Thursday, February 3, 2011
Meet Me in the Middle: Chapter 9
In this chapter, Wormeli essentially gives a breakdown of backward design while exploring the benefits of block scheduling. What I did find interesting was on page 102 where he said that low-achieving students are the ones who really benefit from block scheduling because of the support and adult exposure that longer class periods provide. I have always thought this sort of set up was good for me as a student and I now understand the advantage it provides to educators.
Meet Me in the Middle: Chapter 1
Stoking the Fires Within
“It all stems from attitude” – Wormeli, page 2
Chapter 1 of Meet Me in the Middle called attention to looking at education from the inside out, starting with teachers. Wormeli encourages educators to look at themselves and observe the attitude they are putting forth to their classes. An interesting technique he describes involves picturing your own funeral and imagining what you want people around you to say about your life. Take that image and project it onto the life you live. Wormeli also discusses the importance of communication and listening. He recounts his own experience of miscommunication with a student and uses it as a tool to advise other teachers to experience their class through the eyes of the students.
Synthesis:
From reading the class blogs, it seems as though we all support Wormeli’s push for positive attitude in the classroom, although it may not be 100% responsible for the success of a class. Good communication is key to becoming an effective educator and faculty member. Listening to and understanding your student’s perceptions and reactions to your teaching are essential to your success and, more importantly, your students’ achievement and ability to thrive in the school environment.
“It all stems from attitude” – Wormeli, page 2
Chapter 1 of Meet Me in the Middle called attention to looking at education from the inside out, starting with teachers. Wormeli encourages educators to look at themselves and observe the attitude they are putting forth to their classes. An interesting technique he describes involves picturing your own funeral and imagining what you want people around you to say about your life. Take that image and project it onto the life you live. Wormeli also discusses the importance of communication and listening. He recounts his own experience of miscommunication with a student and uses it as a tool to advise other teachers to experience their class through the eyes of the students.
Synthesis:
From reading the class blogs, it seems as though we all support Wormeli’s push for positive attitude in the classroom, although it may not be 100% responsible for the success of a class. Good communication is key to becoming an effective educator and faculty member. Listening to and understanding your student’s perceptions and reactions to your teaching are essential to your success and, more importantly, your students’ achievement and ability to thrive in the school environment.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Turning Points 2000: Chapter 6
The thing I found most interesting about this chapter was the dry way it was written. Perhaps that’s just because I have just finished reading Wormeli’s chapters on these same concepts, but really I found this book to be quite dull. I understand the benefits of teaming and advisories and it is nice to have Turning Points be able to support these structures with hard data, but I found it difficult to keep myself engaged with the text.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Meet Me in the Middle: Chapter 12
Advisory groups are definitely beneficial in all school settings. These small groups allow all students to know each other, be a part of a team and get to know a faculty member in a less intimidating way. I remember my adviser from middle school as someone who was genuinely interested in my scholastic and personal well being and that support helped me through some of my rougher days. Over the course of the two years I spent in the 7th and 8th grades, I had the opportunity to know some of my peers who I would otherwise never have talked to. I like this model and I am eager to participate in one once I am out in the real world.
Meet Me in the Middle: Chapter 11
This chapter was about the structure of functional teaming within middle grades education. I think this model sounds beneficial to all involved and it definitely mirrors my own views on teaching. But however fantastic the idea might be, it has been my experience that the application of such a structure is difficult. There are some teachers who believe wholeheartedly in teaming while there are others who would rather middle school be built in a more high school preparatory way. This division among staff can lead to faults in the teaming experience and a disconnect for the students. In my personal opinion, I believe teachers who disagree with the set model of a school should not work at that particular institution instead of being an counteractive part in the middle school movement. Support and dedication from all educators is key to making this a success.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Meet Me in the Middle: Chapter 2
Motivating Young Adolescents
“Getting young adolescents to pay attention and learn is 80 percent of our battle in middle schools” Wormeli, Pg 7
As the quote above suggests, this chapter highlighted both the importance and challenge of actively engaging students in the classroom. Intrinsic motivation to learn is rare during these middle years of change and development, and for some learning becomes a less-than-primary focus while at school. Thus the responsibility for exterior educational stimulation falls to the classroom teachers and surrounding faculty. The strategies outlined in the chapter include expressing interest in your students, creating emotionally safe environments, using stories to relate content to the “real world”, expressing enthusiasm for your subject and meeting the learning needs of all students. After instilling interest and excitement in students, the next battle becomes one of maintaining this momentum throughout the school year. Wormeli addresses this concern and provides several example approaches such as using frequent and authentic assessment and feedback, using games and cooperative learning strategies to keep an edge of excitement, using music and communicating goals clearly.
Synthesis:
From reading the class blogs, I found an overwhelming support for the section dedicated to showing enthusiasm for one’s subject. In demonstrating our own passion for our content, we as teachers are able to show students that there is something to be excited about, while piquing their interest and pushing them to “see what we see”. Enthusiasm is contagious. When we are energized, we encourage others to become so, and perhaps even inspire them to go out and find their own passion.
“Getting young adolescents to pay attention and learn is 80 percent of our battle in middle schools” Wormeli, Pg 7
As the quote above suggests, this chapter highlighted both the importance and challenge of actively engaging students in the classroom. Intrinsic motivation to learn is rare during these middle years of change and development, and for some learning becomes a less-than-primary focus while at school. Thus the responsibility for exterior educational stimulation falls to the classroom teachers and surrounding faculty. The strategies outlined in the chapter include expressing interest in your students, creating emotionally safe environments, using stories to relate content to the “real world”, expressing enthusiasm for your subject and meeting the learning needs of all students. After instilling interest and excitement in students, the next battle becomes one of maintaining this momentum throughout the school year. Wormeli addresses this concern and provides several example approaches such as using frequent and authentic assessment and feedback, using games and cooperative learning strategies to keep an edge of excitement, using music and communicating goals clearly.
