UbDDI+B2+Chapter+1



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**Cam**
UbD/DI: Chapter 1 In this first chapter the differences between Understanding by Design (UbD) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) were laid out. The UbD is a type of model that revolves around the curriculum aspect, and makes a teacher think in terms of 'what?' and 'how?'. The DI is a model that is an instructional one and has teachers brainstorming about 'whom?' and 'where?'. This particular type of structure tells me as an incoming teacher that my curriculum will never be a still-sitting one. I am going to adjust my curriculum to the students and not try to try and adjust the students to the curriculum. I will continuously be molding my expectations to give all the students a better opportunity to improve their understanding, skills, and knowledge of the subject. Each class will have their strengths and weaknesses, but from these weaknesses emerge the diverse qualities; tools, small groups, guidance, and levels of materials for all students. The students will have guidance from questions I bring forward to them, but from there they will depend on each others' energy.

Dani
In chapter 1 of Ubd/Di I learned that Understanding by design is a model that focuses on what and how teachers teach while Differentiated Instruction is more focused on who, where and how. When put together, the two complement each other in a way that helps teachers be effective. This is important for me to know because I will probably be using them in conjunction when I start creating my own curriculum. If I want to be an effective teacher I need to keep in mind all the different factors that affect learning. The chapter describes these factors as “elements” and lists them as who I teach, where I teach, what I teach and how I teach. It does kind of make sense that all four would make a difference. I have had teachers who had one or two but because they missed the other two were not helpful in teaching me the material.
 * UbD/DI Chapter 1:**

Ben
Chapter 1 of **U**nderstanding **b**y **D**esign talks about teachers needing a model that access the main idea of standards, while showing the purpose and comprehension so the students can develop their minds with the content of the standard. Ubd is the model that many teachers use. While trying to cover that, teachers still need to address the different multiple intelligences. A set-up called **D**ifferentiated **I**nstruction helps cover the multiple intelligences as a key component. I learned that educators have four essential questions they constantly asking themselves: who, where, what, and how they teach? The answers are students, learning environment, content and instruction. Ubd has two essential goals: "what they teach, and what assessment evidence they need to collect" (page 2) Ubd is usually used for curriculum designing. DI's goals are who, where, and how teachers teach. DI is used for instructional designing maximize "effective learning" through process and procedures. Together Ubd and DI prove to be our best way of creating curriculum and instruction for teachers everywhere. From Ubd and DI we are introduced to axioms and corollaries. Axioms are used for ubd to set a basic set of rules, while corollaries show how DI can be used with the help of the axioms. From this new information I can now have a method to my madness. I will be able to address the needs of fulfilling my curriculum while addressing the needs of the multiple intelligences. I should know that my purpose is to deepen my students understanding, and show them why they need to know Algebra or Geometry or whatever level of mathematics they may be in. The tampering of my curriculum is a must. After my first year of teaching I will need to see what did and did not work through student's success and feedback. I hope with the help of Ubd and DI I will become an overall better teacher.
 * UbD/DI Chapter 1:**

Jason
**UbD/DI Chapter 1:** This chapter gave me a much better understanding of what UbD and DI are. I learned that UbD is used in order to understand what our students are learning and how to best create the curriculum so that the most knowledge can be gained; DI allows teachers to teach the curriculum and make sure that all students are learning – this is done by using different assessments for different styles of learners. Now that I understand these concepts I will be able to better incorporate them into my classroom. I hope to use this knowledge in order to effectively plan my curriculum and teach the information in such a way that all of my students gain from it.

T ed
The seven axioms and their corollaries presented in Chapter 1 definitely do explain that Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction go hand in hand with one another. It seems like Understanding by Design could probably merit some explanation, as I don’t know if I completely understand what it is just yet. I agree with all of the axioms presented. I really agree with Axiom 3 – work and activities that seem pointless and don’t apply to one’s life are really bad for learning. I definitely see that the benefit of a good classroom comes only with a lot of concentration and deliberate planning.

**Andrew D**
This chapter clearly explains what Understanding by Design (UBD) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) are. UBD is what teachers need to teach and how to receive the information needed to assess students. DI is the processes and procedures that allow each student to learn in varying ways. The examples given from Mr. Axelt’s U.S. history class give a good understanding of how students learn differently and why teachers need to be prepared to teach and assess in a number of different ways. All students learn in different ways and are motivated differently from subject to subject. This is clear in the descriptions of each scenario for Mr. Axelt’s class and is why he decided to approach the unit on the U.S. Constitution in a number of different ways. Reading the scenarios and ideas Mr. Axelt had gives me a good understanding of what I may need to do to successfully have all my students learn about a particular topic. It will help me in the future to know when planning a certain unit that I may have to find a number of different ways to get the information across to the whole class, so they all grasp the information, rather than having only a select number of students do so.

