Wisconsin Teaching Standards
and
The Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model Core Teaching Standards
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #1- Teachers know the subjects they are teaching.
InTASC Standard #4- Content Knowledge, InTASC Standard #5- Application of Content
During the EDUC 605 class, we created a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) lesson plan to show how we can teach to the "edges" in our classroom with any content that we teach. The lesson created shows that I know the content that needs to be taught to my students, along with how I can adapt the lesson to meet all students' needs. Throughout this class, we talked about strategies we can use with not only students with learning disabilities, but all students in our classrooms.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #2- Teachers know how children grow.
InTASC Standard #1- Learner Development
EDUC 605 focuses on the diverse needs of students as learners, with a focus on literacy, within the general education classroom. I was able to learn more about how the brain works and its role in the reading development process. I now have a better understanding of the processes children go through to learn to speak, read, and write, along with what is typical and atypical reading development. This course allowed me to critically think about how I can best support students who are at a variety of reading development levels within the general education classroom. During this course, I was also able to explore the different co-teaching models that can be used within the classroom to meet the needs of all students while still remaining in the general education classroom.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #3- Teachers understand that children learn differently.
InTASC Standard #2- Learning Differences
Throughout the coursework and class discussions, I have learned a multitude of strategies to use in order to meet the diverse needs of all of my students. The most beneficial way to incorporate more strategies and meet the learning differences of all of my students is to utilize the Universal Design for Learning principles which consists of providing students with multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression. I have also reflected on how accommodations and interventions I do with some students can also benefit all of my students, so not to limit these things to just a select few.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #4- Teachers know how to teach.
InTASC Standard #8- Instructional Strategies
Throughout this course, we discussed and learned many different strategies that can be used in the inclusive classroom to benefit all students, especially students with learning disabilities. During this course, I was also able to explore the different co-teaching models that can be used within the classroom to meet the needs of all students while still remaining in the general education classroom. In a co-teaching model, teachers work together to plan and deliver lessons using a multitude of approaches to meet the needs of all learners in the classroom. Through co-teaching, many instructional strategies are able to take place all in one lesson at the same time.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #7- Teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons.
InTASC Standard #7- Planning for Instruction, InTASC Standard #8- Instructional Strategies
A few years prior to taking this course, I was involved in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) training, but have not done anything with it since that training day. While taking this course, I was able to read, learn, and discuss UDL in a more meaningful way by seeing examples and applying this concept to my own classroom. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has allowed me to improve my lessons in my classroom. I have been gradually working on incorporating more student choice throughout the school day. At the end of this prior school year, I ended the year with students having complete control over a social studies project. I found that my students were more engaged, used time more wisely, worked efficiently and quickly, and showed more ownership over their work since they had the opportunity to make many choices throughout the project. This course has encouraged me to rethink the way I plan for instruction by considering how to best support all students in the classroom, and plan to the "edges" not to the middle. The use of co-teaching strategies and the Universal Design for Learning will allow me to better meet the needs of all students.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #8- Teachers know how to test for student progress.
InTASC Standard #6- Assessment
During this course I learned about more assessment tools that can be used to identify specific reading deficits and how to progress monitor them. As a class, we compiled a list of assessments, progress monitoring tools, and interventions and strategies. I was able to discuss with other educators in my course about how they use certain assessments and gained knowledge about assessments, progress monitoring, and interventions and strategies. I was also able to reflect on how I use different assessments and the data collected from assessments are used to guide my instructional decisions and determine a path for intervention for individual students. Now, I have an amazing resource with an abundance of assessments, progress monitoring tools, and interventions and strategies that I can pull from to help all of my future students.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #9 - Teachers are able to evaluate themselves.
InTASC Standard #9 - Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
In my current teaching setting, I teach the same lessons twice a day. Since I teach the same lessons twice in one day, I am constantly evaluating and reflecting myself and my lessons between classes and take notes on what I can change to make my lesson better for the next class. Each student in my classroom has a different set of learning needs. During this course, I reflected on lessons I have done and used the principals of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to create lesson and unit plans to allow for more student choices and meet the diverse needs of the students found within my classroom. I had to reflect on my instructional strategies and how I have been providing differentiation, modifications, and accommodations to students in my general education classroom, and how I can incorporate these into all of my lessons to benefit all students, not just my students with special education plans. I was able to take a look at my current instructional strategies and analyze how I could make adjustments for students I could have in my class in years to come. I now feel more confident and comfortable in my abilities to have a fully inclusive classroom that meets the needs of all learners. This course has provided me with the opportunity to learn more about supporting students with a variety of learning difficulties, as well as supporting and teaching students how to advocate for their needs to be successful.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #10 - Teachers are connected with other teachers and the community.
InTASC Standard #10- Leadership and Collaboration
EDUC 605 gave me the opportunity to interact and connect with other professionals within my district and outside of my district. Everyone took part in sharing their wealth of knowledge through resource shares, class discussions, and discussion posts. I was also able to learn how inclusion practices have been viewed and adapted in other classrooms and districts. This course has also encouraged me to make a stronger connection between myself and the special educators within my building. I feel I am able to ask more meaningful questions and get more out of meetings with the special educators since I have a better understanding of reading difficulties. I am also able to better understand reading data and how to apply the information to the general education classroom. I have had students and will continue to have students in my classroom that have been/will be serviced by other teachers at my school. It is very important to me to partner with these other teachers who are experts in their field to learn more about the students we share. I want to learn what I can do within my classroom to support what they are working on with our students. I plan to do this by gaining knowledge and taking advice to better assist all students in my classroom.