Multiple Intelligences, Chapter 3

Heather, Mike, Luke, Meghan

Multiple Intelligences Chapter 3

Summary-

Chapter three was all about how to assess your students multiple intelligences. Armstrong throws out many ideas on how to go about doing this. The first being collecting documents; there are many different ways to go about doing this as well. Taking pictures of the students working in the classroom or just keeping a journal on your students. Simply observing the students might be useful as well. A teacher could go to the guidance office and look into a students file for report cards, past teachers note’s; anything that would allow a teacher to get a better reading of a student. Another strategy could be to talk to these past teachers, see what worked for them to get through to the student and helped the student excel. Maybe a different approach could be to talk with the parent(s) of the child. Parents, most of the time, know their children the best. Other times they may be no help at all. The last and easiest route would be to simply ask the student her/him self. They know how they learn or what may at least work best for them.

Reflections-

We as a group are a little divided on this chapter. One of us thought that this chapter was very helpful and informative. Another disliked it because they felt they are being told to spy on their students, which may cause strain on their teacher- student relationship. A different perspective was that the methods were good but when going to apply them they felt apprehensive about talking to parents. Lastly, there was a suggestion that maybe from kindergarten on thru, each teacher should write down what they perceived as the students intelligences. This could help the new teacher with the child’s learning style(s) and maybe help them push the student into a different learning style to help develop other multiple intelligences. Either way we all were very split.

MB

DI & UbD ~ Chapter 4 Synthesis

Abstract:

“What really matters in planning for student success?” (p. 38). The answer is a culmination of high caliber curriculum and the right kind of teaching. Chapter four is an excellent resource of ideas and methods for teachers to consider while planning curriculum. For instance we are introduced to the nine attitudes and skills. These key ideas range from establishing clarity about curricular essentials to reflecting on individual progress while still monitoring curricular goals and personal growth. It is important to be conscious not to “dumb down” a lesson for some students or “build up” that same lesson for others. Adequate classroom management, clearly outlined objectives, and a stable routine will only add to the success of the students as well as the teachers. If a teacher follows the skills outlined in chapter four, there should be a great sense of balance in the class and the curriculum presented, and a safe and healthy educational environment provided for everyone. It is ultimately the quality of curriculum and the way in which it is presented that makes or breaks a class. If one of the two is out of balance then the student suffers, and the message is lost.


Reflection:

The attitudes and skills outlined in the chapter were very helpful in grasping a greater understanding of what it means to plan lessons and manage a classroom full of different learners. The scenarios which followed each skill were a great way for us to read about what the actual application would look like in a real classroom setting. There is great care which needs to be taken in planning these lessons- if the plan is too sophisticated, the students will not have the background to handle it, however, if the plan is too juvenile, the students will not learn what is needed. The key is flexibility- cover more when you can and step back when students are having difficulties and troubleshoot with them to get them through it. The tools in this chapter were very useful, for example the use of sticky notes for compiling information on students. The resources at the close of the chapter were of great interest as well, any additions resources we can get as teachers will help us out. It is our job to seek out resources such as these continually, to assure we are giving the student what they need, and so that we do not get too comfortable and sedentary with what appears to be working for us at the time. Any “tricks of the trade” or resources we can learn about will be of great use to us, and will allow us to be better prepared to enter the classrooms in the future and hopefully during our practicum experiences as well.

DI/UbD Chapter 3

Abstract/Summary:

This chapter was primarily about the backward learning model and how the stages work. The authors discuss the problem with "content overload." Content overload is when instructors are given too much information to cover, forcing them to shorten, dilute, and even cut key pieces of information from their lessons in order to get through it all. The authors yet again stress the importance of students and the fact that they need to learn. They can't be given twenty pages of notes and be expected to perform at the top of a hat. The authors go into detail about the three stages of the backwards learning model and at the end of the chapter they show where differentiation may be applied and where it may not in respect to the model.

Reflection:

Our team agreed that the backward leaning model is the way to go for teachers of our time. We all have had experiences of teachers making us take obscene amounts of notes and not learning anything in those classes. We all see the big picture with this model and how it works. Differentiation is such an important concept some of us can't understand why some teachers haven't always used it. It was a general consensus that teachers need to be flexible enough to conform the way they teach to what works for students and one of us even said the teachers, after using this model should be able to sit back and watch the students learn rather than attempting to force feed them information.

Di UbD Chapter 1

Abstract:

Basically the book talks about how Understanding by Design is a curriculum design model, but that Differentiated Instruction is basically a lot of different ways, we, as teachers; can teach to different students. Obviously, no person is alike, so by combining many different kinds of effective teaching methods, you will make the student comprehend more information.
In a nutshell, the chapter says that teachers need to realize who they are teaching, what they need to teach and how to send that message to their students.

Reflection:

Well, this correlates well with the Multiple Intelligences book purely because when they say that students learn differently, they are basically telling us that students have different intelligences. Some students are more hands on, while others are more visual and so on and so forth. If we, as teachers utilize all the different teaching methods and nail every intelligence along the way; then we truly are teaching to the entire class.

