Well it has come time to end my blog, for my Inclusive Education class has come to an end :( I definitely enjoyed this class and have realized that my future teaching career is going to definitely be full of challenges, and I know that I need to keep an open mind. As for inclusive education, I still don't know how I feel about it... But I think this normal... I hope!
Hope you enjoyed my blog!
Thank you.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Differntiating Assessment
Welcome Back!
So continuing with differentiation, this blog post is going to focus on the process and importance of differentiating assessment rather than just instruction. It is important to remember that the idea of differentiated instruction is rooted in assessment. It is crucial as a teacher to assess in different that are based on the different needs of the students. Clearly, assessment and instruction mutually support each other because the assessment gives us information about students, which shapes our planning and therefore shapes how we will go about instructing students, which will shape the way we assess our students, and I think it is quite clear of the cycle that already exists without much explanation. If you recall, there are 3 types of assessment; assessment as learning, assessment of learning, and assessment for learning. Assessment for learning is one of the important types because it is on going, and continually provides the teacher with information on where the students currently is in terms of their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Fortunately, differentiated assessment is closely related to assessment for learning, and it is the first purpose of differing assessment, which allows teachers to constantly view how their students are doing in a non threatening way that doesn't contribute towards their final grade. This whole process of differentiating assessment also benefits the creation of students' IPPs, because you have a better idea of what helps the student to be successful, and thus it becomes much more simpler in creating the goals and objectives. The second purpose of differing assessment is to facilitate meta cognition, which is thinking about one's thinking. This is considered to be the highest form of thinking and as teachers we want students to become aware of their own strengths, and by developing awareness of their own thinking, they are more apt to do just this. There are 5 steps in planning for assessment, and they are as follows. Firstly, you need to determine the purpose, so what do we want the students to achieve? Secondly, you need to establish a focus, which means that you need to make the curriculum more meaningful for the student so that they will be more successful. Next, you need to select and use a strategy that will help you determine how your students are doing. So for example, have your student complete and exit card, or a journal entry so that you can easily assess their learning. Next, you need to record the results, and whether you decide to use them right away or not is your decision, but it is however important to ensure that you are recording the ongoing types of assessment. Finally, you need to interpret the results and take action, so you need to summarize what you learned about the student's learning and then you need to take action, which means that you will create a differentiated learning style for the student to help them be successful. However, as great as differentiated assessment is, it will not benefit you or your student if you do not manage it successfully. There are several points within this points to discuss, but I will write about a few that I feel are extremely important. Firstly, you need to have a knowledge of the curriculum, because if you do not truly understand the material that you are teaching, then it is very difficult to differentiate the curriculum for your students because you yourself don't even know the material that well. You also need to consider both the strengths and weaknesses of the students because it will help you in planning the instruction, since you will know what activities that student will be able to excel at, and what activities are too difficult. Lastly, you want to continuously push your students just a little but above their ability level of what they can do on their own. As teachers, we are here to support our students and push them as they grow, so ensuring that they are successful is our main priority, and this is something I have mentioned several times in my previous blog entries and is something that I truly believe in.
Thank You.
