Differentiating in Counting BIG MONEY

In my field work I was teaching second grade students how to count money. 
I laminated a quarter, dime, nickel, and penny but made them big so all the students could see which one I was holding up. Within just a couple of days with working with the students I could figure out which students needed extra help and what kind of help they needed. Some students it was just them wanting my approval of their answer. Others they did not know the name of the coin but knew how much it was worth and vice versa. 
Before I started my lesson every day we go over the name of coins and amounts. I would then call on students to tell me how much I would have if had a certain amount of change. With my students who I knew I could give a bit more of a challenge to I would make sure make the amount of change greater. For those who were struggling a little bit I would make sure to make it easier for them to solve and I knew that would get it correct.
It can sometimes be embarrassing for students if they get the answer to a question wrong. I wanted to make sure that none of the students got the answers wrong when we were using the BIG MONEY. 

Towards the end of teaching this unit all of the students were able to independently count money on their own. 

Finding Ways to Differentiate

You never know as a teacher at the beginning of the year what kind of students you will have in your class.
What happens if you get a student who will not listen and cooperate?
What will you do help struggling readers?
What kind of discipline will you have to come up with for your students?
Sometimes the discipline you have planned out for the year will not work for some students. Sometimes you will have to find another way to help those students cooperate.
To help struggling readers you will have to find their strengths and weaknesses. You will most likely do this for all of your students. You will then have tier some of your lessons.
What happens if you get a student who is of a certain religion and cannot participate in some activities?
This happened to me as I was student teaching. I was teaching my lesson and was about to read a Christmas story and a little came up to me and said that she cannot read stories about Christmas. I had to think fast of what to do. I did not know this before, but because of her religion she cannot celebrate any holidays. I had the little girl choose her own book from the classroom library to read and gave her choice to read it in the hall or on the other side of the classroom. She went out in the hall to read. After we had finished reading the book I went to help her understand the meaning of the lesson that we were doing.
I feel like this is a hard situation for the teacher to deal with. The girl cannot celebrate birthdays, holidays, say the pledge or sing the National Anthem. If I were the teacher I would try my hardest to respect her religion but it sometimes hard for when students bring treats to share with the class for their birthdays, she cannot have one.
The teacher and the parents found a way to help this, the girl has her own bag of treats that her mother provided for her and it kept in the teacher's desk. Whenever someone brings a treat for their birthday the girl can have her own treat from her own bag that her mother provided her.
It is definitely hard to differentiate for this little girl especially during the holiday seasons, but I think my cooperating teacher has done a great job so far figuring out how to differentiate for the girl.

Differentiation Course 4620

In my Differentiation course I learned that it is important to make changes for students at all times when in need. I found this many times in my fieldwork. The students had different reading groups and would all be on different levels. I learned that students could move up a level very quickly once they catch on to something. To see these improvements in students is such a great feeling. I taught my math unit in about a week and half and I saw such a great difference in the students learning. Most of the student’s scores went higher once we took the post-test. It was great to see that differentiating for each student had helped him or her to succeed and understand. Sometimes differentiating a lesson needs to happen in different ways. You can differentiate the content, process, or product of the lesson either for students’ interest, learning profile, or readiness. What a great experience I had in field and a great way to find ways to differentiate. 

Tiering

To tier is a lot like differentiating. For example: 

As a teacher I could plan a lesson that includes all of my students but teir it so that it will fit each students needs. 

I could put students into groups according to what level they are on. To makes this easier I could copy their worksheets on different colored paper. This way they know where their groups are (if you are doing groups) or it helps me to grade their papers quicker. 

On the worksheets I could make them all look the same  but teir or change them to fit the students needs

Other Blog on Teaching Differentiation

This is a blog that I read just recently from my cohort friend Leslie. In her blog she quoted,

"Aiming high means, at least, that all tasks require serious thought, that they deal with important ideas, and that they cast students as problem solvers." 

It is great to read about other future teachers blogs and what they write about. It is great to hear how everyone thinks and how they understand things differently. It is great to read about different view points this helps me to expand my thinking and how I feel about things.

Just a Few Tips For Morning Meeting

Ideas from Jentry Youd.

