Making Teaching More Inclusive
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
UDL-IRN. (2019) The Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network.
Retrieved from https://udl-irn.org/implementation/