Rant

My rant is dedicated to busy work assignments professors give us. I am too busy and too tired to spend so much time and put so much effort into something that I know they barely glance at to see if it's done, then just give us the points.

I would also like to rant about field assignments. I know professors say they don't explain them until the very last class before field because they don't want us to forget anything, but guess what, we are seniors in college. We can handle it. And when we know in advance we can actually *gasp* prepare ahead of time!

I would also like to rant about USBank. Which has nothing to do with this program, but is currently on my mind and irritating. If I deposit money into the account, then check my balance at an ATM, and make a withdrawal based on the money that the receipt told me I had, don't charge me overdraft charges because the deposit was still pending! If it is pending, then don't let me take money out. Obviously. Stupid national idiotic money monger anti-consumer anti-American banks. From now on I'll keep my money under a mattress.

Thanks Dr. Peterson for letting us rant, but this must be the most depressing assignment you've ever had to read! So I'll share a little bit of sunshine. It was supposed to snow the last two days and it didn't ! Hooray for wrong weather forecasts!!! :)

And I would also like to say I really look forward to differentiation on Thursday mornings. It always reminds me of why I want to be a teacher.

Fulfilling the Promise, Toolbox

The back of our book is full of wonderful resources for us to use in our classroom. The reason I say they are wonderful is because each one is made for differentiating, but can be used for any subject. I love this, because while differentiating in our classrooms is obviously ideal, it seems very daunting. But this is an awesome resource for making differentiating a little simpler, and thus something that seems more realistic. I love that several of the options left it up to the student what they wanted to choose. And I believe that for the most part children will pick the option that suits them best. They likely aren't going to pick something that is too hard for them, because the task will seem too huge, but they also won't pick something too easy, because it may seem less interesting than another option on their level. I love that every option is just as good, and just as appealing. And that suits every learning style.

Fulfilling the Promise, Chapter 7

This was the concluding chapter in our book, and it was very real. It told us teaching is hard, and even with all these high hopes for differentiated classrooms full of love for our students, that probably won't come so easily. It told about a man named McNulty, and the spaghetti sauce, or gravy his mother made. Try as he might, he couldn't make that gravy taste like his mother's. He discovered she made her's with love, and that is truly what made it so fantastic. "Things that cannot be written down happen when you lose yourself in your works." When we develop a passion for teaching, differentiation will come naturally. It really isn't something we can learn from reading a text book, or by watching someone else. It is something that will come as you really get to know each one of your students, and find a love for all of them.

Fulfilling the Promise, Chapters 5 & 6

Chapter 5, Curriculum and Instruction as the Vehicle for Addressing Student Needs

This chapter starts off by the author remembering two teachers. The Nameless Teacher and the Forever Remembered Teacher. Without repeating her experience, we all can relate to this idea and think of who those teachers may have been for us. The Nameless teacher taught the information, but not in a way that was relevant or inviting. While the Forever Remembered teacher taught to the students in a way that was relatable, inspiring and enjoyable. Page 58 gives five characteristics of curriculum and instruction that help a child to learn: the work is important, focused, engaging, demanding, and scaffolded. These are direct responses to the child's needs of affirmation, contribution, power, purpose and challenge. This chapter is important because it helps us remember that the reason we teach and have a curriculum is so that the child can learn all they need to. If we strive to keep the above characteristics in all of our teaching, then the students will have the desire and belief that they can succeed.

Chapter 6, Curriculum and Instruction as the Vehicle for Responding to Student Needs: Rationale to Practice

This chapter talks a lot about Mr. Johnson. His classroom is the example because all of his work is important, focused and engaging. These three elements are key to presenting any information, because without even one of these, you lose the students interests. Important is the first one listed and it is important because no one wants to learn information that is useless. I do not want to make an effort to learn something unless it is important to me for some reason. Even in college we often have an internal struggle when a professor gives us busy work, is this important? If it's not, please do not waste my time. Focused is the second aspect. This is important because if you are presenting information in a very scattered and messy way, very few will be able to grasp what you are trying to put across. This is what we are discussing, and this is why we are discussing it. Engaging is third, but in no way any less important than the other three. Even if the material is important and focused, if it is in any way not engaging, you might as well as not presented it. If you cannot hold their attention, you cannot pass on any information. Human nature is such that if something is not engaging our mind will find something to occupy it's time with, whether it is what the teacher is saying, what the kid in front of us is doing, or what is going on outside. Make your lessons engaging, so the students will want to learn.
This chapter also talks about making work demanding and scaffolded. These are key as well. As the book points out, we all want the opportunity to do our best, and we all know when the expectations are low. Be demanding, because than you will see better results. People will only live up to the expectations you give them. Our classrooms must also be a place of support, which is what scaffolding refers to. If we have high expectations for these youngsters, we'd better be ready to give them the support and direction they need to achieve what we've placed before them. Never, never, set anyone up to fail.

