MI - Chapter 6 - MI and Teaching Strategies

This chapter killed me. I think it really should have been teamed up with the last chapter. These are all really awesome examples, but it drives me crazy to read it all over again, chapter after chapter. Getting that rant out of the way, the most interesting example I found was the people sculpture under interpersonal intelligence. The idea of acting out different ideas and concepts is interesting, and I would enjoy trying it out in my own classroom.

MI - Chapter 5 - MI and Curriculum Development

I can honestly say that I have this chapter down-pat. Probably even before our presentation on Google Earth I could have given you plenty of ways to incorporate all the intelligences in almost any given lesson. I hate how we keep repeating theme between the books we’re reading, but I think it helps to get everything in our head and make it stay there. MI’s will DEFINITELY be included in my classroom. I feel like the nature part will be the hardest to incorporate. I plan on having as many classes outside of the classroom, actually outside and also in the community, as I can.

UbD/DI - Chapter 7 - Teaching for Understanding in Academically Diverse Classrooms

I agree with all of the information in Figure 7.1. It must be hard, as a teacher, to fit in all the activities you want in one class, and also allow your students the time they need to internally process information. Many teachers are impatient when it comes to lessons, rushing students from one point to the next, without letting them make the proper connections in between. Wow, a lot of information looks familiar. I hope that after awhile, I won’t need to make a WHERETO for every lesson, and that it will just come naturally and basically be imprinted on my brain FOREVER. I am still a little confused about what exactly the WHERETO is, but I think by the end of this week I will be amazing

UbD - Chapter 6 - Responsive Teaching with UbD in Academically Diverse Classrooms

I agree with this chapter when it states that information needs to be uncovered and not coverage, as you would find in a traditional classroom. The balance between what students can learn without help, and what should be explained to them, is quite delicate. I think it differs from class to class, and even from student to student, but as teachers we should always be looking for ways to allow our students to think for themselves because that is the only way they will feel a sense of accomplishment and security that they’re on the right track. When I was at Mt. Blue, my mentor’s instruction differed from class to class based on his student’s previous comprehension. In my own class, I’d like to utilize as many constructive methods, as opposed to direct methods.

FIAE - Chapter 6 - Creating Good Test Questions

I haven’t even finished the second page of this chapter, and I can already tell I’m going to agree with everything it says. How many times have I, as a student, wondered why teachers feel the need to confuse their students with ridiculously complicated and confusing multiple choice questions. Then again, tests aren’t for the students’ benefit, they’re for the teachers’. Their suggestions on the multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions are helpful, and the double recording of test responses, at first, seemed monotonous and just silly, but I would make it an option for students in my own classroom if they’re interested in knowing how they did immediately. Negatives are horrible. I think timed performance is unnecessary, and personally believe that Mt. Blue’s choice, to extend their deadlines for homework and such, is completely valid under certain circumstances and with responsible teachers that really care about their students.

FIAE - Chapter 5 - Tiering Assessments

This chapter was intense. All of the assessments seemed like they would work. I specifically liked the cubing one. I think it would be a great way to assess what students have learned, and also let them get creative. In my limited experience with tiering (at Mt. Blue), my mentor teacher stressed the fact that even though his classes were tracked differently, every student did the exact same work. He didn’t tweak any of his worksheets for his CPI track, but he did explain more of the information instead of asking the class what they thought the answer would likely be. I can see how both sides are effective; I just don’t know which side I agree with more and why.

FIAE - Chapter 4 - Three Important Types of Assessment

I really enjoyed how this chapter explained and differentiated between the two types of grading rubrics. I also completely agreed with the author on going against a five-level tier because parents and students automatically associate each level with a letter grade. In my own classroom, I will probably use both rubrics depending on the class, grade, and assignments. I intend to converse with my students on what I think they should be graded on and what they think they should be grading on, and meet somewhere in the middle. That might not work as well with middle school students, but I always want to keep my students in the loop on how I grade, why I grade that way, and how they can receive the best grade possible.

MI - Chapter 10 - MI and Assessment

Although we’ve been over the different types of assessment, and their pros and cons, I think this chapter showed many useful examples of how to use proper assessment. There are still a few I don’t quite agree with though. While I understand the reasoning behind videotaping students while they’re presenting projects, reports etc., I don’t believe it’s necessary to put the child through the potential anxiety of knowing that twice a year they will be videotaped, and that videotape will be placed in their permanent file. I have seen first hand how using assessments that appeal to the multiple intelligences really do work. My mentor teacher regularly includes questions that relate his students’ lives and they also do quite a bit of sketching.