So continuing with differentiation, this blog post is going to focus on the process and importance of differentiating assessment rather than just instruction. It is important to remember that the idea of differentiated instruction is rooted in assessment. It is crucial as a teacher to assess in different that are based on the different needs of the students. Clearly, assessment and instruction mutually support each other because the assessment gives us information about students, which shapes our planning and therefore shapes how we will go about instructing students, which will shape the way we assess our students, and I think it is quite clear of the cycle that already exists without much explanation. If you recall, there are 3 types of assessment; assessment as learning, assessment of learning, and assessment for learning. Assessment for learning is one of the important types because it is on going, and continually provides the teacher with information on where the students currently is in terms of their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Fortunately, differentiated assessment is closely related to assessment for learning, and it is the first purpose of differing assessment, which allows teachers to constantly view how their students are doing in a non threatening way that doesn't contribute towards their final grade. This whole process of differentiating assessment also benefits the creation of students' IPPs, because you have a better idea of what helps the student to be successful, and thus it becomes much more simpler in creating the goals and objectives. The second purpose of differing assessment is to facilitate meta cognition, which is thinking about one's thinking. This is considered to be the highest form of thinking and as teachers we want students to become aware of their own strengths, and by developing awareness of their own thinking, they are more apt to do just this. There are 5 steps in planning for assessment, and they are as follows. Firstly, you need to determine the purpose, so what do we want the students to achieve? Secondly, you need to establish a focus, which means that you need to make the curriculum more meaningful for the student so that they will be more successful. Next, you need to select and use a strategy that will help you determine how your students are doing. So for example, have your student complete and exit card, or a journal entry so that you can easily assess their learning. Next, you need to record the results, and whether you decide to use them right away or not is your decision, but it is however important to ensure that you are recording the ongoing types of assessment. Finally, you need to interpret the results and take action, so you need to summarize what you learned about the student's learning and then you need to take action, which means that you will create a differentiated learning style for the student to help them be successful. However, as great as differentiated assessment is, it will not benefit you or your student if you do not manage it successfully. There are several points within this points to discuss, but I will write about a few that I feel are extremely important. Firstly, you need to have a knowledge of the curriculum, because if you do not truly understand the material that you are teaching, then it is very difficult to differentiate the curriculum for your students because you yourself don't even know the material that well. You also need to consider both the strengths and weaknesses of the students because it will help you in planning the instruction, since you will know what activities that student will be able to excel at, and what activities are too difficult. Lastly, you want to continuously push your students just a little but above their ability level of what they can do on their own. As teachers, we are here to support our students and push them as they grow, so ensuring that they are successful is our main priority, and this is something I have mentioned several times in my previous blog entries and is something that I truly believe in.
Thank You.
Differentiating Instruction
Hi There, and welcome back!
So in this entry we will be discussing differentiating instruction, which is a big area of inclusive education. It is essentially based on Tomlinson's elements of differentiation which is that "the teacher modifies content, process and product through students readiness, interests and learning profiles. To break this definition down a little more, it involves the teacher modifying what the student is learning, how the student will learn the information, and what the student will produce to show that he/she has learning. It also involves the student and where they currently are in terms of their knowledge, skills and attitudes, as well as what the student is curious and passionate about, and what type of learner they are. For example, the student could be a kinesthetic learner, and they learn through movement, and "hands on" activities. I think definition is very important when it comes time for the teacher to differentiate instruction, because it helps to break down the different components of learning, and helps one realize what the teacher is responsible for, and what type of individual the student is. It is crucial to consider the student and how he or she will be effected, because it definitely cause the differentiated instruction to be more or less successful. For example, if you are working with a student who is very passionate about dance and movement, and you try to teach them new information through the idea of reading and lecturing, then the chances are very high that the student is not going to benefit in any way, shape or form. This definition also suggests to me that the student and the teacher need to essentially have a relationship, so that the teacher is able to see how they changed in her instruction techniques are directly benefiting the student.
To conclude, differentiated instruction is something that is very important for teachers to do because it helps to provide students with success, which as I stated in my previous blog entry is important for all students to feel, and as a teacher this is your main priority. So yes, I think it is important to find a way to relate the content to your students in a way that is going to help them learn the best. Don't just teach in one way, and hope that all your students grasp the material.
