DI+UbD+Chapter+1+Block+1

[|Synthesis - UbD/DI C1 B1]

Chapter one of Differentiated Instruction and Learning by Design introduces the two ideas as a combination to attack teaching a constantly changing classroom environment. The chapter emphasizes adapting curriculum to individual student’s needs, and assessing the results. There are clear-cut examples of how the two ideas interface with each other to maximize learning for each individual in the classroom. Mr. Axelt’s curriculum plans were very flexible. His class of 32 seemed huge compared to what I am use to. A classroom that size would need some extra time to be prepared to serve every student. Axiom 5’s emphasis on learning through interaction and synthesis struck me as being important. I have always learned much better when the ideas I have barely grasped are demonstrated to me in practice. It acts like the concrete between cinder blocks. I found this chapter really informative. It creates a really clear picture of the two separate parts, and the importance of the collaboration of both to reach the central goal. Each axiom and its corollaries provide the chance for the reader to visualize the ideas being executed in the classroom, and why each of the models works so well off the other. The student’s understanding is the most important theme here, and the curriculums are designed for a deeper understanding, while the instructional portion helps deliver the curriculum in various ways to deliver that deep understanding to each student. I find the whole idea really intriguing and interesting. It seems like a solid plan for any classroom and I would like to see the ideas demonstrated and elaborated on more so in future reading. || I find it interesting that these two systems can be so easily integrated. Thinking back to high school, I realize why some teachers really got through to students and why some didn’t. For example, history has never been a favorite subject of mine; I have always found it to be extremely boring. It was not until my senior year that I actually learned something in a history classroom. My teacher used both of these methods, not only did he have an in depth curriculum, but he also appealed to all the different types of learners in the classroom. When he would lecture he would not only talk, but had a power point that was somewhat interactive. He gave us choices when it came to projects and allowed creativity. He got the class up and moving. He is the teacher that I want to model after. I think that too many teachers now don’t understand that even though they have an amazing curriculum, it does not mean that every student it going to grasp the material the same way, and not only do students get left behind, but the class is extremely boring. //Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding By Design// has several other concepts in the first chapter that should also be kept in mind when teaching. However, I think that adapting to the students’ different learning styles as well as a solid curriculum is one of the most importance. The first chapter of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design discussed how teachers have to integrate many different elements into their classrooms. The chapter discussed what these terms actually mean, and how each can be applied to the classroom by teachers. The chapter went on to give several scenarios in which these two concepts can help a teacher in the classroom, and specific times when each can be used.
 * **Names** || **Abstract** || **Reflection** ||
 * Archambault Michael ||  ||
 * Audy Melissa || The first chapter of this book speaks of the importance of integrating both Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction in every classroom. It is emphasized that these two strategies are essential to a successful curriculum—especially in the modern day education world which is full of assessments and standards. The chapter goes on to give a brief explanation of each. It is stated that Understanding by Design is “focusing on what we teach and what assessment evidence we need to collect” (Tomlinson and McTighe 2). Meanwhile, Differentiated Instruction is said to “focus on whom we teach, where we teach, and how we teach” (Tomlinson and McTighe 3). It explains that a well thought out curriculum with strong content is useless when one does not consider the various types of learners he or she will be working with. On the flipside, considering the “who, where, and how” and neglecting, the “what” will be just as ineffective. The chapter goes on to provide axioms and scenarios that demonstrate the usage of both Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction within a history classroom of learners with varying abilities. || In response, I find that I agree upon all the factors that must be considered in order to ensure successful teaching. Though I have never been a fan of standardized learning and On-Demand testing, these models apply to any curriculum, which is something I enjoyed. Even a teacher who may disagree with set standards certainly has standards of their own in mind, and these models simply provide factors one must consider in order to create progress and success within the classroom. In my personal experience, I recall having a certain teacher my junior year of high school, who clearly knew her content well, and knew what she expected of us, however it seemed as though she had little consideration for Differentiated Instruction. Though my school was tracked, it was amazing how people within the honors class had such differing learning styles. Those who understood the work easily could be seen goofing off in the corner fifteen minutes into class, while those who struggled with her teaching method stayed after for hours regularly, simply to keep up with the lessons. Had the teacher taken advantage of this divide, and perhaps paired up these different learners, the classroom may have been more successful that year. ||
