. Going through the program there is so much good information. But there are also a ton of opinions. Theses opinions come from professors, classmates, and field teachers. It can be overwhelming at times, when opinions contradict each other. This is where I need to form my own opinion on what I believe. Once I know for sure what I believe I want my classroom to feel, look, and act like, then I will be able to live it. The book talked about five things,

• affirmation
• contribution
• power
• purpose
• challenge

Every student should get these five things. I would like to talk about affirmation. With affirmation, the teacher needs to  respect the student, want to get to know the student believe in them, have time, and make sure the student knows there are needed in the classroom. The main point is, the teachers need to be invested. This is what is going to make you become a great teacher. If you stay invested in the interests of the students lives. We need to establish ties with students in order to differentiate. We just need to transfer the abstract ideas into actual application. 

Another thing that hit me during the reading was, the teacher will learn more than they teach. I think this is very true. I have experienced this in my field work. 

Week 4: Hallmarks

There are 8 Hallmarks

1. A strong link between what you are teaching and what you are assessing.
2. Absolute clarity about what you want students to know, understand and do.
3. Shared the responsibility of the classroom with the students.
4. Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success.
5. A "way up," usually through multiple and varied pathways, and never a "way out."
6. "Respectful" and engaging work for all students.
7. Flexible grouping
8. Flexible use of time, space, and materials.

Dr. Peterson told us this is what makes the difference between good teachers, and great teachers. I agree. The think that is hard for me is remembering all of these. But I also think some of these should just be naturally encompassed. I want to keep these posted somewhere I can reflect on them.

Dr. Peterson also showed us some letters teachers have students take home. Some of them were very endearing and definitely showed traits of a hallmark teacher. They were notes, telling the parents how wonderful she thought their children were or how grateful she was to have them in their class. There was one letter she showed us where I don't even know why the teacher was even a teacher. From the letter, it sounded like she didn't even like kids, let alone teaching. It was actually quite heartbreaking in a way. I never want to become like that. That is for sure!

I really like all of the Hallmarks, one that stuck out to me was, "Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success". In order to have individual growth, the teacher needs to know the student to help them succeed. "Goals that are personally challenging". How are you going to know what goals are challenging to each student if you don't even know them? This really struck home with me.

Week 3: Defining Differentiation and PS22

I really enjoyed learning what differentiation means, more in depth. It is how a teacher responds to the students needs and adjusts. The teacher has to be aware of each student and what needs to be done for them. While I have thought about doing this in my classroom, I now have a vocabulary word for it. Differentiation. I love it. They key like I said, is truly to get to know your students and help them the best you can. Will it take more work? Yes. Is it going to be hard? Yes. Will it be worth it? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT! One thing I really liked that was said is, "Being fair doesn't mean everyone is treated the same, it means that everyone is treated how they need to be." Something to that affect. I know I'm getting it wrong.

I think to become an amazing teacher instead of just a good teacher, is how differentiation is used. If used at all. The more a teacher can differentiate, the better the class will succeed.

We also watched a Youtube clip and the school PS22. It is about a teacher who has such passion for the students that he started a school chorus. Students have blossomed. He keeps the students from shutting down and gives them hope in the future. While I am not a good musician, I really enjoyed watching the passion Mr. B had for his students. I want to be like that for my students. I want them to know I have the best hopes for them and what to help them achieve their goals.

Week 2: Sylvia Allan

Oh my goodness, I want to have Sylvia Allan's brain. She seriously is so inspiring. I love how she loves morning meetings. One of my favorite things she said was "Morning meetings is a place where every student can be 100% successful." After her presentation, I really believe that.

She has her own model that goes like this.
1. Class Creed
2. Greetings (Moday only)
3. Pledge
4. Memorization
5. Class Business
6. News
7. Share
8. Class Cheer

I thought this was a great model and very easy to use.

I love the idea of a class creed. I loved the creed she used from UVU. But I think it would be great to come up with a creed that the class makes up.

The thing I really took away from this lesson, more than the modeling of a morning meeting, was seeing how Sylvia cared about her students. From the stories she told, I could feel her caring for them. It really inspired me to become a teacher that truly cares for her students. I loved how her model of morning meeting is super positive. If there was an issue that needed to be taken care of, she would refer to it as "medicine" and no one really wanted any medicine.

I am very excited to try morning meetings in the school where I teach. I hope the school I work at supports them. Fingers crossed!

Week: 1 Introduction to Differentiation and Dr. Peterson

When I first walked into this class, I really didn't have a solid idea of what differentiation was. Our first activity was a "Morning Meeting". Now I had heard about morning meetings before but I really hadn't participated in one. I really liked the one we did that day. I know they are meant for elementary school kids, but I also liked doing it with my cohort. We were able to interact with each other.

The four componets of the morning meeting are:

1. Greeting: have you students greet each other and feel welcome in the classroom

2. Sharing: there are many different ways students can share news. This can be from a sign up sheet where they can take a little bit more time, or from a lighting share which takes less time.

3. Group Activity: this is where the whole class interacts with each other. It can be linked to something you are teaching that day or it can be what ever you want. As long as the whole class is participating.

4. News and Announcements: this is generally comes at the end of morning meeting and is a great way to continue with your day. Students can read the class chart together and then move on to announcements.

The whole thing really only takes about 15-20 mins. You can make them longer or shorter if you need to.

I really like the idea of morning meetings so far. I am excited to learn more about them.