Chapter 12

I think the real reason to evolve as a teacher is to improve your teaching with varied and interesting approaches to content and concepts. I realize that state regulations and educational research necessitate change, but sometimes in the past these things have been more fad than helpful. The constant is students, needing to learn, and teachers, striving to engage them. I don't think you can go wrong if students are excited and learning in your course. Nothing is more important. There is no greater accomplishment that instilling a love of learning in students.

One strategy I plan to use is the exit question/comment/idea/suggestion/whatever is on your mind/student reflection. I subbed in a classroom last week where students fill out one sheet a week. There are five sections and students fill out one for each day. The teacher reads them at the beginning of the next class and responds, then hands the paper back at the end of class for the next comment. It worked well, even though many students just asked to play more bingo!

I starred the section about how being a teacher of process in addition to a teacher of content has led to high success rate in her classroom. This in turn has led to a decrease in discipline problems. It is all interconnected, with the root being student success. I think that success is a big motivator for students. Another important point is how teachers need to share ideas and collaborate and how important this in creating a community of learners. The students aren't the only learners we are talking about--the teachers are learners too. Take risks, try new ways of doing things, stay fresh and always be on the lookout for ideas and strategies to use in the classroom.

Chapter 11

I like the top ten job skills. 1. Teamwork 2. Problem Solving 3. Interpersonal Skills 4. Oral Communication 5. Listening 6. Creative thinking 7. Leadership 8. Writing 9. Computation 10. Reading. There is a disconnect between group work in the classroom and teamwork on the job I believe. It was my experience working in telecommunications that individuals on a team each did their own work--with consultation for advice as needed. Responsibility for your part of the job was yours alone. Teams do meet to coordinate tasks, but the actual work is done on an individual basis. My husband, an engineer who works as a plant manager, has had the same experience: Group work in a school setting does not mimic actual work done as a team on a job. I would like to figure out how to better organize group work in the classroom. I never liked it, my husband never liked it, none of my 4 children liked it, and no one I have ever spoken with has liked it. (I'd love to hear from someone who did enjoy group work in school--and please tell me how it was organized!) I would like to get to the bottom of this, because much of the education theory promotes group work. I am not giving up on it, I just want to make it work better than it did for me...and if we are doing it because 'teamwork' is an important job skill, we need to set it up more as it would be in a job setting.
There! Got that out of my system! A little off topic, but it will be worthwhile if I get some feedback.
This class is a little too good to be believable, and I hope they do have a little content included in between all these ambitious projects. I like the practice writing business letters and also the interdisciplinary ideas. Overall this is a worthwhile book with lots of good ideas.

Chapter 9

• The authors identify three types of writing: personal (expressive), informational (transactional) and poetic (imaginative). They claim that students want to write and need to be given that opportunity. Composing (writing) is a powerful learning process and is very helpful in helping students 'relate the new to the known.' It is hard work to put thoughts on paper, but there are many benefits. Knowledge is firmed up and thoughts and opinions clarified.
• I was intrigued by the notion of writing poetry in the content area. With a little planning I think I may be able to use this in a math class. I have recently learned that the word and syllable pattern in a limerick uses Fibonacci numbers!
• The Listen, Stop, and Write (and share) cycle for note taking is also an interesting suggestion. I would like to try this sometime. In a math class we might have to add 'draw' to the cycle. The sections of reading would likely be short and rich with vocabulary and concepts, and rereading is often essential in math text.

Chapter 10

• This chapter introduced RAFT (role, audience, format, topic) choices for students' writing assignments. The importance of the teacher modeling writing strategy is emphasized and an editing technique using ARMS is introduced. (A=add something to the piece, R=remove something that isn't working anymore, M=move a portion of the text to another place where it will work better, S=substitute a word, a phrase, a sentence, an example to make it clear) Other recommendations are to be sure to include content in literacy work and to set up a grading rubric.
  
• My favorite sentences in this chapter were "When students write, they have to think. When they think, they internalize information, using the vocabulary and concepts of science (or math) rather than just listening to (the teacher) use them." The students that the author described in this chapter were very enthusiastic about the writing projects described. Their enthusiasm was almost too good to be true. I hope my experience is just as positive!
  

Chapter 5
I like Ashley's bullets so I will try them too!

