Communication

So, teachers can build positive and productive classroom communication patterns with a few different approaches. I'm going to talk about some of those now using scenarios again...

Scenario 1: A teacher makes a point to teach metacognitively (explaining to his students his thinking behind his decisions). This teacher finds that metacognitive teaching helps students understand that he (the teacher) invests time and energy in making the class effective. It also allows him to model for his students the kind of thinking he wants them to do about their own work.

Scenario 2: A teacher builds communication throughout the year to help her students understand similarities and differences and guiding them in a sense of community (Morning Meeting *cough-cough*). She has students create personal profiles that help her see their strengths. She guides her students into thinking about what kind of classroom they'd need to help everyone build strengths and support weaker areas in effective ways. 

Scenario 3: A teacher and her class develop a phrase for striving for one's best work. Phrases can become part of the classroom identity. 

Scenario 4: A teacher and students develop a communication "shorthand," and "windshield checks." These reminded me of the "Storms" that we talked about in class.

Scenario 5: A teacher teaches the definitions of the words, "diversify, verify and amplify" to his students. Diversify means to provide more that one perspective. Verify means to offer proof or evidence and amplify means to elaborate on an idea. He uses these works to challenge students in assignments and discussions but students are also expected to use them to measure their own thinking.

Scenario 6: A teacher allows students into their room at lunch. Energy levels are high and conversation is strong. There is a sense of community among teacher and students.

Additional Strategies For Positive Communication:

• Hold Goal-Setting Conferences
• Use Dialogue Journals
• Incorporate Teacher Talk Groups in Lesson Plans

cLaSsRoOm EnViRoNmEnT mAtTeRs

If you were a teacher would you rather teach in this environment?

OR

This environment?

Now what if you were a student? Where would you rather sit and try to stay focused and learn?.....The messy one right?! haha I doubt any of you chose that one. I'm assuming EVERYONE would love to be in the organized and clean classroom whether you are a teacher or a student. It is the most appealing, hands down! 

In chapter 4 of Fulfilling The Promise, Tomlinson states that a classroom environment will most often be the first "messenger" on how learning will take place. Walls, bulletin boards, artifacts, furniture arrangement, materials and exhibits are all factors when considering the environment of your classroom. The classroom environment communicates loudly about personal affirmations and potential for individual contribution and power derived from knowledge. 

A couple of scenarios were shared in the book that I would like to share with you on ways to help create a good classroom environment:

Scenario 1: An elementary school teacher has 3 important goals she considers when planning her classroom environment:

1. She wants students to see themselves in the room. She does this by incorporating different student cultures in the room. She also has a "kids corner" where she has artifacts that would interest kids. Students can bring artifacts as well that reflect their own interests. 
2. She wants the room to convey a message of flexibility. She does this by using different kinds of furniture that are different shapes.
3. She wants students to understand that the work they do is important and interesting. She does this by having a bulletin board with adult professionals work and leads discussions about how their work is just as important as the professionals. 

Scenario 2: A high school teacher is sure to be at the classroom door as students are entering and leaving the classroom. This is one way to make personal contact with each and every student. He makes sure he is equal and calls on both male and female students frequently. He wants students to know what he expects of each of them no matter what their level. He also uses a system called "one-on-one" to hear and attend to student opinions and feelings. Finally he holds in class discussions to hear their perspectives.

Scenario 3: A middle school teacher understands that both teacher and student talk greatly affect the tone of the classroom. She teaches her students to listen respectfully to the ideas of peers and how to make suggestions positively. She is always modeling these attributes as well. She shares her own imperfections with her students and she finds positive humor that can lighten situations with out hurt. 

What teachers can do to help create a positive classroom environment: 

• Study Students' Cultures
• Convey Status
• Comment Creativity
• Make Room For All Kinds of Learners
• Celebrate Success
• Help Students Know About One Another (Morning Meetings *cough-cough*)

Great Teachers

Oh Hi! 
I want you to stop and think for a second. 
Answer these questions...
Are there any teachers that you remember loving for one reason or another? Why?

Do you want to be just like them? 

Why not be the teacher that every student loves and remembers, not because you are the "fun" teacher, but because you are the teacher who cares! 

