UbD Chapter 1

Reach Classroom Practices

I like the break down of the Observation Form: classroom, outcomes, instruction, learner and differentiation.  However, The Reach Observation Form feels more like a checklist to me.  I would like to see more space for comments and feedback.  I hope to have dialogue with the coaches on what seems to be working vs. what can be changed.

Another question I have, is how often will this happen?  Sometimes a snapshot observation is not accurate because teachers have "bad days" and what may happen on one day may be an exception and not a reflection of what regularly happens.  Or a certain lesson may not have worked out as planned.

Daily Classroom Practices

Daily Classroom "Must Haves"

Student Sign In (still thinking about whether or not this is effective).  My thoughts are if a student comes into class and I expect them to sign in and mark if they are on-time or T, then it might teach them habit and accountability if I tie to some reward system???

Designated spaces for reading, group work, writing, etc

Clearly written lesson plans and layout of the day (so students may move on if they are done)

Non verbal signal (maybe a bell) to get students attention

Designated wall space to put up student work, assignments, rules, information

Daily Classroom Practices

Although I have not decided exactly what I will use, my list of "Must Haves":

Clock

Morning Greeting

Do Now assignment on the Board

Schedule for the day listing: Date, times and assignments, objectives and goals

Cabinet with classroom materials

Place to keep student work, ie filing cabinet

Rules posted

Word wall with useful words

Clean Up Time/Routine

TPE Summary

The thought of standing in front of a classroom and teaching is a frightening one for me.  So when I think about the TPEs, I wonder, "What am I signing up for?"  I hope I will remember to address all the TPEs equally and incorporate them into my teaching.  

TPE D (Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students) which covers TPE 8 and 9 seems the most personal and interesting to me. I look forward to creating curriculum that is designed to make school meaningful and academically enriching for my students.  I hope they will become life long learners which to me begins with the love for learning. 

TPE B (Assessing Student Learning) which covers TPE 2 and 3 is something that will be challenging for me.  I believe assessments are important and want to be intentional about measuring student achievement.  I am most interested in learning what to do with an assessment after it's been given.  I want to be able to address student's needs individually and learn strategies for improving student skills and be able to show growth/data.

TPE F

First off, this article was not what I thought it was (see blog entry in TPE Intro).  As a matter of fact, I was way off and completely wrong. : )

This article felt very much administrator vs teacher.  I've been able to play the role of both, so I was left with lots of questions.  What is my accountability as a teacher to my students vs what is my accountability as a teacher to the school?  How do I decide to move on in my curriculum to cover standards and possibly leave students behind or do I take my time to ensure all my students understand before moving on?  Will focusing on overall school results compromise individual learning plans?  Will my knowledge on both sides help me become a "better" teacher or will it create more conflicts within myself?  I was the one handing state standards to teachers last year who were semi-resistant.  Will I be resistant, too?

TPE E

This article was helpful and clear in mapping out ways to build strong teacher-student relationships.  Many times I hear that teachers want to relate so much to their students that they want to be their "friends."  However many times I hear students say they want a firm yet gentle hand--a teacher who acts as the adult, authoritative figure.  I think there is an important line to uphold when it comes to this and in the end, students value and respect the latter.

In the section, "Establish Clear Expectations and Consequences," and example of an effective strategy is "cuing the class about expected behaviors through prearranged signals, such as raising a hand to indicate that all students should take their seats."  I think this may work with younger students, but what about the high school aged students.  I cannot imagine doing something like that in my classroom and having students respond.  Are there any books that suggest ideas for high schoolers?  I would love to learn techniques to use with the student population I'll be teaching.

TPE D

More than being excited about teaching, I am excited about learning from my students.  Oakland is so rich in culture and history.  It will be a wonderful opportunity to serve the students who live here and learn about how their families came here.  I want to take advantage of this teachable moment and create lessons that will be relevant to my students' lives.  Home visits are also a way to connect to the students and learn about who they are.

