Blog Post# 8

There are three parts to this blog. Please respond to all three parts, A, B and C.

A: In chapter 7, Carol acknowledged that it is hard to care. She gives several reasons. Which reason is most validating to you, and why? If you don't really connect to any of Carol's reasons, explain what you believe your "reason" is.
I think the most validating reason for me is "It's hard because there are too many students to connect with." Sometimes I am worried about having so many students in my classroom and easily connecting with some and having a really hard time connecting with others. Classrooms are so overcrowded in this day and age and yet I know how important it is to make all of my students feel of worth in my classroom.

B: Carol offers two final metaphors, what I call the "McNurlty Metaphor" and the "London Metaphor." Which one do you connect with most, and why?
I think I connect more with the "McNurlty Metaphor." I think the reason that I connect with it the most is because I feel like I am not a perfect teacher. I don't know everything I need to know. I'm sure I will fail in many things as a teacher. But, I believe that if a person has passion for something, they can make up for many of their faults. All I know is that I have a passion for teaching. I love children. I love seeing children learn and I love helping children learn. Passion is so important while teaching and that is one thing that I feel confident about.


C: Read one or two blog responses from two or three of your classmates. Then, please give a brief message of encouragement to one of your classmates based on your reaction to their response that you read. Leave your message of encouragement on their blog as a comment (at the end of the particular blog your are responding to). Copy your message of encouragement and paste it into YOUR blog, telling me who you are responding to.

I commented on Nicole's blog:
You have a great passion for teaching. You are also very knowledgeable and always willing to help out! Thanks for always having a good attitude.

Blog Post #6

4.1) At the beginning of chapter 4, Carol includes a discussion between Charlie and his teacher, from a book called The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I’ve read the book, and it’s gut wrenching, edgy, and sometimes over the top – definitely meant for mature audiences who are not especially sensitive to harsh language and difficult lifestyles. But… this discussion moves me every time I read it. Have you ever had this type of a discussion with a teacher? Please tell me about it.
The discussion I had with my teacher(s) wasn't this exactly but it was similar. I was bored quite often during elementary school. I found that school was very easy for me and I was one of the smartest in most subjects. Many times my teachers would ask me to help others in the classroom, I didn't always understand why I had to do that. One teacher took me aside and said that I was very smart and I was a big help to them. I had many other conversations with my teachers similar to this and I have always seen my favorite elementary teachers as my biggest inspirations. They really changed me for the better.

5.3) On the bulletin board that I face as I sit at my desk in my office, I have posted, just above eye-level, the following:

Are my assignments…
· Focused? (students know what to do)

· Important? (authentic)
· Demanding? (challenging)

· Engaging? (interesting)

· Scaffolded? (students aren’t left hanging)

I put them in this order because I felt like it is how I feel about each of them at this time. I feel like I will be the best at focused because I feel like that is one of the most important(obviously they are all important), but I want to make sure my students know what they should be doing. Important and demanding are about equal. I think sometimes it will be hard to make things engaging and that we'll be something that I will have to work on. Scaffolding will also be hard because sometimes it's hard to explain to someone over and over again when they just don't get it.

Blog Post #5

For this blog, please find two different places where Carol makes a statement or quotes someone else, and this statement really touches you... really calls to your heart.

In your blog response, for each statement, give the page number where it is found in the book, copy the most important portion of the statement, and briefly tell why it matters to you -- why it has significant meaning for you. (Please do not use the quotes printed right underneath the chapter titles).

The first one I really liked is: pg. 15. Students come into the classroom saying, "Will I be affirmed as a person here? Is there a real contribution for me to make in this place? Will what goes on here seem purposeful to me? Will it make me realize I have power within me? Will i feel a satisfaction that comes from a challenge conquered?"
I think as a future teacher it is important to think about these questions and make sure they are answered for our students. We need to make sure they feel important and that they can learn and be anything they want to be. It's important that we make our students feel like individuals by getting to know them and encouraging them in all they do.

The second one is from Apollo 13 and when I read it, it just struck something in me. There are two powerful moments quoted: "Houston, we have a problem." The second quote is when the commander of operations pulls together a team of experts...and concludes with the statement,"Failure is not an option."
For me, going into teaching I am kind of fearful. It is such a big responsibility to make sure my students learn and feel important in my classroom. I am responsible for them throughout the school year. This quote to me means that even when I have a problem, failure will not be an option. Yes I might have to change somethings or modify something and remind myself to be flexible, but quitting of failing, will not be something that I will do.

Blog Post #4

Choice B) Tell me about any part of Principal Sylvia Allan's presentation that "struck a chord" in you, (either positively or negatively), and how you think it will affect you in your teaching.

