Chapter 11

Chapter 11 discusses the grading issues that have teachers baffled, and the issues that will never have a definite answer. One of the issues that I feel strongly about is the topic of putting a zero, sixty, or and incomplete in the grade book when a student does not turn in their work. The book suggests that putting in a zero is not an accurate description of the students mastery. My problem with this is that if a kid does not do the work then how do we know that they have mastered whatever the work was? I believe that if a student turns in the work late then they deserve some kind of a grade other than a zero, but unless the student has missed work for an excusable reason, they deserve a zero. You have to do work to get the points, however I can see the issues with this- there are always going to be exceptions, but in general that is what I believe.

Chapter 12

In this chapter there is the comparison between the two most popular grading scales, the four point scale which uses rubrics and the 100 point scale that we are all familiar with. The book argues that the four point scale is a more accurate representative of a students grade. I don' t know that I agree with this. I understand that there are some problems with the 100 point scale, like the jump between a D and an F, and the fact that there is 60 points represented in the F range. I think with a little reworking the 100 point scale would be the ideal grading system. Another reason that I disagree is because the book mentioned that it would be easier for parents to monitor the grades, but I feel like sending a whole new grading system home and having them have to learn that would be more difficult than using the scale that they grew up with and understand.

Chapter 13

In chapter 13 the importance of grade books is introduced. I agree with the chapter when it suggests that grade books should tell us about each individual student. I feel like the best way to do this is to keep my grade book really organized. I agree that by having an organized system that you do not deter from that system. The other thing that I believe in is change. I don't think that we should keep our grading system the same throughout all of the years I teach. My system needs to change as my students do.

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 talks about the pros and cons of progress reports and report cards. The biggest problem that is brought up in this chapter is the fact that report cards do not show in any way the progress that a student is making in the quarter or trimester. It only shows the final grades, which I believe is still important, but sometimes I believe that the progress is the most important part. For example. If a student usually fails, doesn't do their homework, or just doesn't care and then turns things around so that they are doing everything they are supposed to but they are still only getting a D because of the beginning of the quarter their parents or guardians should see that they are changing things around. I hope to find a way to show an accurate grade and process when doing report cards.

Chapter 10: Conditions for Redoing Work for Full Credit

Chapter 10 talks about the stipulations and protocols that make redoing work less demanding on students and more helpful to students. A really good point that the chapter makes happens when the question is asked: How would we want to be treated as an adult? I know that if I have a lot to get done, and end up not doing my best work on a paper or an essay I would like the chance to redo it. If I want the chance then why wouldn't my students want the chance? Just because they're younger than I am does not mean that they are all that different. The other part of the chapter that I liked was when it said that as teachers we can reserve the right to change the format for all redone work. If we allow students to redo work then they should respect our decisions as teachers if we want to see something more, or ask them to stay for extra help on it. After all we really only want to see the succeed.

Chapter 9: 10 Approaches to Avoid When Differentiating Assessment and Grading

This chapter talks about how teachers need to do everything they possibly can to make the grades of every student as accurate as possible. Something the I do not agree with in the beginning of the chapter is how they would like teachers to avoid incorporating nonacademic factors into the final grade. These would include behavior, attendance, and effort. Now I completely understand that behavior is not something that should be taken into consideration when grading, but attendance matter as well as effort. If a student is showing no kind of effort to pay attention, or even pretend to pay attention, if they're not doing their work, if they are fooling around while the teacher is talking, why shouldn't that reflect on their grade? Because of the kid that is fooling around the students around them might not get all the learning and instruction that they need. That is not fair to me.

Chapter 8: Why Do We Grade, and What About Effort, Attendance, and Behavior?

This chapter was about how teachers feel about grading which are: document student and teacher progress, provide feedback, inform instructional decisions, motivate students, punish students, sort students. It also goes over how to grade participation. It is suggested that it should be given feedback on, but to not include it in the final formal grade. The problem with this they explain is the fact that some student express themselves better verbally, so maybe one students participation grade is really high, they answer every question, always have their hands raised everything. The same student fails every written quiz, but if his teacher asks him the same questions verbally he gets them all correct. If we don't include participation in the final grade then this student is not being represented correctly. I intent to include participation into my final grade.

