Hallmarks

There are nine different hallmarks or principles of a differentiated classroom, they are:

1. A strong link between assessment and instruction.
2. Absolute clarity about what the teacher wants the students to know, understand, and be able to do about what is truly important to learn in this unit.
3. Shared responsibility for the classroom is between teacher and students, in the goal of making it work for everyone.
4. Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success.
5. A"way up" usually through multiple and varied pathways, and never a "way out."
6. "Respectful" and engaging work for all students.
7. Proactive thinking and planning for different pathways.
8. Flexible grouping.
9. Flexible use of time, space, and materials.

Using these nine hallmarks in your classroom as often as possible will help each student receive maximum growth. It will also help you connect your curriculum to your instruction. Trying to fit most if not all of these things into your instruction to truly be differentiating seems kind of intimidating to me. I'm sure it will take time and practice. It is comforting to know that nobody differentiates all the time.

Morning Meetings

Sylvia Allan the principal at Vineyard Elementary spoke to us today about Morning Meetings in class. It was awesome! I wasn't sure what she was going to say about it for two hours, but she had really good stories and insight about morning meetings. I was at her school last semester for my field and got to experience her Monday morning meetings she does with the whole school. All the kids loved it. They all danced, cheered for their house, and had a good time. It even got me pumped for the rest of the week! I love her excitement and enthusiasm!

The components of Morning Meeting are:

• Class Creed
• Greeting (Monday only)
• Pledge
• Memorization
• Class Business
• Vegetables
• Dessert
• Medicine
• News
• Share
• Class Cheer

Although morning meetings can be amazing things and unite a class as they learn, if done the wrong way they can have a very negative effect. Two critical tips for teachers to know are:

1. Never sit at your desk during morning meeting, it is not planning time.
2. It is not a therapy session for you or the students.

I love the idea of having morning meetings in my future classroom and I definitely want to. I love the sense of unity it brings to a class.  I love the idea of students working together and helping each other out! I told my husband about our class today and some of the stories Sylvia Allan shared, he was very impressed and said, "you should have morning meetings when you're a teacher"

Morning Meetings are the only time of the day that 100% of the students are successful!!