Boys and Girls Learn Differently

This was an interesting presentation.  In other classes I've taken, I've learned about the differences between boys and girls, but it was interesting to see that put into a purely educational light.  Boys and girls are definitely not the same, and I think it might be beneficial for schools to explore things like making classes same-gender.  I would like to see some more research on whether or not that actually works, but I think it might be beneficial to students to at least try it out and see what happens.  I think more and more research is coming out on this subject all the time, and it would be nice to find out more about it!

Becoming a "Wiz" at Brain-Based Learning

I thought this presentation was so much fun!  I really liked how they went really far in creating a nice environment for us to learn in.  That really helped.  I loved the matching game.  It was a lot of fun, and it really got me thinking about how I could use a matching game in a History class.  But each of the stations was really helpful, and I learned a lot from the presentation!

TP2000 Chapter 9

This chapter was about involving parents in education.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog posting, I think this is a great idea.  Parents can really help their children learn material while they're at home, and they can help in the classroom too.  I think this chapter was really similar to the one in Meet Me in the Middle, though.  Both covered similar topics. 

TP2000 Chapter 8

This chapter was about creating a healthy school, both in terms of emotional health and physical health.  I loved the section on promoting emotional health in middle schools, and creating healthy learning environments.  Making schools emotionally healthy is something that every teacher and educator should strive for.  The middle school years can be very tough for kids, and making students feel safe at school is very important to their emotional health.  As far as making middle schools a physically healthy place, I also think this is a good idea.  I think health and gym classes are very important to education.  And as for lunches, too often schools serve unhealthy food, just because it is cheaper.  I think if schools served foods, such as fruits, it would go a long way to making students happier.

TP2000 Chapter 4

This chapter was about instruction in middle schools.  The three most important aspects of instruction, according to the book, are: curriculum, assessments, and students.  Reading this chapter, however, I felt like I've already learned a lot of things covered in the chapter through other education classes.  The chapter talked about Differentiated Instruction, WHERETO, and the six facets of understanding, which are all things that I have already learned about.  I think that this was a good chapter, but I think that it was kind of redundant, because I know a lot of what was covered.

Turning Points 2000 Chapter 6

This chapter was about building relationships with students.  I loved it.  When I was in middle school, I didn't really have a teacher that I had a great relationship with.  Well, when I was in 8th grade, I had a pretty good relationship with my Social Studies teacher.  And I really liked that class as a result.  But he was really the only one.  And I think I suffered because of it, because I kind of became shy and scared socially as a result.  But I think if I had more teachers that really tried to get to know me, I would have been happier.  So in my classroom, I'd try to get to know each and every one of my students.  But this chapter itself focused on teams in middle schools.  I personally did not go to a middle school with teams, so I don't know what it would be like to have them.  But through this class, and learning more about the concept, I think that it's a really great concept, and I would like to try it!

MMM Chapter 15

This chapter was about getting parents involved in the classroom.  This, I think, is one of the most difficult parts about being a teacher.  One, because you have parents who will not care about their child's performance in the classroom.  And two, because you will have parents that have extremely different opinions on what their child should or should not learn in school, and will fight with you.  Wormeli gives several ways you can get parents involved with their children's education.  For the most part, I thought these examples were good, but I think that I would be uncomfortable visiting the home of a student.  I feel like as a teacher, that is a place where I should not go, because I feel like that crosses a line of professionalism.  But that's my own opinion.  As a teacher, I would love to get parents involved, because I think that opens a whole world of possibilities in the classroom!

MMM Chapter 8

This chapter was about effective assessment.  The chapter opened with a story about a student of Wormeli's that wasn't very good at writing, so he let the student write a song about The Outsiders instead of writing an essay.  I love this.  But for me, I would rather give students a choice on every project.  In my opinion, I would rather let students have a choice for every project they do in school.  I think students are definitely creative enough to come up with ways to show what they know, instead having a teacher tell them what to do in order to show what they know.  This chapter kind of goes along with the Differentiated Instruction chapter, I think.  Both have to do with tailoring a lesson or project to the particular student you are teaching.  Both, I think, are very helpful to students, and both are things I really like!

