Book: Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design - Tomlinson
Chapter: 3 – What Really Matters in Learning? (Content)
Write a brief abstract of the chapter:
This chapter is all about content. Sometimes there is too much of it, and sometimes there is too little of it. State and national standards are frequently too broad or too specific, but finding a middle ground is something that is needs to happen. So this chapter explains how educators can take a standard (either too broad or specific) and shape it into a highly effective teaching tool in the classroom. It explains how the element of “the big picture” is finding its way into lessons today. Instead of your normal facts and statistics the thought is to teach students concepts that they will remember and apply in the future, and not to teach them things that they just memorize to get the grade, and then ultimately forget a few days later. This chapter does a good job explaining how to do this as well; starting with a standard, shaping it into understandings, and then developing essential questions. Using this technique gets more done in the classroom and has longer educational value in students.
How did you connect to the reading? And briefly reflect on your thoughts.
As a team we really looked at this chapter and recognized it for its educational value. Some of us actually recognize the design from our own classrooms in high school, and for some of us it is a new concept altogether. We all like it for different reasons. Some of us like it because it helps fulfill state education requirements. Some like it because it is an easier way to express content, and others like it because it is highly effective in the classroom and makes lasting impressions on a student’s educational intellect. Collectively we agree that this design is a very large asset to the educational field. It makes developing content easier, and it is more effective, what’s not to love?
No comments:
Post a Comment