UbDDI+Chapter+6



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Rachel B.
Through a particular quote within this chapter, under Core Beliefs About Curriculum and Diverse Student Populations, I found a great deal of clarity in regards to UbD. It goes as follows, “We agree that students must make meaning for themselves. It cannot be imposed on them. The UbD emphasis on “uncover-age” of meaning (vs. “coverage” of the content) arises from our awareness that our understanding must be constructed by the individual (p. 85).” Reading this, and the chapter, brought great meaning to the concept of balance between student construction of meaning and the teachers’ guidance. Through differentiated instruction, better “un-covering” should be a result, and less of the teacher trying to lecture that it should mean something to the student and more of the student saying, “It makes sense, and I see how it relates to me life,” to the teacher.

Jen T
I agree with this chapter when it states that information needs to be uncovered and not coverage, as you would find in a traditional classroom. The balance between what students can learn without help, and what should be explained to them, is quite delicate. I think it differs from class to class, and even from student to student, but as teachers we should always be looking for ways to allow our students to think for themselves because that is the only way they will feel a sense of accomplishment and security that they’re on the right track. When I was at Mt. Blue, my mentor’s instruction differed from class to class based on his student’s previous comprehension. In my own class, I’d like to utilize as many constructive methods, as opposed to direct methods.

Rachel F.
This chapter was very insightful about how to realistically manage your classroom. Most secondary teachers have more than one hundred students to keep track of. To a new teacher, this may seem absolutely overwhelming but this chapter discusses ways to manage so many students with great success. It is important to make sure that the students not only know the basics, but know how to apply them to the bigger picture. Some students only get the basics drilled into them but it is very important for students to apply those basics in meaningful ways. It is equally as important for there to be a good balance between teacher guidance and the students’ own independent learning. If there is too much of either then the goal can be quickly distorted. When planning instruction, teachers must remember that it is very complex but by incorporating the solutions to individual issues into the lesson, you will find that you achieve much more. Individualized teaching is very hard to constantly do so this way the solution becomes part of the classroom routine rather than an interruption of it. I’ve learned that it is going to be hard to plan accordingly for my classroom but with a deep breath and the tips from this chapter, I will find it more realistic than I would’ve originally thought. My classroom will have a much easier time understanding concepts since I will allow for activities that aid their understanding.

Karin
The interesting part about what I learned from this chapter was not actually in the body of the information. What I learned best from in this chapter was the analogy in the conclusion. It really sent the point home for me. Once I began looking at differentiated instruction as a “healthy” decision to be made in the classroom, I began thinking about how much easier it can really be. I learned that developing the teaching strategies that make differentiated instruction is not an impossible task; it is a manageable and crucial task. This definitely impacts my classroom because I want to have a classroom with “healthy” instruction methods; I will do my best to implement the “healthy” teaching habits from the very beginning in an effort to be the best teacher I can be.

Geoff
I like all the charts in chapter six of //Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design//; it’s an awful lot of information to try to swallow. The charts, however, all go along with some very important points this chapter is trying to make. These include that effective teachers can manipulate “classroom elements” like time and learning and teaching strategies to maximize student achievement. Furthermore, this chapter suggests that we would be foolish to try to serve the unique needs of every single student, and that we should instead try to categorize as many of the students needs as possible and adjust curriculum to these categories. I can breathe a little easier with this piece of advice, although I still wonder if I will have the ability to differentiate instruction in an effective manner. The biggest theme of the chapter is that we as teachers need to be responsive to the needs of the students, something I know I will need a lot of work on.

Megan
Chapter 6 echoed the chapters in the book that we read earlier on. Teachers need to find ways to differentiate in the classroom without catering to each and every students needs in every lesson. Teachers should work on putting students in groups according to where they are in the material and how they learn; not according to their skill level. Also, as teachers we must set up certain expectations and have those expectations apply to all of our students. We can’t let something go or crack down on someone because they are a star student or “underachiever.” All students should learn the basics and apply them appropriately to real life situations. Its easy to understand how teachers who have been teaching using the traditional way, for 20+ years would have a hard time learning and consciously incorporating DI and MI. It takes a lot of practice and I’m hoping because I’m learning this right off the bat, I’ll be able to get better about appealing to all the intelligences.

Courtney
This chapter was basically explaining the importance of using UbD in the classroom. First a teacher should start off by asking themselves questions about certain units. The teacher should question what the students are learning and maybe different ways of teaching the material to better suit a students needs once a unit takes off. The next step to better suit all students needs is to understand what is going to lead them to understand information and think at high levels, expand on basic concepts, allow for the student to interpret their own understanding of certain material, and let them know what is expected from them. Once these concepts are recognized by the teacher then they can move on to using UbD in the classroom and using the classroom as a tool for this. In the end it is easier to not only realize which students are similar in their learning needs but look for patterns to adjust to this. Then in the end allow flexibility within lesson plans to work around all students needs.