MMM Chapter 7

This chapter was about Differentiated Instruction.  I have learned about Differentiated Instruction in a lot of my education classes here at UMF.  It's something that I really support, and I think teachers should utilize it a lot more in classes.  Not every student learns the same or wants to learn the same, and teachers continue to teach the same.  I think teachers need to be more aware of that, and they should use it more often.

MMM Chapter 6

This chapter was about Accountability.  One part of the chapter that I really liked was this quote, "Instead of letting students complete additional projects to raise their grades, ask them to revise their additional work based on the standards outlined in your rubric or the comments written in the margins of their papers."  In my opinion, as a teacher, there is a reason why you assign certain assignments.  That reason is that you want students to learn what the assignment is on.  If you let students get a bad grade, and then you let a student do a different assignment later in the year, then they won't learn what you originally wanted them to.  Why not let a student revise their work?  In classes such as English and History classes, we let students revise papers, so why not let them revise other work too?  If we let students revise work, then they will learn the material a lot better.  And that's the final goal right?  To get students to learn the material?  I'm all for creative ways to get students to learn material.  The most common way to hold students accountable for learning material is tests.  And I think that's boring.  We need more creative ways to get students to learn!

Meet Me in the Middle Chapter 3 Synthesis

This chapter was about brain research, and applying that to teaching middle school.  The beginning of the chapter focused mostly on helping students make memories, so they can remember the material they are learning.  The chapter also talked about how important emotions can be for young adults, and how we, as teachers, can use this to our advantage, and use emotions to help students learn.  Another thing this chapter talked about was helping students think for themselves, and be have reasoning and logic skills, and Wormeli provided a list of argument fallacies that students can recognize.


Most of the students in class liked this chapter.  We all pretty much agreed that, at this age, children are going through a lot of changes, and need their minds and brains taken care of, as well as their bodies.  Most students pointed out that we need to cater to students' emotions, in addition to teaching them academic stuff.  And we also liked how Wormeli talked about how we need to teach students to think on their own, and use their brains to learn.

A Whole New Mind

This was a really nice presentation!  I especially liked the links in the Story and Play parts of the presentation.  With the Story links, Amanda, I definitely think those could be awesome for an English class, although I'm sure you already knew that!  And Justin, I definitely liked the part on video games.  I think they can help kids a lot.  And I also liked the other parts too Erin and Darcie!  Overall, a great presentation, thanks!

Meet Me in the Middle Chapter 3

This chapter was all about psychology and brain research, and how you can use that in a middle school classroom.  It was a fairly interesting chapter, but I thought the best part was the part about emotions, although I did have some problems with it.  During middle school, students are changing very much.  They don't always know how to feel, or how to express how they're feeling, so teaching them that emotions are good thing can be very helpful to them.  With that being said, the part in the chapter about emotions was kind of self serving, I thought.  The entire section was just him talking about how good a lesson he did on plagiarism, and why it was so good.  I thought the section would be better if he had used some research and facts and actually talked about the emotions of adolescents and how to use that in a classroom, instead of just telling us about one lesson he did.

Meet Me in the Middle Chapter 13

This chapter was about using overnight trips, and other field trips in your class.  I love field trips, and think they're great, but using overnight trips into the forest might not work.  When I was in 6th grade, my class took a weekend trip to a camp, and it was not enjoyable at all.  That's why I'm not sure if every student would really be into a trip into the forest.  Not every student is comfortable being outside, especially over a night.  But the part in the chapter about the Civil War reenactment, I thought that was great.  It might be hard to get a whole group of reenactors, but if you could, the results could be wonderful. 

Meet Me in the Middle Chapter 4

This chapter was all about how to get students physically involved in the classroom, by making them get up and do things.  I loved this chapter.  I hate sitting in the same place for an hour (or however long the class is).  I lose focus, and I can't think, so I just end up doodling in my notebook, not taking any notes at all.  There are many students who feel like that as well.  Teachers can't just stand up at the front of the room and make the students stay seated for a whole class.  Teachers need to make sure students are actively engaged in the class, and sometimes that means having them get up and do something.

