Instructional Delivery- The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning. This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student.
This flip project was done as a requirement for my Technology in Education class. I created this flip lesson for students of a young age, preschool to 2nd grade, based on seven safety rules according to the Early Learning Standard 19 C.ECa. It is called a flip project because it flips what happens at home and what happens in the classroom. For this lesson I created a video, in collaboration with another teacher, for students to watch. The students are learning the lesson at home by watching this video as many times as they need. When they come back to the classroom they will complete an assignment, in this instance a ten question multiple choice quiz, that would normally be assigned as homework. The learning is happening outside of the classroom and the work is being done in the classroom so the teacher can assist the students with any questions they might have.
By creating this project I have shown several performance indicators of standard 5 of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards. Because I made this project with another teacher it shows indicator 5Q “uses effective co-planning and co-teaching techniques to deliver instruction to all students.” We are both teachers so and we wanted to teach a lesson on safety topics to our students. We worked together so that both of our students could view this video lesson and learn together. Together we used a video and the use of a SMARTBoard to create our lesson. This shows evidence of both indicator 5C which says I “know how to implement effective differentiated instruction through the use of a wide variety of material, technologies, and resources” and indicator 5N which states I “use technology to accomplish differentiated instructional objective that enhance learning for each student.” Both of these stress the importance of variety in the classroom and the use of technology. There is a variety of technology items, materials, and use of props in this video. Using these tools enhanced the students learning abilities because we show certain things associated with the safety lesson being taught. The students can also watch this video as many times as they need to be sure they learned the concepts being taught. When the students take the online quiz I, as the teacher, can gather the results and data to see the students understanding of the topic. If I see that many students answered a question wrong then I will review that concept to make sure they understand it. Gathering these results and adjusting my teaching off of them shows my capability of indicator 5J that says I need to “monitor and adjust strategies in response to feedback from the student.”
Through creating this flip project I used many concepts I have been learning about. I’m glad that I was able to create a lesson that I can use in my future classroom to teach the importance of safety. I also learned that the hard work put into different teaching strategies is worth it. We put two hours into making this project but seeing the reaction from students when they watch it was very satisfying. I learned that making lessons fun and interactive helps students enjoy what they are learning and remember the concepts better. This encouraged me to be creative in my teaching and engage the students in their learning in the future.
While student teaching I was able to create several fun and effective ways to deliver instruction to the students. As review for a science test on Newton's three laws of motion, I made a Kahoot. The Kahoot allows me to see student responses as well as utilize technology in the classroom. This district I was in was a 2 to 1 school, meaning every student has their own Chromebook and IPad to use as a resource. Kahoot tells me who answered the questions correctly and in what amount of time. We were able to discuss some of the responses as they were answered to make sure the students understood the correct answer. Making this Kahoot benefit the students as they were able review the main ideas from this chapter. The students loved this way of review and tried to get the answer correct as they were competing against their classmates.
By creating this Kahoot I have shown several indicators of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 5. Indicator 5N says that I should "uses technology to accomplish differentiated instructional objectives that enhance learning for each student." A Kahoot does this by allowing the student to read the questions on their own or I read it aloud to them. Students are also able to answer at their own speed. This also ensures that all students are participating and are all answering. The Kahoot does not move on to the next question until time runs out or all students have answered the question. Using this technology resource allows me to "use strategies and techniques for facilitating meaningful inclusion of individuals with a range of abilities and experiences" which shows indicator 5M. The students do not see who answered the questions correctly they only see their result. This ensures a safe classroom environment while using Kahoot. Students do not need to be concerned others will see their responses. After finishing this Kahoot I looked at the students responses to see if there were any common unknown answers. In this case there was not but if there were I would have gone over that before the test the next day. This shows evidence of indicator 5P "use student data to adapt the curriculum and implement instructional strategies and materials according to the characteristics of each student." The students were able to review and were engaged in the lesson as we finished with the Kahoot. By learning how to use this technology tool I was able to engage all students as a part of a hard unit in science. A variety of learning strategies and tools should be used to keep the students focused and engaged in learning. Kahoot is one way I showed I am able to deliver a lesson with the students in mind.