The Ted Talk that Hurt My Heart a Little...

Interesting question: "Do schools kill creativity?"

Actually, more than interesting. Topical. Relevant. Poignant. Unsettling, even.

After listening to this, I have to ask myself...What, as a teacher, will I do to make sure that I'm not killing my students' creativity?

There is no easy answer.

Right about now, you might be asking yourself why I'm including this in my blog about differentiation. Well, from what I have learned this year, differentiation is all about being advocates for our students. Are we really being their advocate if we are teaching them to suppress or ignore aspects of themselves? Isn't a teacher who is truly invested in her students invested in ALL aspects of the student?

Tomlinson says that the teacher who communicates investment to the learners makes it clear:

• I work hard to make this place work for you.
• I work to make this place reflect you.
• I enjoy thinking about what we do here.
• I love to find new paths for success.
• It is my job to help you succeed.
• I am your partner in growth.
• I will do what it takes to ensure your growth.

(Page 31)

In class, we have often discussing tiering assignments for interest. At first, it seemed like one of the least important aspects to me. Don't we all need to learn that sometimes we just have to suck it up and do things we don't want to do? Of course we do. BUT-as a teacher, I can have negotiables and negotiables, just like I do as a parent. Whenever possible, I can allow students to choose things that interest them, and, chances are, they will choose things that reflect their talents and capacity for creativity. I believe we call that a win/win situation. 

Reflection: Failure is Not an Option

This semester's field experience was especially meaningful for me, not just because it was my very last field experience, but because I found out that the 4th graders I was spending 3 weeks with will be MY 5th graders next year! I could not be more thrilled. The school where I am teaching next year (as an intern) is a dual language immersion school. Come fall, I will have TWO classes of spunky, smart 5th graders who will be looking to me to guide their learning for the year. I feel so blessed that I got to spend 3 weeks with them, getting to know their names and little tidbits about them.

Now that I have names and faces to put to my future students, all of the sudden, everything feels more real! I am already turning over their unique needs in my mind, trying to think of ways that I can meet those needs as a teacher. I have a few students with academic issues. I have a few more with behavioral challenges. I know that throughout the year, as I get to know them better, their individual needs will become even more apparent to me,

It feels a little overwhelming.

As I was reviewing my notes from my differentiation textbook reading, in preparation for continuing this blog, I came across a list of elements of teacher responses to student needs. The element that stood out to me is number 5, the response of reflection.

One thing that I discovered in field was that I LOVE having 2 classes. Why? Because it gives me a built-in opportunity to reflect on my teaching experiences. I would teach a lesson in the morning, and then, during lunch, I would discuss with my cooperating teacher what went well, what didn't go so well, and how I can make it even better for the afternoon class. Having 2 classes also gave me a chance to practice differentiating to meet student needs, because the classes each had their own unique challenges, both as a whole and for individual students. Although it takes some time and some honest self-evaluation, I know that reflecting on my teaching practice makes me a better teacher.

Recently, I was able to visit Washington, DC. In the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, I found a poster that I think is perfect for me as I move forward in my teaching career. Tomlinson even mentions the sentiment in her book: Failure is not an option. It just isn't. I hope that this poster serves as a reminder to me as a first year teacher to always be reflective and honest with myself so that I can meet my students' needs.

Learning to Ride

Okay, I have a confession to make: Chapter 7 (in the Tomlinson book) was a hard one for me to get through. It starts with a long, bulleted list of things that effective teachers do. As I read through the list, my eyes started to glaze over a little bit. How will I EVER do/be all of those things? Or even SOME of those things? And then, three times in a row, Tomlinson starts a paragraph with the words “It’s really quite simple.” Is it? IS IT? Not to me. To me it seems complicated, overwhelming, and maybe even impossible.

But then, Tomlinson says that living the simplest truths is seldom easy. Now that’s a statement I can get behind.

My truth right now is that I’m kind of freaking out a little. I want desperately to be good at this teaching thing. I want to be a teacher who makes a real difference in her student’s lives. BUT—I know that in order to do that, I’m going to have to take risks. I’m going to have to allow myself lots of room to make mistakes. I’m going to fail at some things. And that’s scary. It really, really is.

Tomlinson says that to teach effectively, we ultimately need to accept 2 challenges. First, we must cultivate a passion for what we do. That feels like the easy part to me. I’m already passionate about this. The next part is the one I feel unsure about: “We need to remove our protective armor and allow our students to shape us.” Wow. It’s hard for me to imagine being that vulnerable.

I love the metaphor that talks about how teaching is like learning how to ride a bike. The best way to ride a bike is to climb on, try it out, inevitably crash and burn, but then stand up, dust ourselves off, and climb back on again. I feel like my career as a teacher will be a lot like that metaphor. I’m nervous (okay fine, I’m terrified), but I think I’m ready to give it a try. I don’t look forward to the metaphorical bumps and bruises I will suffer along the way, but I do look forward to the feeling of exhilaration when I finally learn how to ride.

