Tammy+Bialik

Name: Tammy Bialik Email: desertbialiks@gmail.com Unit: Transportation


 * Question || Response || Posted By ||
 * Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results : //To what extent are the targeted understandings... // ||  ||   ||
 * Aligned with appropriate goals (standards, benchmarks)?    ||   ||   ||
 * Big ideas at the heart of the discipline (as opposed to basic facts and skills) in need of // uncoverage? // ||   ||   ||
 *  Framed by provocative // essential // and // unit // questions?    ||   ||   ||
 * Linked to valid and relevant knowledge and skills? ||  ||   ||
 * **Stage 2 - Determine Acceptable Evidence** || Response || Posted by ||
 * **//To what extent are...//**
 *  Students asked to demonstrate their understanding through authentic performance tasks?
 *   A variety of appropriate assessment formats used?
 *  Assessments used as feedback for students and teachers, as well as for evaluation?
 * Students encouraged to self-assess ||  ||   ||
 * **Stage 3 - Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction** ||  ||   ||
 * **//To what extent will...//**
 *  Students know //where// they're going (the learning goals) and //why// the material is important, and //what is required of them// (in terms of unit goals, performance requirements, and evaluative criteria)?
 *  Students be hooked and //engaged// in digging into the big ideas of the unit (through inquiry, research, problem solving, and experimentation)?
 *  Students receive explicit instruction on the knowledge and skills needed to //equip// them for the required performances?
 *  Students have opportunities to //rehearse//, //revise//, and //refine// their work based on feedback?
 *  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Students //self-assess// and set goals prior to the conclusion of the unit? ||  ||   ||

__**Response Journal #1**__

My name is Tammy Bialik. I have a B.S. in Elementary Education with a Kindergarten Endorsement from North Central University in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. I teach first grade, 6 year olds, at DEMS (Dhahran Elementary Middle School) in Al-Khobar. My husband and I are new to international teaching. We came to Saudi Arabia last year. Our family loves the international life, at this point we can't imagine going back to the states and staying put. We have three children, Abraham (seventh grade), Solomon (fourth grade) and Triniti (second grade). Already our children are so much more globally minded then the average American and more accepting and understanding of cultural differences. Living out side of your home country changes you and your perspective. This is my tenth year in education. I did almost all my teaching in the state of Georgia (USA) at a variety of grade levels from K-5. Before becoming a teacher my husband had a few job transfers and each year/time I entered a new grade, much like my students. :0) This has actually been a benefit to both me and my students as I taught for 3 years in Kindergarten and 1 year in second grade just before coming to DEMS and tackling first grade. I know the curriculum they are coming from and the expectations they will be facing when they leave my classroom.

I hope to have a better understanding of curriculum design and curriculum mapping by the end of this course. Also I expect to be able to apply the knowledge gained here directly to my teaching and see improvements in student learning and understanding. I believe having a deeper knowledge of curriculum design and assessments will improve my performance as a teacher and lead to increased student engagement and understanding. I think having the ability to apply backward design to my curriculum will make my instruction more focused and assessments more meaningful.

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">**// Knowledge Alive //** In my opinion the author believes that teaching the knowledge arts must become an integral part of each teacher’s curriculum. Without the knowledge arts the understanding gained is passive or dead. Students are being filled with knowledge without being given the skills to handle and use it. He feels schools are doing a mediocre to average job of passing on these essential skills. I would have to agree with his view. In general the time we, educators in general, spend imparting knowledge is out of balance with the time students spend practicing and bringing it to life. We see glimpses every now and then but we need to make a concentrated effort, a plan of attack, to pass on the knowledge arts. His idea if embraced would force curriculum designers to create a parallel curriculum that plans for this transfer of learning. Setting goals, making plans putting knowledge into action and building with as well as upon knowledge gained.
 * __Response Journal #2__**

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> Preparing for Today and Tomorrow <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Mr. Eisner feels that the job of educators should be to nurture in students the ability to deal with the present world. He believes this be achieved through several aims. One aim should be teaching judgment. Guiding students to the realization that there can be more than one correct answer to a problem and that thinking and judging go hand in hand. Presenting students with ideas that they can explore develop through critical thinking is another aim. Developing literacy or finding meaning in all forms of communication, culture and the arts as well as numeracy. The final aim being collaboration, helping to cultivate the unique strength and special abilities of the individual while at the same time helping students learn to work and accomplish goals together. Building community by working with individuals from different cultures and serving society at large outside of school. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I think the major factor causing the ‘preparatory’ and ‘hoop jumping’ mentality is the emphasis on standardized test scores. Even at the young age of 6 my students already concerned with doing well on tests. We are required to give multiple pre-tests followed by end of the year tests to show growth for accreditation. These little boys and girls have a hard time understanding why you are asking them to answer questions about things they’ve never heard of or seen before. You know you are going to teach them but they don’t understand “needing data.” The mushroom the higher you go in education as so many opportunities are based on these scores. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I feel like our school district is totally open to what is best for the child. My principal in particular is supportive of best teaching practices and sees the benefit of building these skills in our students. I certainly strive to teach and guide my students toward these aims to the extent that they are capable at this young age.


