I have been thinking a lot about snowflakes lately, which is strange because I live in California and it is spring. However, my kindergartner is completely fascinated by snowflakes, mostly because each one is unique, like no other in the universe. And not to sound trite, but so are students. Unique. Like no other in the universe. Recently I spoke at a career panel and was asked by a sixth grade girl, “Why do you like teaching?” I stopped and thought about why I liked being a teacher. What did teaching mean to me? As I looked out over the sea of young women sitting there, I knew my answer. I like the puzzle of teaching to the unique. I thrive on figuring out how to make EVERY child learn what is just right for them. I gauge my success as a teacher upon how effectively I succeed at this. I believe that it is this constant need to advocate for every learner that makes this profession so very interesting. Let’s face it–it requires flexibility, creativity and plain old mental Olympics to achieve this in the classroom.
Archive for the ‘Seminars’ Category
Differentiation: A model lesson
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
Teaching for Enduring Understanding
Thursday, October 1st, 2009In fifth grade, my class studied the Civil War and I wrote a speech about Sherman’s March. In my speech I was asked to imagine myself as a first-hand witness and to speak as if I had lived through through the Siege of Atlanta. I imagined myself as a fiesty and proud Southern woman, wearing a fabulous antebellum dress and spoke with passion about the death of my beautiful city and home. As long as I live, I will never forget what I learned about that terrible time in United States history. I vividly remember everything about giving that speech, from the details about how Sherman laid siege on Atlanta while crushing the spirit of the Confederacy, to the shirt I was wearing that day. In fact, when as part of a history class syllabus at Wellesley College a decade later I was reading primary sources of woman in the South during this time, I felt like an “expert.” I truly understood the causes and effects of Sherman’s March on the greater Civil War conflict. I could relate the impact to other battles within the Civil War and other wars. I could understand how geography, politics, religion, slavery, etc. played a role in the conflict. The learning I had brought with me from the time I was ten years old was absolutely applicable and ingrained in my brain.
Time to Differentiate
Sunday, September 6th, 2009Over the last few weeks, I have had the privilege of observing several schools as they prepare for a new crop of students and the 2009-2010 year. Each of these schools has its own educational philosophy, running the gamut from extremely traditional to highly progressive. However, regardless the philosophy, teachers from all of these schools find themselves grappling with the age-old question of “How do I teach each student when each student is so very different.” In response, I have found myself thinking a lot about differentiation and the work of Carol Ann Tomlinson.