UbDDI+B2+Chapter+2

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Abstract
This chapter stresses the need to get to know your students and the need to teach responsively. Responsive teaching means that the teacher is aware of their students learning needs as to the obligations of the curriculum, and can adjust their teaching style to fit those learning needs. This chapter also outlines some possible “barriers to learning,” which sometimes can hinder a student’s ability to learn effectively. One important fact to remember is that “Differentiation does not advocate ‘individualization’” (p.19). Tomlinson and McTighe mean that to teach responsively does not mean that you individualize your students. It would be almost impossible for a teacher to understand the needs of each and every student. To find a solution to this, teachers can implement patterns and procedures that include: incorporating small – group teaching, learning to teach to the high end, learning to teach in multiple ways, using rubrics, and allowing students to work alone or with peers. By implementing these procedures, it addresses multiple needs. Teachers must remember not to teach in the “one – size – fits – all” style, but teach with differentiation in mind.

[|Synthesis Ryan Snowman]
One theme that really sticks out in these blogs is the willingness to get to know the students and teach responsively. Almost everyone touched on this theme in their blogs. Getting to know your students is probably one of the most important facets of teaching. If you really know your students, then it can work two ways. First of all, it can show the students that you really care about them and care about their success as a student. Secondly, knowing your students will help you become a better [|differential educator], meaning that you can address the learning needs of your students. Another emerging theme was the way each blogger recognized the impact that differentiated instruction will have in their classroom. Everyone agreed that [|teaching responsively]will be a major part of their teaching style. Here are a couple of websites to gain more information on differentiated instruction. The first is a link to article written by Carol Ann Tomlinson discussing differentiated instruction. The second link is to a website that identifies several components and features of differentiated instruction. It also includes links to very helpful websites.

Ryan Snowman
The major theme to this chapter was the students, and the way that students can be very much alike and different. Student variance shapes their experience in school. Tomlinson and McTighe write that “It is the teachers’ job to make the link between the basic human needs and curriculum” (p. 16). In order to do this, teachers must get to know their students better, and be able to teach responsively. Responsive teaching means that a teacher is aware of their students learning needs and are able to make the link between that and curriculum. As a new teacher, it will be very instrumental for me to get to know my students, that way I can make modifications that will be beneficial for them. It will be my job as a teacher to make the link between curriculum and a student’s learning need.

Jennie
In chapter two, on page 13, Tomlinson and McTighe say, “Each year, students reinforce for those teachers that the journey is a shared endeavor and that the best-laid plans of the best teachers are just that – plans, subject to change.” Each student is different. And things happen that we just aren’t in control of. We can’t plan for the death a parent, undiagnosed disabilities, or influence from peers. We have to work with what each of our students. With this in mind I’m going to try to get to know each of my students and I hope that they will be comfortable to come to me if something is wrong so I can help them to the fullest extent that I can.

Brittany
Chapter two of //Integrating: Differentiated Instruction + Understanding by Design// focuses on being flexible while teaching so that the material is learned and not just covered. It is important for teachers to use different forms of teaching activities so that students can get the most out of class. Different activities such as group work, having students ask questions, and assessments can all serve as learning indicators for each of the students. By providing a good learning “climate” and a safe classroom, students are more likely to learn and retain information. I plan to use the various ideas in this chapter such as group work, creating a good classroom “climate,” and making good teacher-student relationships to provide the most effective learning environment for my students. Since each student learns differently, trying different activities can help me as a teacher to target each of the different ways that my students learn.

Ryan
In chapter two of //Integrating// by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe I learned that there are many factors that can affect a students learning. For example there are personal factors from home, trying to figure out ones identity, and some type of learning obstruction. Also in this chapter I learnt why it is important to teach responsively. This knowledge will impact me by trying to be more understanding of the people I don’t understand. Also I will try and become that responsible teacher that this chapter talks about. Also this knowledge will impact me as a teacher by being sympathetic with my students and then of course being that responsible teacher.

Cara
Teachers must use different strategies to help them get to know their students. In the chapter, the importance of getting to know students was highlighted because knowing a student will help a teacher to discover how that student learns. I really liked the suggestion of having students answer a couple of questions about the class material at the end of the class. Knowing what the students understand, what they do not understand, and how they answer the question could be the first step into the right direction for that group of students. The book emphasized the importance of thinking of the students needs first. It is important to have a plan, but plans can change in response to the needs of students.

Jordan
“Learning happens //within// students, not //to// them” (Tomlinson and McTighe 22). This was the essential focus of the chapter. The author points out that as teachers, we tend to focus on problems that students create, both academically and behaviorally. Personally, teachers tend to favor students who understand easily and are manageable and as a result, the student and teacher relationship develops further. This chapter has helped refocus the main intent for teaching: get the student ready to learn. The more that the student is ready to do the work and feels comfortable with the setting, the more proactive they are going to be. I feel that teachers initially try to make the effort to understand students, but soon the attempt is buried in curriculum and students feel as if they have made no connection with the teacher. My lack of varied technique and personal teacher interaction has discouraged me to make show my eagerness during the first day because I figure that they have a plan that they want to stay with for the year. I find that the monotonous routine in a classroom, especially in mathematics, has really allowed me to see how I can change my classroom. Instead constant worksheets, quizzes, and testing, giving students options on what they would like to work on may help them work through the material with ease. I feel that for some of my teachers, teaching has become routine and I feel that if a teacher takes the time to get to know their students, it will become apparent that the classroom (including methods, assessments, and rubrics) are ever-changing.




 * Reference: ** Tomlinson, Carol Ann, and Jay McTighe. //Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design//. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2006. Print.

