Share 3 (three) exact quotes that are meaningful to you (from across these two chapters), and explain why they matter to you.
"Because you are a human being, endowed with the value and possibilities of humanity, I must treat you with dignity." p. 27
WOW, does this not empower my thinking! If this isn't a slap in the face to all of us future teachers I don't know what is. We are dealing with our students lives and are a huge role model to them. We can be an instrument of torture or a gateway to a love of learning. How can we expect our students to respect us if we don't give them respect. Teachers are not all mighty we need to learn to share the power and help our students see that they are an important part of our class. Each and every student that walks into our class comes with a story to share and they deserve every basic right no matter, their gender, socioeconomic status, race, or religion. Dignity is not something you earn it is an automatic right. If we ever belittle a student or don't look at them as a human we have turned our back on the education system and should be ashamed. To be a human is to love and to a teacher should be held to different standards when it comes to these issues. We have the ability to lift up a student or destroy them and if you are not ready for this responsibility then get out of this profession. The future of our nation rests in our hands and I take this challenge on with an open heart and can't wait to be changed by my future students.
"To provide opportunity is to help learners have a voice in what and how they learn and to find their own voice through what they study. It is to feed the learner's curiosity and challenge the learner's natural drive toward competence (Meier, 1995) p.30
To me this is a huge part of what differentiation is. Treating each student as an individual learner and knowing their strengths and weaknesses and helping them harness their love for learning. This quote really stuck out to me because I feel that so many time teachers feel like they need to have the voice in the classroom but if we are really helping our students grow and develop we need to help them find their voice. We, teachers already know who we are and it is our turn to help our curious students find their passions. We are the facilitators and role models, we have a huge job ahead of us. We are the fuel to our students growing minds, engaging them in challenging activities that help them develop different perspectives is success. Finding your voice may take years or you might have already been born with it. We as teachers need to know how to best help each student. We must take the time to really get to know them on a personal level to ensure that they will have optimal growth while in your classroom.
"Wise teachers expend their team in a variety of ways-forming partnerships with their students, establishing relationships with like-minded peers who serve as "critical friends" drawing on the expertise of specialists in the building, and actively pursing advanced professional knowledge through universities, books, and high quality staff development." p.33
Teachers are life long learners! The thirst for knowledge never ends. With our changing world we as teachers must be ready to change with it. Our students will change our neighborhoods will change and education policies will change. A solid teacher never just excepts a routine you continually are evaluating yourself and thinking what can I do better? We need to be constructive and challenge our thinking. So many teachers become robotic and go through the day to day motions of school life and eventually become burned out. I have seen many examples of this through my field experience and I know that I don't want to have this happen to me. You must create professional learning groups within your school faculty and district professionals. Put yourself in situations where you are challenged as a teacher, change grade levels, schools, or even states. Teaching is constantly evolving and there are better methods or approaches to go at sharing knowledge with your students. I don't want to stop learning my brain is a huge sponge with lots of room for bigger and better things.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Week 3 Reflection
Reflect on what you learned about creating community in your classroom from our visitor, Sylvia Allan.
Can I just say that I have a mentor! Sylvia is phenomenal! Words cannot describe how I felt when class was done last week. I didn't want it to end. I have never been so shocked and motivated at the same time. If I ever thought that morning meetings weren't needed she changed that! Thank you so much Dr. Anderson for inviting Sylvia to our class. It is so important to see that she came up through this program and what she has created. I wish that she was still teaching in a classroom and I could just come in and watch her and never stop taking notes. How Sylvia carries herself immediately made me feel like I was in the presence of an unstoppable force. Every time I leave differentiation I feel like I am empowered. Classroom community can make or break your year. You really have the ability to create a family and change students lives. Giving them a voice and time express themselves in a safe environment you empower them. Classroom meetings are a great way to celebrate our individuality and grow together as a class. Never doubt that you can be an instrument of change to a student. Being a teacher is a privilege and with it comes great responsibilities. I feel like a gained a firm foundation of how to set up morning meetings in my future classroom. I have gained so many fun and creative ideas from Sylvia that I can't wait to implement and test out. She really brought the future to life for me. We discussed many tough issues that most people would stray from but I needed to hear. I think that when you decide to go into teaching you think about all the great memories you had while in school. Now that I am in my senior year I realize that it isn't always roses and that the thorns are what test you every day. You dictate the flow or temperature of your classroom and how you handle situations will define you as a teacher. Every day that I go to school I am more excited to be a part of this amazing profession. I feel like a huge reform or change will happen in the education in the near future and I can't wait to jump in and be a part of that change. I will give a voice to the students of our nation and create an equal education opportunity by incorporating all that I have learned from my time at UVU. I hope the world is prepared for Miss Nazzal because I am fueled and ready to be the best teacher I can be.
