Chapter 9: Bringing It All Together: Curriculum and Instruction THrough the Lens of UbD and DI

This chapter describes UbD and DI and how to integrate them both in the classroom. It starts by explaining what differentiated teachers do that is different in order to help their students. There is a list of nine very well explained goals for UbD and DI, and really pounds on how important it is in the classroom. There is an example of a backwards design unit plan for 5th and 6th grade nutrition, and it integrates ways to differentiate. Tomlinson and McTighe present different ways of utilizing assessment and how to adjust for specific students and every student’s learning style(s). The book covers a section on ensuring maximum student growth by understanding what the makeup of the classroom is by both content knowledge and other skill sets. The chapter outlines the pre-assessment process as well as progressing through the lesson to the final assessment. There is a list of different tasks outlined for the specific unit that encompass differentiation techniques, and is also specific to certain types of student learners. There is a list of indicators that someone would see if they were to observe a differentiated classroom and ways to see how the teacher is using backwards design. Within this list, there are things to look for within categories. The categories are “the learning environment”, “the curriculum”, “the teacher”, and “the learner”. It illustrates ways that teachers can show and use backwards design and differential instruction in the classroom. The point is to be flexible, have plans and goals, and to have a comfortable classroom environment. You have to differentiate, and treat the students like they are customers, and anything you can do for them to help them master the topic, is what is going to make you a more effective teacher.

For the most part, people felt like this chapter was redundant. There was a lot of good information in this chapter, and every one seemed to take a little bit out of it, but there was a whole lot of information that had been said several times in the book, other books and also in class. We got a lot out of the importance of flexibility, tailoring and a comfortable learning environment. Classroom environment is something that we don’t always think about, but most certainly understand the importance of. We understand differential instruction. We get the importance of backwards design. We have gotten this information, a lot and were kind of bored with it, but we thought that it was a good conclusion. You have to have a conclusion right? Most people thought that it was nice to see a complete unit in the book that mirrors the one that we have been creating in class, however, wished that they would have incorporated other subjects so that everyone can see how one looks in their concentration. If they had lessons and units in the appendix for more concentrations, that would have been really helpful.

MI: Chapter 7

Chapter 7 in MI looks at the classroom environment and how that can benefit from a MI standpoint. The classroom arrangement is also discussed in that if the classroom is cluttered transitions will not be smooth and learners with special needs will be distracted. Room clutter also will impact the way in which students can enter and leave the classroom which would add to the room traffic and confusion. The chapter goes on to discuss learning centers and how these can help to foster the multiple intelligences . The centers are not only broken out for the various intelligences they are also broken out as permanent open-ended, temporary topic-specific, temporary open-ended, and permanent topic-specific. The benefit to the permanent centers is that they will always be there to provide a place for the students to be challenged with a variety of activities. The temporary centers change frequently and offer the opportunity to challenge the various intelligences. The various learning centers would be a library area (linguistic), math lab (mathematical/logical), art area (spatial), hands-on center (bodily-kinesthetic), music lab (musical), round table for group discussions (interpersonal), loft (intrapersonal) and an animal center (naturalist). It is also important to understand that the learning centers do not necessarily have to be a part of every classroom, if there is team teaching or joining classrooms then one classroom might have one or two with others residing in the other classrooms.



This chapter was felt by many to be a very interesting chapter and gave lots of good ideas. There was concern expressed over how exactly these would fit into a high school classroom. And in doing the research many of the photos and stories were all for elementary age students. There is interesting application when it came to classroom arrangement and how much that impacts learning. Even if it is not possible to apply all of the theories to our individual classrooms the lessons can be kept in mind and see if there is a better way to work our classrooms.

