Lesson Plan Reflection

    

Differentiated Lesson Plan Reflection

                     I chose to do a lesson on counting money for students in the first grade because they are lots of way to differentiate the lesson to make sure all students are successful. Counting money is something the students will need for their rest of their life and can relate to real-life experiences to keep students engaged.

 Chosen instructional strategies to differentiate 

 

Students had prior knowledge of coins because of the activities for the day before. According to Mccarthy, the teacher’s responsibility is connecting content, process, and product. Students respond to learning based on readiness, interests, and learning profile. Introducing pennies was a specific lesson to identify the differences between pennies and the other coins. Students’ engagement increases with the poem I introduced first to start off the lesson. Students were also interested in the president. When heads/tails was brought up students thought about the games they play with their friends. This lesson was fun to differentiate because of all the different activities that went along with it. Station time is another time that allowed for differentiation with the different activities planned. Partner time is important because it helps students learn from their peers. Technology relates to real world and their everyday life, and the Seesaw activities allow for more practice. 

 

Differentiated assessment to address the specific learning goals

 

                                    Partner think-pair-share are good assessments to use in the classroom to informal observe students and their thinking. I can pair students according to their learning style, learning status, and level to find out more about the students. Pre-assessments will tell about the student readiness. “Through trial and error, you can understand student needs, such as simply seeing how students respond to instruction or even how well they complete classwork” (Sarahlicain, 2022).  For my ELL students, I think it is important to use visuals and peer support to help students. Students sometimes learn more from their peers than the teacher. For students with IEPs and goals need visual support as well. I also would like to provide their own anchor charts so they can go back to check things when needed. Sentence stems will help students who have minimal words as well. Gifted students need higher-level questioning. They need to think outside the box, so they could make their own store and label things for sale. For my early finishers, encouraging to go back to re-do again but also having them play a game where they guess the cost of certain items keeps them engaged. 

 

Technology Resources

 

                                    We are using Seesaw on the iPad. Seesaw is a great app for interactive learning that can be differentiated to fit the needs of all students. The specific lessons that were picked for students to work on focused on the penny, things that cost, and heads/tail probability. The students are able to work on the lessons as many times as they want to increase knowledge in the skills. The student is also able to send the work to the teacher to be checked. The teacher can send it back to student if he/she feels like the student needs more practice. Technology should always be incorporated and appropriate for the students in the classroom. The implementation of technology also creates pathways for differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of students as individual learners within a broader classroom climate.

 

References: 

 

Drexel University. (2022). How to use technology in the classroom: benefits & effects. Drexel University School of Education. https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/how-to-use-technology-in-the-classroom/

 

Mccarthy, J. (2015). 3 Ways to plan for diverse learners: what teachers do. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy

Sarahlicain. (2022). Break it up! 5 simple steps for differentiated instruction with ell students. Fluentu. https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/differentiated-instruction-for-ell/

 

 

 

Learning Style Analysis

 Learning Style Analysis 

    Recap from the previous observation from topic 2. I saw 3 students struggling with a math lesson after seeing the teacher teach whole group, small group, and centers for 40 minutes. The following day, I asked my mentor teacher if I could meet with students A, B, and C to do a learning inventory questionnaire. I wanted to see how students like school and the survey told me so much about how they like to learn. These students vary in likes but I learned they still like school despite the fact that these students are sometimes struggling. The focus of the lesson is on students recognizing shapes and building shapes as they go. After giving the questionnaire I created shape puzzles for students to match and name for reinforcement practice. These students benefited from these smaller group puzzles because I allowed them to work with peers, work with music on, and stand around the table rather than sitting. These are the main things that stood out to me with the students. Creating healthy work habits will help students be successful in school and at home. According to Cherry, learning style inventories might be a way for students to develop study habits that keep them interested and engaged in the learning process.

Graph of learning styles

    I learned that these students do enjoy being at school, working with friends, and enjoy hands-on activities. Take a look at the graph with more information. 

