Thoughts

Hi all - I've been reading your posts and trying to digest where you are with these ideas. Not sure that I'm completely successful, but here are some things that popped up for me:

• Idea that is isn't fair for students to have different assignments: Intriguing. Perhaps we need to think about it as different products as opposed to different assignments. For instance - if every one of you turned in the exact same unit, I would be bored to tears. It would be no different than if I gave you a worksheet and I'm looking for the same answers. If you really think about it, what we do in this program is very similar to what you do in elementary schools. You have standards in the elementary classroom; we do, too. Assignments in the elementary classroom should be correlated to the standards; Assignments you have in the cohort are correlated to the standards. With your unit, what exactly is it I'm assessing? I'm assessing your ability to understand and implement standards 4a-4d. Now, the trick will be for you to make connections between that idea and what you do in the classroom.
  
• Equal isn't the same as equitable: I'll use an example I've given when teaching language and culture. If you have someone in a wheelchair, you don't say, "You must go up the steps." You provide an alternate way to get to the destination. Equal would assume that the child must use the stairs. Equitable means you provide what the child needs to get to the same place. Now - can you take that example and apply it to other areas of the classroom, including assignments?
• How many ways?: How many ways can you think of to assess whether or not a child knows nouns and verbs? Just curious. I'm betting you can think of lots of ways. So, why would we assume that a worksheet is the way to get/assess the information? Now, tie that to many of the standards. How many ways can you think of to teach various standards? If there are multiple ways, then why would we assume that ONE way is better than another?
  
• Knowing your students: Interests of my students through the years: Power Rangers, Beverly Hills 90210, Saved by the Bell, Cheerleading, Bugs, Series of Unfortunate Events, The Golden Compass series, Facebook, Matthew McConaughey..... Why can I tell you this? :) And why does it matter? What does this have to do with teaching? My answer? Everything.

Other random thoughts based on life in general:

• Last night Ashley had a meltdown about school. She is stressed beyond belief. She had forgotten her science book, lost her homework sheet, and didn't feel confident about her ability to do her math problems. She was more concerned about what would happen at school than anything else. She punished herself last night, got herself in hysterics, and had a difficult time calming down, so in turn she did not get enough sleep. I walked her into school this morning and had a little bit of an "outer body" experience as I imagined how her teachers might respond to her today - and also how I might have responded to a child just like her in the past. Would I have punished her? Made her sit out at recess? Given her a bad grade? Would I have not been able to tune into her evening and morning because I was focused on the day itself rather than the children? Would I have tried to understand where she is coming from and helped her solve the problem, or would I have done a "quick fix" that involves not listening to her, just making a decision about her consequence? And then from the parent perspective - how much do I intervene or share so I'm not helicopter parenting? How much do I help her maneuver through this situation? Ultimately, she needs to learn responsibility. What exactly are our roles in making this happen? I share this with you just because it is too easy to forget that our students exist outside of the school context.
  
• I had a teacher stop me, since I was in the school this morning, and ask my opinion about what she is being told about assessing her students. The new report card is based just on the common assessments, and she is being told that she is to teach nothing but the book. I basically told her that flies in the face of everything we know about good teaching - teaching nothing but the book doesn't take into account the need to foster creativity, including music, art, drama, multiple intelligences, differentiation, choice, etc... basically everything we talk about. What got me is she KNOWS this. But what is happening is she is questioning everything she KNOWS. She said she is going to quit asking permission and start asking forgiveness. I told her that sounded like a good plan. I tell you this because, folks - we're giving you a good foundation. How you choose to utilize that foundation is up to you. My hope is that by the time we are done with you that the things we've talked about will be so internalized that you just "know" what is "right" vs. what is "wrong." But not only that, that you will be able to justify your actions because you have learned what you need to know to do so. You can fly in the face of what you know is right, but I hope that you have some kind of internal warning sign that you don't tune out.
  

I hope that isn't just me rambling. Perhaps it is - but these are thoughts I wanted to share with you, which certainly have seeds in what we've been talking and reading about.