After reading this article, I came up with some writing topics that I want to further develop to use with my ELD students.  I think this would be a way to get to know them and it would relate to their lives.  Topics include their reaction/opinions to I.C.E. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Raids), no documents = no college, impact of ethnic enclaves or write about family history and why they are here.

This article also reminded me of a cultural sensitivity training I went to years ago.  I think when you work in a place that includes families from so many different cultures, it is important to practice humility and understanding.  Although you want to treat everyone equally and respectfully, I learned that how you talk to one parent may differ from how you talk to another set of parents.

TPE C-ELL

I will be teaching an ELD class next year and I know the biggest challenge will be the range of ELLs I will have.  Some students speak little English while others were overlooked as ELLs last year because they seemed to speak English "enough to get by".  I have heard before that a student's ability to learn English well is reflected in their own native language proficiency, therefore teachers, "need to know who the students are and what their prior education experiences were like."  I'd like to know if this is as informal as asking them or if there is a more formal assessment.  I also am worried I might create curriculum that is too basic or elementary for high school students, so am interested in learning more about how to ensure that I am teaching them content standards.

The CAHSEE exam is the one exam that has made me want to commit to the ELL students.  I have seen how challenging and difficult the ELA test is for them.  There were 4 ELL students who did not receive their diplomas last year only because they did not pass the CAHSEE exam.  I want to know what we can do to help them pass this test.

TPE C-neuroscience

This article reminded me of how important it is to know your students outside of the classroom.  Are there issues at home?  Are they worried about getting a job to support their family?  Are they fighting with their best friend?  When students are disengaged or distracted in class, teachers often forget to be empathetic or understanding to what might be going on in their lives.  Instead, they might label them a "bad student" or a "problem child" and are quick to take disciplinary actions.  When in fact, if a teacher took time to understand the student and show them they care, that student may become more open to what you are trying to do in the classroom.  We can't control what happens in a student's life outside of the classroom, but we can begin to build trust with a student that the classroom is a healthy place for them to be. 

It is important to build a safe, positive and comfortable learning environment.  A student who feels safe in the classroom will learn more.  A student who is surrounded by positivity will thrive more.  A student who feels comfortable will express themselves more.  It is important to teach students in a way that make them want to learn, love to learn and become excited about learning. 

TPE B

Having worked for many years with teachers and administrators, the word "assessment" is not a very popular topic of discussion.  Many times, assessments are used to evaluate in a negative and/or punitive way.  For example, the STAR tests are an assessment of what students "should know" and are used as a way to evaluate 1) student achievement and 2)teacher accountability in what is being taught in the classroom.  Because of the weight STAR tests have on schools, a low STAR test scores could be used to say that students aren't learning or question what is being taught in the classroom. In this case, it is a familiar way in which assessments are usually used and viewed.

However, there are multiple kinds of assessments that can be used in many beneficial and positive ways.  It was powerful to hear that "the greatest power of assessment information lies in its capacity to help me see how to be a better teacher."  Assessments can be used as a communication tool between teacher and student/teaching and learning.  It can show, "Yes, I understand what you're showing me, or "I don't understand what you're saying, so please try a different way."  It reveals the ways different students learn and addresses the importance of using different teaching techniques.

As a teacher, I will constantly ask myself, "How do I know my student is learning?" and more importantly, "How will my student know s/he is learning?"  Using assessments as a way to become a more mindful teacher as well as a way to help students track their progress is a great way to "learn how to love assessments."

TPE A

This article helped me question how I will/can be more thoughtful when I teach.  I believe we need to push our students to think for themselves, think outside of themselves and build their confidence to apply themselves.  This article showed that there are ways teachers can communicate to students that will guide them to "think outside the box" and "think big."

