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.