Blog #4

Hallmark # 3: Flexible grouping

Scenario that doesn't adhere: Teacher puts students into groups for projects according to seating...

Scenario that does adhere: Teacher putting students into groups according to needs, readiness, mixed-readiness, students with same or similar learning styles... ect... Every group could be different according to the subject matter that you are putting them into groups for.

Hallmark #6: Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success.

Scenario that doesn't adhere: Miss B. gives everyone spelling words for the weekly spelling test. She expects everyone to do the same spelling words and get majority of the words correct on the day of the test.

Scenario that does adhere: Miss B. gives words their way spelling test to see what groups she can put students in and what words they will need to help them improve.

After putting students into groups she assigns specific words each week for the groups to work on. She also gives them time to study as the group and then sends the words home with each individual student to study for the weekly spelling test.

On the day of the test the students are given the tests with the words they were given, there may be three or four different tests, but Miss B. is willing to correct and give all of the tests so that there is individual growth therefore making the classroom as a whole succeed in spelling.

Students will be re-tested with words their way to see if the groups have changed or if they have gotten different/important concepts of spelling down.

B-3- Strategy from pages 78-87: I would like to learn more about the strategy of Helping students realize success is the result of effort. I think that it's very important for students to realize that they aren't failing if they don't get 100% all of the time. That as long as they make the effort to try that they will succeed. They shouldn't compare themselves to their peers in success because everyone is at different levels of learning and I just think that it's very important to try to have students understand that their effort will lead them to their success. Everyone's level of success is different and students need to understand that. We live in a world where we think in order to succeed we have to get everything correct the first time with 100%. We learn that in our homes and even at school with most teachers. Students need to understand that as long as they make an effort to succeed that they will/are succeeding at their own level.

Blog 2

1. I believe that emotions do trump learning beacuse if a child is feeling sad or scared then he/she isn't going to be willing to do new things or even want to learn anything.

On page 15 Tomlinson stated, "If a child feels unsafe, threatened, or insecure, the brain blocks off the pathways to learning and attends to the more basic human needs instead. If a teacher connects learning to a child's emotions, she is more likely to learn than if what is being taught remains remote from her emotions."

I really liked that statement because it's something that i've never really thought about. If we see that a student/child is struggling with emotions then we can try to help them to connect to what we are teaching or connect our teaching to how they are feeling.

I think that as a teacher it's very important to make students feel safe and welcome in the classroom. That way they aren't feeling overwhelmed or wondering if it's going to be good for them in class or if they are going to make friends, ect... That will help relieve some stress and help them to be able to focus on what's being taught.

1st blog

1. What is your favorite book for kids.... Something you would like to use in your future classroom? Why do you like it?

Wow... That's a really hard question because there are so many good books out there. Also, it depends on your grade level that you'll be teaching...

I would have to say that Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner would have to be one of my favorite books. This book just teaches kids, or lets them know, that it's ok to be creative and imagine that you are many different things.

2. Name your three favorite t.v. shows, even if you don't have time to watch them! What can you (or what are you willing) to tell me about your t.v. viewing habits? I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours!

Three of my favorite t.v. shows would have to be Teen Mom, Army Wives, and Say Yes to the Dress. My t.v. viewing habits are pretty bad to be honest, I don't watch t.v. much but when I sit down to watch just one show, it turns into all night because when I sit down I tend to become lazy and not really want to do much else... lol. But that doesn't happen often because I'm hardly ever home.

3. Do you collect anything? Tell about your collections...

I don't really collect anything... I can't think of a time that i've really ever collected things. Right now I guess you could say that i'm collecting random animals. Right now we have a pet salamander that my son has named Ollie, and pet lizard that my son named Wubzy, and currently my son won a gold fish that he named Fish. My collection of pets keeps growing... lol

4. Do you keep any kind of journal or blog? Besides this one? Tell me about it, and what you like to write about:

I don't keep a journal or a blog or anything like that... I probably should; I used to keep a journal and I loved to write in it every day. Nothing specific, sometimes just what I had done or what I had thought about... I have started many journals within the past few years but I write a few pages in them and they get mis-placed or lost or forgotten...

5. If you had to be the sponser of an after-school group, select your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice.

1st choice: sports

2nd choice: tutoring

3rd choice: book club

6. Have you ever taken art classes or lessons outside of school? Tell about your artistic talent and/or interests:

I've never taken art lessons or classes outside of school... I love to just draw horses and outdoor scenes... I'm not very good but it's somethings that i do, in all of my extra time-lol, when I just need to relax and do nothing.

7. Have you ever taken music lessons or belonged to musical groups outside of school? Tell about your musical interests/talents:

I've never taken any musical anything outside of school... I just love to listen to music, I never had much talent in actually doing it myself.

8. Have you ever taken dance lessons or belonged to a dance group? Tell about your dance talent/interests:

When i was younger I used to be in a dance group. From my memories I loved to dance. WHen I got older I was a cheerleader; I really was shy and didn't like performing in front of lots of people. I didn't mind doing the cheers but I didn't like dancing at half time... Lets just say that I quit cheeleading to play highschool softball...

9. Have you ever taken drama classes or performed in a theatre production? Tell about your theatre talents/ interests?

I've never taken drama classes or performed in a theatre production... that I can remember... I love to watch plays though. Somehting that has always interested me; I'm not really the type of person that people would think that I would love that kind of thing but I really love to watch plays and stuff.

10. What have I not asked you that you would like me know about you?

When I was younger I used to love to write stories, staple all of the papers together, draw a cover, come up with a title, and read them to my family. I'm not sure what happened to my creativity and willingness to share but I lost it some time ago... I sure wish that it would come back, I miss it greatly!

I also love to rodeo, well right now just follow my brothers and boyfriend around to the rodeos and support them. School, work and motherhood take up a lot of time, leaving me with not much time to get or keep my horses going and to practice for myself. I have six brothers, and I'm the only girl! That will explain why i'm such a tomboy and love to do just about anything outdoors, being inside KILLS me!! That's why I have such a hard time doing homework and not procrastinating... lol. I do so many things outside with my son and family and when I get home I have a hard time winding down and concentrating on homework... bad to admit but it's just the truth...