UbDDI+B1+Chapter+2

Abstract:
 Many contributing factors lead to students failing or struggling in classrooms. Teacher can’t always fix the problem, but they can modify lessons to fit each student’s needs. Each student, no matter the problem they face, needs a positive and healthy relationship with the teacher, a comfortable learning environment, a connection between the content and their lives, a challenge and the support to overcome it, an inclusion of things that interest them, and a lesson that is suitable to their individual learning mode. In order to fulfill students’ needs teachers can make universal steps that reach the individuals: take time to know who you’re teaching, use small-groups on a regular basis, challenge the advanced students and make adjustments for those struggling, get regular feedback in the form of informal assessments, teach to the multiple intelligences, give options to work alone or with peers, use rubrics, and teach using diversity.

[|Cassie]'s Synthesis:
Even though it seems pretty common sense- we all agreed- students are the most important part of teaching; the content tends to take central stage in teachers lesson plans. If the curriculum isn’t working out for the students then teachers need to change it! The importance is that students learn what you are teaching. However, it’s hard to make individualized lesson plans, and especially hard when you have so many kids. The main thing seems to be to respect your students. See them as people with outside [|problems]. We need their environment to be comfortable and we need our [|relationship]with them to guide learning too.

toc

Darren
The idea of changing plans and lessons that was mentioned in the opening was very strong and poignant in the second chapter. The different examples made me think about my own ability to adapt, but I also think of the teachers I had when considering changes in curriculum. The images that come to mind are old, bald men with books they never have to read again for class because they’ve taught them so many times. I don’t want to be an ineffective teacher that’s stuck in routine, and I like that this chapter really points out the flaws and downfalls of such a technique. I remember teaching drum lessons and having to adapt to a sixth grader who was far more mature than his peers. He knew a lot of things--inappropriate things--that he would tell me and attempt to make me laugh at. I had to consider what I was teaching to him, the pace I was teaching him at, and the right way to make things sink in. This was difficult, but by the end of our lessons, he would be on task and working hard. I knew how developed he was, and the important part of teaching him was making him feel pushed (because school classes weren't offering him this) and keeping him on task.

Chapter 2

There are many reasons for why students succeed while others fail in school settings. Aside from variance in teaching to address the learning styles of most students, teachers must also provide variance when there are implications for learning that are beyond any one person’s control. For example, a student may strive to succeed and get all A’s one week, and the next week they slack off, do poorly on assignments, and hardly put forth effort. A teacher’s job is to notice the change in behavior and question it. That student may be doing poorly because of family problems, boyfriend/girlfriend problems, abuse, and a number of other reasons that cause them to “ cry out” for help from a trusted adult. Or in some cases the students’ work might suffer because of a learning disability. Regardless of the reason, teachers must implement changes in the structure of learning and/or amount of content in order to help the student be a stronger learner. A students’ differences, problems, and disabilities come with them to school, and if things aren’t addressed, they fall behind, and ultimately suffer. While it is important for teachers to make modifications to best suit the needs of the students having the difficulties, it is nearly impossible to provide individualized lesson plans.

Reflection on Ch. 2 in UbD/DI In Ch. 2 the basic approaches they provide are very insightful. Almost all of them are common sense but they are approaches that we forget about or fail to do. One example is the point about regularly using informal assessments to monitor students understanding by having to answer a few key questions on the lesson at the end of class. It will help the teacher gain insight on the effectiveness of that lesson. Another is allowing the class to choose to work in groups or alone. This is great because it allows the students to work in their comfort zones.

Brian
Chapter two starts bay simply stating, “The customer is always right,” in essence. This meaning that when teaching, we must always be sure to keep the students, and their best interests, as the top priority. We must also always stay flexible. Be available to provide help, and don’t be afraid to change curriculum because of timing, importance levels, and anything else that may impede the learning curve. Be sure to always keep in mind the emotional and mental characteristics of students. See them more as fellow humans, and less than a student you must preach to all day. We must acknowledge students needs outside the classroom as well as within. This is blatantly obvious when we see what affect a students “out of school” environment can have on their learning abilities.

**Cassandra**
Chapter 2

This chapter expanded my view on differentiated classrooms. I can see that all classrooms are differentiated in some way. My High School separated kids in three groups, there were levels A, B, and C. This was so that teachers didn't have to vary their lessons for different levels. However, even those classes were differentiated between farmers' kids and in-town kids, and poor kids and rich kids. These differences affect the ways kids learn and study. We need to adapt for all kinds of different intelligences, backgrounds, home-life's, and even genders. The only way to only teach to one kind of student is to teach one student. Each student is different in some way. I like the advice the chapter gives for reaching each student, such as small group work and using their different backgrounds as ways to interest the kids in the subject. For example, comparing everyday life to the characters' ways of life would get the kids into thinking outside of their individual life.