Straight from the book "Fulfilling the Promise,"

"Charlie," he said, ""do you know why I gave you all that extra work?"
I shook my head no. That look on his face. It made me quiet.
"Charlie, do you know how smart you are?"
I just shook my head no again...

"Charlie, you're one of the most gifted people I've ever know. And I don't mean in terms of my other students. I mean in terms of anyone I've ever met. That's why I gave you the extra work...I'm not trying to make you feel uncomfortable. I just want you to know you're very special...and the only reason I'm telling you this is that I don't know if anyone else ever has...So when the school year ends, and I'm not your teacher any more, I want you to know that if you ever need anything, or want to know more about books, or want to show me anything you write, you can always come to me as a friend. I do consider you a friend, Charlie."

I didn't say anything for a while because I didn't know what to say. So finally I just said, "You're the best teacher I've ever had" (Chbosky, 1999, pp. 181-182).

This got my brain spinning remembering all my teachers that I had throughout my school days that I loved! I had lots of great teachers who really did make a difference in my life and made me feel special. 

-My Kindergarten teacher, I loved her. She would randomly send me letters...even into my high school days just to see how I was doing. She EVEN came to my wedding reception! Truly the sweetest teacher ever. 

-5th grade. He was AWESOME...period. Everyone who had him, loved him. I just remember loving 5th grade because of him and what we did in the class...oh and because that is when boys started to be "cute!"

-My 9th, 10th, and 11th grade English teachers! -- ALL of them are the reason I went to college majoring in English. I wanted to become an English teacher and be just like them. Each of them taught me how to write and how to put voice in my writing and how writing can be enjoyable, They joked with me, believed in me and loved me! 

one last teacher that really impacted my life was,

-My 10th grade Government student teacher---He always made me feel important. Like he cared about what I was doing and If I understood. He was always willing to help me. He truly cared and I knew he did. 

He actually works at the High School now as a teacher and I go there often because my mom works there and he'll pass me in the hall and he still....to this day....knows my name! and that right there is saying something. I mean, I have college professors right now that still don't know my name.....just saying. :)

This guy is important also because he was my student teacher....As I think about heading into my student teaching, I hope to be able to change someone's live and help someone know that they are important and let them know that I truly do care about them.

Great Teachers

• Great teachers let students know that they are unique and valued as an individual. 

• Great teachers let students know that they are here to help them find and develop abilities as a individual and class. 

• Great teachers have a goal of helping students in the class become as capable as possible. 

• Great teachers have routines.

• Great teachers teach students how to work together to solve problems. 

• Great teachers determine guidelines so goals can be reached. 

• Great teachers invest time in their students and are persistent. 

-Warning-
This
Post
Is
Long
:)

So the other day I was reading in Fulfilling the Promise and I came across some excuses that may come to mind when thinking about having to get-to-know a student and actually use differentiation. I'd like to list those here. After reading them, think about them for a second...

• There are too many students.
• The time is too short.
• This is only one level of textbook in the class and one level of standards for all.
• The room is too small.
• The materials are lacking.
• Kids don't come to us knowing how to be independent learners.
• We were not trained or hired to be social workers or psychologists.
• We don't know how to think about cultures different from our own.
• We are already consumed by the job.

I don't know why, but I'm a little annoyed after reading those excuses. The last 4 did it for me! 

Isn't the #1 thing we want for our students is for them to become life-long learners? 

We can do that by getting to know them and shaping their lives for the better. We can do that by creating confidence and hope for them in the years to come. Students are important!  Teachers are important in helping students know that. Yes.....some might say it is the parents job. and it is. BUT, I honestly think that teachers as very nurturing just like a parent. I'm not saying you need to nurture your students blah, blah, blah. BUT...getting to know your students, letting your students know you care, creating a community where they feel safe, those are all ways that students will learn for themselves that they are important and they do matter to someone! 

rant over. 

moving on. 

The rest of this post will be dedicated to the 5 parts of the COG that we learned about in a previous post. I'll be focusing on the teacher response side of it. All the lovely quotes I'm going to type came from the wonderful book Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom so I might forget to use my quotations here and there, not on purpose I swear, but at least you know exactly where I'm getting my information from. 

In the chapter 3 of the book it mentioned The Response of Invitations and that a teachers demeanor, words and actions need to communicate the following to the students:

-I respect who you are as well as who you can become.

-I want to know you.