Scott
The key idea to take out of this chapter is that the student needs to remain to focal point of teaching. We as teachers need to remember that the best assessment of our instructional techniques is how successful our students are. The lessons of this chapter will remind me that I need to be open to changing assignments and curriculum. Flexibility is important. We need to keep in mind that the responsibility of a teacher is to provide links between students and our subjects, it does not work to force feed curriculum down a student’s throat. Something I have been worried about when talking about differentiation is the feasibility of creating individual plans for every student. This chapter taught me that differentiation is not the same as individualization; we need to find instruction patterns that fit many student needs. While I am designing a curriculum I need to keep in mind that it is gong to be taught to actual human beings.

Rachel
In chapter two, we as teachers are encouraged to continuously learn more and acquire a deeper understanding of our subject. This is a part of the art of teaching; It creates better teachers and makes curriculum planning easier. The student is the main part of teaching in the differentiated instruction model. It is for the sake of the students that we even need a curriculum. If we have a strong grasp on our subject matter, than we can adjust our curriculum to meet the needs of our students. Working with these varied needs is referred to as responsive teaching. In one example, a student works much better if he stands up and moves around. He needs a teacher to teach responsively in order to understand this about him. If I have a student who seems inattentive or unruly, instead of chastising him/her I can teach responsively to better understand why this student acts the way they do.

Corinne
This chapter looked further into what being a teacher is all about, and stressed the importance of flexibility. Flexibility is important because students are human beings with lives and problems that often interfere with the plan the teacher has set up. This idea will impact me as a teacher because students success is often prevented due to home problems or learning problems that have not yet been identified. The chapter brought about the realization that a teacher’s job is not only to teach a subject area, but also to cater to individual students needs so that they can achieve success. Or in other words a teachers job is to do everything in their power to ensure success for their students.

**Sarah**
Chapter Two captured the very essential notion that a teachers plans are in fact just that, //plans//. And as with all things not set in stone, plans are subject to change based on the context in which they are carried out. In teaching, the context is “who” and “where” of the four primary demands. Where “who” and “where” are two circumstances that will never be exactly replicated from student to student and certainly not class to class, it is very important to note that there is no way to completely be prepared for the requirements of a student body. Anticipation of the student’s need is the true art in teaching as it establishes a common ground between plans and student spontaneity.

Tim
This second chapter showed a few different situations in which students are having their studies affected by personal problems outside of school. This chapter began to explain how difficult it is for a teacher to create a curriculum that will be fair for all students. This chapter also began to make me realize how difficult being a teacher will actually be. Teaching varied learners will be difficult enough but as the book demonstrated with Elise, outside factors that a teacher cannot control can have a negative effect on a students learning as well. This posed the question to me, how far into a student’s private life is a teacher allowed to go? If a student’s life outside of school is negatively impacting their studies does it become the teacher’s responsibility to confront the student? The 10 teaching patterns seemed like a great way for a teacher to better connect with students and help span the gap between varied learners. The informal assessments to help monitor a student’s understanding I thought was a great idea to keep in touch with how well a student is understanding the subject matter without putting them on the spot or causing any embarrassment. That is definitely something I could see myself implementing in my teaching career.

Kirsten
I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been lucky enough to be in mostly student-focal classes, or all the reading we’ve touched upon in my previous education classes and the few short days I’ve spent in Practicum, but this chapter seemed really obvious to me. The essential message was, “Do what’s best for the students.” Well, duh. However, I did find the ways in which one can get to know her students helpful, because there were a couple I hadn’t thought of or experienced. Like dialogue journals—I think this is a great idea and, because I enjoy writing so much, it feels really personal to me. I also think it could easily be done in alternative ways, like recording messages on a tape instead of writing messages in a journal. I also thought the idea of teaching “to the high end” was a good one. I felt as though there are no losers in that scenario, if it’s done right, because the “advanced” students receive the challenges they need (and are less likely to be disrupting class) and students who are often just handed worksheets because not much is expected of them get to stretch themselves and see that they’re worthy of advancing themselves, too.

Mykayla
In this chapter I learned many different ways to be a responsive teacher. Many of the ideas were techniques that I have heard of or witnessed in a class personally, but a couple of them were unique ideas. The “exit cards” were one of those ideas. Giving my future students a couple of questions to answer before class ends will enable me to see how much information they understand from that day’s lesson. I can then use the cards to address concerns that have arisen. I would have never guessed that an informal assessment could be more beneficial to a student than a graded test.

Leah
At first glance this chapter seemed obvious and unneeded because of course students are what really matters. On farther inspection it became clear how “the best-laid plans of mice and men…” or educators need revision especially to meet specific student needs. While reading this chapter I had many flash backs to my high school health class and //Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs//. As teachers we are going to have to foster our pupil’s emotional needs before they can focus on the materials we present to them. It was overwhelming initially to think “I have to make a different lesson to fit each student’s needs” but thankfully the chapter provided us with patterns to be successful without “individualizing.” The “small-group teaching” will be a simple, practical, and highly beneficial in the call room.

Drew
As this chapter points out, there are many educational roadblocks in the lives of students including divorce, learning disabilities, identity crisis, and needs of different multiple intelligences to be met. That being said, it is of utmost importance to teach in a very responsive manner. By definition, teaching responsively is having curriculum prepared to meet the needs of all students and being able to reach to students who might be having issues with the curriculum at hand. I really like that the text points out that individualizing is not the goal of responsive teaching. One might become confused by this. My first thought was that individualizing was a key, however, the text points out that this can be oppressive and negative in affect. That is exactly the opposite feeling that I want in my classroom.