Sara
Students need opportunities to learn basic skills. Students will not achieve these skills if the low achieving learners are given ‘low level’ busy work. Students need curriculum tailored to their needs not ‘dumbed’ down. Teachers should not hand feed information to student, instead students need to explore the concepts and develop their own conclusions. It is important to tell students of goals for the unit being taught. They should know what they are learning and why they are learning it. To teach a unit teachers may have to alter their original lesson plans to suit the classroom environment. Flexible teaching is important to the differentiated classroom. As a teacher I will make sure not to assign the lower achieving students “dumbed-downed” tasks but help them by modifying tasks to fit their learning needs. I feel it is important to let students know the unit goals and what is expected of them as learners, as well as letting them know why they are learning what they are learning, and why it is important.

Jen P.
On page 95, Tomlinson and McTighe explain that it is a misconceived notion that, “differentiation [is] an Individualized Education Program for every learner”. Though every student learns differently, what I have learned from this chapter is that many multiple intelligences can be utilized in the same lesson. Differentiation is not about individualizing everything for every student, but rather making sure that every student can learn in the classroom. Modifications to a lesson can be small and yet effective at the same time. Also, additions may be made to lesson plans for some students that need an extra step or practice. One of the most helpful parts of this chapter was the chart on pages 102-105 labeled Figure 6.5. Not only did it give possible reasons why students might be having trouble paying attention and questions to help figure out and address problems such as noise level and classroom space, but it also listed some possible solutions. I have a few problems in my infield where I feel like I could move the desks around or something, but I did not know how to do so effectively, quietly, and quickly. This chapter is a wonderful resources for classroom management issues.

Jordan
This chapter presented much information about ways to effectively teach in a differentiated classroom. The main idea that stuck out to me was how teachers have the ability to manipulate classroom elements to the advantage of the students. A teacher can negotiate the amount of time allotted for a specific task for students who work slower than others, create a quite zone in the classroom for students who need quiet surrounding to be productive, can provide options when it comes to tasks for students who learn in various ways, and allow the option for working in groups or working alone. There are so many ways that a teacher can use the elements present in the classroom- time, space, resources, student groupings, teaching/learning strategies, and teacher partnerships- to benefit the numerous different kinds of learners that will be in a class together. Manipulating certain classroom elements to create an adequate and engaging learning environment for various types of learners is a techniques that i will definitely use in a future classroom.

Stephanie L.
Chapter 6 of UbD /DI is all about how to incorporate UbD into a diverse classroom. It has a great resource (97-99) pertaining to common patterns that are seen among students and how teachers should address these problems. It also provides a list of the types of students who might benefit from the use of the approaches mentioned. I personally connected to the "difficulty attending in class" example because in high school, I was definitely one of those students. If a class didn't interest me, I didn't want to go or pay attention when I did actually go. When I am a teacher, it will be important for me to keep as many students as I can excited about what we are learning to prevent any skipping or day-dreaming. Later on in the chapter there is another helpful chart that focuses on common concerns in a differentiated classroom (102-105). In most classroom scenarios there is one teacher and anywhere between 15 and 25 students. So chances are, there is going to be so much happening at once that a single teacher can't possibly keep everything under control at all times. This chart provides some helpful strategies on how to deal with certain aspects of classroom management. I think that managing time is a big one because it is so easy for a teacher to get lost in what he or she is teaching. It is also hard to make sure that everyone is on the same page within a time constraint. Overall, this chapter is very informative !

Chapter 6 – Responsive Teaching with UbD in Academically Diverse Classrooms

As an educator, there are many elements to attend to. A teacher must constantly be circulating questions in their mind. Questions such as, “Who are the students I will teach? What matters most for students to learn here (curriculum)? How must I teach to ensure that each student grows systematically toward attainment of the goal and moves beyond it when indicated (instruction)? How will I know who is successful and who is not yet successful with particular goals (assessment)?” But, with all of the questioning and planning that is done, there is still a shift between preparation and presentation. The author discusses four essential beliefs of an effective classroom. The first is that all students will experience the curricula using higher order thinking. Next, students need opportunities to learn the basics and apply them in meaningful ways. The third is that there is a need for balance between student construction of meaning and teacher guidance. Lastly, students need to know the learning goals of a unit and the criteria for demonstrating proficiency with the goals. To accommodate these beliefs, many “how” questions arise and we must keep in mind that teaching is both planned and improvisational. Allowing for flexibility and adaptability makes manipulating factors such as time, space, resources, and groupings easier to adjust the environment to meet the needs of all students.

John
I was quite fond of the charts on page 97-98, and they will be a great resource. Really, the charts illustrate what the chapter sets out to do quite efficiently. There are numerous examples of ways to bring DI into a diverse classroom, and with students who may have lower reading levels than others or suffer from low class participation, the DI-based solutions come in quite handy. At the very least, they open the doors for more creativity and give you, a teacher, a list of students who might fall under the suggestions' categories. The charts in this book may likely be the only reason I won't sell it back to the bookstore.