 * Boulter Elizabeth || Chapter 1 was titled “An Essential Partnership”. In the chapter it discussed the partnership between Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction. They defined UbD as a way of thinking that addresses students’ potential knowledge base. They then defined DI as a way of thinking that pays special attention to varied learning styles. UbD is focused on the students’ information base and DI focuses on how to achieve and enhance that base. They describe why there is a need for the combination of these two in the classroom. One is a “curriculum design model” and one is an “instructional design model” (pages 2 and 3. It’s all about the power of the student’s minds and how to personalize the curriculum to meet all the needs of the students. They go on to explain these ways of thinking through different scenarios. Some talk about relating the material to the outside world, another talks about having variation and choices, and others talk about high expectations and guided learning. || This chapter was a lot to take in. It was jam packed with information and it was hard to absorb it all since this is the first time I have read in depth about teaching methods. However, I really enjoyed their ideas because, based on my intelligences, I could learn from them. Having choices, creating small group discussions, personalized time with the teacher, and integrating technology are only some of the things that appealed to me. The one scenario I really liked was where Mr. Axelt divided the class time. He broke it down into specific needs for his students and it also created an active classroom. ||
 * Brown Ryanne || Chapter 1 describes the necessary connections between Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design. It is basically proven in this chapter that each of these ideas needs to other to create a holistic learning environment for students. Together the combination creates the basics for a classroom: the what, how, who and where. Understanding by Design is basically the “what” and the “how”. This portion is in majority the curriculum, or the plans for the classroom. It guides the applications of content in ways that will promote full class understanding. The Differentiated Instruction portion is more of the “how” and includes the “who” and “where” also. This piece’s primary goal is the “processes and procedures” that will deliver the most effective learning strategies to all students. In a way it describes to teachers how to execute the most efficient curriculum by supplying the most efficient instruction for the information. The chapter refers to the two models as complementary in the way they each are required for the ultimate goal of complete understanding of the content by every student. ||
 * DePue Margaux || Chapter One of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design discusses the meanings of the UbD and DI models, what they emphasize and why they are so vital to student learning. Understanding by Design is a model that emphasizes the importance for cognitive strengths as well as coverage of the material being taught. The Differentiated Instruction model stresses the need for variance in instruction so as to meet all of the educational needs of the students. These two models must be combined for complete effectiveness in the classroom since one focuses on the curriculum and the other concentrates on the students’ learning abilities. The chapter then goes on to describe a series of principles in the Understanding by Design model, as well as ways that Differentiated Instruction can be used to guarantee maximized learning and progress in students’ work. Teachers must use the Understanding by Design model to help students think in complex ways and apply the knowledge the gain to real situations. It also describes how it is a teacher’s duty to keep learning goals clear, collaborate with other teachers and students to improve lessons and make necessary adjustments to the curriculum to meet the needs of the students. Most importantly, educators need to make the models their own by making their own adaptations and not using it solely as a formula for success. || By reviewing this chapter, teachers can understand how to place the teachings of these two models into a perfect state of equilibrium. This way, neither the substance of the curriculum nor the attention to students’ individual needs will be lacking in any shape or form. Many educators tend to make the mistake of emphasizing a strong curriculum over the learning needs of the students, or vice versa, but by understanding this chapter educators can find effective ways to avoid this great blunder. Teachers may also learn how to pay individual attention to student progress and comprehension and assess their work through the specific scenarios and examples that the chapter gives. It is even more wonderful how the chapter emphasized how teachers should never just use these models as templates for teaching and developing curriculum. These ideas must be taken and personalized by teachers to better meet the needs of the students, not insult them by force-feeding them a “one-size-fits-all” model for teaching. ||
