Week 4 INVENTORIES

1. Hallmark #1: A strong link between assessment and instruction: assessment and instruction are inseparably connected...
The two inventories on page 100-103 in Fullfilling the Promise.. are two great ways to begin a year and to assess were many students are coming from and what interests they may have in different topics or activities. The first inventory is a student profile survey. I would use this survey to help me to understand what my students feel strongly about in their learning styles and what learning styles or activities they do not like. I would make two more columns that said "a little like me" and "a little different than me." I think these additional columns would be valuable to me as a teacher so that I could understand other learning possibilities that may fit, alongside the absolutes that are stated in the "like me" and "not like me" columns.
The secong inventory is a Student interest survey. This survey asks a bunch of questions that help the teacher understand where each student is coming from and their learning preferences. I would probably ask more specific questions on what the students want to learn about in each of the subjects (#8). This would allow me to get a clearer picture of what they already know and want to know, as well as giving them a heads up for the upcoming curriculum.

2. From the File of Inventories and index of inventories..
I liked a lot of these inventories because the idea of the inventory was to gather information about each student, observe them, and allow them to speak to the teacher about their ideas, worries, concerns, and strenths through the many different content areas. Some similarities that i observed were the constant student assessments and response. I felt that asking the students what they like and what they don't feel comfortable with is one of the most important ways to pre-assess what to teach them and how to differentiate each lesson for your students. I liked that there are a lot of anecdotal notes that teachers can use that have different focus questions to help the teacher observe and assess student learning and understanding. Another thing that I liked about these pre-assessments is that many of them were very low key and avoided stress (opposite to a test). The questions say things like, do your best, show me as much as you know about this, how do you feel about this topic etc...

What I am beginning to learn about differentiation content, or process or product for readiness or learning profile, or interest is that it takes communication and observation that is low stress, asks questions, profides accurate feedback, and involves a teacher/student understanding toward the feelings and attitudes attached to specific areas of study. Teachers must understand what level the child is coming from and what level they feel they are at in order to decide how to differentiate for their needs. These inventories provide great ways to aid the teacher in discovering student needs and uncovering the important skills that have yet to be taught and mastered.

Week 3 Response

1. I think one of my favorite definitions that made sense to me for defining differentiation is on page 10. 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... we are no longer teaching if what we teach is more important than who we teach or how we teach." This made sense to me because it brings students into perspective as individuals who have similar needs to each other, but also have very specific personal needs and requirements that the teacher needs to be aware of and differentiate for. From what I understand, becoming an effective differentiation teacher is an emersion process that evolves, and can only evolve when the most vital step, the teacher-student relationships, are established as well as the skills required to become a flexible teacher are obtained. I loved the metaphors given in the chapter of taming the fox and the clockwork of the three cogs! These metaphors helped me to realize that there is so much more to differentiation then simply planning well. Knowledge of your students, their culture, home life, and prior experiences, as well as what they are seeking from their experience are some of the vital ideas which shape the flexible forms of differentiation that should be transforming their experience in your classroom. (Some of the definitions also reminded me of the Emergent Participatory Teaching theory for ESL).

2b. On page 22 it says in correspondence with "Looking back (reflection)...and Ahead, "The point is not to entertain guilt. the point is to relentlessly seize the remarkable opportunity of a teacher to shape lives--to do the best we can to ensure that we are better at reaching children today than yesterday, better at it this year than last. Connecting with each child is at the heart of differentiated teaching..."

I LOVE this quote because by the time I finished reading the chapter, I asked myself, "well now what can I do to start..." and I felt lost and confused. As a teacher, I want to have all of the qualities and teaching strategies figured out so that my students can have the best opportunity to learn and feel safe in my classroom. These quote is comforting to me because I realize that it is going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of practice to get to the point that I want to be in with using differentiation in my classroom. I need to remember that as long as I am taking the opportunity to learn from my experiences and work harder to teach my students more effectively tomorrow, I am doing my part and the outcome is that both my students and I will grow and learn from it each day!

ABOUT ME

1. My favorite book for kids.... In all honesty, the more books I read, the more favorite books I find and cannot choose just one. A recent book that I have become fond of is called, How to Lose all of Your Friends by: Nancy Carlson. This book points out the negative behavior stategies that can be used to lose all of your friends. I will use it in my classroom to help my students learn proper behavior strategies and for them to have the opportunity to discuss and come up with their own ideas for good behavior toward other "friends"(classmates and schoolmates) in the classroom.
2. My three favorite TV shows, although I very rarely even sit down on my couch in my living room are, So You think You Can Dance, American Idol, and The Disney Channel. Every couple of weeks I probably watch one of these shows, but very seldom even though my secret wish would be to never miss an episode!!
3. I collect pictures! I am an avid picture taker and lover of going back and looking at my pictures. The only problem here is that I do not have time to scrapbook! I also collect craft materials so that when I get sick of homework or life, I can stow away in my office and pull out my craft materials to whip something up really fast (usually cool head bands or jewelry). I also have a collection of almost every school related material since the third grade... I think I have a printed copy of almost every paper I have ever written!
4. I wish that I could keep a journal or blog, but I always make the excuse that there is no time. Writing often makes me nervous because I feel like I can never finish what I want to say or visa versa...
5. After school activities I would sponsor:
1. Sports
2. arts or music appreciation
3. Writer's group
6. Art in my life involves my dance training. I have been obsessed with dancing since I was very young and began my official exploration of it at 13 years old. I feel that choreography and discovering new and beautiful ways to combine movement and make it visually appealing (or not appealing) is incredibly difficult as well as incredibly exciting and rewarding. Other artistic things that I do consist of making crafts or altering some of my clothing!
7. Music has always been an integral aspect of my life! I began singing in the Utah Valley Children's Choir at the age of 5 and progressed through their program until I made it into the concert choir at 12 (the top, touring choir). I stayed in this choir until I was a senior in high school. Each summer we would go on two week tours to different areas in and out of the country. We would stay will host families and then sing for them in their LDS churches. The moto of the choir was "Sing for the Lord." Most of the music I sang was uplifting and spiritual and I have never been so grateful for such a wonderful learning experience. I also sang in the A' Capella choir in my highschool, as well. I LOVE music!
8. I LOVE DANCING and I believe that dancing is a wonderful way to release your mind of life's worries and all of the homework that the education department wants to throw at you. I started dancing at 13 when my friends started dancing. After that, it became an obsession and I knew I had a lot of hard work ahead of me to catch up to other girls who had been dancing their whole lives. I began really pushing myself to learn everything that I could. In high school all I wanted to do was dance, so I auditioned for the dance company as well as the Drill team and became a member of both. I also had the opportunity to dance for the high school choir during big productions! I love it. I currently assistant coach the Spanish Fork Drill Team as well as teach dance in a studio in Spanish Fork and take classes at UVU. Choreography can be stressful when your mind is consumed with homework, but I never leave without feeling a sense of accomplishment after teaching dance!
9. I have done drama in my home with my sisters making videos and playing around. My formal experience was in 7th and 8th grade when I took drama classes and played the lead in my 7th grade class play (I don't even remember what it was called), I was then a dancer in the 8th grade play of Oklahoma (but never had the opportunity to perform because of a knee injury), and I was a ghost in another play (that I don't remember the name of). After getting hurt, I didn't ever really go back into drama. I still believe it is fun however!
10. I am crazy busy and I am excited to learn and will do my best! Thank you for this opportunity!

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