Multiple Intelligences Chapter 13: Other Applications of MI Theory

Abstract: This chapter discusses the uses of the theory of multiple intelligences in computer technology, cultural diversity and career counseling. First discussed is computer technology with the multiple intelligences. Depending on what software the computer has on it all eight of the intelligences can be used at some point in time. There is a list of software that you can use that caters to all of the different intelligences. Some of them are intelligence specific and others can be catered to the different intelligences. Cultural diversity is an interesting aspect to the theory of multiple intelligences. This is because not all countries and cultures value the same intelligences. For example in Hungary all students are required to learn to read musical notation. Lastly this chapter discusses how the theory of multiple intelligences can help steer students towards a career. As students understand which intelligences they are strong with they can choose a career that would utilize those intelligences. Vocational tests are a good way to get a student started toward finding a job that suits their interests through the intelligences. For example a student who possesses a naturalist intelligence could be a marine biologist, veterinarian or zoologist. These are just some of the ways that MI theory can be applied to various aspects of students and schools.

Reflection: The overall class feeling of this chapter is that it was useful and informative as well as interesting. Many students commented on the applications of technology through the multiple intelligences. One main topic of technology that was brought up was the use of video games in the classroom. There are a lot of games that are “educational” (i.e. Brain Age) but not many are used as a tool in teaching. The thought of this is that someday in the future video games may be a viable resource to help with student learning. Also other classmates found it useful to see applications of MI to the world outside of the classroom. It is important to see these connections because everything done in the classroom is for a purpose and it is good to see how this theory can be applied outside the walls of a school. One concern of this chapter was with the authors take on using MI theory to help students pick careers. The concern with this is that some students who may have a strong grasp with certain intelligences may be more interested in doing work outside of that intelligence, which could be more exciting and rewarding for them to do. Not all aspects of career choosing should be determined by the strength of ones intelligence; personality and interests should also be taken into account when finding a career.

Chapter 3- Multiple Intelligences: Describing Intelligences in Students.

This chapter revolves around how to dig deeper into the issue of how to best access the multiple intelligences of the students. This chapter also discusses the idea that every person is capable of increasing their proficiency in their own multiple intelligences. It provides an insight on how teachers and parents can get involved within their child's' life and reinforce certain multiple intelligences as well as recognize which multiple intelligences they are already proficient with.
The best ways to assess the students’ multiple intelligences are to observe them, how they behave or misbehave within class, as well as observe them outside of class but within the school setting. There are also several other ways to get an assessment information about students’ multiple intelligences such as collecting documents, reviewing school records such as their grades over the years or test scores. Other strategies to review students in general as well as their learning is to talk with other teachers, to talk with parents, and set up special activities which enhance their intelligences as well as using reinforcements around the room. Talking with parents is beneficial because they can then come to future parent-teacher meetings with a better understanding and additional information about that student that can be useful for the teacher. Asking the students themselves is the best way to understand them because no one will know them better than themselves. Learning ways to understand and work on the different multiple intelligences can help to create a better learning atmosphere and a better work ethic. This chapter also reinforces the idea that teachers need to get to know their students very well in order to help them succeed not only with their academics but with their everyday lives. Learning how you learn is a valuable tool to any student as well as the teacher.


Overall, many people agreed that this chapter gave further insight into the application of MI and how to identify the different intelligences. This chapter allowed many people to truly understand how to describe multiple intelligences as well as improve on the different them. This approach was seen as a way that can help motivate the students and ultimately help them to become better learners. This chapter really enhances the idea that student's can also take education into their hands and enhance their own learning. This chapter reveals that being a hands on teacher is vital to a student's learning.

Chapter 3 What Really Matters In Learning? (Content)

This chapter touches on many things that we have been doing in Dr. Grace's class. It starts with the difference between standards that are too specific, standards that are too vague and the effect both of them have on student learning. Textbooks are one of the causes of information overload. Some teachers forget that they are in business for students to master concepts, not to just cover material. In order to be a responsive teacher, we must not use the textbook as a road map for our content. Backwards design is what we have been working on exclusively in class. It consists of three stages. They are: identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence and plan learning experiences and instruction. Backwards design starts with the standards, how they are going to meet those standards, and what they are going to do to prove it. Backwards design focuses on big ideas, essential questions and meeting standards. This is the opposite of activity-based learning, which starts out with an activity, or the assessment, then ends with achieving and discovering goals that fit.

