Making Teaching More Inclusive

4/10/20

If I had to summarize this week in one word, it would be enlightened. Centuries ago, Europeans challenged old beliefs about government by using logic and reasoning to fix corruption. This movement, known as Enlightenment, influenced the growth of modern democracy in places like England, France, and even the United States. Over the course of the week, I felt I was looking at education through the lens of an Enlightenment thinker. Instead of critically thinking about improving government, I asked myself, “How can I improve my lesson plans to include all students?” I was introduced to two very important ideas, University Design Learning and intersectionality, both which encouraged me to reflect upon that question.

University Design Learning, or UDL, consists of designing lessons for all students. It is a framework that aims to eliminate learning barriers and provides a flexible curriculum to increase learning opportunities (“UDL on Campus,” n.d.). Intersectionality, is a metaphor for understanding that multiple social justice issues intersect (Crenshaw, 2018). As educators, we need to be aware of the many forms of oppression students can encounter in our classrooms (Crenshaw, 2018). Together, the two concepts aspire to provide an equal opportunity learning environment.

The topics and activities assigned this week were all extremely significant, including time spent critiquing the lesson plans of our peers. In addition, the time spent examining my own lesson designs was powerful. To express what I learned about myself, UDL, and intersectionality, I chose to create a podcast. This podcast is my personal reflection on inclusive lesson planning. I hope my fellow educators will find it enlightening, as well, for the benefit of all learners.

References (Blog)

Crenshaw. K. [National Association of Independent Schools] (2018, June 22) What is Intersectionality? [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc

UDL on Campus. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://udloncampus.cast.org/home

References (Podcast)

Bell, M. (2016). Teaching at the Intersections. Retrieved from

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/summer-2016/teaching-at-the-intersections

Crenshaw. K. [National Association of Independent Schools] (2018, June 22) What is Intersectionality? [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc

Crenshaw. K. [TED] (2016, December 7) The Urgency of Intersectionality. [Video file] Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akOe5-UsQ2o&disable_polymer=true

UDL on Campus. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://udloncampus.cast.org/home

UDL and Differentiation. (2019, June 3). Retrieved from

https://www.inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/universal-design-for-learning/udl-and-differentiation-and-how-they-are-connected

UDL-IRN. (2019) The Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network.

Retrieved from https://udl-irn.org/implementation/