MI Chapter 4

In this chapter I learned about different ways to introduce the MI theory to a wide variety of students in a variety of ways. There were ways to teach it to students in first grade and ways to teach it to students in high school without changing any of the concepts. I particularly liked the idea of the MI “Pizza” that the author suggested, but I would use it with students of all ages, while I think most people would tend to equate it with students in elementary school.  Sometimes the most basic explanations are needed  to help even the most advanced students, and this way of introducing it also includes using a visual to portray the eight intelligences. I also liked the activities that involved having each student spend a certain amount of time at a station or working on an activity related to one of the intelligences as a way to begin to understand the purpose of the eight intelligences. My favorite example was the Human Intelligence Hunt. I think this would be an excellent activity to do with students on the first day of class as a way to get to know each other, then again halfway during the year but with different questions or activities, and again at the end of the year, to see how students progressed through the intelligences during the course of the year.

MI Chapter 3

This chapter taught me about the importance of knowing how the intelligences factor into a student’s life.  Knowing that a student prefers reading something over acting it out helps the teacher to be able to adequately assess a student’s progress during instruction.  Instead of not learning, it’s possible that the student cannot express what he or she learned in the medium required and simply needs another option to demonstrate what he or she learned.  I also learned that it is beneficial to keep recorded observations of what intelligences students exhibit to use for multiple purposes within the classroom. I like this idea of keeping a collection of notes for each student and I do see how it is relevant for teachers.  With large high school classes, it is not as feasible, but still entirely possible, and I think I would like to try some variation of this, perhaps even during practicum.  I also would like to use the various methods of assessment in my classroom to help me design lessons that better accommodate students throughout the intelligence span.

UbD/DI Chapter 4

This chapter showed me that there are different needs and requirements a teacher should perform in order to maximize student learning in the classroom.  The way this chapter was structured makes it seem like teachers need to be really good at a lot of different things, sort of a “jack-of-all-trades,” but I think the key to this is understanding the concepts behind each idea.  I like that the scenarios actually give examples for how each teacher used one of the concepts in his or her own classroom.  Instead of giving a generalized explanation, there are concrete examples that someone can use as a basis for his or her instruction.  I like how one of the teachers spent time working with each student, regardless of the ability level of the student. I will definitely use this in my classroom, especially during writing workshops when many students could use the one on one instruction.

UbD/DI Chapter 3

In this chapter, I learned about the importance and the logic behind the backward design approach to creating units.  It makes a lot of sense to me and I feel like it would be an obvious way to plan units for instruction, but I’m sure that there are teachers who prefer to create activities first and then figure out what the goal of them is.  Personally, I think that planning backwards allows you to get to the core of what students should be learning and I think it will help students to see how what they are learning is relevant.  I also like how it helps cut away the content that is not necessary or relevant to students, though it might be just as important. I will use the backward design method a lot in my unit development, and this chapter helped me to realize why it is such a logical method for teachers to use.  Backward design will also help me to differentiate my instruction, which is another important method for ensuring that all students are able to learn, regardless of their abilities.  As the book suggests, backward design and differentiated instruction go hand in hand, which provides structure for designing units that allow all students to learn.

UbD/DI Chapter 2

This chapter taught me that the student is what really matters in teaching.  A lot of people would say that that’s something obvious and that everyone should know that, but I think that some teachers forget that they need to focus on the student and get caught up in just teaching what they’re supposed to without making sure that the students are benefitting from it.  I liked the ideas and suggestions this chapter provided on how to teach responsively, meaning that you teach to all learners and you adapt your teaching to suit each learner. The suggestions helped make it seem a little less daunting I think, but I’m still not sure quite how I would apply that to my classroom.  I think that might be something I will think about when I am in the classroom this semester, not only looking at how my mentor teacher teaches responsively, but also how she can alter her teaching methods so that she is including more responsive teaching. When I am working on my unit and lessons this is something that I will be keeping in mind because I think that it is an important way to teach students and you are better ensuring that each student is learning because you are constantly assessing each student’s performance so that you can better respond to them. 

UbD/DI Chapter 1

This chapter taught me that both curriculum and knowledge are important for effectively teaching students of all learning styles, abilities, and backgrounds.  In their explanations for the logic behind UbD and DI, authors Tomlinson and McTighe say that, “quality classrooms evolve around powerful knowledge that works for each student.  That is, they require quality curriculum and quality instruction.  In tandem, UbD and DI provide structures, tools, and guidance for developing curriculum and instruction based on our current best understandings of teaching and learning,” (3).  I feel like this statement is perhaps one of the most important statements in the chapter because it explains what the core of strong, effective teaching is.  I think that if you are cognizant of this aspect of teaching, then you will be able to create units and lessons that provide optimal learning for students.  I understand what DI is, but I am still quite confused about UbD.  I know that if you use the two together, then you are effectively teaching students, but I don’t understand what the purpose of UbD is at this point.  I know that once I understand what UbD is better, I will want to use it in my teaching, but I honestly do not know how I would use it right now.  The axioms and corollaries that the authors used to explain how the two practices worked together seemed incredibly general to me and did not really help to explain them for me.  I’m hoping to understand UbD and how it works with DI better as I read more of the book.

MI Chapter 2

In this chapter I learned that there are two ways experiences affect multiple intelligences, one in a positive manner and one in a negative manner.  Crystallizing experiences are experiences that occur throughout a person’s development in an intelligence.  Something that is crystallizing will affect a person by promoting their growth in that intelligence.  A paralyzing experience is the opposite; instead of promoting growth, it hinders or suppresses the development of that intelligence. I also learned about certain factors, such as familial, that affect the growth and development of intelligences. In the example of a familial factor, Armstrong says that a parent’s influence, whether good or bad, can contribute to how you develop in a particular intelligence.  In an ideal world, I would love to be able to use my knowledge of crystallizing experiences to help my students find ways to increase their development in the intelligences and to help students with paralyzing experiences suppressing their growth find ways around them, but unfortunately most students won’t be able to identify the cause for their hindrances.  I can still help them to work on improving their strengths; I just won’t be able to completely erase any paralyzing experiences for them.  I’ll also have to understand that there are certain factors in their life that affect them and that there are some things that no matter how hard I try, I won’t be able to change.

MI Chapter 1

This chapter gave me a good overview of each of the eight intelligences; I had heard of all of them before, but this was the first time that I had seen any descriptions of them.  I found the chart explaining different aspects of the multiple intelligences quite interesting, especially the developmental factors and how the intelligences are valued in today’s culture.  Knowing what the eight intelligences are and how they manifest in various people will help me to design lessons that will allow each student to use the intelligences that he or she is strong in as well as develop those that are not as strong. I think it helps to know that people are intelligent in different areas so that you can create units that allow students to take advantage of their intelligences and you know not to expect all students to perform the same way.  I’d also like to have different areas in my classroom filled with resources for each intelligence so that students can work to increase their strengths in all of the eight intelligences when they are not working on classwork. Understanding that each student’s mind works differently will help me to work with each of them in the most effective way for their learning; I’ll be able to provide adequate instruction for each of them and I will be able to assess them in a manner that takes their varying intelligences into account.