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.