From one of our viewers on what I posted last time, and my answer below:


The language of self-differentiation doesn't sound that different from what we talk about when we say differentiation. Maybe that's because I have a strong association in my mind of using differentiation to help kids learn how to self-differentiate - the more we can help kids realize how they learn and what their strengths are, the better we serve them. And if this is 'post-UbD' classroom - what do they consider outdated about UbD? What are the primary differences - such that you wish Pardes would give us this theory to supplement UbD? Or is it just for the specific forms?

None of it is actually much different. Just the theory words and the forms are.

The big difference really is that the lesson is not the main thing, like in Ubd. The lesson is serving a higher goal, which is social learning, done by building community and only then teaching content. Thus "Teaching Tanach"'s method of coming in on the first day and teaching, and thereby showing that the content is important, would not be permitted. The first ten days all you can do is play games and build community half the time, and the other half spend modeling every behavior in the schoolday from walking in the halls to sharpening pencils, so that you teach good behaviors. Then you start teaching content, and when the students forget, you remodel or at least remind them of the modeling. They believe in sweating the small stuff, batttling everything (we learned to pick our battles), and be consistent, both in your class and across classes. That's because they believe that little things are what builds community, and that students can't be safe if someone is tapping their pencil and you don't allow that in your class.

I think what Pardes should have taught us was that behavior has to be a part of teaching, not something that gets in the way of teaching, but a huge indicator of the needs of students that your teaching has to address. I think also teaching us a language to use while re-directing students to work, such as "I've noticed you are not writing. If you keep this up you will not finish in the time limit, and we agreed as a class that work has to be finished. What can you do to get back on track?" instead of telling us that those of us with good teacher-stares are fortunate, and the less assertive ones, like me, 'will just have a hard time finding your sea-legs'. That person like me, who notices everything but has never wanted to be forceful and yell about it can thrive in an atmosphere where I never am expected, or even allowed, to judge a student or his behavior, and where we don't punish but rather re-direct. It would have been valuable to talk about how to stay objective and reflective when you're frustrated, and how managing a class is not a necessary evil but a golden opportunity to build a safe haven for students.


In other news, I learned today yet another thing I wish Pardes would have taught us-- how to put up a bulletin board. Mine looks like a cow chewed the paper, and I will hopefully post pictures tomorrow. But I have to say that the way my room looks, I am quite embarrassed right now. I know new things come slowly, but I wish we could have imagined our classrooms, talking about more than desk arrangements, and just done enough thinking so I don't wonder how soon my room can get a makeover...