Interconnection of learning styles

    Learning styles, social emotional learning, and physical development will play a heavy part in every aspect of the childs' academic career. Effective social and emotional learning programming involves coordinated classroom, schoolwide, family, and community practices that help students develop the following five key skills:  self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making according to Weissberg. These students thrive from all three learning styles while also learning the social part of school and their emotions around their peers. I am intrigued by how the student who is labeled SPED is so similar to the general education students. Teaching a lesson on shapes help build students confidence because each stage in learning can be hit. 

    Influences on planning lessons

    The way the teacher plans the lessons can make or break a student. If all learning styles are not being utilized, a lot of students will begin to struggle. Students in first grade should know the basic shapes but when they do not like some of these students they may get uninterested. The way to keep students engaged and motivated is to relate lessons on shapes to real-life because we see so many shapes around us. According to McCarthy, making learning contextual to real-world experiences is a key learning technique with differentiating for student interests. When lessons are differentiated it helps remove the blindfold so that students are aware of the skill being taught.

 

Evaluate student growth

    Students will be evaluated when they take their end of unit assessment to test their knowledge on the skills they learned to identify 2-D and 3-D shapes, sides and corners. During the week a new mini assessment and exit tickets will count as assessments to track the students growth during the week. Instead of moving a child on that is not doing well, small group instruction and center time can help build them in the right direction to get them up to speed with their peers. I believe the exit tickets and mini assessments are great interventions to help students be successful in the classroom from here on out.

Learning Styles Implementation for Assessments

    We all have specific ways we like to learn so it is important to make sure there are a variety of ways for students to learn and show off their skills they have learned. With auditory learners, I think assessments should be read aloud and have some creativity with a song that was learned about shapes. For visual learners, assessments should be clear and neat. Pictures and cartoons will be important for these students to remember what they have learned. Tactile/kinesthetic learners need to be able to touch using manipulatives to help them on assessments. I think taking out the time to know what benefits students will help them succeed better and boost their confidence. With my own students teaching rhyming words, I have students punch in the air for the last sound they hear to determine if two words rhyming. This reaches all my students because they are able to see what is on the board, hear it/say it, and do a movement. I see this helping out students when I assess them because I see them doing the movements to make sure their answer is right. 

References: 

Cherry, K. (2020). Learning style inventory types and their uses. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-learning-style-inventory-2795159

 

McCarthy, J. (2014). Learner interest matters: strategies for empowering student choice. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-learner-interest-matters-john-mccarthy

 

Weissberg, R. (2016). Why social and emotional learning is essential for students. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/why-sel-essential-for-students-weissberg-durlak-domitrovich-gullotta

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessing Technology-Based Resources for Differentiation

 

Assessing Technology-Based Resources for Differentiation

   

Technology is very important to our everyday life, and it should be used in the classroom almost daily. Technology creates a different way to give instruction and interact with students. All students are given the opportunity to get their learning style met when technology is incorporated. Students need to know the correct way to use technology since there are so many resources out there, some good and bad. According to Concordia University, students become active participants in the learning process by using technology in the classroom. Students enjoy playing games, working online, and learning more about the world about them. In the primary classroom, I think it is important to have age-appropriate technology tools and sites for students to use. I would like to take a dig through three that I currently use in my classroom that supports my students and their parents. The three that help me differentiate learning the best are Smarty Ants, Handwriting without tears, and Google Classroom.

Brief Description of Technology Tools

Smarty Ants makes differentiation easy because it creates a path for students based on the current skills of the student. Their ant (coach) leads them through animated lessons and activities while providing encouragement throughout their “play time”. Google classroom makes it easy to keep in contact with students and parents. Google classroom allows for collaboration to take place, multiple tools to be used at one time and in the same place, and students are given the opportunity to learn in the way that works for them with accessibility settings. Handwriting without tears focuses on students enhancing their writing skills starting from Pre-K-5^th grade. HWT is great for all learners because of its different components.

Breakdown of each technology

            Smarty Ants can be provided by the district as resource for students to advance in literacy skills at their own pace. Smarty Ants is very user friendly for students and teachers. Students have their ant (coach) guide them through the app as they progress on. Smarty Ants app also makes it easy to look at the data for the students to differentiate small group to work on skills the student may be lacking on. Students being on their own learning path and their own learning goal helps students get to where they need to be.