Fulfilling the Promise, Chapters 3 & 4

I loved chapter three. So many of our classes teach us methods to be better teachers, chapter three reminded me of why I want to be a teacher to start with. I believe the paragraph on page 26 sums it up, " I want to be a leader in creating a place where each of you becomes more keenly aware of the possibilities in yourself, the people around you, and the power of knowledge. In this place, I want us to find together a good way to live." This quote is so stirring, so motivating. Why though? Because of it's perfect use of words. Leader, create, possibilities, power, together, good. Does anyone in this world remember good things? Think how powerful this world would be if this single quote was every teacher's creed. I want to lead, not dictate. I want to create, not destroy. I want you to see your possibilities, not everything that might hold you back. I want you to feel and be powerful, not weak and fearful. There is still good in this world and together we can find it. When we work for ourselves we amount to nothing. There is so much power in unity. If every teacher believed in every student, and every student felt the belief from their teacher we wouldn't need state mandates and no child left behind, because every child would automatically succeed.

Chapter four gave many good insights in how to put this into practice. I loved the real world examples. I can always relate when I know that there is someone behind this theory who is doing it and it works for them. I liked the section that talked about validating students based on their achievements, and how that fosters a safe and manageable classroom environment. I will admit after reading chapter 3, I was slightly disillusioned with chapter 4, and had trouble coming up with the same amount of excitement and insights.

Inventories/Pre-assessments

The information obtained from the interest surveys in the book would be very helpful in differentiating for multiple reasons. First of all, if we've learned anything so far this semester it is that you have to know your students to differentiate for them. What better tool do you have to get to know your students, then to ask them about themselves! Secondly, this would be of great worth because it asks them to choose their weaknesses and strengths. In knowing this you can more easily put them in groups with other students who work in the same way, or on the flip side put them out of their comfort zone a little bit to help them grow. I would also ask what they think is unnecessary for them to learn, or what they don't want to learn about. That way I can try to make that topic especially exciting, or teach it in a way that really appeals to that student's way of learning.

The assessments found on blackboard would be extremely helpful in our Student Teaching. Just like the interest surveys in the book, they are a quick and straightforward way to obtain information about the students. I will be in a first grade class and I think the smiley face and illustrated pages could especially apply to first graders. Simple enough text that some of them can read it on their own, and pictures for them to choose their responses without having to come up with the words on their own.

Fulfilling The Promise, Chapters 1&2

The first chapter gives two metaphors about differentiation, the first one being based on the book The Little Prince. I LOVE this book, so I was very excited to read this part of the chapter. It focuses on taming the fox. Often when we think of taming something (or someone) it tends to have a somewhat negative connotation with it. It implies that we are in some way breaking their free spirit. But as the book points out, that is not at all the intention. We tame something so we can understand it. The two truths learned are 1."What is essential is invisible to the eye." 2."You become responsible forever for what you have tamed." We cannot see, or label the things that are essential in life or in teaching. The most essential piece is love. And as far as being forever responsible, I remember some of my elementary school teachers crying on the last day of class. Those were the teachers that made me want to cry for leaving their classes as well. We had tamed each other. I want to be the teacher that mourns the end of the school year, because of the connections made with her students.

Chapter two talks about the needs of the students. There are five things the student needs in order to be fully engaged in school. They are affirmation, contribution, power, purpose, and challenge. If you fail to fulfill all five of these, then your student is not getting the most out of your classroom. Each is important in its own way and cannot stand alone. Without affirmation the student will not continue to progress because they do not feel they have attained the goal with was set for them. Without contribution the student will constantly sit out, and never feel the need to progress because thus far they've done just fine without putting forth any effort. They have to feel powerful, because that is what gives each of us the drive to move forward. Where there is no feeling of power there is a sense of weakness, or even emptiness. We must give them power to find strength. Everybody needs a purpose. With no purpose we have nothing to move forward to, we are just aimlessly roaming. Challenge is so important. Every child needs to feel challenged. It is so easy to want to help the child that is behind, but the child that is ahead needs just as much challenge. Every child deserves to move ahead a full grade level, every year they are in school.