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.