Assignment 1: October 8, 2024 - Pose a Problem of Practice:

Research Topic:
How can I use play in the curriculum to showcase the diverse skills and strengths of my students?

Rationale:
This year, I am teaching in an Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) classroom that reflects many learning profiles, including students with a wide range of strengths, needs, and learning styles. As we navigate this inclusive setting, we are seeking instructional approaches that honor and elevate the diverse abilities of all learners.

In particular, we are exploring the role of play as a meaningful and strategic tool to create equitable access to learning and to foster student engagement. We believe that integrating play into our curriculum can provide students with opportunities to express themselves in ways that go beyond traditional academic tasks. Play can serve as a powerful medium through which students demonstrate creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving—all essential skills that may not always be visible through conventional assessments.

We are currently implementing the new writing units and using this group to reimagine our instructional practices. Our shared goal is to bring joy, curiosity, and a sense of wonder back into the classroom by cultivating a playful atmosphere that supports academic rigor without sacrificing student enjoyment.

Beyond writing, we are also interested in exploring how play can be meaningfully embedded across other content areas, particularly in science. We envision inquiry-based, hands-on experiences that allow students to investigate real-world phenomena, collaborate with peers, and reflect on their learning in creative ways. Through this research, we aim to discover practical strategies and curricular models that leverage play as a pedagogical tool to better showcase and support the multifaceted strengths of our students.