Standard 2.2:Research Based Learner Centered Strategies
Candidates model and facilitate the use of research-based, learner-centered strategies addressing the diversity of all students.
'Artifact: NETS Lesson Plan Project
Reflection:
This artifact was created during the Spring semester of 2015 for ITEC 7430, Internet Tools in the Classroom. For this assignment, I developed a project for the end of the unit I completed based on Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief. This was my sixth grade students first formal novel study and I wanted to end the unit with something that required higher order thinking skills and required the students to be hands-on in their learning. As a result, I developed the ABR assignment, or Alternative Book Report.
In this assignment students had to create a product that reflected their understanding of the book and infused their creative thinking skills. For example, several of the projects that students could choose from included,"Writing an alternate ending, interviewing a character about the events in the book, creating a movie trailer, etc." I started this project by modeling what a good and bad project would look like and I had students evaluated the projects. Since this was a learner-centered project, where students were working at their own pace, I was able to facilitate and spend more time with students who needed extra help. Using these research-based strategies, empowers students and puts in charge of their learning. This project also incorporated student choice. It allowed students to research anything topic mentioned in the novel study and create their own product from it. Allowing student to choose technology based projects or paper and pencil based projects and completing this project during class time, ensures that all students have equal access to technology. This project successfully embraced the diversity within the classroom by letting each student show their unique learning styles and talents with their peers.
Throughout the creation and implementation of this project, I learned the importance of student choice and differentiation. I saw that when the students were given clear instructions that were modeled,most could thrive on their own. This gave my co-teacher and I an abundance of time to focus on the students who were struggling. I find this to be an essential part of any well-written unit because it allowed each student to get exactly what they needed as the project evolved. I have implemented similar projects since and I have narrowed down the topics and started incorporating peer-editing and peer-helpers. Of course, I am always willing to work alongside students as they create a project, but I have found many students (especially middle schoolers) value their peers' opinions and input more than their teachers.
This project had a huge impact on student learning. In this project, students incorporated research, creativity, and writing into one project. They were allowed to use their talents and strengths to make something of importance to them. This importance was assessed by my co-teacher, myself, and the students' peers.
Reflection:
This artifact was created during the Spring semester of 2015 for ITEC 7430, Internet Tools in the Classroom. For this assignment, I developed a project for the end of the unit I completed based on Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief. This was my sixth grade students first formal novel study and I wanted to end the unit with something that required higher order thinking skills and required the students to be hands-on in their learning. As a result, I developed the ABR assignment, or Alternative Book Report.
In this assignment students had to create a product that reflected their understanding of the book and infused their creative thinking skills. For example, several of the projects that students could choose from included,"Writing an alternate ending, interviewing a character about the events in the book, creating a movie trailer, etc." I started this project by modeling what a good and bad project would look like and I had students evaluated the projects. Since this was a learner-centered project, where students were working at their own pace, I was able to facilitate and spend more time with students who needed extra help. Using these research-based strategies, empowers students and puts in charge of their learning. This project also incorporated student choice. It allowed students to research anything topic mentioned in the novel study and create their own product from it. Allowing student to choose technology based projects or paper and pencil based projects and completing this project during class time, ensures that all students have equal access to technology. This project successfully embraced the diversity within the classroom by letting each student show their unique learning styles and talents with their peers.
Throughout the creation and implementation of this project, I learned the importance of student choice and differentiation. I saw that when the students were given clear instructions that were modeled,most could thrive on their own. This gave my co-teacher and I an abundance of time to focus on the students who were struggling. I find this to be an essential part of any well-written unit because it allowed each student to get exactly what they needed as the project evolved. I have implemented similar projects since and I have narrowed down the topics and started incorporating peer-editing and peer-helpers. Of course, I am always willing to work alongside students as they create a project, but I have found many students (especially middle schoolers) value their peers' opinions and input more than their teachers.
This project had a huge impact on student learning. In this project, students incorporated research, creativity, and writing into one project. They were allowed to use their talents and strengths to make something of importance to them. This importance was assessed by my co-teacher, myself, and the students' peers.