 * Dunne Kaisha || This chapter, “UbD and DI: An Essential Partnership”, discussed the partnership between UbD and DI and how to apply them in ones classroom. They discuss how UbD and DI are ways of thinking not programs. It's a teachers dream come true with how it frames content standards so that a teacher can easily help students connect to the information they are being presented with. The chapter walks the reader through different ways of combining UbD and DI and gives scenarios where it can be used in ones class room and how much they can help assist student learning. The theme of the scenarios is a social science class and their look into the U.S. Constitution. The story line goes through all the different activities that the teacher constructs and categorizes them into different combination uses of UbD and DI. || Teaching methods are still slightly new to me because I didn't have EDU101. But I still think that this was a very helpful look into what a combination of UbD and DI would look like in a classroom setting. I was very grateful that it had to do with a classroom within my subject area; it was easier to relate to. The display of scenarios was a good way to explain what the book was trying to get across about the combination of the two because in the last reading I was a little lost. It gave me ways that I could apply it in my own classroom setting. ||
 * Hudson Kimberly || Teachers find it increasingly difficult to ignore the amount of diversity among students. Very few teachers find their teaching satisfying when they have one curriculum that does not allow for the individual learning needs of the students. Understanding by Design is used as a design model for curriculum and Differentiated Instruction is focused more on who is being taught, where they are being taught, and how they are being taught. Combining both of these methods of thinking in the classroom acknowledges the challenges of creating a potent curriculum and the success for all the different types of learners. For example, one of the principals of Understanding by Design is the goal of a quality curriculum is to develop and deepen student understanding. At the same time, Differentiated Instruction states that all students are entitled to a curriculum that develops their understanding. This should also keep in mind that different students are at different levels, thus their learning will occur at different rates. It is the responsibility of the teacher to provide the necessary support to help develop their understanding. ||
 * Korn Shauna || This chapter explains how educators, such as teachers, need models or structures that follow standards but that also promotes learning from such standards. Teachers need to find ways to expand their classrooms so that those with different learning styles are absorbing the information to their best ability. Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction provide the resources for a teacher to take the standards and requirements of a class and combine them with a lesson or activity that the student will enjoy and learn from. Understanding by Design allows teachers to go over the material that they are going to teach and decide which is important and what out of it needs to be taught. Differentiated Instruction is geared more to the students, their learning environment, and learning styles. Therefore when a teacher uses both approaches to teaching a better understanding for the content takes place. || After reading this chapter I was impressed with how two separate teaching strategies went so well together. I always knew that content and classroom were two different things but did not realize exactly how much one needed the other. Reading about how Understanding by Design is a process that is the teachers responsibility as well as Differentiated Instruction is. Understanding how both worked and what they were about was really important to me, because I want my students to learn the best way possible and I want to be able to create lessons, an environment, and a style that is most beneficial to all of my students, not just most of them. ||
 * LaRose Rebecca || The first chapter in DI/UbD first introduced the concepts of Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction. It described how they work together. The theory is that when these two concepts are melded together, all students are reached, making for better learners. The concept of axioms (goals of UbD) and corollaries (how to reach students in DI) was addressed and how the six axioms and groups of corollaries fit together to create the best lessons possible. The final part of the chapter acknowledged the fact that the best teachers are those that learn to use the most updated techniques, and cater to each individual student. ||
 * LaRose Rebecca || The first chapter in DI/UbD first introduced the concepts of Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction. It described how they work together. The theory is that when these two concepts are melded together, all students are reached, making for better learners. The concept of axioms (goals of UbD) and corollaries (how to reach students in DI) was addressed and how the six axioms and groups of corollaries fit together to create the best lessons possible. The final part of the chapter acknowledged the fact that the best teachers are those that learn to use the most updated techniques, and cater to each individual student. ||
 * I felt that this chapter was important because not only did it give the basic ins and outs of the DI/UbD method, but it addressed how all of the parts are dependent upon each other. I found that this chapter was dry, but seemed to convey the information well. I think that the best part of the chapter is how it explains everything in the complex way, and then reiterates it in more of layman’s terms. I like when things depend on each other and interlock to make one bigger idea. In this case I like that the two components feed off of each other in order to find the students’ best methods of learning and bring it about in different ways. ||
