UbDDI+B1+Chapter+9

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Brody
In the ninth chapter of UbD/DI, Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe provide a much needed recap on the knowledge gained from the book. After all, Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction are complex structures that require a number of steps to implement. These steps include: identifying desired learning results, determining acceptable evidence, and planning instruction based off of the first two steps. The teacher must also value learner differences and address learner needs effectively. Then, goals must be reviewed to ensure that every student has access to the knowledge, understanding, and skill that coincides with the lesson. The teacher must use pre-assessments and formative assessments to make instructional decisions, use those assessments to provide flexibility, and gather evidence of student learning from a variety of options. If this backward design process is followed, there will be clearer expectations, evidence of these expectations, and steps necessary to guide students. Students will benefit by seeing an increase in self esteem, appreciating the power of knowledge, realizing that one can be successful as a learner, and the camaraderie of feeling they belong to a community of learners. The backward design process asks for a new kind of teacher at a time when the education system is broken. I am chomping at the bit to go out into a school to implement UbD/DI, the Multiple Intelligence Theory, and technology in the classroom. Thus, I think the education system needs to look to its younger teachers and teacher candidates on how to improve the system. As the saying goes, “out with the old and in with the new!”

Brittany
This was exactly what was needed after all those chapters describing differentiated instruction and understanding by design. All of that information has been summarized and retold again and it proved to be the refresher that is keeping my head from exploding. Not only has the information been retold but chapter nine has an example of a lesson that uses the principles that the entire book has been telling the reader about. That example is the thing from this chapter that will make its way into my classroom. It is something that I can go back to and look at when I want to see how someone else used differentiated instruction or understanding by design to compare and contrast what I have done with what they have done. The example is something real that I can hold onto when I either get confused or have questions. In my opinion, it is the next best thing when you do not have a person around to talk to.

Mike
This chapter basically reviewed everything in order to develop strong lessons when integrating differentiated instruction into your future curriculum. Chapter 9 also highlighted different processes that need to help in order to accomplish your goals for yourself as a teacher but also for the classroom. The example of the lesson plan and unit in this chapter was very helpful since that is where I am heading right now is a future teacher is developing lessons. What was most important in this chapter was the idea of working backwards again. The backwards method is going to really help me out when developing lessons and units in the future. Finally, this chapter brought the big idea now that you have learned all these goals and processes for developing lessons plans it is now time to incorporate what you have learned into the classroom for your students to get a better understanding of what is expected and what they will learn.

Maxwell
In chapter nine, the entire book is wrapped up and put into perspective. The book gives a great example of a finished lesson plan incorporating all the chapter’s points. It was really helpful because now I can look back at my lesson plans and include the point they made. Our packets made it very easy to put all our focuses about differentiated instructing and understanding by design into our lessons plans. We need to remember to keep a good learning internment so that each student has an equal opportunity to learn. We also need to keep in mind that every student learns differently and just because some students understand, that doesn’t mean they all do. We need to teach to every student’s needs.

Seth
The environment in the classroom can really make or break a student. Students shouldn’t be neglected or ignored while in the classroom, nor should they be made fun of or singled out; doing such to a student can make them feel embarrassed or scar them emotionally which is something teachers (should) want to avoid. The classroom also needs to be a sanctuary of sorts where the student feels safe and valued (162). A safe environment is a good environment. And of course, each student needs to (and usually does) make contributions to group work. I feel that group work is a nice way to help students break down walls they have previously put up and become part of the group.

Kim
This chapter takes everything that we have learned about backward design, differentiated instruction, and multiple intelligences, and puts it all together. It was nice to see a fully fleshed out lesson plan and see how each of the components work with one another to really give each student the most opportunities for meaningful and engaged learning. Seeing how everything comes together not only makes it more realistic to me, but it also helps to see why we plan lessons and units this way. I really liked how it summed up each aspect that we have already learned, but it put them all together. While I will be utilizing the backward design in my classroom, I know there will be times where I cannot remember how or why we incorporated a section of the WHERETOs or other elements of the model, and this chapter will be a good resource for answering any questions I might have.

Kaitlyn Bartlett
In chapter 9 of Understanding by Design, the authors give an example of a unit plan for 5th and 6th graders. Each lesson gives lots of details that will help us when we start to do ours. I really enjoyed the way the teacher from the book wrote their student directions. It was a lot like our task descriptions that we had to write, but it gave me a lot more ideas. With the style of writing that the author or teacher used, it made reading the stories enjoyable. I feel like this will help me in my classroom because it will help give me ideas to enhance my lessons in a creative way.