• Do bell work after lunch. (2 math problems)
• Make school fun for them. That part is important.
• Character Ed. Lessons- These can be stories that students share that go alone with the theme for the week such as being drug free, bullies, love one another treat everyone the same, etc.
• Make it easy, make it fun, make it simple.
• If students are really chatty and loud in the morning when they walk in plan for them to play a quiet game. If they are sleepy and quiet then plan for a more outgoing game that gets them to talk out loud and excited for the school day.
• If the students are rowdy after morning meeting have them: Silent read, heads on table, have the students stand up and give three people a high five and sit down and be quiet. 
• Some extra ideas on morning meetings- Go online to Misses Golds Morning Meetings.

I think these are really great ideas and tips for morning meetings. I think that when I start my own class I will start to find some things here and there that can help with morning meetings. I will also find some things that will not work out as well and throughout the years that I teach with all of my experience, each class will be different so I may have to change some things about morning meetings here and there to fit each students needs. 

Morning Meeting Activities

In my opinion Morning Meetings are very important. I came up with some ideas for activities to do with the class for morning meetings.

Morning Meeting Activities 

Everyone hold hands in a line.  Take one hula hoop and the kids have to figure out a way to fit their body through the hoop without letting go of hands. The hula hoop has to go to everyone. The person at the end has to hold up the hula hoop with his free hand for the timer to stop. 

This can be practiced the first time or have it be timed at first time and then see if the children can beat their time. 

Play four corners

If class is loud and talkative play a quiet game. If they are quiet and tired play a louder game to get them excited for the day. 

Class stands in a circle, 

Class Chants, 

Hey Kylee, hey Kylee, what's something interesting you can do?

That person makes up an action such as patting their head and rubbing their belly while talking through the actions explaining to the class how to do it. 

Ex: "I pat my head and rub my belly!"

Then the class has to copy what that person said and did.

 And they chant:

"We pat our heads and rub our bellies!" Then move on to the next person in the circle. 

you can choose if you want every student to take a turn or choose just a few then let the rest of the students have a turn on different days. 

Class claps the syllables of each student's name. Go around in a circle. 

 The 8 Hallmarks of a Differentiated Classroom

The HALLMARKS OF A DIFFERENTIATED CLASSROOM are apparent when there are combinations of the following traits…

1. A strong link between assessment and instruction.

2. Absolute clarity about what the teacher wants the students to know, understand, and be able to do – about what is truly important to learn in this unit.

3. Shared responsibility for the classroom is between teacher and students, in the goal of making it work for everyone.

4. Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success.  

5. A “way up,” usually through multiple and varied pathways, and never a “way out.”  

6. “Respectful” and engaging work for all students.  
7. Flexible grouping.
8. Flexible use of time, space, and materials.   

 I think that this list of hallmarks is great to include in all classrooms. Something similar that I have about each one of these is that it has to fit the students needs. It has to accommodate not only the divergent learners, fast finishers, or special needs children; it has to accommodate each and every one of your students!
I thought of certain ways to remember these hallmarks. With the help of my cohort of course! :)

1. A chain of links that incorporate the importance of assessment and instruction. 
2. A magnifying glass to help see more clearly what the teacher wants for the class as well as the students getting an understanding. The teacher needs to be clear as well as his or her clarity about what she wants the class to do.
3.  The ants in A Bug's life is a good way to remember this hallmark. Each ant has a certain job that they have to do daily, just like students have a certain job when they go to school. By doing this certain job the ants are working together as a colony and making everything work. Just like in a classroom when the students and the teachers do their jobs and taking on their responsibility, the class runs smoothly. (Most of the time 2&3 go together)
4.  Like a flower, each student needs nurturing. Flowers need soil, water, sunlight, etc. You should tend your grade at whatever stage the flower is at. 
5. Airplanes! Each student is like an airplane flying up into the sky and they are all going in different directions. It is okay if they are going in different directions because each student learns differently. Some need extra support so they do not crash. If one plane starts to fall down it will CRASH. Just like students, keep them heading up towards the sky and don't let them crash.
6. The Three Bears, papa bear likes his porridge hot, mama likes it cold, and baby bear likes it just right. The way that students learn should be just right for each one of them.
7. Shoes can be grouped in many ways, by color, size, brand, etc. Make sure students are not always in the same groups with the same students. Be flexible and switch it up every now and then. 
8. With Jigsaw Puzzles you can form them into different shapes of what works for students. You can form the class into what you need.

Fox Tamer?

There is a story about a boy prince who sees a fox that tells the prince to tame him.

"One only understands the things that one tames...if you want a friend tame me..." Finally the little prince agrees. The fox then details a procedure in which he will come everyday to the spot in the woods and the fox comes also. There they would view each other from a distance of safety for several days. Over time they would draw closer and closer until they had built a bond of trust. Then they would have tamed one another. 

