Ch. 5 & 6 Fufilling the Promise

I love how easy this book is to understand and read. Surprisingly enough, even though it is considered a textbook, it is definitely a book I enjoy reading. The insights into becoming a differentiating teacher are practical - things we can use, explained in a way we can understand them.

CHAPTER 5

These chapters were about using curriculum and instruction to reach our students and meet their needs. The text emphasized, via a very excellent example, how knowing the curriculum and the material just isn't enough. Despite being master's at the content, if all we do is deliver it to our students and then leave it up to them to get it, we are failing at our job as teachers...and worse, possibly damaging their attitude toward school, a subject, etc. Instead, we need to do whatever within our power to encourage, stretch, and motivate our students, based on what we learn about them, to help them succeed. They should leave our classrooms, more fullfilled, "more potent human beings" (as the book phrased it), than when they entered.

In a college setting, I imagine it is quite difficult to get to know all of your students and teach all of the content, and yet, through the education program, I feel that many of my professors have known me (or enough about me), to teach the curriculum and instruct, in a way that has challenged me, inspired me, empowered me (otherwise I wouldn't be at this point in the program), and helped me to leave their class better than when I came out. I can't say that about very many of my college professors up to the point I got into the program. Perhaps the difference is you are the best of the best.

The book pointed out five characteristics that must be present in the curriculum and instruction in order to reach our students. (Put here on my blog for my benefit to refer to later)

1) Important - the students must know that what they study is essential -- that it will allow them to improve-- that it is essential to expanding their understanding -- and that it balances knowledge, skill and understanding.

2) Focused - the students must know that what they are doing is aligned with the essential learning goals -- that it is designed to get them where they need to go --that both student and teacher know why they're doing what they're doing --and both teacher and student know their work contributes to a larger picture of skill, knowledge and understanding.

3) Engaging - the students must often find meaning in their work -- must often find the work intriguing -- must see themselves in their work -- must see value to others in the work -- must often find that their curiosity is peaked because of the work -- must often find themselves absorbed by the work.

4) Demanding - the work must often be a bit beyond the learner -- growth is non-negotiable -- standards for work and behavior are high -- students are guided in working and thinking like professionals -- there is no "loose" time

5) Scaffolding - teacher teaches for success -- criteria for success are clear to students -- criteria for classroom operation and behavior are clear to students -- varied materials support growth of many kinds of learners -- varied modes of teaching supports the variety of learners -- small and large group instruction focuses on learner needs -- varied peer support mechanisms are available always -- teacher uses modeling, organizers and other strategies to point out success.

LIGHTBULB!! - So, as I typed those notes for the five characteristics, I realized that the majority of the education department professors practice these 5 elements with associated characteristics as they teach and instruct. Wow! We are experiencing in person the way that curriculum and instruction, when done right, meets the needs of it's students. (Even college students such as ourselves).


There was a part in the book that refers to Steven Levy. He talks about "finding the genius of the topic and combining that with the genius of the teacher in an environment that is rich and varied enough to tap the genius of each student." So essentially, we're back to realizing we can't teach EVERYTHING in the curriculum, so we find what's important. Then we combine that with our passion, in the awesome, community-like environment we can create through morning meetings where each student feels safe and valued for who they are. Then, the result is we bring out the genius in each and every student! I LOVE IT!!

I loved this quote, because I firmly believe that this is what we should strive for - as overwelming as it may seem. "Every lesson plan should be, at its heart, a motivational plan."



CHAPTER 6

The very first thing that caught my eye in this chapter, after ending on the understanding and belief that every lesson should be motivational, was the example of the teacher engaging students by having them think and then represent in some way, a change or circumstance that made them "sink" or "float" as an opening into a lesson on buoyancy. When I read this example I felt a flood of relief at realizing that lessons can be engaging without needing to be a big production. While I agreed that each lesson should be motivational, I was daunted and a bit overwhelmed thinking that each lesson had to have props, costumes, huge creativity. This example made me realize that with thought and clear direction, we can make our lessons engaging and motivational without doing big productions for each lesson, everyday. Whew!


In order to carry out important, focused and engaging curriculum and instruction, these strategies were mentioned:
- Focus student products around significant problems and issues

- use meaningful audiences

- help students discover how the ideas they are sharing and the skills they are learning are useful in the real word

- provide choices that ensure focus

- look at fresh ways to present and explore ideas

- share your experiences and have students do the same

In this chapter, the book highlighted some scaffolding techniques and gave examples which was very helpful to see. For me, the visual of seeing the differences he made between version 1 of the assignment and version 2 gave me a good idea of how I can do the same.

Some strategies mentioned in the book for demanding and supporting curriculum and instruction (and put here on my blog for my benefit to refer to later) are:
- use tiered approaches

- incorporate complex instruction

- use a variety of rubrics to guide quality

- provide learning contracts when appropriate

- aim high

- take a "no excuses" stance

- become computer savvy

- help students realize success is the result of effort

- use the New AMerican Lecture format (well organized lecture - graphic organizer - guidance in completion of organizer - stop often during the lecture to ask for ideas, predictions, etc.

- designate "keeper of the book" - includes date, list of homework, assignments and important knowledge, understandings and skills explored

- try ThinkDots - a strategy that provides peer support

- directly teach strategies for working successfully with text

- use think alouds

- use small group instruction

- promote language proficiency

- use weekend study buddies

- make peer-critique sessions a regular feature

- cue and coach student responses

- team with resource specialist

I love how the big picture of it all is slowly coming together, creating a more clear picture as to how it all works, as the bits and pieces are revealed throughout each chapter. As I read this book and the information in it, it makes me feel capable of teaching. There are some classes where it all seems so overwhelming, or where I start to think I am lacking an important thing that will ensure my success as a teacher (like a loud, powerful voice for example), but as I read this, those doubts wash away and I am left feeling that I can be successful as a future teacher - a differentiating teacher!