Demanding Curriculum

My son has always been an excellent speller. In fact, it’s been a pretty rare occasion that we even have to practice his weekly spelling words. There was a short period of time where I was a real stickler about it, but it didn’t take me long to realize that it really wasn’t necessary for him. He would often get 100% on the pretest, and if he didn’t, whatever practice exercises they did at school were enough that he would usually ace the final test on Friday.

As a parent, I wished that he were more challenged in this area. He would often mention to me that the spelling tests were “dumb”, and I can’t say I blame him. It’s hard to feel like something is worthwhile when it takes that little effort.

In my first field experience as a junior in the elementary ed program, I was able to work with an amazing fifth grade teacher named Michelle. I learned so much from her, but one thing I especially loved was that way she handled weekly spelling words. She gave an assessment at the beginning of the year to find each child’s level, and she went from there. Each child had their own unique, personalized spelling list each week, depending on where they were. At first, I couldn’t understand how she possibly had time to do that for her large class of 30+ students, but I soon learned that it was because she was so organized about it, and because she delegated as much of the work to students as possible. Students were responsible for helping one another practice words throughout the week, and even giving each other the spelling test on Fridays, as well as grading. Michelle would monitor and check the student’s work, of course, but it was awesome to see how much responsibility the students were able to take on. I wish I could’ve been there to see it all from the beginning of the year. The bottom line is, there was not even one student in her class who was not challenged by their spelling words each and every week. When they did well on a test, they knew it was because they studied hard and earned it. Further, they all felt a sense of accountability for making sure that their spelling time ran smoothly.

Tomlinson says, “Demanding curriculum and instruction also means the teacher ensures that every student develops the habits of mind necessary for success in school and life.” I got to see this in action in Michelle’s class, and it was an amazing thing! 

Pinterest for the WIN!

Like so many other American women, I'm a little bit addicted to Pinterest. I'd probably be ashamed if I actually knew how many hours I spend on it every week (yes, that's hours, not minutes...)

BUT--it's not all bad! For instance, it's a fantastic way to connect with other teachers and take advantage of their ideas and experience. 

Just the other day, I found this awesome infographic about differentiation! So much wonderful information in an esthetically pleasing layout!

Here it is:

(Credit: ASCD)

Overall, I feel like Tomlinson would agree with the above assessment of differentiation. After all, she said, 

"The idea of differentiating instruction is an approach to teaching that advocates active planning for and attention to student differences in classrooms, in the context of high quality curriculums."

Classroom Routines

Tomlinson says that “clear and predictable classroom routines are probably the difference between productivity and chaos for classrooms…” (pp. 47).  Now that I know I will be teaching in my own classroom next fall, I am making mental checklists of all the procedures I need to teach my new students. I know that I must teach these procedures in order for our classroom to run smoothly and efficiently. It will take time to teach them in the beginning, but it will save so much more time later on.

Some of the procedures I need to teach are:

·      Starting the school day

·      Turning in homework

·      How/when to ask to use the restroom

·      How/when to ask to sharpen a pencil

·      Lining up

·      Walking in the hall

·      Transitioning between activities

·      Lunchroom etiquette

·      Asking for help

·      Attention signals

·      Classroom jobs

·      How to find missed work if absent

So, how are classroom routines related to differentiation? I’m still learning, but so far I am gathering that routines give students a chance to develop autonomy in the classroom. It also lets them to have an active role in making sure that the classroom runs smoothly from day to day. It helps them be proactive and to take stewardship for aspects of the classroom. It helps build a sense of community and pride. And, finally, when everyone is taking part in creating an efficient learning environment, it helps free up the teacher to focus on other important things.

Classroom Environment

Creating a positive classroom environment is vital. It establishes the tone and atmosphere is which teaching and learning will happen. Tomlinson says that the classroom environment will “support or deter the student’s quest for affirmation, contribution, power, purpose, and challenge in the classroom” (pp. 37).  Walls, furniture arrangement, bulletin boards, artifacts, materials, charts, posters, learning materials, and exhibits are all part of the classroom environment. Students, parents, and colleagues can get a sense right away of the teacher’s personality and goals by examining the classroom environment.

However, the classroom environment is more that just physical attributes. The affective attributes are just as important. The teacher’s demeanor and interactions with students play a huge role in the classroom climate. Do the students have a voice in the classroom? Are they seen as individual learners? Does the teacher take time to get to know students individually? Are individual cultures and learning styles respected? These are questions that every teacher must honestly consider.

Below are a few of my favorite ideas and tips for creating a positive classroom environment:

Physical Environment

·      Organize the geography of the classroom in a way that conveys flexibility
·      Represent various cultures and backgrounds through books, posters, and décor
·      Make space in the room for all kinds of learners, including students who need quiet and those who need interaction
·      Commend creativity by providing many materials for students to work with
·      Use lots of color and interesting things to look at in the classroom

Affective Environment

·      Greet students at the door each day
·      Call on students equitably
·      Teach multiple perspectives
·      Create opportunities for students to get to know one another and form connections
·      Use exit slips, journals, or class meetings to give students a safe place to communicate with the teacher and express concerns