What does this have to do with teaching? 

As teachers on the first day of school we are a little bit scared and nervous to venture out and see what the coming year has to offer us. The same goes for the students. 

Throughout the year we become closer to our students and get to know each of them better every day. We build a bonding and then the time comes that we have to move on.

The little prince and the fox proceed to follow the taming process and at the end of it the fox is overjoyed. When the time of departure of the little prince arrives, the fox says "I shall cry." The little prince laments that the taming has done the fox no good. But the fox responds, "It has done me good." And then he refers to the color of the wheat fields (which are the color of the little prince's hair) that will always remind him of the little prince and the joy he has brought him. 

Even though at the end of each school year the students will leave and progress with their lives, they will always be reminded of there teacher that tamed them. As for teachers, we will always be reminded of our students who tamed us. 

It takes time to build trust and time to get to know another person. Over time, we become fond of one another. We grow affectionate one toward another. We begin to depend on that person and they us. This is a bond that is precious and fragile. And we are now responsible for the other person because we have encouraged them to depend on our being there for them.

This is the basis of all my significant relationships. We must build trust, accept and live up to that trust, and accept responsibility for our part of the relationship.

There is a quote in this story that I like it says:"You become responsible , forever, for what you have tamed."

Remember that your students look up to you and you may become their role model. Be responsible for being that kind of teacher to your students. You will build great relationships with them and they will build a great relationship with you as well. 

Story Adapted From: http://www.mindspring.com/~mshall/stories/little.htm

Hallmarks of a Differentiated Classroom Trait #1

A Strong Link Between Assessment and Instruction:

These two traits, assessment and instruction, are very well connected. If there is no instruction you cannot assess. If there is no assessment then, how will you know if your instruction is a success in helping students to learn?

The teacher continually assess student knowledge, understanding, and skill in both formal and informal ways. I think that it is important to make sure that you plan to assess before, in between, and after teaching a lesson. 

Making ongoing adjustments to instructional plans to ensure progression toward individual and group goals. It is so so so important to make sure that each student is learning and understanding what is being taught. While you are assessing before and during make note of any adjustments that can be made to help any student understand. 

Differentiated Classrooms
Student Tips

Student Traits:

Readiness-student's knowledge, understanding, and skill related to a particular sequence of learning.

Interest-those topics or pursuits that evoke curiosity and passion in a learner.

Learning Profile-how students learn best. If classrooms can offer and support different modes of learning, it is likely that more students will learn more effectively and efficiently (Campbell and Campbell, 1999).

Affect-how students feel about themselves, their work, and the classroom as a whole.

These are some quotes that I love!

When the student is ready, the teacher appears.

Be the most brilliant color in the crayon box!

Differentiation in the Classroom

Morning Meetings 

Morning meetings are a great way to get to know your class and the for the students to get to know each other. You can do morning meetings every day or every other day depending on your schedule.

Here is a way that morning meetings can go:

Class Creed- This could be a class or school song they sing everyday. 

Greeting-  It is important to at least have a part of your morning meeting be active. This could be having the students stand up and shake hands with someone simply telling them hi. Or you could post a question on the board saying for example, "Hi my name is ______. For Halloween I ____________." Then that person shakes someone else's hand.

Pledge- With the pledge it is important for the students to know what they are saying.

Memorization- This could be students memorizing a poem or piece of text. (Do not stress on your students to memorize it. Let them know that this is just for fun. It is good for them to realize that without even practicing they can memorize, just by saying it everyday. It increases their ability to remember.)

Class Business- Vegetables: things that are just good for us like what we are going to be doing that day, expectations for that day.
Desserts: Something very specific they did very well the day before. "I noticed this person being kind."
Medicine: It will taste really bad but it will fix the problem. This can be used to fix a problem by having a class discussion.
Literary Term: Learn one term a day, then review them all.
Quote: Fun quote for the students and teacher to refer back to. Keep these quotes up in the classroom.

News- Tell the students the agenda for the day and any important news. (Let the children know that the world is not a horrible place.)

Share- We only share stories that will help us get to know you. We never embarrass anyone at home, school, or play. We only share a snap shot not the whole story.

Class Cheer- Every week let a different group of students come up with their own cheer and teach it to the class. (Teacher comes up with one the first week.)




Idea adapted from Sylvia Long

When the student is ready, the teacher appears.

Be the most brilliant color in the crayon box!