-You are unique and valuable.

-I believe in you.

-I have time for you.

-I learn when I listen to you.

-This place is yours too.

-We need you here.

Remember that the students are not just learning from you, but you are learning from them. Also, the classroom needs to be everyone's, not just the teachers. The students help make the rules. By letting students be part of the rule making it will help hold them accountable because they chose that rule.

The Response of Opportunity Providing opportunity for students is providing materials, tasks, applications, and problems that are rich with meaning, perfect for learning. Giving students an opportunity for ANYTHING really is a great learning tool.

The Response of Investment. For a teacher to communicate to a students that they are individually important makes it clear by doing this:

-I work hard to make this place work for you.

-I work to make this place reflect you.

-I enjoy thinking about what we do here.

-I love to find new paths to success.

-It is my job to help you succeed.

-I am your partner in growth.

-I will do what it takes to ensure you growth.

"Invested teachers have clear personal goals toward which they work steadily. Teachers who are invested in what they teach, who they teach, and where they teach, and the ideals for which they stand. Their messages come not simply from slogans on their classroom walls, but from living out their beliefs."

The Response of Persistence. The teacher needs to help students understand that the classroom is a place where persistence is a hallmark. To do that, a teacher must communicate the following to students:

-You're growing, but you're not finished growing. 

-When one route doesn't work, there are others we can find.

-Let's figure out what works best.

-There are no excuses here, but there is support.

-There is no finished line in learning.

"A teacher who genuinely believes in the possibilities of each individual is not easily discouraged. The persistent teacher doesn't not assume the student cannot learn, but rather assumes the student is not learning in the way he is currently being taught." 

"The Response of Reflection is important because effective teaching defies any set of 'rules of practice.' There is no formula for success." In the book it said that there will always be a problem and the teacher who believes in the dignity and worth of an individual will echo, "Failure is not an option." This is so true. Don't let your students fail. It should never be an option for them! 

A reflective teacher communicates the following:

-I watch you and listen to you carefully and systematically.

-I make sure to use what I learn to help you learn better.

-I try to see things through your eyes.

-I continually ask, "How is this partnership working?"

-I continually ask, "How can I make this better?"

One last thing that I read in this chapter and loved was this,        "Different is not a synonym for deficient!"

*If you have read this far, good for you! And it is your lucky day because I'm done! I'm off to bed. BYE!*

CPR

Hello! I'm back talking about morning meetings AGAIN...but I believe they are very important and so talking about them can be justified! :)

I had the privilege of attending a panel with 6 speakers on morning meetings. Each one of these speakers were 6th grade teachers and they all did a morning meeting in their classrooms. I had to leave about 20 minutes into the discussion because of a 4 letter word...

Yup, that is right my kids made me leave. They didn't really make me leave, however they were being loud and fussy. So in retrospect, I chose to leave as a courtesy to others that actually wanted to listen and learn from these teachers and to add I felt slightly unprofessional. While I was there for such a sort time, there was one thing that really stuck out to me and has stuck with me all week. One of the teachers referred to her morning meeting the "heart and soul" of their classroom.

She said, "Morning meeting is what KEEPS her class together." Let me repeat that..."Morning meeting is what KEEPS her class together." I just loved that. 

She said her class has what is called CPR. When I think of CPR, I think of this....I'm sure that is what you think of as well.

But when she refers to CPR, she is referring to this:

Classroom-Circle

Power

Respect

Just like CPR can save someones life. CPR in the classroom can save a student and help you to have a community within the classroom. 

When we become teachers, we are expected to know management, curriculum, and the students. We are to see the students as individuals..because that is what they are. However, that is easier said than done. In Fulfilling the Promise, Carol Ann Tomlinson said, "Teaching asks us to do the impossible. It asks us to establish ties with each child-not to establish ties with all the children as though they were one student. They are not. The truth is, we will never really do all each child needs us to do. A simultaneous truth is that the first truth is no reason to stop trying " (Tomlinson, 2003. pg. 22).

Hallmarks

When I hear the word Hallmark, my first thought is...A CARD...ya know, like the one that you send to people! Then I started thinking about what most cards represent...the first thought that came to mind was ENCOURAGING. So basically, you usually send Hallmark cards with encouraging words, thoughts, or messages in them.