Synthesis:
From reading the class blogs, I found an overwhelming support for the section dedicated to showing enthusiasm for one’s subject. In demonstrating our own passion for our content, we as teachers are able to show students that there is something to be excited about, while piquing their interest and pushing them to “see what we see”. Enthusiasm is contagious. When we are energized, we encourage others to become so, and perhaps even inspire them to go out and find their own passion.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
This We Believe
Pages 1 - 26
This We Believe pages 1-26 discussed the fundamental basis of middle grades education. The part I found the most important was the description of education being developmentally responsive in order to reach the goals of middle level education. I agree wholeheartedly with the notion that education should center around what is developmentally appropriate and encouraging for this age group and that is one of the biggest tasks at hand for teachers in this stage of schooling. I am very glad that the authors addressed this and worked it in as a key principle in making a successful education for students ages 10-14, for I feel it can be frequently overlooked by adults who wish to treat these students as children while holding them to adult standards which further blurs the lines of expectations for them in this developmentally difficult time.
Pages 27 - 33
"Effective leaders challenge and change practices that do not serve students' best interests and confront issues not in line with the vision." This is a great summation of educators' responsibility to their students and the presence of the mission statement enacted within the classroom. I believe many schools have the ability to develop a meaningful and promising mission statement, but how many teachers actually stay true to it in every lesson they make? We should constantly be striving to achieve the level of excellence outlined in the very foundations of our schools. I also think some teachers can become too emmersed in what they want the students to be doing and in doing so, they are blinded to the ineffectiveness of their own practices. This quote serves as a reminder that students are always the number one priority and our goal is to do what is right for them, not what we assume will be "good for them".
*Note: This link is directed at making a healthier district, but the technique outlined is applicable to any kind of school reform.
Pages 33 - 42
"Staff embers are cordial to each other, teachers and administrators call students by name" This statement speaks volumes of the power of leading by example. If we as teachers and staff members can demonstrate respect and camaraderie for one another, we can model for students how to behave in a socially supportive manner. Given, there are the students who will not follow this mold and will still act out and bully. But I believe by doing this we are able to exemplify appropriate friendly interactions for those who may not be certain of their social role at this age. The other part I liked about this quote is the fact that they included administrators. Too often I feel as though principals and other school officials are disconnected with the students they represent. Having an administrator be able to address students by name is quite meaningful at any age, but can be especially powerful during this stage in schooling.
Pages 43 - 62
I really like that every suggestion in this book is backed with some form of practical research. This is a book all middle level teachers should invest in because these techniques implemented in the classroom could do wonders to change how these grades are taught nation wide. It also makes me wonder the effectiveness of the methods described; will it be effective if just one teacher enacts them or will the entire school have to dedicate to this reform? In that case, should the national learning standards altogether be edited to follow these guidelines? Just food for thought.
This We Believe pages 1-26 discussed the fundamental basis of middle grades education. The part I found the most important was the description of education being developmentally responsive in order to reach the goals of middle level education. I agree wholeheartedly with the notion that education should center around what is developmentally appropriate and encouraging for this age group and that is one of the biggest tasks at hand for teachers in this stage of schooling. I am very glad that the authors addressed this and worked it in as a key principle in making a successful education for students ages 10-14, for I feel it can be frequently overlooked by adults who wish to treat these students as children while holding them to adult standards which further blurs the lines of expectations for them in this developmentally difficult time.
Pages 27 - 33
"Effective leaders challenge and change practices that do not serve students' best interests and confront issues not in line with the vision." This is a great summation of educators' responsibility to their students and the presence of the mission statement enacted within the classroom. I believe many schools have the ability to develop a meaningful and promising mission statement, but how many teachers actually stay true to it in every lesson they make? We should constantly be striving to achieve the level of excellence outlined in the very foundations of our schools. I also think some teachers can become too emmersed in what they want the students to be doing and in doing so, they are blinded to the ineffectiveness of their own practices. This quote serves as a reminder that students are always the number one priority and our goal is to do what is right for them, not what we assume will be "good for them".
*Note: This link is directed at making a healthier district, but the technique outlined is applicable to any kind of school reform.
Pages 33 - 42
"Staff embers are cordial to each other, teachers and administrators call students by name" This statement speaks volumes of the power of leading by example. If we as teachers and staff members can demonstrate respect and camaraderie for one another, we can model for students how to behave in a socially supportive manner. Given, there are the students who will not follow this mold and will still act out and bully. But I believe by doing this we are able to exemplify appropriate friendly interactions for those who may not be certain of their social role at this age. The other part I liked about this quote is the fact that they included administrators. Too often I feel as though principals and other school officials are disconnected with the students they represent. Having an administrator be able to address students by name is quite meaningful at any age, but can be especially powerful during this stage in schooling.
Pages 43 - 62
I really like that every suggestion in this book is backed with some form of practical research. This is a book all middle level teachers should invest in because these techniques implemented in the classroom could do wonders to change how these grades are taught nation wide. It also makes me wonder the effectiveness of the methods described; will it be effective if just one teacher enacts them or will the entire school have to dedicate to this reform? In that case, should the national learning standards altogether be edited to follow these guidelines? Just food for thought.
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