Chapter 7: The Relative Nature of Grades and Their Definitions

Chapter 7 address a concern that every teacher will have constantly throughout their career. This concern is grading. The fact that summative grades have little actual use is brought up in the chapter as well. Another major thing that I took from this chapter is that without differentiation many students will simply fail. Although all of that was important the part of the chapter that really shocked me was when the text explained that many high schools do not use any grades whatsoever. This does not make sense to me at all. If there are no grades what ambition is there for the student to get their work done, how can we monitor for parent, students, and ourselves what is actually being learned without some sort of scale? I don't know that I believe in this, and I wouldn't do this in my classroom given the option.

Chapter 5: MI Theory and Curriculum and Development

Abstract:

Chapter six is all about teaching strategies that work for all eight intelligences. The chapter also explains that the problem with every type of strategy is that as there will be a group of students who excel there will be a group that will struggle. Because of students individual differences MI strongly suggests that teachers us many different types of teaching strategies even though they wont reach all kids. Armstrong gave four examples of teaching strategies for each intelligence, but I will summarize one for each. For linguistic learners the first strategy is storytelling. Storytelling meshes essential concepts, ideas, and instructional goals into the story that you tell the students. For Logical-Mathematical a strategy was classifications and categorizations. In this students would do exactly what the name suggests, classify and categorize different pieces of data. Spatial suggested using picture metaphors. A picture metaphor expresses the concept of visual imagery used to display the key point or main concept. Bodily-Kinesthetic learners could be taught by using the strategy body answers. Body answers is as simple as having your students raise their hands if they understand, or it could be blink and eye, or lift one finger. Make it interesting and constantly change it so that people don’t get bored. For Musical teachers can use rhythms, songs, raps, and chants. This is a awesome teaching tool for teaching memorization information like spelling, states, capitals, counties. Interpersonal students would really enjoy peer sharing. This is as simple as turning to your neighbor to talk about an idea, or team up to find an answer. Intrapersonal student would appreciate what Armstrong calls “one-minute reflection periods”. This is pretty self explanatory, however it is just periodically throughout a class period have the student either write a sentence alone or take a moment to take it in. The last type is Naturalist. For this nature walks are suggested. Try to find a way to make a connection between what you’re teaching and the outdoors, and when you do physically go out there to see it.

Synopsis:

Reading through your entries I found that most of you really appreciated the different strategies that are suggested throughout the book. This was especially helpful to people in the area that they are weakest. Almost everyone said which intelligence was their weakest and the different ideas in that area are going to be extremely helpful.

Chapter 12: MI Theory and Cognitive Skills

Chapter twelve points out the importance that, as teachers, we need to remember that how students learn is just as important as what they learn. In the memory section Armstrong talks about how there is no such person as a person with a “good memory”. Students all remember in different ways, it’s just the people who learn best through reading and writing that are considered the kids with the “good memory”. The chapter then goes on to give many examples for each type of learner as to how to memorize things. I like the different ideas and I plan on using some of the techniques in my own classroom. One of the techniques that I’m going to use was in the musical section. It suggest that putting spelling words into a song and having the student sing the spelling, this would be fun for all of the students, and would help the musical students quite a lot.

Chapter 11: MI Theory and Special Education

Chapter eleven talks about the MI theory and the impact it has had on special education, and how it can be better used in the field of special education. One really interesting thing that I found in this chapter that had never occurred to me before was the fact that when a student has been found to have learning disabilities they do not have learning disabilities in all of the eight areas; usually it’s only in one or two areas. Something striking about this chapter was the idea that if we used MI to help strengthen the weak areas, and used the intelligences that they excelled in there would be some very positive outcomes. For example there would be fewer referrals to special education classes. This is every educators ideal, but if we can do something to make it happen we should try it every chance we can. That is what I plan on doing.