Google Classroom has so many benefits and can used for free by anyone who wants to make it apart of their classroom. Apps like Smarty Ants can be integrated into the classroom to make accessible for home and school. Google classroom can be accessed through many devices with all information needed up front. This makes communication between teacher, student, and parent convenient. Differentiation of lessons or activities can be achieved easily because assignments can be uploaded whole group or individualized.

Handwriting without tears program can be bought by the district to enhance writing skills for students of all elementary years. It is easy to use for teachers and students. Teachers can use the online portion to sing songs with students and videos modeling how to correctly write a letter. The students can use the app to practice their wet, dry, erase activity which is an extension to the hands-on model and workbook edition.

How each selected technology differentiates for readiness, interest, and learning styles

            I think that all of these programs have their positives that will differentiate instruction by readiness, interest, and learning styles. Engagement and proper use will keep students motivated to learn in the classroom. According to Stern, differentiated instruction will allow students to feel successful and empower them to become lifelong learners.

Smarty Ants starts students off with their own level as an individualized test is given to see where they are. Students are working at their pace, so they are always ready to work on the skills needed. I think this app sparks interest as well because students get to play the games, they want which will keep them engaged and eager to learn. Multiple learning styles can be reached because students are able to hear, touch, read, and talk all throughout the app experience.

Google Classroom makes differentiation easy because of the ability to incorporate many virtual manipulatives, songs, videos, and worksheets tailored to the whole class or student’s individual. With the variety of options students can explore multiple learning styles and find out what is best for them. I think Google classroom keeps students’ interest with the endless of possibilities.

Handwriting without tears works at the pace of the student as well. Students can work on specific lessons as they chose in the app which will keep them interested. Students love to play the songs that go along with the letter. Handwriting without tears should follow them from Pre-K to 5^th grade, so readiness for the specific skill goes along with their age and levels.

Instructional Strategies

            All of these platforms allow for some collaboration to take place with peers. Peer interaction is an instructional strategy that should be used when using technology because someone can be put in charge of help questions and support. According to PowerSchool, with the help of edtech, collaborative learning in the classroom can be more engaging and productive. Immediate feedback is also an instructional strategy students will benefit from when using this apps. The teacher is able to view what the student is doing and go over in small group or send right back through the apps.

Promotes learning and creates ownership

            I think Smarty Ants promotes learning at the students own pace and makes students responsible for their learning because they have to show mastery in a skill before moving on. Smarty Ants will mix it up so the student does not get discouraged with doing something they do not understand over and over. When Smarty Ants is used in the classroom, reading scores go up and the need for reading intervention goes down. Handwriting without tears promotes learning growth and makes students responsible for their learning because it shows in upper grade levels for state writing test. Work should be eligible to be considered and it starts at Pre-K with letter formation correctly. As students progress, the songs begin to play in their mind to form the letters.

Conclusion

            Technology can be a hassle sometimes but it allows for different types of learning to take place in the classroom while the teacher deals with small group instruction in person. Technology has the power to send immediate feedback despite what the teacher is doing. It is important to prepare our students for the real-world and correct technology implementation will help our students. Technology allows for multiple learning styles to be incorporated at one time and that’s what our students need to be successful in most subjects.

 

 

References:

Achieve3000. (2022). Turn young learners into independent readers with smarty ants. Achieve3000. https://achieve3000.com/products/smarty-ants/

Concordia University. (2021). 3 reasons why teachers need to use technology in the classroom. Concordia University. https://www.concordia.edu/blog/3-reasons-why-teachers-need-technology-in-the-classroom.html

Learning without Tears. (2022). Handwriting without tears. Learning without tears. https://www.lwtears.com/solutions/writing/handwriting-without-tears

Lynch, M. (2018). 10 benefits of google classroom integration. The Tech Edvocate. https://www.thetechedvocate.org/10-benefits-of-google-classroom-integration/

PowerSchool. (2021). 5 ways to develop an instructional strategy using technology. PowerSchool. https://www.powerschool.com/blog/5-ways-to-develop-an-instructional-strategy-using-technology/

Stern, J. (2015). Enhancing learning through differentiated technology. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/enhanced-learning-through-differentiated-technology-julie-stern