Lily
Chapter 9 brings everything together. It starts with over viewing the backwards design model and pushes for teacher to assess during the entire year, not just at the beginning and end. We covered this in out stages and WHERETO. This helps to see changes all the time and if something is going wrong we are able to stop it early rather then when we grade at the end of the unit. Once again it talks about the importance of being flexible as the teacher and know that at anytime you may need to change your plans if it is not getting through to all the students. This chapter really does bring everything together because it talks about a little bit of everything that is needed in a differentiated instruction classroom.

Jen
In this chapter the main focus was on differentiated instruction and backwards design and how all of that fit into specific learners and the classroom. The chapter discusses the importance of identifying whether or not the student has understood the concepts. Using the differentiated instruction is a way for the teachers to address various learners in a way that best fits their needs. Also it is important for the teacher to decide what is considered "evidence of a students understanding." And does that mean it is different for each student based on their MI? This chapter states that "those teachers who use the backward learning design and differentiated instruction are concerned about the various learners in the classrooms and how much they understand"(142). However, that does not mean teachers who do not use differentiated instruction as a major component of their classroom don't care about the students, but it may just mean they aren't going to individualize all of the work in the classroom to a certain MI.

Maybe it's that times have changed in education, even within the past few years since I've been out of high school but students are not always going to be given assignments that best fit their learning style and as much as it seems like it would benefit each student if every lesson or assignment related to how they learn that isn't always going to be possible in education. Yes, it is us up to the teacher to present the information and curriculum in a way that the students understand it but I don't feel that differentiated instruction is always a realistic strategy. Our generation and generations before us were all taught the same thing one way, our generation was given more of a choice, but nonetheless it is a lot more different even in the few years that I have been out of the school. Now technology is the major component in schools and it seems less helpful than if we just ran our classrooms the way we used to. Technology has become a distraction to students that doesn't benefit their understanding, unless you the teacher can you it effectively and even then it's not always possible. Students are more focused on checking their phone and iming their friends, etc. that while their at school it's more of a socialization time rather than being used to learn. This is where I feel like maybe with differentiated instruction may help students focus however, it shouldn't have to be this way. Students should just focus because it's their job. They are required to go to school for six hours a day, five days a week for a one hundred and eighty days. That's just how it is. Sometimes I perceive differentiated instruction as a way of getting away from school work and making everything fun. School should be fun, yes, but I think your only teaching students that they will be able to do things in a fun way or they will choose not to do it and ultimately that is not sending them a good message or preparing them for life.

Casey
Chapter nine was a good way to wrap up the idea of integrating differentiated instruction and understanding by design. It gave us a "quick review of essential goals of UbD and DI and then at the end of the chapter "differentiating the unit to ensure maximum student growth." One specific quote I liked from this section was when the authors said "a teacher who understands that learner variability is also a factor in student success considers students as carefully as content and plans for their needs with equal care." I agree, I think it is very important to consider all of your students and how they learn when you are creating a lesson plan. Often teachers that I have had will give out an assignment that I just know I will not do well on because it is not my strongest area. Although I do know that others in the class may be better at this certain assignment.

Leighlan
This chapter had examples of how a lesson planed using Differentiation and UbD. Mainly the examples were project oriented. The students learned about the material by listening to speakers, going through government resources, and doing projects. The main mode of assessment was flexible creative projects, whose difficulty could be easily adjusted without sacrificing any key concepts. This chapter connected to what we were doing with the syllabus and lesson one. The example reminded me of my 10th grade history class; it was run in very similar manner. It makes since now how so few people failed his class, and how few got A+’s. I find it interesting, that when I go to class now, I find myself analyzing my teachers, I could probably give much better feedback on the evaluations this semester than I have been in the past.

Jasmyn
In chapter 9 the author reviews all of the backward design while integrating differentiated instruction. The chapter explains how this will help the teacher build solid lesson plans that will keep all students engaged. The chapter sums up three steps which include: identifying learning results, determining evidence, and planning instruction. This chapter was helpful in putting all the information together and as we have learned in EDU221 it stresses the importance of summative assessment, formative assessment, providing content with engagement.