So in this entry we will be discussing differentiating instruction, which is a big area of inclusive education. It is essentially based on Tomlinson's elements of differentiation which is that "the teacher modifies content, process and product through students readiness, interests and learning profiles. To break this definition down a little more, it involves the teacher modifying what the student is learning, how the student will learn the information, and what the student will produce to show that he/she has learning. It also involves the student and where they currently are in terms of their knowledge, skills and attitudes, as well as what the student is curious and passionate about, and what type of learner they are. For example, the student could be a kinesthetic learner, and they learn through movement, and "hands on" activities. I think definition is very important when it comes time for the teacher to differentiate instruction, because it helps to break down the different components of learning, and helps one realize what the teacher is responsible for, and what type of individual the student is. It is crucial to consider the student and how he or she will be effected, because it definitely cause the differentiated instruction to be more or less successful. For example, if you are working with a student who is very passionate about dance and movement, and you try to teach them new information through the idea of reading and lecturing, then the chances are very high that the student is not going to benefit in any way, shape or form. This definition also suggests to me that the student and the teacher need to essentially have a relationship, so that the teacher is able to see how they changed in her instruction techniques are directly benefiting the student.
To conclude, differentiated instruction is something that is very important for teachers to do because it helps to provide students with success, which as I stated in my previous blog entry is important for all students to feel, and as a teacher this is your main priority. So yes, I think it is important to find a way to relate the content to your students in a way that is going to help them learn the best. Don't just teach in one way, and hope that all your students grasp the material.
Classroom Adaptations
Hi There,
I know it's been quite awhile since my last blog entry, I apologize! You will notice that the last few of my entries are all posted today, and this is due to the fact that I have been blogging on a word document from home, where I am still blessed with lovely dial up internet, so posting a blog would be an all day event! So I am taking the time now to transfer everything over to my Inclusive Education Blog, finally!
So, to start off I am going to discuss the incorporation of classroom adaptations, which is something that we have briefly touched on in the past, but today I will have the opportunity to go into a little more detail. This time however, these adaptations are focused on the level of the total class, rather than just the individuals. The two main principles behind adaptions at the level of the total class is to maximize student engagement, hence freeing up time for us teachers. If students are engaged in class, then clearly you're not only being a successful teacher by providing them with exciting lessons, which allow them to feel successful, but you also have more time to continue planning engaging lessons for your students. Personally I feel that this is most definitely a "win win" situation! One area that I feel is important to discuss is adaptive questioning, because as a teacher you're constantly questioning your students, so you should do it in a positive way. An example that Robert Lavoie presents in his videos is to have a secret code essentially with your students so that they know when you are about to question them, and they can be successful in answering the questions, and it is also a way to "show off" to their peers. The teacher might tell the student that he will never call upon him in class unless he is standing right in front of his desk, this way the student knows when the teachers is standing in front of his or her desk, that a question is about to be asked, and it is time to prepare a response. I agree with this method, and think it is a very good way to do it. Another way to prepare students is to say for example "Adam, I am going to just go put this on my desk and then I am going to ask you to summarize the steps of photosynthesis", this way the student can prepare his answer before actually being asked. I like that idea of adaptive questioning is all in regards to making the student feel successful and I think this is important in any classroom. Moving onto cooperative learning, which is an area that I'm quite passionate about. It is important that students are grouped in heterogenous groups so that their skills, interests, and communication skills vary. By doing this, it allows students to develop their personality more and become more confident. It is amazing how well students do when it comes time to "peer tutoring" and how much they enjoy teaching others what they know. So as a teacher, use this to your benefit! There are 5 components to cooperative learning, they are: positive interdependence, positive face to face interactions, interpersonall and small group interactions, individual accountability and finally critical reflection. Positive interdependence relates to the idea of an individual's success being dependent on the effort of the whole group together. The cooperative group is a single unit and all students in it need to see that they have something mutually invested in the project. Next, positive face to face interactions is important because it creates a sense of community within the classroom, and it reinforces the motivation to learn. Essentially, the students should enjoy working together and experience a sense of pride when working with others. Interpersonal and small group interactions is simply just having small groups of students working together to complete a common task. Individual accountability is based on the idea that each student needs to be responsible for a certain aspect of the group project, and should be able to see how their effort alone directly benefited the project. Finally, critical reflection is important because it allows students to reflect upon their learning and realize the "Good, Bad, and the Uglies" of working in a cooperative group, and how they can improve the situation in the future, if it felt unsuccessful. I feel that if all of these components of cooperative learning are met then, the students will enjoying this type of group work more, and experience more success in your classroom. I don't know about you, but I know this is my goal as a future teacher... I want all my students to be successful, no matter where their skill level or knowledge base is. I need to incorporate Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (or ZPD as the cool kids say) and scaffolding to ensure that my students needs are constantly met.