Can I just say that I have a mentor! Sylvia is phenomenal! Words cannot describe how I felt when class was done last week. I didn't want it to end. I have never been so shocked and motivated at the same time. If I ever thought that morning meetings weren't needed she changed that! Thank you so much Dr. Anderson for inviting Sylvia to our class. It is so important to see that she came up through this program and what she has created. I wish that she was still teaching in a classroom and I could just come in and watch her and never stop taking notes. How Sylvia carries herself immediately made me feel like I was in the presence of an unstoppable force. Every time I leave differentiation I feel like I am empowered. Classroom community can make or break your year. You really have the ability to create a family and change students lives. Giving them a voice and time express themselves in a safe environment you empower them. Classroom meetings are a great way to celebrate our individuality and grow together as a class. Never doubt that you can be an instrument of change to a student. Being a teacher is a privilege and with it comes great responsibilities. I feel like a gained a firm foundation of how to set up morning meetings in my future classroom. I have gained so many fun and creative ideas from Sylvia that I can't wait to implement and test out. She really brought the future to life for me. We discussed many tough issues that most people would stray from but I needed to hear. I think that when you decide to go into teaching you think about all the great memories you had while in school. Now that I am in my senior year I realize that it isn't always roses and that the thorns are what test you every day. You dictate the flow or temperature of your classroom and how you handle situations will define you as a teacher. Every day that I go to school I am more excited to be a part of this amazing profession. I feel like a huge reform or change will happen in the education in the near future and I can't wait to jump in and be a part of that change. I will give a voice to the students of our nation and create an equal education opportunity by incorporating all that I have learned from my time at UVU. I hope the world is prepared for Miss Nazzal because I am fueled and ready to be the best teacher I can be.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Week 2 Reflection
Question: On page 22, Tomlinson says, “The truth is, we will never really do all each child needs us to do.” Later on this page she says, “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.”
Answer: I LOVED reading this chapter! I was inspired and challenged. As a new teacher I feel like this is the scariest concept to undertake. How do you give each student individualized attention? Basically you become Wonder Woman! I do everything in my life with my whole heart and of course that would not change in teaching. However it is a daunting task and I needed to hear the words of Tomlinson to know that it is going to be okay. There is never going to be enough time in the day, week, month, or even year to meet every student's needs but you know what I am sure up for the challenge. You have to know that going into your first day. Teachers have the ability to change lives. I was blessed with amazing teachers and professors throughout my education career and I view my choice to become a teacher as a huge honor. I can't wait to teach my future students and I can't wait to learn from them. Education is a give and take relationship and if you are able to facilitate that in your classroom that is a good start. I plan on looking at each child as a whole person not merely a number or name on the class roll. They come into school everyday with a story and it is your job to know where they stand so you are able to help them reach their potential. However I need to learn that I can't change or control every aspect of their lives. They come to class with needs that I may never be able to meet but what I can do is give them a safe zone to learn in. Guilt is a tricky emotion, you need to acknowledge it in your life but I like to blow past it and move on! I don't like to have regrets and when you are teaching you have to understand that you have to fill every minute of the teaching day. You can't go back all you can do is evaluate and change what didn't work. I love that we are finally learning how to differentiate and incorporate it into our future classrooms!
Answer: I LOVED reading this chapter! I was inspired and challenged. As a new teacher I feel like this is the scariest concept to undertake. How do you give each student individualized attention? Basically you become Wonder Woman! I do everything in my life with my whole heart and of course that would not change in teaching. However it is a daunting task and I needed to hear the words of Tomlinson to know that it is going to be okay. There is never going to be enough time in the day, week, month, or even year to meet every student's needs but you know what I am sure up for the challenge. You have to know that going into your first day. Teachers have the ability to change lives. I was blessed with amazing teachers and professors throughout my education career and I view my choice to become a teacher as a huge honor. I can't wait to teach my future students and I can't wait to learn from them. Education is a give and take relationship and if you are able to facilitate that in your classroom that is a good start. I plan on looking at each child as a whole person not merely a number or name on the class roll. They come into school everyday with a story and it is your job to know where they stand so you are able to help them reach their potential. However I need to learn that I can't change or control every aspect of their lives. They come to class with needs that I may never be able to meet but what I can do is give them a safe zone to learn in. Guilt is a tricky emotion, you need to acknowledge it in your life but I like to blow past it and move on! I don't like to have regrets and when you are teaching you have to understand that you have to fill every minute of the teaching day. You can't go back all you can do is evaluate and change what didn't work. I love that we are finally learning how to differentiate and incorporate it into our future classrooms!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Week 1 Reflection
Question: 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?