• The second time I read this chapter I got a lot more out of it. I think this is because Ashley mentioned how well having students fill out the three column list 'Things We Know. Things We Think We Know But Are Not Sure. Things We Don't Know. ' (p41) worked when she was teaching poetry as a sub. I am eager to try this with a math class sometime.
• I have noticed while observing classrooms this fall that it is common for quite a number of students to avoid engagement during classroom activities. Specifically, games of jeopardy where the smart students answer all the questions although the chapter review is for everyone. This also happens during discussions, and when I would call for answers from the class while working problems on the board. The problem of engaging ALL students is very real so I was glad to see it suggested that students fill out the lists individually before discussion. This way shy students have some talking points and will hopefully be more willing to speak up. I think Ashley had students take turns coming to the board by 3's and each one had to make an entry in a column, so everyone was involved, and she said this worked well.
• There are several variations on this theme. Teachers can choose the one that works best for the lesson or even design their own.
• I think reading and DRAWING to establish meaning is a great idea. I have noticed students struggling to identify angles in Geometry. If they are asked to draw vertical angles or alternate interior angles, they might remember them better. This would be a good test to ensure that 'visualization is on target.' I might tie this into taking notes and perhaps even grade notes in the same manner as homework.
• Using comics is a great idea. I need to start my math comics library.

Chapter 6

• This is the chapter that I made the QAD (Questions, Answers, Details) presentation for. I liked the ideas in Chapter 5 better but I might occasionally use the QAD chart in situations where it is likely to be helpful.
• The authors noted that 'students who feel successful are more willing to try new things.' I think this is really important to remember. Teachers need to figure out how to make students feel competent and successful. Students who feel like failures will not even try, so you cannot teach them anything.

Chapter 7

• This chapter has lots of ideas for games to reinforce what students have been reading and learning. I think many of them will work well in math classes. Students love games so I plan to use some of these whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Chapter 8

• One thing that will be easy for me is to 'be a reader.' I am a reader already and I can never get enough time to read.
• I love the idea of a cart of books in the classroom. This can help with a problem that has been vexing me: what to do with students who get their work done faster and better than everyone else all the time. They can pick out a book and read it-or just skim it-while the rest of the class catches up. I have been giving them the next assignment or extra work, but these solutions leave the student even farther ahead or feeling put upon because they are being to do additional work for no credit. Time to start collecting for a book cart!
• DIRT. Daily Independent Reading Time. I am not sure about using this every day in math class, but think students should practice reading 'IN' math regularly, every other day or at least every week.
• Math isn't always in the news like social studies topics are, but I will keep my eyes open for current issues in mathematics. A recent example would be the promise of using extreme origami and math to design folding solar arrays to be sent up to the space station or to design a collapsing stent that is inserted and expanded when in place to hold an artery open.
  

This book is an easy common sense read. Yea!
Ch 2: The thoughts about how we talk the talk of literacy but don't walk the walk struck a chord with me. As a society, the example we set for youth is not one of readers, thinkers, or lifelong learners. It seems to me that we are a society of TV watchers and gamers. This is a "source of everlasting sorrow" to me (from Anne of Green Gables). As teachers we have influence that we can use to guide students to become lifelong lovers of books and learning. I certainly intend to try, by example and whatever influence I can exert! (not sure how much a math teacher can do this, but if I see an opportunity I will not let it pass by).
Again in Ch2: Educational movements are a recurring theme in education. I have seen initiatives come and go a number of times in my half century (wow!) and think the only things that really make a difference are a good teacher and good teaching. Fiddling with the format is just window dressing.
Ch3: I love the notion of a teacher as coach. Ashley articulated this beautifully in her blog so I will not even attempt it. Go read Ashley's blog!
Ch3: Humans are always trying to blame others for problems-'pass the buck'- and education is no exception! A good teacher takes responsibility for educating their students and does not blame other teachers for their student's underachievement. This how grown-up people behave.
Ch4:I need to learn more about teaching students how to read and use a textbook. I have a journal article that will help. This will be my annotated bibliography.

Vygotsky!

Using language is a SOCIAL activity. This makes a lot of sense. People want, need and seek out social interaction at all ages. We need to connect with others and language is probably the best way to do this.
One could argue that these concepts are common sense analyzed and labeled with what seem like rather big words. I have been taught by and have observed seasoned teachers who don't know what any of these words mean and who have never read Vygotsky yet use these principles every day in their teaching.
Working with students in the Zone of Proximal Development seems like a constructionist approach.
Overall good ideas and I think Vygotsky trumps Piaget.