How do I choose just one thing!! I was pretty sure that I was going to do morning meetings before her presentation but now I am totally set on doing morning meetings. Something that I didn't realize or that "struck a chord" with me are the things that you get out of morning meeting. Morning meetings really made her class connect in ways that I don't think you can get them to connect with each other without morning meeting. Her class was like its own little community. I of course want this in my classroom. I also learned how to handle situations and how to handle them differently than I normally would. Morning meeting will definitely affect my teaching, for the better! I can't wait to see the differences it makes in my classroom.

Blog Post #3

Blog #3: With the reading you've done so far, about differentiation, can you see any differentiation I have organized for you in this course? Look at the assignments (listed on page 3 of the full syllabus and outlined on pages 7 - 11). Which one appears to you (not your friends, or study buddies, but to YOU) as if it may be the product and process differentiated for student interest? Briefly explain why you think so, and connect it to something you read in Ch. 1 of Fulfilling the Promise.

I think that our final project is one area where I can see differentiation. When we do our final projects it will give us the opportunity to prepare to differentiate in our instruction. Once we know our students as individuals, we will be able to differentiate even more. For example if I were to choose morning meetings, then I would come up with some basic outlines and then lots of different options for the smaller details. In Chapter 1 of Fulfilling the Promise it says that we need to "continually assess student readiness, interest, learning profile, and affect." Morning meeting is a great time to assess your students and see what is working and what isn't.

Blog Post #2

1. I chose Mike Anderson, he teaches third grade so I thought it was very fitting to see what he does for morning meeting.
Mike believes that morning meeting not only builds the community but also helps with social and academic skills. Mike will invite parents into the classroom to partake in morning meeting. Some parents are skeptical at times and so he will have them come in and then they quickly change their minds and are also surprised at the many great things that happen during morning meeting. Mike sends a weekly newsletter to let parents know about morning meeting and also about what they are doing that week in other subjects.

2. I think that with any person that has the mind frame of wanting to continually learn that they will re-assess what they previously thought or believed. I think Tomlinson had some great things to say in her original list and then she continued to learn about student traits and curricular elements and realized that something was missing. She then added what she thought was very important and re-adjusted her list.

3. I don't think you can necessarily say that one of those three things are more important than the other. I think they are all equally important. If you have two of them but are missing one, then your classroom is not going to reach it's full potential.

Blog Post #1: Who I Am

1. What grade (and in which school) will you be teaching?

I will be teaching at Eagle Valley Elementary in the 3rd grade.

2. What is your favorite children's book?
My Dad the Magnificent-this was my favorite growing up.

3. If you watch TV, what shows do you most enjoy?
Selling New York, Diners, Dives, and Drive-inns, Grey's Anatomy, House Hunters, and SPORTS

4. What movie affected you enough that you'd be willing to see it again?
Don't hate me for this one- Tommy Boy

5. What are you really good at?
Sports. I also think I am good with people. I enjoy talking to people and just being kind to them.

6. What is a talent you wish you had?
I wish I had a nice singing voice.

7. Tell me your background in sports and/or athletics.
I grew up with 5 brothers, 0 sisters so I love sports! I played basketball and soccer in high school. I loved basketball and my life pretty much revolved around it. We were the 4A state champs my junior year! I still play basketball once a year in a league. Other than that I am a huge cyclist.(think Lance Armstrong) It is a big part of my life. I also love triathlons, running, swimming, and yoga. I love being active.

8. Tell me your background in visual arts, dance & drama.
I took dance lessons when I was 4 and eventually started crying whenever I had to go, I obviously quit. ha I actually love dance now and would of loved to have danced in high school if I wouldn't have played sports. I wish I had visual arts talent, but it's not there. Drama is also non-existent.

9. What is your musical background? (Lessons? Singing? Instrument? Read music? Enjoy listening to music? What kinds?)
I absolutely love music. I took piano lessons for 5 years when I was younger and then I also took them 3 semesters at UVU-the best lessons I ever had. If it wasn't for time and money I would still take them. I love the piano and I like to perform. I also am a very good sight-reader. I love to listen to music. My absolute favorite bands to listen to are Coldplay and Keane. But I am one of those people who like all kinds of music, but especially hip hop.

10. What would you be doing this summer, if you were not going to be an intern?

I would be working, oh wait I'm already doing that. ha I would just be working full time instead of part time. And of course I would have been able to go on a nice vacation with the fam.

11. What would you like me to know about you that I haven't asked?
I've been married for 3 years and am very close to my family. Even though life is hard, I am happy.