Blog # 4

Quotes

"When curriculum and instruction are important, focused, and engaging, teacher and students are poised on the brink of great possibility."

-Ch 5 Pg 63

This spoke to me because of the emphasis on "engaging." So many people forget that being engaged in something helps you learn. I remember in my first semester of college I was in an English class focused on writing. I hated writing until this semester. I have always struggled in not knowing what to write about or not knowing how to get it down onto paper. My teacher had us pick something that we loved to write about. She took the pressures of grades by allowing us to write the same paper throughout the semester. I wrote that paper 3 times and enjoyed writing it every time. Since our papers were engaging for us, it was easier to write and learn to write.

"Be your partner, coach, mentor and taskmaster all along your learning journey in this class."

-Ch 6 Pg 69

This doesn't say that I will be your teacher and tell you what you need to learn. This says that I will help you every step of the way so you will succeed in this class. I love this statement. Teachers aren't just there to teach or to be babysitters. They are there to help students succeed. The other part of the quote that I like is the journey part. It really implies that school isn't a process that just happens, it's way more than that. It's a journey that is taken together.

"Students achieve at higher rates when instruction focuses on meaningful conceptualization and builds on their knowledge of the world."

-Ch 7 g 89

This makes me think of "why do I have to learn this!" I remember always asking my teacher about this. When they said, I don't know, I wouldn't try. But when they had an explanation that actually pertained to me, I worked harder to learn the material. I know when I teach, I won't be able to answer that question every time it is asked, but I can try. I can try and build their knowledge of their world through my instruction.

Metaphor

I really enjoyed all of the metaphors that Tomlinson uses, but the one that really speaks to me is the metaphor about bread. My mom has always told me that making bread by hand tastes a lot better than using a bread maker. This is because of the kneading of the bread. I have been so stressed out about what I need to do in the fall. This metaphor reminded me that I need to take one ingredient or thing at a time. I can't just throw all of the things that I need to do into one container and expect it to come out amazing. I need to need to focus on one thing until it is blended in.

Chapters 1-4

Chapter One

1a. On page 10 of this reading assignment, Tomlinson states that“teachers who are willing to establish ties with students discover new depths of truth each day...” What does this mean to you?

Establishing ties with students to actually get to know them will allow you to learn something new about them each day. This helps students relate to you so when they need you, they will come talk to you.

1b. On page 10 of this reading assignment, Tomlinson says, “… we teach responsively when we understand the need to teach the human beings before us as well as to teach the content with which we are charged. … [It] is important to begin with the conviction that we are no longer teaching if what we teach is more important than who we teach or how we teach.”What does this mean to you?

If we just teach to teach, then there isn't any point to teach. The reason I want to teach is to make a difference in students' lives. If I begin to focus on what I am teaching and the tests the students need to take, then I lose the reason I wanted to teach in the first place. Who we teach and how we teach them should be priority over what we are teaching them.

Chapter Two

2a. What does the following phrase mean, and what you think about it?“…emotions trump learning.”

The way I think about this quote is that first everyone needs to get their emotions in check. They need to understand them or else they can't learn. If a student is scared of your classroom because they have never been to school, then you need to first make them feel welcome, then teach them the "content."

2c. On page 22, Tomlinson says, “Teaching asks us to do the impossible. It asks us to establish ties with each child – not to establish ties with all the children as though they were one student. They are not.” How does this resonate with you? Explain.

I completely agree with this statement. It is so easy to view an entire classroom as one student, but it is difficult to individualize the classroom to each student. Every students acts, learns, listens, and feels differently and understanding this will help me individualize my classroom.

Chapter Three

3e. On page 32 Tomlinson sates that in the eyes of a persistent teacher,“when a student fails, the teacher fails.” Respond to this. What do you believe about this?

A persistent teacher, just like the example of the 70 year lady in the book, is someone that doesn't stop trying to find the right fit for their students. If the student fails, it's because the teacher gave up and failed. I think this is genius. Even though this will be very hard, a teacher is there to help the student master the skills they set out to learn. The teachers job is to find the right fit of instruction for the students so they can master the skills.

Chapter Four

Discuss in one short paragraph one strategy or classroom routine that appeals to you from chapter 4.

The strategy that appealed to me is the "using visual cues" strategy." In this strategy it is important to help students remember where to put their work and how their work is recorded. Along with this, it is helpful to have the schedule posted so the students know where we are through out the day. Having students work hanging up will help remind the students what they are learning. I really like how we can use a bell to remind the students that they need to lower their voices.

Reading Response

"The more fully she understands who she teaches, the more aware she is that she must adapt what she teachers to serve individual learners." -Carol Tomlinson pg. 5

This statement was really powerful for me. It had nothing to do with the curriculum that needed to be taught or the tests at the end of the year. It is strictly about the students and how teachers need to know their students before they know how to teach them. This is so important because ever student comes in having different prior knowledge, and they all learn differently.

Get To Know Me

1. What is your favorite book for kids… something you would like to use in your future classroom? Why do you like it?

I love the book "Clementine." The main reason that I like it is because Clementine reminds me so much of myself. Another reason is because so many students can relate to her. She's funny, and you learn that clear instructions and explanations are very important.

2. Name your three favorite T.V. shows, even if you don’t have time to watch them! What can you (or what are you willing to) tell me about your T.V. viewing habits? I’ll tell you mine if you’ll tell me yours!

My three favorite shows (right now at least) are "The Mentalist," "NCIS, and "Castle." I watch TV when I have time too. I use to watch it whenever I was home, but then we cancelled our cable. Now we live off of Hulu. Which to my surprise is a lot more convenient.

3. Do you collect anything? Tell about your collections:

I don't collect anything.

4. Do you keep any kind of a journal (or blog?) besides this one? Tell me about it, and what you like to write about:

I had a journal that I kept. I wrote in it for almost 4 months everyday, but then one day I just stopped. I wrote about what I was doing that day. The 4 months that I have is when I dated my husband. It's really fun to go back and read what I had written.

5. If you had to be the sponsor of an after-school group, select your 1st, 2nd & 3rd choices:__ contemporary moral issues __peer relationships__national security __world peace__career opportunities & choices __art or music appreciation__gender issues __ethnicity issues__death & dying __sports__book club __writers group__ecology __tutoring

Sports, Tutoring then Peer relationships.

6. Have you ever taken art lessons or attended art classes outside of school? Tell about your artistic talent and/or interests:

In Middle School my minor was Art. I wasn't very good. The only thing I can really draw now is an eye. Not two eyes, just one. haha. I loved the idea of being an artist, but I never put in the work that I needed to be as talented as my brother or sister. I love looking at art though. It's so beautiful.

7. Have you ever taken music lessons or belonged to musical groups outside of school? Tell about your musical talent and/or interests:

I have played the piano, violin and clarinet. My Mom taught me how to play the piano until I was 12. I played the violin in 4th grade for about 2 months. And I played the Clarinet in 5th and 6th grade. I had the same problem with music as I did with art. I just wanted to be good, but I didn't put the work into it that I needed.

8. Have you ever taken dance lessons or belonged to dance groups? Tell about your dance talent and/or interests:

I have never taken dance lessons, but I can do the Harlem Shake.

9. Have you ever taken drama classes or performed in a theater production? Tell about your theater talents and/or interests:

I went to an Art's Middle School so I was in the play "Annie," and "Oliver." I was one of the back up singers so I didn't act too much.

10. What have I not asked you, that you would like me to know about you?

My passion is sports. That is the one thing that I have been able to stick with and practice my whole life.