**George**
This chapter focused on the students. Seeings how they are the most important part of the job that makes sense. You need to be sensitive to the needs of your students and be flexible enough to adjust a curriculum to fit those needs. If there's a drop in performance unexpectedly there could be a underlying cause. Overall, what I will take back from this chapter is the idea that is being pounded into our heads, that not all students are the same and you need to be able to adjust to help them all. No small task in a situation where you can have upwards of 80 kids.

Zack
Chapter 2: What Really Matters in Teaching? (The Students) Teaching a lesson plan according to the lesson plan may not be the best way to teach the lesson plan. As a teacher realizes how their students learn they should modify the lesson plan that they are working on so that the students can learn in the way that is most conducive of them to learn. A teacher cannot expect that everything they say will go in one ear of a student and stay in the ear of the student. Learning cannot be forced into a student it must happen within side of them. If a student learns one way the teacher needs to modify their lesson plan so that need is met of the student, otherwise the student will not learn the maximum of what they are supposed to learn. As the title of this chapter states, the students are what matters, the teacher is just the enabler.

Josh
This chapter discussed a lot about how student’s issues and personalities affect the teacher’s lesson plans. That no matter how organized and thought out the plan is, it is always subject to change. It is the hope of the teacher to be able to alter their methods to help the student get a deeper understanding of the material. Responsive teaching was a focus of the chapter in which the aspects of how a particular student learns best was the focus. Working in small groups helps students learn better and targets different levels of learning to specific students. Also, a main focus which I found important was being able to have the ability to teach in multiple ways. This is the only way that one can effectively teach all the students in the classroom. Understanding one’s students is the only way a teacher can adjust their curriculum to fit the needs of every individual.

Liz
Chapter two explains how a soundly designed curriculum can fail due to students being different and having individual needs. Teachers need to identify these needs and adjust to them. During chapter two there are four examples of students who need differentiated instruction; two of the four have their problems resolved during the school year by having there teachers identify that they had different learning styles. The remaining two had problems that either couldn’t be addressed by the teacher or were identified in later years. Chapter two is also in part about how a teacher must know their students. By knowing a student you can fix and assist them with problems. The students will also feel like you are a teacher that can help them because you know and care about them. Not only can you help a student by identifying problems but you can identify different needs.

Damian
Responsive teaching pedagogy encompases a variety of different approaches. Attending to student-teacher relationships and the learning environment to name only a couple. The chapter outlines a variety of ways in which to foster a caring environment in which the students feel safe to learn and encouraged to participate. If used properly this methodology may help students not just learn, but infinitely more important, want to learn. I would very willingly attempt to learn more about these methods in the hopes that my prospective students would gain from these insights. As the chapter points out very eloquently, it's not about the teacher teaching it's about the student learning.

Ethan
This chapter focuses more on the diversity of students. The writers of the book wanted to make a point in addressing the needs of the students first as they come first for any great teacher. The chapter covers many different ways to reach out to students in the classroom like small group teaching, getting to know students more regularly, and offering ways to explore and express learning are just a few of the ways talked about. All of the things talked about in the chapter I will use and reuse throughout my teaching career. The students are why you teach and this chapter gave me a lot of great ways to reach out to multiple learners.

Sean
Chapter

This chapter forced me to think about my own learning, and how I developed in high school as a student. One of the points this chapter made was to basically give the students a goal that is almost too tough for them (page 20). I took AP English in high school, and it proved to be too much of a challenge, but I gained more from that class than almost every other class during my time in high school, because I was being constantly pushed to expand my thought and vision. So this point in particular, as well as others, will be quite useful in teaching.

Jennifer
Chapter 2 UbDDI Throughout my career as a teacher I am going to have to be very flexible in order to meet the needs of each individual student. I may try many different things to help a student learn, and have none of them work, but I must keep trying. There are many barriers to learning that I must help students overcome or help them through, such as personal barriers, identity barriers and learning disabilities. Being a responsive teacher means that I must be familiar my students needs and varied learning methods. Creating a good curriculum for many different types of students is not the only thing that will help me be a responsive teacher and benefit my students. Having a positive classroom environment where students feel safe, comfortable, and respected is also conducive to their learning. The student/teacher relationship is also important, not only must students respect me, but I must respect my students. Teaching so that they have context and connection with the material and bringing in their interest and tying it into my lessons will motivate them to want to do the work and actually learn and remember what I’ve taught.

Dan
In this chapter I learned all about how important it is for the teacher to accommodate the student’s needs. You also learn how to accommodate them. It is important to understand that every one of your students is different. It is the teachers job to use techniques to combine learning styles in groups that work, but not use the same pairings too often because you can become lazy with your work. It is important to try many different things with different students. You might not get it right away. Sometimes you may have students leave your classroom for their next year and you still didn’t find what worked for them. I was given tips for becoming a responsible teacher in chapter two. These ten tips might not work for every class, but they may be used in working towards a successful curriculum. For example rubrics should be less quantitative in grading and more quality.