The second part of Chapter one of Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom uses two metaphors to show how differentiated instruction should look in a classroom. The first metaphor, Taming the Fox, deals with how students want to be tamed and the role teachers play in the taming. The second metaphor is about three cogs and how all three must work together to get the optimum performance from not only each cog, but the machine as a whole.
The metaphor Taming the Fox raised different emotions in me. I liked the application of the metaphor as a whole, but did not like the word "tamed". The text explains that the word tame means to make connections or establish ties. When I read the word tamed I automatically place a negative connotation to its use. I think of the definition to control or domesticate. Anyway, as my mind always went negative when I read the word tamed I changed it to relationship. To me the definition of tamed in the metaphor simply means to develop a relationship with our students. The metaphor mentions how the boy is just another boy and the fox just another fox until they develop a relationship. To my students I am just one of the many adults they have seen until we develop the relationship. To me, relationships are critical to creating a good learning environment. The text tells of how students can not perform the tasks we ask of them until they believe in me and they can not believe in me until I believe in them. As a teacher I must come into each new year with the attitude that I believe all my students can succeed. Once I have demonstrated my belief in them, hopefully they will believe in me. Once we have belief going each way we will have trust and with trust comes a great relationship.
The question becomes how does this metaphor or my belief in relationships play into differentiated instruction? In order for me to know what each of my students needs are I must know the student. In order to know the student I must know more than his name and hair color. I must know the inside of the student or as the metaphor says "what is invisible to the eye". Each of my students will be different. Each will have challenges and abilities that are different from the other classmates, I must have that individual relationship to meet each students needs.
The second metaphor deals with three cogs. Each cog represents a different part of differentiation. The first cog represents what the student seeks. The book offers as a base, students seek challenge, affirmation, purpose, power, and contribution. If we can give the students these items we will have engaged students. The only problem is that in order to give each student what they seek we must know each student.(see above metaphor) The second cog in the differentiate machine is the teacher response. A teacher who wants a relationship with each student will respond through investment, persistence, invitation, reflection, and opportunity. To sum up the second cog teachers must be willing to provide opportunities for the students and be willing to spend time as an investment in each child.
The third cog is that of curriculum and instruction. We know that are subject matter must engage the student and be important, but it must also be challenging to them. We scaffold our instruction to get them past one challenge and into the next.
The cogs that make up the machine must be perfectly timed and constantly adjusted to meet the needs of each of our students. If you have great lessons about awesome subjects it will not matter if the students have not found what they seek and you have not invested in each student. Like any machine to stay in perfect working order constant maintenance must be applied to keep the machine running at full speed. The text contains the following quote, a quote that I think is the best way to end today's blog.
"It is important to begin with the conviction that we are no longer teaching if what we teach becomes more important than who we teach or how we teach".
(Tomlinson, 2003,p.10)
I'm loving "seeing" these chapters through your eyes and heart! I can agree with you... I think of the same connotations for the word "tamed" as you mentioned. I like that you figured out a way to learn the truth and "good stuff" from this chapter in a way that feels right and makes sense! 5 pts.
ReplyDeleteThe word "tamed" made me think of control, too. When I read this part of the book, I kept thinking, "How is she going to apply this to education?" The application made sense, once she had spelled it all out, but I think in general it is not the best metaphor. Although, the idea of getting to know your students so you can be a good teacher is not lost on me, I think The Little Prince and the Fox is a bit of a stretch for application to education. (There are so many better applications from that book!)
ReplyDeleteSo far, this Differentiation text seems to be saying that my relationship with each student is the key to good differentiated instruction. I have always believed that the first step to teaching is building a trusting relationship with students. However, that relationship is not enough on its own to make a teacher and a learner successful. I hope this book offers more than a weak metaphor on the importance of meeting students' emotional needs.
Oh belielve me... you will see some metaphors, and some straight-forward narrative and essay, that will knock your socks off. In fact, the Prince and Fox will come up again later on, in different context, and I will be anxious to see what you BOTH think about it then.
DeleteI agree, when I read the word "tamed" my mind immediately jumped to classroom management and controlling a hectic classroom or student. Relationship is a much better word to replace that with. I also feel that "trust" could be inserted to be applicable. In order to gain a relationship with our students they need to be able to trust us as an educator as well as a friend. Learning is challenging in an environment that isn't built upon trust and relationships. Great post!
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