October 7 Reading

Fulfilling the Promise
Chapter 5 & 6
October 7, 2008

Chapter 5
“Teachers shape lives, not be providing a sturdier network of social services, not by helping the child explore the psyche, But by equipping students with the intellectual wherewithal necessary to make their way in a world that increasingly demands academic preparation for full societal participation”
This part in the reading made me laugh a little to myself because I realized that there are times where our job will feel like a “sturdier network of social service” and there may be moments when we think to ourselves “I should have just majored in psychology, it sure feels like the same thing” however, sometimes it is necessary to help meet the basic needs of our students before we can begin to teach them. My favorite part came afterwards when she said, “We want to help students develop the knowledge, understanding, and skills necessary to be fulfilled and productive members of society THROUGH curriculum and instruction.” She went on to re-tell her memories of a math teacher who did not challenge her but instead made her feel incapable. Her statement was “I was not challenged; I was overcome.” As teachers it is important to have a clear outline of what we want our students to learn, “coverage is impossible, we must find what is most vital and teach it.”
We must strive to have a focused and strong instructional base. “We must specify precisely what students should know, understand, and be able to do as the result of a unit. We must be CLEAR about what is essential, pre-assess and assess along the way and that way we will be “armed with a better sense of where students stand.” (Readiness)
The text also talked about how Backward Design is a great way to helping student arrive successfully all the way through with precise planning.
Favorite Genius Statement: “Learner engagement occurs when a teacher sees what’s really powerful in a topic, merges that with his or her own passions and talents, and creates a place of learning where there are enough materials, avenues, and inquiries to invite each student to use individual abilities and interests to explore intriguing ideas.”
Other statements that stood out to me:
“we feel better about ourselves when we work hard.
“Teacher makes necessary the growth and provides the support system that guides the growth.”

Chapter 6
“Effective curriculum and instruction are tightly bound to one another and to learning environment and student affect.”
I liked the examples of Mr. Johson and how he was able to plan multiple ways to teach and revisit the essentials. I loved how he would guide the students in developing principles and would have different vocabulary and definitions to help assist them along the way. He made it meaningful and purposeful. He provided choices that ensured focus. I also liked how it suggested to have students contribute some options so long as each option required focus on specific learning goals, this would be a great way to motivate students and help them feel a great deal of ownership for their work. The chapter also talked about helping students with rubrics and varies scaffold worksheets that will increase their understanding of the unit. It talked about the many instructional approaches you can tier which include: writing tasks, homework, learning centers, computer tasks, product assignments, learning contracts, and labs. This helped me see many examples of how I can differentiate my classroom in a variety of ways to help accommodate for all learners.
Favorite quotes:
“The most successful students understand that their success results from their own effort.”
“This is hard, but you can do hard things, and I am not willing to let you settle for less.”
“I understand. I wish it weren’t difficult. But I also know that you will be stronger for working through the difficulties rather than allowing them to make you less than you could be.” (For this one I thought of how my students could feel when the work is challenging and also my point of view as a student and how you, nancy, help us by not having us settle for anything less, you make us reach, just a little above who we are to make us better. I admire that.)
Lastly, I liked the idea of having one student be the keeper of the book (and switch of periodically) I think that is very important in classrooms to give students responsibility and a sense of belonging.