I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T (do you know what that means?)

This week we talked about Strategies for Independent Learning. Well, we started out by discussing our feelings about Exam 2 which actually related quite nicely to our topic. We discussed our studying methods and ways we can reduce stress (which is applicable to when we’re teaching our students). It shows how important self-advocacy is. If we don’t understand something or are overwhelmed it’s important to make it known so we can get help from the teacher or other resources.

On Wednesday we created a lesson plan to be presented on Friday which was a really good activity while also making me feel like an adult and adulating is hard. The thing is; lesson plans are difficult because you not only have to 1) cover all the material, but you also have to 2) teach effectively, 3) make it interesting, 4) make assessments both before and after while also 5) factoring in those with disabilities and those who already know the material (the outliers).  

Differentiating Instruction

This week we talked about ways to basically spice up our teaching lessons and co-teaching. An important aspect about differentiating teaching (spicing it up) is the importance of content, process (including accommodation and modifications) and product. The main idea is to remember what’s being taught and the PURPOSE behind it.

We also did a “co-teaching models” activity. We were given 4 examples and had to figure out what teaching model it demonstrated and make a poster outlining the main points of the model. We had to choose from One teach/one observe, one teach/one assist, station teaching, parallel teaching, supplemental teaching, alternative teaching and team teaching. This was helpful because it gave us the opportunity to not only have a tactile experience, but we could also see different ways each model can be implemented in the classroom. I think for when I have my own classroom I’ll use all of these models to teach the material. The more ways a subject and idea is taught, the better the ability to comprehend.

Another really helpful experience is that while googling images for my Cmap I found the website for our textbook and did some of the activities and quizzes on the reading. 

Abuse, Poverty and other impacts on learning

This week we talked about poverty and abuse and how it can impact learning. While poverty is easy to define, abuse doesn’t have that luxury. What some see as abuse, others see as discipline. A thought that came to me during class is that, even with discipline, if any action drives away the spirit, it’s not conducive to the development of the child. We discussed different types of abuse (neglect, physical, sexual and emotional) and the influence of substance abuse by the parents. The hard thing as educators is that there’s little we can do to prevent either. While we can watch for the signs of abuse and the effects of poverty, we can’t stop a parent from hitting or neglecting their child and we can’t provide food and clothing for students that need it. One thing we can do to help, actually are required by law, is Mandatory Reporting. 

One thing I would change about learning the material this week is getting to class on time. By getting to class on time, I’m more prepared once class starts to learn the material and be prepared with questions during the lesson. It’s still helpful that I’m recording the lectures and reviewing them along with my notes. Asking questions and knowing the material will help my peers when we meet in MDT teams.