 * __Response Journal #3__**

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> //**Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning**// <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> Constructivist classrooms offer many benefits to students. Emphasis is on helping students learn HOW TO LEARN. They gain the skills to assimilate new knowledge with the knowledge they already have. The students create new knowledge for themselves while the teacher acts as a coach giving suggestions but the students do the work, thinking and learning. Students also learn about learning from each other. As they work with peers they are gaining knowledge of strategies and methods from each other. Students become active contributors to their education, so much more than reciting facts. They are part of the process, not just listening to a teacher tell what he/she has learned but doing, leaning how to think, question in order to add to their own understanding. Students are given ownership of their education. It’s all about the student and what he/she is doing instead of about the teachers and what they are saying and doing. As student use their natural curiosity they are more likely to retain this knowledge and to apply it to their real life in the real world. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> Teachers need to make sure the disadvantaged children do not fall through the crack in the constructivist classroom as they do not always have the same life experiences, parental support and outstanding teachers as the children from more privileged backgrounds. Another concern is that students still learn to think on their own and express themselves not just the ideas of a group. Teachers need to be aware that basic student skills may need some additional emphasis as their students are growing in higher-order thinking skills.

__ **Response Journal #4**

__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> //**Powerful Learning**// **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">They learn what is personally meaningful to them **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">– I began attending scrapbooking workshops last year. Our family is visint and seeing so many amazing places as well as making awesome memories with friends here in Saudi. I wanted to learn how to create memorable pages with our photographs to share with family and friends back home as well as to keep for our family. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">What hey learn is challenging and they accept the challenge **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> – I had a group of 12 rambunctious kindergarten boys (two from each of six classes that couldn’t sit still and/or couldn’t be sent out on stage alone to deliver a speaking part for our grade level play. They needed to learn a song with choreographed moves. The boys and I talked amidst squirming and wiggling about what kinds of cool things “army ants” could do and how we could put it in our song and how “cool” it could be if people knew what we were singing. I role played singing a song that they couldn’t hear or understand the words. They wanted their song to be the best. The rose to the challenge and were one of the best performances of the night. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">What they learn is appropriate for their developmental level **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">– In order to learn to read in Kindergarten / First grade first a student must know their letters and letter sounds. You will only frustrate an emergent reader if they don't have this foundation. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">They can learn in their own way, have choices and feel in control **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">– When I taught vocabulary in older grades I would put my students in groups. Each group would be assigned a different word from our list. They could choose to use a cheer, song, or poem, make a poster or act out the word to teach the definition and how to use the word to the rest of the class. They were really creative and the class scored high on vocabulary on our standardized tests, even my struggling and special education students. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">They use what they already know as they construct new knowledge **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">- I often see this in first grade as students are learning to read and they see chunks in words that we’ve worked with before and they are able to recognize it, and then add new sounds to read new words. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">They have opportunities for social interactions **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">– I give my students many opportunities daily to work and learn together. Playing math games, reading books together, working in groups with science explorations… over and over you hear them sharing with others how to do something, what they see happening, or how to make something work. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">They get helpful feedback **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">– My first grade students are just learning to take end of selection reading tests and spelling tests. I conference with them and share what they did well on both tests and we talk about what they missed and I go back over test taking skills that I have taught them and sometimes introduce new ones as well. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">They learn acquire and use strategies **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">– One example would be Math. We teach them several strategies for adding and subtracting in Math and give the strategies names so if the kids get stuck we can prompt them. This year we’re also posting them in the room. “What strategy you could use to figure that out?” Sometimes other students remind them to use strategies or share some of their own. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">They experience a positive emotional climate **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">- I strive to always have a positive safe environment where students are willing to take chances. One of my favorite examples is from teaching fifth grade a few years ago. I had a very shy student named Raven. It was always hard to hear her when she would speak or read. We were studying the Civil War in Social Studies. I gave them lots of choices for presenting what they had learned. They could present with a group or as an individual. Raven wrote a song and sang it in front of the whole class. She was so nervous and her voice shook but she kept going. It was beautiful. The kids all knew the incredible courage it took on Raven’s part. It was the proverbial “you could hear a pin drop” situation. At the end of her song her peers and I all broke out in wild applause and a standing ovation. I had tears in my eyes and could hardly speak to call up the next presentation for the pride I felt in her and her courage. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The environment supports the intended learning **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">– I have experienced the environment side myself as a student. Last year at my scrapbooking workshops I was new, slow and learning the tools and techniques. Often in the beginning my progress would slow down the whole group when it was a step by step class. Stacy, the hostess, is a born teacher. She never made me feel like I was behind, or holding up the group. She was so encouraging and had always created an atmosphere of encouragement so the other ladies were patient and helpful as well. It was stressful and times and I would have stopped going if they hadn’t been so supportive and understanding as I was learning. **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Which of these conditions are viable in your present teaching assignment? **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I believe all of these conditions are viable and necessary in my classroom. I would say I have a constructivist approach to education. I believe my principal is supportive of my approach. She visits our classrooms often and gives feedback.

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">// **Backwards Design Justification** // <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">In order to reach your destination you should know where you are going. Without a plan may spend time you do not have in a place you did not need to go. Personally, I have done this many times. Taking a theme and planning fun activities and art projects without researching the standards first to know what understanding my kids really needed to come away it. Backwards design brings focus to your planning, and then you can build in learning opportunities that will hopefully take students where they need to go. At a recent institute I heard that "reflective teacher area effective teachers." Reflection is an important aspect of the backwards design.
 * __Response Journal #5__**


 * __Response Journal #6__

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> // 6 Facets of Understanding //** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The behaviors I look for to show understanding are applying the understanding to other work and being able to explain, help or show others. One way I distinguish between "knowing" and "doing" with my first grade students is in the area of writing using correct spelling from patterns (word lists) previously taught for an example. I think "doing" is being able to spell all the words correctly at the end of the week. "Knowing" is using the spelling patterns to consistently spell words from the list correctly in everyday writing as well as using the pattern (sounds) learned to spell words that were not on the spelling list.