TPE 1.3, TPE 1.5, TPE 3.4, TPE 4.7

     I have learned a lot this semester and feel that I have grown as an educator.  This semester I learned a great deal about how to create lessons that are not only affective and engaging, but that can reach a wide range of students to meet their learning needs.  This semester I learned how to create and write direct instruction lessons, cooperative learning lessons, and inquiry lessons.  I never thought of lessons in terms of being direct, inquiry, or cooperative.  It was important to learn about these different kinds of lessons because it would be beneficial to teach certain lessons in a particular way.  I really forced on learning the best way to model during my direct instruction lesson.  I learned how to explain activities and provide examples.  I also learned how important feedback is in a direct instruction lesson. 

     For the direct instruction lesson I taught in my fieldwork classroom I made sure to have a completed example of a timeline for the students to reference.  The example really helped the students understand what was being asked of them.  I also made sure to allow for a lot of questions during my direct instruction lesson.  I loved learning about inquiry lessons.  I think inquiry lessons are a great way to get students thinking more critically and then as a result understanding the topic at a deeper level.  I think starting the lesson off with a guided question really gets students excited and curious about the lesson.  When I taught my inquiry lesson the students were really engaged in the question about whether they would rather live today or back when their grandparents were children.  The students referred back to the guided question throughout the lesson thinking, comparing, and sharing their ideas.  I feel the topic of my lesson which was about life now and life in the past fit perfectly into an inquiry based lesson.  The guided question really helped students to not only analyze the world they live in today but to step into the shoes of their grandparents when they were children.  The students seemed to care more about the answers they gave in this inquiry lesson.

     My favorite type of lesson we learned about this semester was cooperative.  I really enjoyed learning about cooperative lessons and learning.  I really appreciate the principles of cooperative learning (PIES).  Positive interdependence means that students are aware that their group project will be better than what they could produce on their own.  Individual accountability means that the students know that even though they are working as a team they are still held accountable for their own learning.  Equal participation refers to every student participating, but in different ways.  I really like this aspect of cooperative learning.  I feel each student has their own strengths and with cooperative learning they can contribute what they are good at.  I feel this aspect of cooperative learning makes work more enjoyable for students, helps them to do their best work, and also helps build academic confidence.  The last principle of cooperative learning is simultaneous interaction which means all the groups are working at the same time.  In cooperative learning students are always involved and working on something, each student has a role to play which means there is no down time where students aren’t actively learning. I also really like that you can turn any lesson into a cooperative learning lesson by layering Kagan strategies on top of an existing lesson.

TPE 3.2, TPE 3.3

     This semester I created a second grade history unit with the theme “Now and Then.”  I created two direct instruction lessons, an inquiry lesson, and a cooperative learning lesson.  All of the lessons I taught this semester were based in History, however I was able to integrate ELA such as writing, reading, speaking and listening skills, and integrate some art as well.  By being able to integrate different disciplines my lessons were more well-rounded and interesting for the students.  The students enjoyed our discussions, sharing their thoughts and ideas with a partner, working collaboratively as a team, watching informative videos, and participating in engaging learning strategies.  This all helped students build their speaking and listening skills.  The students also had opportunities in the lessons to work on the reading and writing skills.  Students also had the chance to express their ideas through drawings, which they greatly enjoyed.

Direct Instruction Lesson

Inquiry Lesson

Cooperative Learning Lesson

Direct Instruction Lesson

TPE 3.1

     This semester I also learned a lot more about content specific standards and frameworks.  I learned more about unpacking the standards and how to analyze the standard by reflecting on the language of the standard and what it is saying students need to know and the skills they need to develop.  I learned that you have to break up the standards and find the big idea/essential questions.  You then need to decide the knowledge the students need to learn and the skills you need to teach them so that they can grasp that knowledge.  Lastly, I learned the importance of assessment and the different strategies and activities you can use for assessment.

TPE 5.1, TPE 5.8

     I learned a number of different assessment tools and strategies this semester.  I learned about diagnostic, informal, formal, progress-monitoring, formative, summative, and how to use rubrics.    I also learned the importance of data collected from assessments to establish learning goals, how to plan and differentiate instruction, how to properly make accommodations and modifications, and whether or not students need further assistance from an IEP or 504 plan.  At the end of the semester we learned a bit about some of the most popular tests used to gather assessment data.  I created a small poster about the Peabody Individual Achievement Test.

TPE 3.2, TPE 4.5

     When creating lessons for my unit this semester I learned how to accommodate and make modifications for students whether they have a behavioral or learning disability, are an English Language Learner, or simply learn in different ways.  For ELLS I feel it is important to provide images and realia, lots of examples, allow them to work in pairs, and to give them options such as drawing out their answers instead of having to rely heavily on writing.  For students who are not motivated I find that giving them choices helps a great deal.  Allowing a student to express their ideas through art, acting out a play, verbally expressing themselves instead of through writing, creating a song or poem, or writing a story can be a way to inspire them.  I also feel it is incredibly important to provide hands-on activities and different learning strategies to keep all students engaged.  For other disabilities such as autism or dyslexia it is important to also provide them with a lot of choice.  I think it is also good to provide students with a “cool down” area when they become frustrated.  I feel that there is a way to reach all students, teachers just need to find the proper way to present information and the best way for the students to express themselves.  I feel it is very important for educators to get to know their students so that they can provide instruction in the best way possible.  I also feel it is incredibly important for educators to be familiar with different disabilities their students may have so they can best meet their needs.  Some students may need to be aware of the daily schedule and of any unexpected changes that may happen, some students may not do well with a certain color of paper.  These are all things a teacher needs to learn about their students to make learning go as smooth as possible.

TPE 6.1, TPE 6.3

     This semester I learned a great deal of information.  I was able to reflect a lot on my abilities of writing lessons and teaching.  This semester I really focused on the ways I need to learn how to accommodate and modify my instruction to best meet the needs of all students.  I have known about teaching to the eight intelligences for a while and try to incorporate as many as I can into my lessons.  It is very important to realize that all students have their own unique strengths and learn in different ways.  I was really excited to learn about cooperative learning this semester and feel it would be a great way to help students.  I think creating heterogenous teams would be an excellent way to set up a classroom.  I think a great team rule for cooperative learning is that students in a team not only have to solve the problems they are given, but that everyone in the team needs to be able and know how to solve them.  By having higher level students on a team they can help lower level students grasp what is being taught.  The higher level student gains confidence and reinforces information already learned and the struggling student gets additional help and support in a safe non-judgmental environment.   I also really like cooperative learning lessons where students are each responsible for a part of the lesson, but they come together to compete it.  I think this is a great way for students to learn and contribute in their own unique way.   I also really enjoyed learning about the different Kagan strategies.  The Kagan strategies make learning engaging and do a good job at teaching to the eight different intelligence.  I also really like the way you can modify Kagan strategies to accommodate the needs of different students.  This semester I learned there are many different ways to to teach and meet the needs of students and I look forward to continuing my education so I can become the best teacher I can be.