Thank you, there is more to come!
I know it's been quite awhile since my last blog entry, I apologize! You will notice that the last few of my entries are all posted today, and this is due to the fact that I have been blogging on a word document from home, where I am still blessed with lovely dial up internet, so posting a blog would be an all day event! So I am taking the time now to transfer everything over to my Inclusive Education Blog, finally!
So, to start off I am going to discuss the incorporation of classroom adaptations, which is something that we have briefly touched on in the past, but today I will have the opportunity to go into a little more detail. This time however, these adaptations are focused on the level of the total class, rather than just the individuals. The two main principles behind adaptions at the level of the total class is to maximize student engagement, hence freeing up time for us teachers. If students are engaged in class, then clearly you're not only being a successful teacher by providing them with exciting lessons, which allow them to feel successful, but you also have more time to continue planning engaging lessons for your students. Personally I feel that this is most definitely a "win win" situation! One area that I feel is important to discuss is adaptive questioning, because as a teacher you're constantly questioning your students, so you should do it in a positive way. An example that Robert Lavoie presents in his videos is to have a secret code essentially with your students so that they know when you are about to question them, and they can be successful in answering the questions, and it is also a way to "show off" to their peers. The teacher might tell the student that he will never call upon him in class unless he is standing right in front of his desk, this way the student knows when the teachers is standing in front of his or her desk, that a question is about to be asked, and it is time to prepare a response. I agree with this method, and think it is a very good way to do it. Another way to prepare students is to say for example "Adam, I am going to just go put this on my desk and then I am going to ask you to summarize the steps of photosynthesis", this way the student can prepare his answer before actually being asked. I like that idea of adaptive questioning is all in regards to making the student feel successful and I think this is important in any classroom. Moving onto cooperative learning, which is an area that I'm quite passionate about. It is important that students are grouped in heterogenous groups so that their skills, interests, and communication skills vary. By doing this, it allows students to develop their personality more and become more confident. It is amazing how well students do when it comes time to "peer tutoring" and how much they enjoy teaching others what they know. So as a teacher, use this to your benefit! There are 5 components to cooperative learning, they are: positive interdependence, positive face to face interactions, interpersonall and small group interactions, individual accountability and finally critical reflection. Positive interdependence relates to the idea of an individual's success being dependent on the effort of the whole group together. The cooperative group is a single unit and all students in it need to see that they have something mutually invested in the project. Next, positive face to face interactions is important because it creates a sense of community within the classroom, and it reinforces the motivation to learn. Essentially, the students should enjoy working together and experience a sense of pride when working with others. Interpersonal and small group interactions is simply just having small groups of students working together to complete a common task. Individual accountability is based on the idea that each student needs to be responsible for a certain aspect of the group project, and should be able to see how their effort alone directly benefited the project. Finally, critical reflection is important because it allows students to reflect upon their learning and realize the "Good, Bad, and the Uglies" of working in a cooperative group, and how they can improve the situation in the future, if it felt unsuccessful. I feel that if all of these components of cooperative learning are met then, the students will enjoying this type of group work more, and experience more success in your classroom. I don't know about you, but I know this is my goal as a future teacher... I want all my students to be successful, no matter where their skill level or knowledge base is. I need to incorporate Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (or ZPD as the cool kids say) and scaffolding to ensure that my students needs are constantly met.
Thank you, there is more to come!
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