.......they will not forget how you made them feel

I was reading McKenzie's blog, in one of her posts she said the following quote that I really think is important to remember. 

Looking back on my elementary school experience I cant remember what each teacher taught, but I do remember how I felt towards that teacher. When I think of my 1st grade teacher. I will always cringe because she made me feel dumb, I really struggled with reading, and she would always make me read in front of people. This made me feel embarrassed. However I have had many teachers that made me feel good about myself. One such teacher was my 7th grade history teacher, Mrs. Barton, she really stretched us, she made us work, but she was always there to help and encourage us. I think that a huge part of differentiation is simply getting to know your students and letting them know that you believe that they can do great things. If teachers make students feel happy and give them confidence they will be so much more willing to learn. 

Characteristics of Effective Curriculum and Instruction

In this section I learned that Curriculum is a vehicle for fulfilling students needs. It is important that the curriculum is:
- 1. Important. Student need to know that what they are learning is something that they will use in the future. No one wants to learn things that they will never use.
- 2. Focused. Teachers need to make sure that they know what the end goal is. Instruction should be focused and based on the end goal. Students should also know what the end result of a lesson should be.
- 3. Engaging. Make instruction exciting for the students. I think that the key to making work engaging is to somehow connect what is being learned to their lives. Show them how they use what is to be learned everyday or how it will benefit them in the future.
- 4. Scaffolded. Stretch the students. Make tasks a little bit above their current level. This will make them think harder and learn more. Be there to support students.
- 5. Demanding. This is a lot like the scaffolding part. make sure that instruction and tasks aren't too easy for the students. Make it a little bit difficult, than when they succeed they will gain more confidence. They will realize that they can understand and do hard things.

The Importance of a Positive Teaching Environment

I really enjoyed reading about how to make a classroom have a positive environment. I really enjoyed it because I have been in classrooms that didn't have a positive environment and I hated that class. I also didn't learn one single thing, I went only because I had to, to make a good grade. On the flip side in elementary school I did have a teacher that really made his classroom a positive one. Mr. Livingston was my 6th grade teacher he was amazing! I remember when I first found out I would be in his class I was disappointed, because I thought he looked mean. However, on the first day of school I found how truly wrong I was to think he was mean. I was always excited to go to school. I knew that he really did care about me, and want me to succeed like he did all the other students. I was one of his last students he retired that same year. When I go home I will run into him occasionally and he still knows my name and visits with me. In the reading there is a list of things that help create a positive learning environment. While i was reading I realized that Mr. Livingston did many of these things. One is to COMMEND CREATIVITY. One of our assignments was to make a rocket that would carry an egg and somehow get the egg back to the ground with out cracking. Many students packaged their egg in styrofoam. My partner and I decided to strap a parachute to ours. On the day of the launch we were all excited to see whose would work. Ours was the only one. He made a big deal of it and showed it to all the other classes. He told us that it was a creative idea that no one else had ever tried it before they just assumed it wouldn't work.  Another thing he was great at doing was HELPING US KNOW ABOUT ONE ANOTHER. He wanted all of his students to be friends. I don't think anyone that whole year got bullied. He gave us opportunities to work together in groups. He always made sure that no one was being left out.

Becoming a Remarkable Teacher

My favorite part of the reading this week was the following quote, "Remarkable teachers are aware of the restraints and imperfections of schools. Somehow these teachers see the possibilities more clearly than the impossibilities. They look beyond the things that they cant change toward the young people, learning environments, curricula, and instruction they can change." I really think it is so important to focus on things that you can change rather than things you can't. By doing so I feel teachers can really make a difference in their classroom. Below is a graphic of the ways a teacher should respond to the students needs.

Invitation: One aspect of a remarkable teacher that i feel is one of the most important is being teachable. A teacher should have an attitude toward the students of "I learn when I listen to you". I feel that students would really respond to a teacher that has an attitude like that. 

Opportunity: I have important things for you to do here today. All students need to feel that the things that are done at school are important. If a teacher can make students feel like this students will really put more effort in to their school work. 

Investment: I will do what it takes to ensure your growth. Teachers cant be lazy they have to be willing to go the distance. 

Persistence: There is no finish line in learning. I love this, all teachers should have this attitude. Teachers and students alike will go a long ways with an attitude like this. 

Reflection: I continually ask, "How can I make this better?" I hope I am one of the teachers that is always improving and changing things up. There is always room for improvement. 

What a Student Needs

In the reading 5 things are listed that each learner seeks. The following graphic organizer shows the 5 needs. Below are a couple of ideas of how I will implement these things in my classroom. 

Affirmation has a lot to do with feeling accepted. Students must feel like they are accepted the way they are, they must feel safe. Simply being interested in your students goes a long ways. I will ask my students about their hobbies and interests outside of school. I will tell them a little bit about what I do outside of school, hopefully this will make it easier for them to talk to me. Also, I will make sure that students don't make other students feel insecure about themselves, by bulling or anything of the sort. 

I will let students contribute to the classroom, by first letting them come up with the classroom rules. This will make them feel like they have a say in what is done in the classroom. I will also give my students classroom jobs, and responsibilities. This will make them feel like they are valued and are making a difference.  

I will help students understand that they are in control of their future and that they have the power to make a difference in the world. Gaining an education will make it much easier for them to make a difference. 

I will make sure that each assignment has a purpose and that my students know what that purpose is. It is so important that when students are being taught that it is applied to a situation that they find themselves in, in real life. 

I think that challenge, goes hand in hand with scaffolding. Each students instruction needs to be scaffold. I feel bad for the kids that don't have a challenge. When the work is so easy I feel that the students aren't motivated and don't care. Not having a challenge would make anyone hate school. When students complete a challenging assignment, it really boosts their confidence. 

Hallmarks of a Differentiated Classroom

These are the things that are essential to having a classroom that is differentiated. As each group was presenting on their hallmark I was noticing how connected all on the hallmarks are. I think that when one of hallmarks is put in place in the classroom it is easier to do the other ones as well. I think that each one is very important.

#1: A strong link between assessment and instruction.
Assessment and instruction should be inseparably connected. A teacher should always assess student knowledge and than decide what to teach from there.

 

#2: Absolute clarity about what the teacher wants the students to know, understand, and be able to do- about what is truly important to learn in this unit.
Teachers always need to have the end goal in mind.


#3: Shared responsibility for the classroom in between teacher and students, in the goal of making it work for everyone
This is a gradual process you cant just turn the classroom over to the students all at once. When students have a say in how the class is run they are a lot more willing to learn.


#4: Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success.
Every student growth is individual. Don't compare students and create competition. Students should only compete against themselves. Magic beans include:
* Individual growth=classroom success
*Set individualized personally challenging goals
*Personal best
*Teacher support and guides
*Recognize student growth without comparison and competition


#5: A "way up" usually through multiple and varied pathways, and never a "way out". 
Teach so that each child can improve. Don't be lazy, or try to find a way out, do what ever is required so that students can reach greater heights.



#6: "Respectful" and engaging work for all students.
Quality over quantity. Give each child work that is on their level. Make sure work is exciting and enticing.


#7: Proactive thinking and planning for different pathways.
Use every opportunity that is presented to teach your students. Each student is different, each will take a different path to learning. Teachers need to be supportive.


#8: Flexible grouping 
Group students according to readiness, collaboration, similar interests, and learning profiles. Flexible grouping makes a colorful classroom.


#9: Flexible use of time, space, and materials
Great teacher look for ways to arrange the classroom that will enable students to work in a variety of ways with a variety of materials. There is more than one thing on the menu, branch out and try something new.