Waiting for Superman

I liked this movie.  I really did.  It was very interesting, and I found myself getting emotionally attached to all the people in the movie.  What I didn't like about the movie, however, was what it said.  To me, the movie basically said to the viewer, "American public education is dead, and the only way your children will be successful is by going to charter schools."  It made it seem like the children who didn't get into the charter schools were going to fail just because they were going to public school.  And I don't think it gave enough information about charter schools.  It painted charter schools as this panacea to cure every problem with education, and it makes the viewer wonder, 'Well, if charter schools are so great, why don't they just build more so every kid can go to one?'  But the problem with Waiting for Superman, is that it doesn't address the answer to that question.  I think it would have been better if the movie went more in depth about charter schools.  Anyway, that's how I felt about the movie.

Turning Points 2000 Chapter 3

This chapter focused on the Backward Design Model, which we learned about in Practicum.  While I was reading this, I thought it would have been nice to read this chapter while I was in Practicum!  But reading it now, it was nice to have a little more research with the Backward Design Model than we did in Practicum.  Back then, we just put it into practice, but reading about it really reinforced it for me (as it's been a while since I've taken Practicum and my memories of it are a little faded).  But anyway, I really like the Backward Design Model, because it forces teachers to really look at the point of their lessons, and to make sure that with every lesson, students are learning something, and can show what they learned.  I'm more of a fan of the performance task, because I don't really like tests, as I don't think memorizing facts and spitting them back out on a piece of paper really shows you know something.  I think with the performance task, students can really be creative, and show that they really know the material, and can remember it and have actually learned something.

This We Believe Pgs. 43-62

The bulk of this section focused on how young people start changing at the ages of 10-14.  This was a nice tool to have at the end of the book, but honestly, I felt like I already knew most of the things that were said.  I went through puberty, and all the kids I went to middle school with went through puberty as well.  I remember what it was like.  I didn't need some book to tell me what happens during puberty, because I've already experienced it.  Overall, it just seemed like while I was reading it, I felt like I was just saying to myself, 'I remember that happening to me, and that, and that, and that...' and so on and so forth.

This We Believe Pgs. 33-42

One part of this reading focused on Advocacy programs in middle schools, and having an adult advocate for every student, whether it's through and Advisory program or guidance counselors, etc.  When I was in middle school, there was an Advisory program that we went to twice a week, but it wasn't really anything special.  From what I remember of it, students just went there to sit and hang out for a short period of time before going to the next class.  There was no actual advising taking place.  I think in a real middle school, an advisory period would be a period for students to get to know their classmates and teacher, and build a community, and be able to talk about the problems and issues they face in their everyday lives.  They would be supported by their classmates and teacher, and would be able to go to them for help.  As for the part about needing a guidance counselor in a middle school, I think this is a great idea.  There were two guidance counselors in my middle school, and it was really great.  Middle school is where some students start to get an extremely rough idea about what they might want to do with their lives, and when lots of things (whether they are emotional, physical, etc.) happen to them.  For them to have someone they can go to for guidance about what to do in their lives is a great thing.

Meet Me in the Middle Chapter 9

This chapter was about block scheduling.  I didn't have block scheduling in middle school, but I did have it in high school.  While in high school, I really liked it.  I had kind of a rotating block schedule, where we would have our blocks, but every day, two would get rotated out and two would get rotated in.  I really liked that scheduling, because I wouldn't have every class every day, and it was nice to have a little break from two of my classes.  Also, while I was reading this chapter, it was nice to have Wormeli gave an example of how to lesson plan for block scheduling, but as I was reading, I felt like I already learned how to do that in practicum, so I kind of felt like I was re-learning what I already knew. 

Meet Me in the Middle Chapters 11-12

In order to have a successful middle school, teams should be used to teach each grade.  And Chapter 11 dealt with how to have a successful team.  They talked about Subject Integration, which I think is something that is really great.  Every subject in school is connected, and the sooner all middle schools can have integrated curricula, the better.  I think that students will learn better if they can connect the subjects together.

This We Believe Pgs. 27-33

This part of the book was about leaders, and how effective leaders run a middle school.  I think this was a good chapter to include in the book.  Sometimes, the principal is the person who the community most associates with the school; even more so than teachers sometimes.  So it's important that a principal knows how to lead his school.  It's also very important that teachers and the principal be on the same page in terms of education.  Because if the teachers and principal aren't on the same page, then the school will suffer.

