PED3151 - Learning Log 4

Nov 13, 2018
2 min read

Hello readers,

This week we are being asked to discuss how we intend to apply strategies for differentiation to engage all of our learners. One of the biggest challenges a teacher faces is the fact that, despite their best intentions (and their degrees), they will always teach students first. Thus, we must take into account our students’ needs and strengths as this will better help them to see themselves in their learning and inspire them to continue their lifelong journey of curiosity. This also builds into the concept that every student is worthy and deserving of an education that both challenges and enriches them regardless of any exceptionalities they may possess. Thus, my educational practice should include a variety of tasks that best suits the needs of my learners while still managing to challenge them.

Towards this goal, my first step towards approaching strategies of differentiation will be to create a classroom that welcomes and accepts every one of its learners, regardless of race, background, ethnicity, or origin. By employing anti-discriminatory practices and sharing the importance of them with the students, the students will adopt and enforce the culture of acceptance around them. Then, in order to engage all learners, my lessons will be planned with different learning strategies in mind. By using the backwards design method for each of the lessons, the learning goal will be easy to identify for both myself and my learners. Then, by using open-ended questioning strategies and design (wherein the students approach the problem through the method that suits them best), the students can find multiple ways to demonstrate their learning and understandings of the content. This especially becomes helpful in math and science, as they are both very content-driven and thus often lack incorporation of student voice.

Finally, by providing students with multiple opportunities to approach their own evaluations and allow for them to assess their learning as they go, it is hoped that every student will be able to identify their own strengths and weaknesses, so they can begin to develop and employ their skills. This will become an asset when it comes time to approach the topic of accommodation, as the students will be able to voice their opinions when they feel it is necessary.