 * Murphy Amber || This chapter goes into detail explaining the difference in understanding by design and differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction shows variance for addressing different learners. Understanding by design focuses on what assessment method is used and what we teach. Differentiated Instruction focuses on who we teach and when and where the teaching is done. This chapter helped to emphasize the difference between these teaching models by showing different scenarios to apply the different teaching styles. || I felt that this chapter was very complex and contained a variety of information. The main goal for all teachers is to demand an effective learning style for a variety of different individuals. I believe that differentiated instruction is essential in classrooms and without it many students wouldn’t succeed. These teaching models are important inside the classroom and I feel that teachers need to have a good understanding of both of them. ||
 * Nieuwkerk Hannah || Understanding by Design is the idea or model that teachers use to go about teaching their lessons. Students learn information, but they also learn ‘how to think’. No two people are the same, therefore, each student has a different way of learning, which leads into Differentiated Instruction. Differentiated Instruction is for the whole gamut of learners: gender, interests, disabilities, and especially learning preferences. Together, Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction form a strong curriculum and makes certain that each student thrives. These techniques are the best tools for teaching a variety of students, everywhere and anywhere. || I really liked these two idea put together; in this way all the students are being catered to. It is very difficult to have all the students in the classroom understand, and yet keep the quicker students engaged, too. Also, using different ways to engage students is very important since all students learn differently. Teaching students something is very different than having those students remember and retain that knowledge. Group projects, partners, PowerPoints, lectures, and grouping students with more or less challenging work to enhance their knowledge are all different ways to teach. Using two or more of these techniques will ensure the understanding of the students, and even more importantly: they will retain that knowledge. ||
 * Scheffler Erich ||  ||
 * Scheffler Erich ||  ||

I thought this chapter was pretty interesting. I always thought that a teacher should teach each student differently, according to that student’s specific needs, so it was nice to read a little bit about how I could do that. I like how they gave specific example of what to do in each circumstance.
 * Simoneau Andrea || This chapter explains the models of Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction, both models used in designing curricula. Understanding by Design places emphasis on getting the students to understand and be able to relate to what is being taught to them, giving them a more profound comprehension of the content. Differentiated Instruction is a model that considers the varied learning needs of all students, and helps teachers to plan for those varied learning needs. Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction are complementary to each other, and not exclusive. Understanding by Design emphasizes full and complete understanding, and Differentiated Instruction is the vessel through which that complete and full understanding can be achieved with respect to the varied learning needs of the students. The chapter outlines several scenarios in which Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design can be combined. || I found it extremely helpful that the book provides examples of incorporating the axioms and corollaries (relating to Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction, respectively.) Much of Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction seems to be basically good practice in teaching anyway. Of course the object of teaching is to comprehend the content, and what better way to do that than to relate its importance to their lives? The shifting of perspectives, supportive class discussion, challenges to answer “Why?” and “How?” are key to true understanding. Differentiated Instruction naturally goes hand in hand with this, since a classroom is not full of assembly-line student drones, but individuals with varying abilities and levels of development in each of Gardner’s intelligences, possibly even certain disabilities. How can one reasonably expect to make the students comprehend, deeply and truly, the content matter without catering to the needs of the students? ||
 * Stevens Newcomb || Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design are two ideas that work together in creating a successful and effective curriculum. UbD deals with the content of the curriculum and what is taught to the students: this can vary depending upon the student’s current level of understanding. DI deals with where, when and how the subject is taught: this also varies depending on how much the student already knows. These two ways of thinking allow the curriculum to be flexible and allow the student to grow and explore a topic. In basic terms this system uses what the students give the teachers, has regular reviews, utilizes technology, and can constantly change. || I think this is a great way to design a curriculum. First of all, the same curriculum year after year will not work. Students are a lot like crops: each is different every year. This method allows for adjustment. Second, students have a greater chance to grow if their true needs are known and addressed. The UbD and ID system allows for better education because it pinpoints a student’s needs rather than teaches from the same paper every year. ||