Turning Points 2000 Chapter 6

This chapter was about relationships between students and teachers, and ways that teachers and schools can build better relationships with students.  I think student/teacher relationships are one of the most important aspects of education.  Because if a student does not like a teacher, than that student won't even try in the class, no matter what.  But if a student does like a teacher, and feels comfortable around them, than that student will try their hardest.  In my experience, I never really had a teacher that I really loved and felt comfortable and safe around, until I got to college, and I think it showed in my schoolwork in middle school and high school.  But I think that if I did have a teacher like that, it would have changed my attitude towards school.

This We Believe Pg 1-26

This section of the book focused on two big things: 1) Goals of middle school education and 2) How to accomplish those goals.  I actually agreed with all of the goals put forth in the book, especially the one, "Develop the interpersonal and social skills needed to learn, work, and play with others harmoniously and confidently."  I think this is a very important skill for young people to have.  I think this, because in this day and age, the world in a lot smaller than it used to be, what with the emerging technologies that make it easy for us to communicate with people all over the world.  So it is important for young people to know how to interact with everyone, not just the people they will encounter every day at school.  Also, I feel like the phrase "interpersonal and social skills" doesn't just mean the skills to be friendly with anyone they meet, but it also means that students will learn how to be tolerant and accepting of other people, cultures, religions, races, sexual orientations, etc., as they will encounter many different people in their lifetimes. 

MMM Chapter 17

I really enjoyed reading this chapter.  I thought the excerpts from the graffiti wall were so fun to read.  They made me laugh a lot.  This chapter made me realize how much fun it can be to be 12 years-old, and how school can either make it more fun or make it depressing.  I feel like school should be fun, and you should learn things while having fun.  I don't think that at school, you should learn things and not have fun.

MMM Chapter 2

I liked this chapter as well.  When I was in middle school, I didn't really have a lot of teachers who motivated me really well.  If I had even one teacher who did things like in the book, I would have enjoyed school a lot more!  I particularly enjoyed the section Express Enthusiasm for Your Subject.  In my opinion, the best teachers love their subjects more than anything, and are very passionate.  So in order to be the most effective teacher, I think passion and enthusiasm is what in necessary.

MMM Chapter 1

I really liked this chapter.  I really liked how Wormeli asked the readers to reevaluate and look at themselves before they could be effective teachers.  There's nothing worse than a teacher who is just burned out; because then the students suffer.  I especially liked the part about Listening.  I think this was a good part for anybody, not just teachers, to read, because I think listening is a skill necessary to any successful person, not just a successful teacher.   

TP 2000 Chapter 2, pgs. 102-105

Chapter 2, Pages 102-105
   In this chapter, I read what changes have been made to the recommendations from Turning Points to Turning Points 2000.  I was a little confused in the beginning, because I was unfamiliar with what the first book presented, but once the chapter started to focus on what was in this book, it became a little clearer. 
    I think that certification for middle school teachers is pretty necessary.  I’ll put it like this: I wouldn’t want a doctor giving me a physical when that doctor wasn’t professionally trained and certified to actually be a doctor.  So I think it’s the same for teachers: I don’t think I’d want someone teaching my children if they didn’t know what they were doing, and they weren’t trained and everything.  So that’s why I think it would be a good idea to have teachers be certified to teach just middle school, instead of being certified to teach middle and high school, for example.  Because there are people that want to teach middle school, and there are people that want to teach high school, so why force the people that want to teach middle school to be certified in teaching high school and vice versa?

TP 2000 Chapter 1

Chapter 1:
    In this chapter, I thought it was pretty interesting to read about how the original Turning Points book helped changed a lot of teachers and schools since it came out.  I’d never heard of the original Turning Points until this class, and it was nice to read about a book I’d never heard of and how it created so much change.  Also, I thought it was that, toward the end of the chapter, it gave kind of a summary of what Turning Points 2000 will be discussing and getting us to learn.  It was nice to get a sense of what I’m going to be reading about in this book, and not have it all come at me at once as a surprise.  I liked getting some background information, and then some idea of what’s new in this book.  So overall, I think this was a pretty helpful chapter to me.