Chapter 8: MI Theory and Classroom Management

In this chapter Armstrong talks about the importance of defined elements of order. These elements include consistency, rules, routines, regulations, and procedures. Anther thing that this chapter touches on is all about forming groups in the classroom. The MI theory believes that there are ways to make groups in ways that are beneficial to the different types of learners. For example for spatial learners have them find people who are wearing the same color as they are. I am going to use some of these ways to form groups when I become a teacher as ways to ensure that the groups are always different.

Chapter 8: Grading and Reporting Achievement

In Chapter 8, Grading and Reporting Achievement, the main focus is on grading. Throughout the chapter there are six key principles that we as teachers should consider when deciding how to grade things. Principle 5 was “avoid grading based on (mean) averages”. I don’t think I agree with that exactly. I believe that averaging has it’s place in grading. Teachers shouldn’t average tests with quizzes or with homework, and visa versa, but averaging tests with all the other tests gives kids the benefit of the doubt sometimes. I plan on using averaging for my grading tactic in the future.

Chapter 9: Bringing it all Together: Curriculum and Instruction Through the Lens of UbD and DI

Chapter 9, Bringing it all Together: Curriculum and Instruction Through the Lens of UbD and DI, talks again about the essential goals of UbD and DI. It explains that together they describe a comprehensive was of thinking about curriculum, assessment, and instruction. The most important part of the chapter for me was when it said “In teaching, it is necessary to precede form considering where students begin the unit in relation to the desired results.” I plan on using this in my classroom because it makes complete sense. If I have a class where everyone is already very knowledgeable in the area of a unit then the desired result is not going to be far off, whereas if I have a class that is really struggling in the area of my unit then it might take me longer then expected to reach the desired results. Being able to read where my students are is very important in making my lessons and units as well.

Chapter 14: MI Theory and Existential Intelligence

Chapter 14, MI Theory and Existential Intelligence, was really introducing the idea of a potential ninth intelligence. This intelligence would be Existential Intelligence, or a type of moral intelligence. This chapter then goes on to explain the criteria for an intelligence. There has to be cultural value, developmental history, symbol systems, exceptional individuals, psychometric studies, evolutionary plausibility, and brain research. The last thing that is mentioned is the fact that none of the intelligences involve promoting religion, spirituality, or any specific belief system. This can be taken into teaching where your personal opinions and beliefs are not to be shared in you classroom or at school.

Chapter 13: Other Applications of MI Theory

Chapter 13 is all about other ways to apply the MI Theory. This chapter touches on how it, MI Theory, differs by cultural diversity. Basically what this section said was that the importance of each, and the popularity or each, intelligence changed with what is culturally most popular. There was also a chart that gave software and web 2.0 features for each of the multiple intelligences. This chart is going to help me when I begin to teach in the different ways that I can incorporate technology into the classroom for type 2 teaching.

Chapter 7: MI Theory and the Classroom Environment

Chapter 7, MI Theory and the Classroom Environment, talks about how to make the classroom the most compatible to each of the eight intelligence types. There were two ideas in this section that I never considered before. One was under the Musical intelligence, and it asks the reader if the auditory environment promote learning. I had never even considered that little noises would bother someone, but thinking about it someone who is extremely sensitive to noise would be bothered. The other idea was under the Natural section. It asked “are students given an opportunity to do some of their learning outside of the school building in natural settings..”? Because this book brought this to my attention as something that natural learners need I will always be thinking about ways to incorporate the outdoors into lessons.

Chapter 7: Teaching for Understanding

In this chapter, Teaching for Understanding, Tomlinson and McTighe explain that understand of the “big ideas” require students to construct meaning for them. They talk about the essential questions in teaching, as well as tips for using the essential questions in teaching. The thing that I found most interesting and most helpful was figure 7.3. The brainstorming learning activities chart showed me a different way to organize my thoughts into the six facts of understanding. This would be a great tool to use in making my lesson plans in differentiated instruction.

