HUMAN DEVELOPMENT & LEARNING
The teacher understands theories underlying inclusive education, and knows how to structure a learning environment conducive to learning for students with diverse learning styles. The teacher understands and assesses the developmental approach to becoming a teacher through critical reflection.
In any classroom, whether general education, special education or some combination, there always need to be a balanced, multisensory approach to teaching in order to include students with different learning styles. By being intentional, it's often possible to ensure that this happens in every single lesson. By modifying your lesson plan ideas to suit the needs of all students, you gaurantee that they all have equal access to the material and equal opportinites to learn. In addition, by having the information reinforced multiple times in a wide variety of different ways, even children who naturally prefer more traditional means of teaching benefit.
While student teaching in an inclusive 2nd grade collaborative team teaching setting during Spring 2013, I developed a butterfly life cycle lesson plan to complement the more text-based work we'd been doing. The lesson plan is attached below. To summarize though, there were brief clips, sound bites, an interactive class board game and physical acting out of the life cycle stages involved. To keep the students engaged, the lesson plan was fast-paced and high energy, allowing for independant work and reflection at appropriate times during.
In any classroom, whether general education, special education or some combination, there always need to be a balanced, multisensory approach to teaching in order to include students with different learning styles. By being intentional, it's often possible to ensure that this happens in every single lesson. By modifying your lesson plan ideas to suit the needs of all students, you gaurantee that they all have equal access to the material and equal opportinites to learn. In addition, by having the information reinforced multiple times in a wide variety of different ways, even children who naturally prefer more traditional means of teaching benefit.
While student teaching in an inclusive 2nd grade collaborative team teaching setting during Spring 2013, I developed a butterfly life cycle lesson plan to complement the more text-based work we'd been doing. The lesson plan is attached below. To summarize though, there were brief clips, sound bites, an interactive class board game and physical acting out of the life cycle stages involved. To keep the students engaged, the lesson plan was fast-paced and high energy, allowing for independant work and reflection at appropriate times during.
butterfly_lesson_plan.odt | |
File Size: | 23 kb |
File Type: | odt |
INTERACTIVE Board GAME USED WITH STUDENTS
This board game involved a teacher versus students true-or-false butterfly life cycle review. Because my students all perform at different levels, I color-coated the questions to ask each students based on the level I'm already aware they perform at in science/reading and would only read a question from that color when it was a certain students turn to answer a question. In addition, specific roles that involved more movement and interaction were given to my students who struggle to stay in their seats or stay focused.
For every question answered correctly, the team (teacher or student) would move forward one step on the life cycle, stopping to read facts at each major stepping stone.
The best thing about this topic and lesson plan is that not only was it engaging to my students, but it also provided them with applicable information that they will take with them in their own lives. Many came to school during that week bragging about how they taught they siblings, parents or friends new information about butterflies, what a life cycle is, or even thought through how the human life cycle works. With students who often struggle with self-esteem hang-ups, this was incredible to hear!
For every question answered correctly, the team (teacher or student) would move forward one step on the life cycle, stopping to read facts at each major stepping stone.
The best thing about this topic and lesson plan is that not only was it engaging to my students, but it also provided them with applicable information that they will take with them in their own lives. Many came to school during that week bragging about how they taught they siblings, parents or friends new information about butterflies, what a life cycle is, or even thought through how the human life cycle works. With students who often struggle with self-esteem hang-ups, this was incredible to hear!