Overwhelmingly, everyone found this chapter pretty helpful because it related directly to what we were doing in class. You liked to see the importance and the clarification of the template that we have been using (what it actually means to use backwards design). Everyone was supportive of backwards design. Many of you shared experiences of having teachers that did or did not use backwards design. People who had teachers that used backwards design, noticed that they were very effective teachers. People who had teachers that did not use backwards design, noticed that they were using the text book very inefficiently. It is not a road map but a source for supplemental information, especially with today’s technology. Teachers that did fun but pointless activities were frustrating because there was no purpose.

MI-Chapter 4: Teaching Students About MI Theory

Chapter 4 is based on how to present multiple intelligences to students and how to utilize them in the classroom. The best approach in the reading on how to teach the students multiple intelligences is to simply explain it to the students. By utilizing simple concepts to explain even small children can understand. For instance instead of attempting to explain linguistic the teacher can explain it as being 'word smart'. This link proves that the push is on for a comprehensive idea of where a child's intelligences lie. This type of concept might also work well in the classrooms where english is taught as a second language.
One way to provide additonal emphasis to the students would be to have a career day where the parents come into the class and discuss what they do for a living. The students would then have to decide which of the intelligences the parents utilize in their jobs. A good visual representation of the MI concept is the pizza chart which would show the various intelligences are separated by their names, but together combine to make a whole object. A way to connect multiple intelligences from the various students is with a field trip that would play to the strengths of the students.

The ability of the student to recognize their own intelligences, both strong and weak, can assist the teacher in their ability to develop lesson plans that encompass all of the eight intelligences. The benefit can also come in the way of better performance on tests and homework assignments as the students are more aware of what works best for them when it comes time to study. By identifying their own intelligences students and family can find activities or games that incorporate the various intelligences as a way to increase the weak areas while continuing to work on the strong areas. As we continue to develop our own comfort level with the MI theory while we are students we also need to continue working on how to encorporate these theories in each of our classrooms.

http://surfaquarium.com/MI/inventory.htm
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html

Chapter 4 of Ubd/DI: What Really Matters In Planning For Student Success

Abstract: This chapter discusses the importance of incorporating differentiated instruction into the curriculum and how to be a successful teacher. There are two important concepts to being a successful teacher, curriculum and structure/instruction. These two aspects to teaching need to be uniquely balanced and mastered by the teacher to offer a plan for student success. Being able to have a powerful curriculum allows students to have a better chance of understanding the material. Most teachers would agree that differentiated instruction is the best way to create a responsive teaching/learning environment. Responsive teaching is when the teacher analyzes’ a student to be able to teach to a students strengths. Also the curriculum should focus on the important concepts of a unit and allow all students to become engaged with the material. The following are nine skills/attitudes that teachers should use to effectively teach:

• Have a clear curriculum
• Accept responsibility for the student success in school
• Create a respectful environment
• Talk and share with other about multiple intelligences
• Have well developed classroom management
• Help students
• Have flexibility
• Use a variety of instructional strategies (example; Jigsaw)
  
• Reflect on student progress

The chapter goes a step further in describing these skills/attitudes by offering examples of each in the classroom.

Class Reflection: There were many different views and concepts each student in the class discussed in their reflections. The following is a compilation that gives the general consensus of the class’ thoughts on this chapter. The main concepts in this chapter offer a way for teachers to effectively convey the material. Also the concepts of this chapter, mainly the nine skills/attributes closely parallel the MEL theory. The act of teaching is using concepts, like ones discussed in the chapter, and applying them to one’s teaching method/style and constantly refining and adapting to the effectiveness of the teaching. The two most popular concepts discussed are for a teacher to be flexible and establish goals with the students. These both allow students to be the focal point of a lesson opposed to the lesson plan, students come first.