Chapter 6: Responsive Teaching with UBD in Academically Diverse Classroom

In this chapter the core beliefs of the whole teaching philosophy are exposed. In condensed form they are: students should experience curricula based in the important ideas that help them understand information and think at higher levels, students need a chance to learn the basics and opportunities to apply to them personally, there needs to be a balance between student construction of meaning and teacher guidance, and that students need to know the goals of a unit to successfully demonstrate understanding. Knowing these goals I am more capable of understanding and using these teaching techniques.

Chapter 6: MI Theory and Teaching Strategies

In this chapter the eight intelligences have each been given five teaching strategies. Because I, like everyone else, am not particularly strong in all areas of intelligences I understand that I will have a harder time making lesson plans for the types that I am not. Because of this I paid particular attention to the lessons for the types that I didn’t understand, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Intrapersonal, and Naturalist. By paying extra attention to how my professors and mentor teachers deal with, and create lessons for, these types of learners the better I am going to be able to teacher them myself.

Chapter 5: MI Theory and Curriculum and Development

In chapter 5 “MI Theory and Curriculum and Development” Armstrong touches on the historical background of multimodal teaching and how themes impact the classroom. Even though all that is important the biggest thing that I took from the chapter was the comparison between a traditional classroom and a MI classroom. This comparison, traditional with the lectures, writing notes on the board, and MI with shifting the method of presentation and combining intelligences is what I found important. I am going to keep this comparison in mind when I am making lesson plans for my kids, and I feel that it will show in my student’s willingness to learn.

Chapter 10: MI Theory and Assessment

In Chapter 10, MI Theory and Assessment, Armstrong talks about the different types of assessments. Some of the examples of anecdotal records (keeping a journal), work samples, audio files, video, photography, and checklists to name a few. This chapter gives teachers different ways to help assess the eight different learning styles. This chapter again discusses the usefulness of portfolios during assessment, which I am planning on using when I’m teaching. The chapter finishes with giving a very specific portfolio checklist for teachers to go on.

Chapter 6: Creating Good Test Questions

In chapter 6 Creating Good Test Questions was talking about different ways to make tests easier for students, not in content, but in the way the test is designed. The main point is to mix lots of different types of questions such as forced choice and constructed response. When doing true and false question I think it is a good idea if there is a T and F for true and false questions so there is no confusion as to whether they have written a t or f (which I have discovered is a problem in tests). The other idea that I really liked was the double recording of test responses. There have been many times when I’ve taken a quiz of some kind and had to turn in the answers when we went over it. This double recording would solve that issue for the kids while still getting the accurate answers to grade.

Chapter 5: Tiering Assessments

In Tiering Assessments Wormeli defines tiering as how teachers adjust assignments and assessments. The best way to begin tiering is to start designing the lessons at the benchmark performance level. Another thing that the chapter introduces is the tic-tac-toe boards. This has three columns and three rows and each student need to pick one thing from each of the column, giving the kids the power to make their own choice as to the projects they have to create. The key to this chapter is giving the students options so as to keep their interest.

Chapter 4: Three Important Types of Assessment

Chapter 4, Three Important Types of Assessment, explains the three most important types of assessment that we as teachers can use. The first type of assessment was a portfolio. Portfolios give students a chance to reflect and revise their pieces before presenting or turning in the final piece. They are also helpful because there is no definite format so each student can make their individual portfolio special, which might motivate more of them to complete it. The second way is by making a rubric. This is a very popular form of assessment because it can be molded to fit just about any project. The third type is student self-assessment, which is where students evaluate their own work. I plan on using each one of these types of assessments in my class.

MI Chapter 1 Abstract and Synthesis

Abstract:

In Chapter 1 of Multiple Intelligences Thomas Armstrong introduces the eight different intelligences that was created by Howard Gardner. The chapter then goes on to explain the different types of intelligences and how they overlap. It also explains the different tests we as teachers can do and students as individuals can do to see where their weakest and strongest areas are. The strongest points of the MI theory are pointed out as well in the end of the chapter.

