Thursday, September 26, 2013
Dialogue Journals
In order to differentiate I have to know each one of my students individually. In order to know each one of my students I have to effectively communicate with them. Communication is very important in classrooms and all other life settings. One suggestion that the text book, Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, gave was to use dialogue journals. The teacher can have the students write specific things in their dialogue journal. Students also have the opportunity to write what they want in the journal. The teacher can then read the journal and respond to the student's insights, questions, and thoughts. As I was reading about dialogue journals I had an Ah Ha moment. My blog is a dialogue journal!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Definiation of Differentiation and Flexible Grouping
Differentiation is a teacher's response to student's needs guided by principles of differentiation. The teacher can differentiate content, process, or products according to student's readiness, interest, or learning profile.Flexible grouping, the 7th hallmark of differentiation, allows for teachers to group students in a way that will best meet their needs. The teacher can group students to differentiate content, process, or products. The teacher groups students according to readiness, interests, or learning profiles.
Flexible grouping allows me as the teacher to group gifted and talented students together and differentiate the content for them. I can group struggling students together and differentiate the process of acquiring the information. I can also differentiate the products or assignments that I have different students complete. As I am grouping students I should take into consideration readiness, interests and learning profiles. I may group a gifted and talented student with a struggling student so they can learn and grow from each other's differences.
For every lesson that I teach my students will be grouped in some way. I may do whole group instruction or small group instruction, but whichever instruction group size I am using I need to consider my students readiness, interests, and learning profiles.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
4th Hallmark of Differentiation
In my last post I reflected on how hard I think it will be to differentiate for all of my students and meet each of their individual needs for growth. The 4th hallmark states "Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success." My question about how to differentiate for each student was partially answered in class yesterday when my teacher explained that you teach all the students using whole group instruction, but encourage and give the students support in reaching their own personal best. It is impossible to do one-on-one instruction with each student to reach personal growth, but I can work with the class as a whole and support and guide individual students in reaching their individual best as needed. I am excited to learn more about how to do this during the course of this semester.
I have been pondering about how important it is for me as a teacher to let each student know that I care about them and want them to feel safe and secure in my classroom and like they can learn and grow. For my students to be able to grow in my classroom they have to feel welcome and like they have a purpose in coming and participating. In the reading from chapter 2 of the "Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom" textbook the need for establishing ties with each student was discussed. For me as a teacher, I have to know my student before I can help that student grow individually.
I have been pondering about how important it is for me as a teacher to let each student know that I care about them and want them to feel safe and secure in my classroom and like they can learn and grow. For my students to be able to grow in my classroom they have to feel welcome and like they have a purpose in coming and participating. In the reading from chapter 2 of the "Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom" textbook the need for establishing ties with each student was discussed. For me as a teacher, I have to know my student before I can help that student grow individually.
Monday, September 9, 2013
My Personal Experience with the Hallmarks of Differentiation
This week I have been studying about the hallmarks of a differentiated classroom. As I have studied these hallmarks, I have pondered the question of how to meet each individual student's needs in a classroom full of children. This question caused me to think about my own experiences with differentiation in school.
In my own educational experience my individual needs were the focus of my education. I was homeschooled, so I did not have to compete with 30 other students of my same grade level in the classroom to get the attention and instruction I needed. However, I do have 9 siblings of all different ages and grade levels all requiring their own education needs to be met. The 4th hallmark, "Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success," was always a major part of my education. My mother focused on helping each one of her children to grow individually. In our homeschool we shared the responsibility for the classroom. Each one of us had responsibilities to help each other and ourselves. We had the opportunity of tracking our own growth and were allowed to study topics that interested us.
Flexible grouping and engaging work for all students were also other important elements of my homeschool experience. We had whole group instruction, small group instruction, and individualized instruction. I worked with my older brothers and younger brothers and sisters in the learning process. We were all at different grade levels so our school work was individualized to where we were, but we still worked together. I had the opportunity to teach my younger siblings and to be taught by my siblings.
All of the 8 differentiation hallmarks will be important for my future teaching in my home and in the public school. I think it will be a challenge to differentiate instruction in a classroom with 30 children, but treating each child as a unique individual is important for the success of all my students. I hope to follow the example of my mother in helping each one of my students to succeed and reach their potential.