DI/UbD Chapter Two

Team 2, Block 1

Abstract/Summary

In chapter two of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design, the authors, McTighe and Tomlinson articulate the main problem in teaching specifically good curriculum without differentiation. They discuss the need to know one’s students and each of their particular quarks and learning styles in order to teach in a differentiated way and reach them all on an intellectual level. Students are not just blank slates waiting to be written on. They have, by the time they reach the schools, already developed their own learning styles. They will learn how they will learn. McTighe and Tomlinson discuss the necessity of teaching the students what they need to know and gaining their trust. They argue that many times when students perform poorly, it is not because they are academically deficient. They may have social issues in school, home, or other problems causing them to have to focus on other things. McTighe and Tomlinson provide a list of teaching patterns to relate to categories of students in order to make those students feel more comfortable and therefore perform better. In the very end of the chapter, the McTighe and Tomlinson make a stand for diversity. They discuss the fact that teachers will teach different students with different interests and different problems, and the teachers have to adjust accordingly in order to do what they are there to do-teach.

Reflection

We as a group all agreed that we took a lot from this chapter. The students are what are important. We, as educators, need to be prepared to adjust our plans for the students. We need to be goal-oriented but we must be willing to change our means of achieving our desires ends. We must be receptive and responsive to our students’ needs and difficulties. We cannot be stone cold teaching machines. We have to be people because that is who we are teaching, people, and without relationship very little can be achieved. We’ve all had a teacher or two who was that by-the-book (MLR that is) kind of teacher with the same tests and the same work every year. We, as aspiring teachers must be vigilant in our fight against the standardization of students. Students are people, individuals, and as instructors we need to know that.

Multiple Intelligences, Chapter 2

Team 2 Luke, Meghan, Mike, Heather

Chapter 2 Synthesis ~ "Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom"

Abstract:

In chapter 2 we further explore the theory of Multiple Intelligences and their effects in the classroom. Armstrong believes that it is important for us, as teachers, to identify and understand our own intelligences. How do we best learn? What are our strengths and weaknesses? If the teacher is unable to comprehend the concepts and methods they are using, the chance of the concepts getting through to the students is undeniably unlikely. Armstrong even includes in this chapter a test to identify one's strengths and weaknesses, in order to create awareness. Only once we determine this can we enter the classroom and hope to positively educate our students. Armstrong suggests that one effective way to help sharpen one's weaker intelligences is to use other resources such as colleagues, the internet, and even the students in the class. The moral is teachers have a responsibility to all of their students to supply them with a stimulating, flourishing learning atmosphere which will challenge and enhance all eight intelligences.


Reflection:

After reading this chapter it is clear that everything we learn, and every way we learn inevitably comes back to making us better teachers. It is definitely beneficial for us all to take a look at the chart on the eight intelligences and see where we rank. But it is also important to remember that it is unlikely that you will find out exactly what your areas of proficiency or weakness are solely based on a test. There are so many factors in one's development that can add or detract from one's intelligences that at times it can appear overwhelming and disheartening. It is, however, extremely important for us as teachers to make it our goal to continue to better ourselves, by learning and evolving as a person and as a teacher. We expect our students to better themselves and we are sure to let them know where they rank, so it would also be a benefit if they could do the same for us. Let us know what our strengths and weaknesses are as teachers. Some teachers go for years and years believing that one specific area is their biggest asset, however, if you would have asked their students they may completely disagree. It should be the hope of every teacher that their students will be candid and honest when letting teachers know what they see as their strengths and weaknesses in the classroom.

Multiple Intelligences, Chapter 1

Team 2-Heather, Luke, Mike, Meghan

Multiple Intelligences- Chapter 1

Summary-

The first chapter of Multiple Intelligences introduces us to the genius work of Howard Gardner. Gardner was the man who birthed the concept of people having eight intelligences. He originally started with seven but recently added an eighth and is contemplating a ninth. The eight intelligences are: linguistics, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist. Gardner says that we all possess these eight intelligences, some are just stronger then others. He also pointed out that each intelligent has different faces; just because someone can not perform well in athletic activities does not mean they lack the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. Maybe this person is an astounding quilter or an amazing dancer. It is also discussed in this chapter how you may be able to strengthen any of your intelligences. Near the end of the chapter some food for thought was thrown out; these were what other people have purposed for intelligences to be added: spirituality, moral sensibility, humor, intuition, creativity, culinary ability, olfactory perception, and ability to synthesize the other intelligences, and mechanical ability. (Pg.10)

Reactions-

As a group we all found this chapter very informative and helpful for our later teaching endeavors. A group member pointed out that “the United States is a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, beliefs and lifestyles; the idea of intelligence cannot be pegged into narrow slots.” She believed that Gardner saw that and that’s why he set up the intelligences the way he did. With-in our group we have a healthy mix of intelligences, interpersonal, spatial, logical-mathematical, and bodily-kinesthetic. Our learning styles were all different as well with 2 clipboards, 2 puppies, and 1 beach ball as our first picks. This can work to our advantage because we will be a great learning tool for each other. We all will be able to take and give from one another. As a group we can see how the different intelligences work and or we can help explain to one another why we just do not think or understand something the same way as the other one.

Meghan