Marcy
Understanding by design and differential instruction must be intertwined within a teaching method. In order to be successful incorporating one method into the classroom, it is imperative to implement the other. UbD is a "curriculum design model" and DI is a "instructional design model," and in this way the two systems compliment each other. This impacts me as a future teacher because these two systems address important questions such as: how, what, whom, and where we teach. A few ways this chapter suggests addressing these questions is by pre-assessment, teaching to the students' needs, and using the backwards model to present the important ideas. This impacts my future students by, hopefully, more appropriately meeting their learning style needs more effectively. Ways that the chapter suggests to incorporate Ubd and DI to help my students is by the following: create a supportive, encouraging, goal oriented, but challenging environment in which the students' needs are met, impart on them the understanding of not only the big picture, but also how it applies to them, and help them gain the tools and skills they need to continue their discovery on their own.

Nicholas
UBD/DI **Chapter 1:** The main point I learned within chapter one was that there are at least four elements that teachers deal with within their classrooms to help create an effective classroom. One is who they teach which would be the students. Where they teach or the learning environment in which they are teaching. What they teach which then becomes the content. And how they teach or give instruction. I want to be sure that when I become a teacher I know how to become effective. By knowing these four elements I believe that I will be able to achieve my goal in becoming an effective and efficient teacher.

Jenna
Chapter one of __Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design__ claimed that because of diversity within the student population (differences in culture, race, language, experience, disability, learning preferences, etc.), the education system needs integration on DI and UbD. The two cannot exist sufficiently without the other. Axioms provide goals for certain aspects and expectations for teaching. Corollaries ensure that every student will have access to the axioms. For example, in my classroom there will be the axiom (or expectation) to provide opportunities for my students to explore, interpret, apply, shift perspectives, empathize, and self-assess. I will provide a constructivist environment to ensure that students will create their own meaningful experiences.

Lizzie
UbD/DI Ch.1 This chapter introduces the idea that differentiated instruction and understanding by design need to be interconnected in order to create the best possible learning environment. With both of them working together there is a logical and practical appearance to the approach of the teacher. It has become increasingly clear over the years that teachers can not ignore the ever changing faces of their students and the diversity of them who populate the classroom. It is the job of the teacher to create a powerful curriculum in a world dominated by standards and pre-existing notions of what the classroom should be. DI and UbD need one another. UbD focuses on what we teach and it helps to guide the implementing of important principles in the curriculum. It is mainly a curriculum design model. On the other hand DI focuses on who, where, and how we teach. It’s primary goal is to help teachers focus on steps that will guarantee effective learning for all of the students. This makes DI an instructional design model. The UbD and DI help to provide teachers with tools and direction towards developing a classroom and a curriculum based on the best understandings of teaching and learning. There are several fundamental principles of these two ideas coming together. The important principles to remember are, the main goal of quality curriculum design is to develop and enrich understanding, evidence of a students’ understanding is revealed when they can apply their knowledge, and effective curriculum development helps avoid problems that arise when the student can find no clear purpose for the material or task. Some more principles to know are that regular reviews of the curriculum as well as the students’ work can help to improve the classroom and curriculum with the needed adjustments, teachers need to provide students with as many opportunities as possible, the teacher and student must work together to ensure effective learning, as well as knowing that UbD is not a program it is a way of thinking. One of the most important things to understand is that a teacher is more than a teacher; he or she is also a learner. This chapter, although extremely dense with ideas, helped me to understand why combining different techniques and teaching methods is important. When a teacher can use more than one method it can apply to a wider range of students making the teacher more accessible and the material easier for the students to tackle. I understand that UbD and DI need to be together in order for effective teaching and learning to take place. The idea that a classroom can be full of different learning styles, group and individual work, different plans and approaches to material, new ways of thinking, and a combination of everything that the student and teacher want to accomplish, makes me realize that the possibility of a student succeeding is ever growing.

Andrew F.
Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction were developed to meet the challenge of having certain standards and at the same time to develop young people's knowledge base instead of just having them memorize facts. Also they were created to fit the growing demand for curriculum to fit the diverse learning style of today's classroom. Understanding by Design is dealing with how the curriculum is designed, and it also focuses on the style of teaching in order to enhance student learning. Differentiated Instructed makes sure that standards are met for a variety of learners. These ideas will be important to me as an educator because my goals are making sure that every student fully understands my content area and that they remain interested in learning.

Lindsey
The aim of the first chapter of “Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design,” works to explain the necessity of pulling together the learning methods of understanding by design and differentiated instruction as students are increasingly diverse in both background as well as learning style. While this may feel intimidating to many teachers, they must collaborate in order to effectively teach all students. Teachers must always keep in mind the standards of the district, the objective of their curriculum, and the learning needs of each individual student, thus this chapter helps teachers to combine each of these needs. This chapter discusses the way in which the most organized curriculum means nothing if students are not learning. At the same time, if the teacher attempts to focus upon each student’s individual needs but applies no organized curriculum, the teacher does not assist the student as he will learn nothing, therefore this chapter is helpful in explaining the way in which a teacher may incorporate both an organized curriculum and teach to each student’s needs. A great aspect of this chapter was that it provided realistic explanations of axioms and their corollaries, making it much easier to understand the application of axioms.