Answer: Reading this chapter really opened my eyes to the world of differentiation. I was able to connect to Tomlinson and see where she was coming from and how important it is for really get to know each one of my students in order to differentiate. I guess it seems so obvious that we would differentiate our teaching but actually putting it into practice is another thing. The quote above really struck me. The biggest fear I have is that I will lose my passion for helping each student succeed because I am worried about of end of year testing and just have to fill my students will the information that they will be tested on. That is the moment where true teaching stops, when you let that fear and pressure take over. I went into teaching with hope for an amazing future generation of students that I get to play a role in developing. When you take the time to KNOW your students, I mean really know what they are thinking and how they learn then you are able to open their minds to learning. If you show them respect, build them up, and set clear and attainable expectations then you can trust that your students will pass tests. The entire high stakes testing method drives me crazy! I will never understand how that can truly give a fair representation of a teachers teaching methods or students knowledge. If we truly embracing the theory of differentiation then we are allowing for effective teaching to enter our classroom. Teachers must teach from the heart and not just a textbook. We forget that we are a beacon of change in our classroom and we can control the climate and dictate the future paths of our students. I take on this challenge with an open heart and can't wait for the journey to begin.
Question: As you look at the field of flowers often the first reaction is, "The hillside is colored with beautiful flowers." Next you might note the yellow, red, lavender, and marvel at how the colors added to the palate a richness that would be lost if all were one color. If you step closer, you will notice that the shape of the petals and foliage may vary for flowers of the same color. But, when you have watched the flowers in that same field over time, you will note stems that now bear seeds and others just bearing buds and the promise of new flowers.
Think about this field of wildflowers as a metaphor for a classroom of children. How does your perspective of the picture change as you look for the uniqueness?
Answer: My future class will be an array of potential. As a whole we will be united like a field of flowers, we will be defined by our race, gender, and ability level, but underneath it all we will be much more then those characteristics. When you first walk into your classroom and meet your students for the first time you immediately begin to start to read your students. They are all new to you and a challenge. You can't go in with preconceived notions of how they will act or what they will look like. You must be open to the differences and search to embrace their uniqueness and help foster that into the classroom community. When you begin to look at each individual flower or student you begin to see how varied your class or field is. You take mental notes of what works with each student and what doesn’t work. Your brain becomes overloaded with little facts about each student. You see them as individuals and not just a member in your class. They begin to bloom as you open up to them. It is like you are the sunlight and water refreshing their life cycle with new facts and empower them through the art of education. You may have 5 different types of flowers in your field and that is the same with students. You see the trends that begin to develop and they friendships that form in your class and help unite everyone. Each individual flower/student adds beauty and significance to the field/class NEVER forget to take the time to break down the field and get to know each flower on an individual level.
Answer: Reading this chapter really opened my eyes to the world of differentiation. I was able to connect to Tomlinson and see where she was coming from and how important it is for really get to know each one of my students in order to differentiate. I guess it seems so obvious that we would differentiate our teaching but actually putting it into practice is another thing. The quote above really struck me. The biggest fear I have is that I will lose my passion for helping each student succeed because I am worried about of end of year testing and just have to fill my students will the information that they will be tested on. That is the moment where true teaching stops, when you let that fear and pressure take over. I went into teaching with hope for an amazing future generation of students that I get to play a role in developing. When you take the time to KNOW your students, I mean really know what they are thinking and how they learn then you are able to open their minds to learning. If you show them respect, build them up, and set clear and attainable expectations then you can trust that your students will pass tests. The entire high stakes testing method drives me crazy! I will never understand how that can truly give a fair representation of a teachers teaching methods or students knowledge. If we truly embracing the theory of differentiation then we are allowing for effective teaching to enter our classroom. Teachers must teach from the heart and not just a textbook. We forget that we are a beacon of change in our classroom and we can control the climate and dictate the future paths of our students. I take on this challenge with an open heart and can't wait for the journey to begin.
Question: As you look at the field of flowers often the first reaction is, "The hillside is colored with beautiful flowers." Next you might note the yellow, red, lavender, and marvel at how the colors added to the palate a richness that would be lost if all were one color. If you step closer, you will notice that the shape of the petals and foliage may vary for flowers of the same color. But, when you have watched the flowers in that same field over time, you will note stems that now bear seeds and others just bearing buds and the promise of new flowers.
Think about this field of wildflowers as a metaphor for a classroom of children. How does your perspective of the picture change as you look for the uniqueness?
Answer: My future class will be an array of potential. As a whole we will be united like a field of flowers, we will be defined by our race, gender, and ability level, but underneath it all we will be much more then those characteristics. When you first walk into your classroom and meet your students for the first time you immediately begin to start to read your students. They are all new to you and a challenge. You can't go in with preconceived notions of how they will act or what they will look like. You must be open to the differences and search to embrace their uniqueness and help foster that into the classroom community. When you begin to look at each individual flower or student you begin to see how varied your class or field is. You take mental notes of what works with each student and what doesn’t work. Your brain becomes overloaded with little facts about each student. You see them as individuals and not just a member in your class. They begin to bloom as you open up to them. It is like you are the sunlight and water refreshing their life cycle with new facts and empower them through the art of education. You may have 5 different types of flowers in your field and that is the same with students. You see the trends that begin to develop and they friendships that form in your class and help unite everyone. Each individual flower/student adds beauty and significance to the field/class NEVER forget to take the time to break down the field and get to know each flower on an individual level.
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