A differentiated classroom also has Hallmarks that a teacher should use in the classroom, these too can be encouraging words, thoughts, messages that are portrayed to your students. They also include ways a classroom should work with the help from both the teacher and the student. I want to share the Hallmarks here mainly for me (I don't want to forget them), but other people might enjoy them as well.

As a teacher there needs to be A Strong link between assessment and instruction. The teacher's own absolute clarity about what he or she wants the students to know, understand, and be able to do-about what is truly important to learn in this unit, This clarity helps a teacher focus on their learning goals. There needs to be Shared responsibility for the classroom is between teacher and students, in the goal of making it work for everyone. Achieving one's personal best is really important so Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success. A "way up," usually through multiple and varied pathways, and never a "way out." Which is when a teacher scaffolds a child to help them better understand material. A few other Hallmarks are, "Respectful" and engaging work for all students. Proactive thinking and planning for different pathways. Flexible grouping and flexible use of time, space, and materials.

I just really like these hallmarks and think they are huge if we want to have a differentiated classroom for our students.

In Fulfilling the Promise it said, "While students have the same basic needs, those needs will manifest themselves in different ways. Effective differentiation begins with awareness and understanding of basic student needs. It progresses as teachers become more adept at understanding how those basic needs are manifested in the classroom and how each classroom experience meets the learner's needs" (Tomlinson. p.20).

So first things first, understanding the students basic needs! It is important to remember that although students in the classroom will likely have the same needs, they will take on a different "spin" using their life experiences, and will have to be handled differently.

Morning Meeting

Hey!

So today, I'm going to take a second to talk about Morning Meetings. 

What is a morning meeting you ask?                             It is an engaging time for the students in your class to build a strong sense of community, and it sets students up for success socially and academically. 

I LOVE the idea of having a morning meeting in my own classroom. A morning meeting should be around 30 minutes long while sitting in a circle on the floor where everyone can be seen.

Today we were privileged enough to have a quest speaker come to our class and share her expertise on morning meetings. She uses an outline for her morning meeting that I really liked. I'll explain the order she does things and why she does them. 

Components of a Morning Meeting:

Class Creed- They are important to have and it can be a way to teach tid-bits of literacy/grammar, and also teach on a social aspect of life. Students need to understand it, and BELIEVE in it.

Greetings-This is where you are making connections with your students. This time can also be used to discuss/teach things such as eye contact or respect. 

Pledge- Students will STAND and REPEAT the pledge, EVERYDAY! (Did you know it was a law!??)

Memorization- Have a quote or poem for them to memorize. It will never be homework. It shouldn't cause students stress and they should feel no pressure having to memorize something. With saying it daily, they will end up learning it.

Class Business- This is when the teacher will take over and cover things that need to be covered.

Goal Setting- What goals should be made for the week? Have students set goals.

Vegetables- What is good for us. A time to set expectations, or talk about behaviors you noticed or do a little math problem.

Dessert- Compliments don't need to be given everyday. But when you see good behavior, tell them.

Medicine- Do this only when there is a management issue.

2 Literary Terms- These will be on the end of year testing, so in order to be sure the students know them, practice one or two a day.

One quote- have them be INFERENCES. Place them around the room and if there is ever a time that something relates to a past inference, bring it up.

News or Current Events- I LOVE the idea of letting kids talk about a current even and even explaining it to them and comforting them.

Share- Students love to share. Letting them share at this time will save a lot of time in the day.

Class Joke- Share a joke! or do a chant!

During my field observation last semester, I was in a 1st grade class where the teacher did a morning meeting each morning. The students LOVED it! I was able to actually put on a couple morning meetings with my field partner. Our cooperating teacher was really big into doing an activity. It could be any activity as long as it included everyone and made them feel welcomed. She owned this book, The Morning Meeting Book by Roxann Kriete which is full of fun activities to do during morning meeting. I enjoyed reading this book and choosing activities to use for the morning meetings!

In conclusion, morning meetings are a time for the student to get to know you and for you to really get to know the student. You learn things about students during morning meeting that you may have never known about them otherwise. They are a time to create a classroom community of friendship and trust. As a teacher, one very important thing to remember is to NEVER-EVER sit at your desk during morning meeting. It is a time for you to be VERY present!

...now, let's have a morning meeting! :)