It is said that "skillful thinking must be cultivated...skillful thinking is hard work."  A student learning to think is like an athlete trying to perfect his/her jumpshot.  It requires practice and coaching.  I wonder how challenging it might be to implement some of the practices with high school aged students who come with "previous training" that led to bad habits or little confidence in school.  How do you engage students who come in feeling disconnected or apathetic towards school?  Will these themes work then?  Should there be a sixth theme in which a thought-filled curriculum involves creating curriculum that is relevant to students' lives? 

TPE Introduction

I believe the most important TPE is TPE 2 - Monitoring Student Learning During Instruction.  I believe that if you are tracking a student's progress, then many of the other TPE's would come into play such as teaching practices and student learning.  If a student is not progressing, then I would wonder if there is engagement going on or if a unit is designed to provide developmentally appropriate educational experiences.  If a student is progressing, then I would think it was appropriately addressing the TPE and being practiced in the classroom.

I think all the TPEs are relevant, but there was one that intrigued me which was TPE 12.  I may have chosen this because I am familiar with some of the legalities in working with students and if this does deal with that, I am curious to find out how relevant it is.  More times than none, I have found certain legal paperwork to be limiting in building those meaningful relationships with students that educators are encouraged to do in order to show the students we are.  I definitely know they are absolutely important, but when you look into professional, legal and ethical obligations, it can create a lot of bureaucracy, fears and yellow tape around a simple project like walking down the street to the park, or if a student doesn't have a stable adult at home who can sign off on permission slips.  I know there are many stories out there that make this topic important and I do believe we should all know our obligations and take them seriously as well. 

I would want more clarification on TPE 1 because it is nearly impossible to teach all the state standards in a given course.  How do you know which standards to pick and which are most important?  I would also like to learn how to plan and demonstrate the ability to teach to the standards without feeling like I am compromising my "teaching to the tests." 

Mastery

I am a big fan of so called "self-help" books and this would fall into that category.  It brought a lot of insight to me.  There were so many great stories told and lessons learned.  I really enjoyed this book, especially because I am always open to learning and growing.  I have to admit, it has become my bedside table book.  I can absolutely relate to this book.  When it comes to developing myself and becoming more positive, I jump at the opportunity.  All the steps sound so familiar to me and just when I thought I was progressing, I hit the "backslide."  But maybe I'm jumping too quickly, or too high that I think I can jump over all the steps in between.  Just like we all have to crawl before we walk, there are steps to take in order to master an art or skill.  Patience, discipline and practice are some elements to success.

My favorite section was Part Two: The Five Master Keys.  For now, I have found 5 things to practice in life.  There are so many quotes/lessons that I will take with me.  Not only do I plan to use them in the classroom but many of them I will use in my own life and personal growth.  For instance, "There is a brand of teacher...who is famous for giving an absolute minimum of praise..."  Believe it or not, I am not used to being praised and therefore, have found it hard to give praise.  I knew this a long time ago, but just realized how important a word of encouragement can mean to someone--how something that doesn't cost anything can mean so much.  I know this will be important in the lives of our young people and I want to practice this more in the classroom (and with others).  With learning, I know repetition and practice is important.  Leonard states, "The essence of boredom is to be found in the obsessive search for novelty.  Satisfaction lies in mindful repetition, the discovery of endless richness in subtle variations on familiar themes."  I used to always say that I get bored easily.  But I think there's something more behind that statement.  I know I need to "stop and smell the roses" because more times than none will I say, "Oh, I didn't notice that the first time."  Maybe there's more to that painting than a big red dot?  In any case, I don't think I will say "I'm bored" as often anymore.  Surrendering hit home for me because I usually like to ask why or try and find logical, rational answers before trying something new, especially if I think I'll look silly doing it.  If a teacher asked me to put my finger on my nose and stand on one foot, I'd probably wonder why first.  I just need to "give it a try" and stop asking why so much because "learning almost any significant skill involves certain indignities."  To accept and be okay with this brings me to the realizations that I may have been able to accomplish much more in my life.