Synthesis:

Chapter 1 describes the eight different intelligences which were linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. Knowing these eight intelligences and what each one means is crucial for teachers because the characteristics that come from these not only help us get to know our students, but they also assist us in teaching them most efficiently. For example a bodily-kinesthetic learners are described using their whole body to express ideas and feelings. Knowing this helps us know that this student need to move around and do physical things to learn the most effectively. This is shown on the MI Theory Summary Chart on page 10.

Armstrong talks about the key points in the MI Theory. The first point that he makes is that every person possesses all eight intelligences. This point makes students feel like they are intelligent, even if they score very low in some areas, the fact that they have that type of intelligence sometimes gives them a little extra belief in themselves. Another main point is that most people can develop each intelligence. Every person is stronger in one area than another, but being able to build and improve in the other ways is again something that students lacking in self confidence can believe in. Knowing that this intelligence test doesn't prevent a student from reaching a certain point, but makes clear their strongest intelligences in order to help them learn the others.

http://literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/mi/front_mi.htm

Chapter 3: Principles of Successful Assessment in the Differentiated Classroom

What stood out most to me in chapter three was the huge chunk about assessments. I didn't realize before reading the chapter that there are three main ways to assess the students: Pre-Assessments, Formative Assessments, and Summative Assessments. After reading this chapter I feel like the Formative Assessment is the most important type of assessment. Monitoring students as they are learning the information is the best way to see if they are actually mastering the information that we as teachers have handed them. I plan on making this form of assessment hold more weight than a final exam like many teacher do.

Chapter 2: Mastery

This chapter was about the difference between knowing information and knowing information completely past the expected knowledge. Chapter two explains that mastery is reached when they can "explain it, interpret it for others or other situations, apply it, acknowledge and explain alternative perspectives on the topic, experience empathy for the topic, and accurately identify and reflect on their own self-knowledge regarding the topic." I was slightly surprised that mastery was added in this book because I have never experienced a teacher who expected ANY of their students to master a specific topic. I very much like the idea of trying to help my kids reach the mastery level. I would like to use the state and regional objectives that are set in place to help the kids learn and master the needed knowledge.

Chapter 1: The Differentiated Instruction Mind-set: Rationale and Definition

This chapter was all about how to change instruction just a little bit to make each student get the most out of what they're learning. Wormeli gives examples like standing a little closer to a student so that they focus better, letting the student redo a test, or just grouping the chairs closer. These are little changes that most teachers do not really think about, they just do them because it is a natural thing that many of them do. In the very end of the chapter Haim Ginott says "I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom." This is the major thing that I took from this chapter. As a teacher I am the person that decides who succeeds to a certain degree, and how I use differentiated instruction could make all the difference.

Chapter 5: Considering Evidence of Learning in Diverse Classrooms

The chapter addresses the ways of assessing the different types of knowledge that the students should have acquired in a unit or lesson. The many different ways to make accurate assessments are also discussed, however the thing that I took from the chapter was a specific form of assessment. The "Standardized Test". This is the type of assessment makes me extremely angry, so much depends on them, mostly a single test that the kids rush through because they have no idea how important they truly are. I hope to never have a class formed around a standardized test because I feel that the accuracy is very poor. If I ever have to administer a standardized test I will make sure that I clearly state what the outcome means for the students themselves. At least then some of the kids that would have normally blown the test off might think twice about it.

Chapter 4: What Really Matters in Planning for Student Success?

Chapter 4 was all about differentiated instruction and the classrooms they were in. The authors talked about the way many teachers deal with struggling students and advanced students. They do this by giving the advanced kids more work, and the struggling students less work. I agree with UbD in the fact that this does nothing to help get the struggling student caught up, or help the advanced students go above and beyond. I plan on never doing this in my classroom. The chapter gives many examples of ways to better accommodate a class full of different levels of learners. I feel the way discussed above is just an easy way out, a way to fill time and get the lesson completed.

