Differentiated Instruction (Chap. 1-7)

I don't even know where to start.

I found a lot of things that made me go Hmmmmm......in these chapters.

The fact I want to focus in on is that all students can learn and it's my job to find the way that works for all of them and then be their teacher in a way that is most beneficial for all of them to learn.

I need to tell a story here.
Last week I was talking with a friend of mine about a struggle that I was facing within my placement. I told her of this one little boy that struggles through every activity that we do and how I want so badly to figure out what I need to do to help him learn.....she said to me, "Michelle, you can't save them all, you might have some like that sometimes." keep in mind this person is a teacher, been teaching for 15 years.

Of course with her being ahead of me in years of experience, I bit my tongue. I did not say what I felt bubbling up inside of me. (maybe I should have)

What I wanted to say and want to say even more now after reading this is.............
I can't settle for that. I can't live with that type of mindset. I can always do something, and at the point that I lose that vision, I don't think teaching will be worth it anymore.

"Perhaps a good definition of a friend is someone who loves us as we are, and envisions us as we might be. If so, these students need a teacher who is a friend. The eyes of love reflect both unconditional acceptance and unwavering vision of total potential. It's not easy, but it's crucial."
(this was fuel)

Finding ways to teach all learners is what makes us good teachers.
It is my personal belief that the atmosphere that is created in a classroom can be conducive to all types of learners. Just as we set out to make it a certain physical temperature in a room, we can set out to make it an intellectual,social, emotional, and even spiritual temperature, or climate in a room. I want my classroom to be conducive to all types of learners. I want them to all know how much I care about them individually and want them to succeed. So what if it's written all over my face how excited I am every time they succeed. I'm not trying to hide it....and so what if I share in their struggle and work with them over and over, taking different approaches until I find a way that works. So what if I realize that I'm not teaching robots, but children,people. People that need me to be sensitive to who they are and what they bring, and need as individuals.

I'm going to stop now on this last thing.
"The teacher teaches for success"
It all goes back to giving the student what they need, exactly when they need it in order to complete a challenging task. (yeah, scaffolding)

:)(I could continue, but I'll save some for later)