In my own educational experience my individual needs were the focus of my education. I was homeschooled, so I did not have to compete with 30 other students of my same grade level in the classroom to get the attention and instruction I needed. However, I do have 9 siblings of all different ages and grade levels all requiring their own education needs to be met. The 4th hallmark, "Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success," was always a major part of my education. My mother focused on helping each one of her children to grow individually. In our homeschool we shared the responsibility for the classroom. Each one of us had responsibilities to help each other and ourselves. We had the opportunity of tracking our own growth and were allowed to study topics that interested us.
Flexible grouping and engaging work for all students were also other important elements of my homeschool experience. We had whole group instruction, small group instruction, and individualized instruction. I worked with my older brothers and younger brothers and sisters in the learning process. We were all at different grade levels so our school work was individualized to where we were, but we still worked together. I had the opportunity to teach my younger siblings and to be taught by my siblings.
All of the 8 differentiation hallmarks will be important for my future teaching in my home and in the public school. I think it will be a challenge to differentiate instruction in a classroom with 30 children, but treating each child as a unique individual is important for the success of all my students. I hope to follow the example of my mother in helping each one of my students to succeed and reach their potential.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Morning Meetings with Sylvia Allan
Today, I learned about a different type of morning meeting. This morning meeting format was introduced to me by Sylvia Allan in my differentiation course. Allan's morning meeting format includes:
The class creed provides opportunities for discussion and growth. The class creed that Sylvia Allan uses is:
Now I am the VOICE
I will LEAD not follow
I will BELIEVE not doubt
I will CREATE not destroy
I am a FORCE for GOOD
I am a LEADER
DEFY THE ODDS
Set a NEW STANDARD
Step Up! Step Up! Step Up!
Doing greetings once a week saves time while still helping everyone to feel welcome and like they have friends.
Not only saying the pledge, but discussing its meaning is something that I want to incorporate into my future classroom.
The memorization section of the morning meeting reminds me of my experiences in home-school. I want to incorporate memorization into my future classroom with discussion so the students have worthwhile things they have memorized to reflect on. Some of the poems that Sylvia Allan shared with us were: Good Timber by Douglas Malloch, and I Am Important by Virginia A. Braxton.
The class business seems to be a very important part of the morning meeting. In this part of the morning meeting the teacher gives direction to students, telling them what they are doing well and what they can improve. If there is a need to correct problems the teacher uses some of this time to do it. Also, time in the business section is used for introducing a literary term and a quote.
The news section provides a time for discussing current events.
The share section allows students to share with the class in a way that will foster friendships.
The class cheer is a good way to end the meeting with everyone standing in a circle, with their hands in the middle, to do a cheer together. After the first week, different groups of students can come up with a positive uplifting cheer for the class.
After Sylvia Allan's presentation today I am excited to try out morning meetings in my own future classrooms. Sylvia Allan has set a wonderful example for me in my future teaching.
- Class Creed
- Greeting (Monday only)
- Pledge
- Memorization
- Class business
- News
- Share
- Class Cheer
The class creed provides opportunities for discussion and growth. The class creed that Sylvia Allan uses is:
Now I am the VOICE
I will LEAD not follow
I will BELIEVE not doubt
I will CREATE not destroy
I am a FORCE for GOOD
I am a LEADER
DEFY THE ODDS
Set a NEW STANDARD
Step Up! Step Up! Step Up!
Doing greetings once a week saves time while still helping everyone to feel welcome and like they have friends.
Not only saying the pledge, but discussing its meaning is something that I want to incorporate into my future classroom.
The memorization section of the morning meeting reminds me of my experiences in home-school. I want to incorporate memorization into my future classroom with discussion so the students have worthwhile things they have memorized to reflect on. Some of the poems that Sylvia Allan shared with us were: Good Timber by Douglas Malloch, and I Am Important by Virginia A. Braxton.
The class business seems to be a very important part of the morning meeting. In this part of the morning meeting the teacher gives direction to students, telling them what they are doing well and what they can improve. If there is a need to correct problems the teacher uses some of this time to do it. Also, time in the business section is used for introducing a literary term and a quote.
The news section provides a time for discussing current events.
The share section allows students to share with the class in a way that will foster friendships.
The class cheer is a good way to end the meeting with everyone standing in a circle, with their hands in the middle, to do a cheer together. After the first week, different groups of students can come up with a positive uplifting cheer for the class.
After Sylvia Allan's presentation today I am excited to try out morning meetings in my own future classrooms. Sylvia Allan has set a wonderful example for me in my future teaching.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Morning Meeting Video
There a lot of YouTube videos with different activities and ideas for morning meetings. Here is one I found that will be fun to use with spelling.
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