Instructional Management for the Success of All Learners

Through my studies and professional work I have shown instructional management competence by:

1. demonstrating an understanding of research of learning and instructional strategies;
2. describing and applying research and best practices on integrating curriculum and resources to help all learners achieve at high levels;
3. demonstrating the ability to utilize data for instructional decision making;
4. demonstrating the ability to design appropriate assessment strategies for measuring learner outcomes;
5. demonstrating the ability to implement alternative instructional designs, curriculum, behavior management, and assessment accommodations and modifications; and
6. demonstrating the ability to appropriately use technology to support instruction;

Reflection:

Instructional methods work hand-in-hand with curriculum planning where teachers must continually look to find new ways to engage and connect with all learners. From my undergraduate studies, I learned about different ways to instruct students that have different learning preferences, i.e. auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and the need for differentiated instruction. However, it wasn't until looking at a specific issue I wanted to know more about in my classroom in ED 632 that I discovered a new philosophy on my instructional methods.

I wanted to research more on test retakes and the effects it has on student learning, so I dove headfirst into the topic and through a literature review discovered that providing students with opportunities to retake tests is a form of differentiated instruction that can lead to more success for all types of students. The paramount benefit is for those individuals that can struggle with learning the concepts the first time or are experiencing test anxiety. Instead of placing a heavy weight of the test on their shoulders, they can instead feel less stressed and more focused on understanding the material. This is because the first attempt at the test can be seen as an indicator to what the student knows and what the student does not know. Then the teacher can work with that student on the gaps in their learning to address the standards in their second attempt on the test. Additional practice problems, written reflection of mistakes made or growth seen, and parental signatures permitting the second test are requirements for test retakes. The retakes do not have to be limited to those individuals who did poorly, but those student that put in the work to study and received a good score are still able to increase that score if they want through a test retake.

Knowing that there are always innovative ways to teach content and relate to students in an engaging manner, I have realized that I continually need to keep reading material and making adjustments in my instructional plans and philosophies to make sure I am making the best decisions possible for my students learning.