Chapter 4: Teaching Students about MI Theory

This chapter gave me the impression that the Multiple Intelligence model is more than just a way for categorizing students for a teachers convince. Chapter 4 made it quite clear that having your students understand the model helped them feel more confident about their abilities, if they’ve been explained it in a positive way. Helping them understand that they are smart in more than one way is a confidence booster that most children need, and teaching them about this method is a great way to do it in a way that the students believe is scientific- proven. I hope that I get to teach this model to my students, even if I can’t spend much time on it. I feel like it would be a great introductory exercise on the first few days of school to get to know them, the way they think, and to help them get comfortable in a new class.

Chapter 3:Describing Intelligences in Students

When this chapter was discussing how to tell what a students most developed intelligence was it said “…one good way to identify a students most highly developed intelligences is to observe how they misbehave in class.” Now this I found quite interesting. As it gave examples of each kind of intelligence strength it began to make sense. I am going to use this in my class because it is a true measure of the student. It isn’t a test of any kind, and no student would know that they’re misbehaving is giving me information about them, so they would have no reason to alter the behavior. It would be very accurate.

Chapter 3: What Really Matters in Learning (Content)

This chapter addressed something that I had been curious about since day two of practicum, planning backward. I learned that it is a three step process that consists of creating the units goals and set standards. After creating the goals, backward planning has you decide how you are going to assess whether each student reaches these goals. The last step is then to make the lessons. I think this is a great way to make units because it doesn’t allow you as a teacher to form a unit around a single activity. I plan on attempting this numerous times in my classroom.

Chapter 2: MI Theory and Personal Development

In chapter two, “MI Theory and Personal Development,” something that I have already read in the other practicum books was brought up again. On page twenty-one Armstrong talks about using your colleagues. When one of our own “intelligences” is lacking it is acceptable to go to other teachers who are more developed in those areas to help you create lessons or give input or ideas into your curriculum. Another thing that I plan on utilizing in my teaching is using my student to help me where my intelligences are underdeveloped. For me drawing is lacking, so I could use a student to make a example project to show the class early, or have another student spell something out for me when a word slips my mind. I enjoy the idea of treating students as equals.

Chapter 1: The Foundations of MI Theory

Chapter one began by going through the 8 “intelligences” that we had previously discussed in class, but as the chapter went on I began to understand more of how each works together. Starting on page fifteen Thomas Armstrong begins to explain the “Key Points in MI Theory. The very first point was “Each person possesses all eight intelligences”. This made me think about how I had always labeled kids. Prior to reading this I had always tried to pinpoint what I believed to be a child’s strong point. After reading this I believe that I’ll be a more understanding teacher by knowing that each of my students has some of every intelligence, but others are more prominent. This will help me challenge and understand them in the long run.

Chapter 2: What Really Matters in Teaching? (The Students)

Chapter two titled “What Really Matters in Teaching? (The Students)” really irked me. Right from the beginning I disagreed with what it was telling me. In the very first paragraph it says “To be an expert teacher is to continually seek a deeper understand of the essence of a subject, to increasingly grasp its wisdom.” I am a firm believer that what makes an expert teacher is the ability to connect to your students. This, to me, does not mean that you have to be the most knowledgeable person in your field, but someone who can make the kids relate and understand what you are teaching. Now this chapter touches on teacher-student relationships on page 18, but I don’t feel like a paragraph shows how important that portion of teaching is.

Chapter 1: UbD and DI: An Essential Partnership

In chapter one titled “UbD and DI: An Essential Partnership” I learned about more than just Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction. The biggest thing that I learned was in the scenario for Axiom 4. In this scenario it discusses how the teacher, Mr. Axelt, preassesses his students before the unit to be able to pinpoint where each student was with their learning, this was not a new idea for me. However, farther along the scenario states that as the unit continues he uses “formative or ongoing assessments to chart the progress.” It then gives an example on how to do such a thing. I really liked this idea because it is a way to see where each student is without having to have a graded quiz or test, which is fairer for the students who are struggling.