1. Teaching Diverse Students

The competent teacher understands the diverse characteristics and abilities of each student and how individuals develop and learn within the context of their social, economic, cultural, linguistic, and academic experiences. The teacher uses these experiences to create instructional opportunities that maximize student learning.

Artifact 1: Resources for teaching Students with ADHD

ADHD Characteristics Paper.docx.pdf

Essay titled "The Characteristics of ADHD"

ADHD Presentation.pptx

Presentation on ADHD

ADHD Accommodations Paper.docx.pdf

Essay titled "Teaching Students with ADHD"

Lesson Plan with Accommodations.docx.pdf

Lesson Plan with Accommodations for students with ADHD

Description of Artifact

In a course dedicated to teaching exceptional children, I created a series of resources regarding the education of children with the common condition of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise referred to as ADHD. These resources include: (1) an essay dedicated to describing the nature of ADHD, (2) a visual presentation on the disorder and common classroom accommodations, (3) an essay describing classroom accommodations for students with ADHD in depth, and (4) a lesson plan with accommodations for a student with ADHD. In these resources, I outline information all teachers should know about students with this condition and strategies we, as teachers, can apply in order to help them succeed in the classroom. Meeting the needs of a diverse population of students is essential in every classroom. This resources offer practical ways in order to do so in classrooms from the elementary school level through middle school and high school.

Standards Connection

These four resources included in Artifact 1 demonstrate the Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 1J which states that the competent teacher "differentiates strategies, materials, pace, levels of complexity, and language to introduce concepts and principles so that they are meaningful to students at varying levels of development and to students with diverse learning needs; ". The lesson plan I created takes the needs of students with ADHD into particular consideration through the use of scaffolding, collaborative group work, and appropriate pacing. These strategies help to engage students with this condition. The essays and presentation demonstrate Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 1J which states that the competent teacher "analyzes and uses student information to design instruction that meets the diverse needs of students and leads to ongoing growth and achievement". It is important to recognized, understand, and find ways to best support all students in the classroom. In these essays and in the presentation, I demonstrate an understanding for diverse student needs and explain how to best support their learning in classrooms from the early grades to upper levels.

Reflection

Through these assignments, I learned a significant amount about the needs of students with disabilities, specifically those with ADHD. I was able to understand their challenges and gifts and how the condition effects their learning in the classroom. I also learned how to differentiate instruction and make accommodations in order to help those with ADHD learn best. There are many research-based strategies that teachers can incorporate into their teaching and classrooms in order to meet the needs of students with ADHD. The lesson plan assignment allowed me to demonstrate how some of these strategies could be applied on a day-to-day basis in the classroom. As teachers, we must be informed about our students, know what challenges them, and make appropriate adjustments to our instruction in order to help all of our students get the most out of our class. These resources exemplify how vital it is for teachers to differentiate their instruction and make accommodations for our students with disabilities in order to maximize student learning.

Artifact 2: Lesson Plans

Nutrition Unit_ Lesson 6.pdf

Lesson plan with differentiation

Lesson Plan with Differentiation 2.pdf

Lesson plan with differentiation

Description of Artifact

While student teaching, I was tasked with creating lesson plans that met the needs of a diverse population of students with varying backgrounds, cultures, experiences, prior knowledge, and demonstrated ability levels. Each lesson plan I designed took this information into account as well as any requirements listed in students IEP or 504 plans. The following are lessons I taught or planned to teach during my student teaching placements. These lessons exemplify how I use my understanding of the students in my classroom to inform my instructional practices. I have listed the specific ways in which I addressed the needs of the whole class, groups of specific students, individual students, and students with accommodations in each lesson. It is vital that teachers use the knowledge of their students to ensure that every students needs are being met in today's classrooms.

Standards Connection

These lesson plans demonstrate the Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 1H which states that the competent teacher "analyzes and uses student information to design instruction that meets the diverse needs of students and leads to ongoing growth and achievement". In each lesson plan, I use information about the class, their demonstrated level of proficiency, their personal backgrounds, and their cultural context to design instruction, activities and assessments that are engaging, meaningful, and achieve defined learning objectives that are tied to specific standards. I also outline I will support the learning of the whole class as well as that of individual students so all students are able to achieve the learning objectives. The lesson plans I created also demonstrate the Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 1J which states that the competent teacher "differentiates strategies, materials, pace, levels of complexity, and language to introduce concepts and principles so that they are meaningful to students at varying levels of development and to students with diverse learning needs". Throughout each lesson, I specify how I will support the learning of each and every student in my classroom using specific supports, materials, instruction and more in order to maximize student learning.

Reflection

The creation of formal lessons plans like the ones included here promote teachers to consider the background, knowledge, skills, and specific learning needs of every student and how they can maximize the learning of every student in their classroom. By detailing every aspect of the lesson, I have to carefully reflect on the students in each class and develop instruction, materials, activities and assessments that support their achievement of the outlined learning objectives. This process is a fundamental aspect of effective teaching. I have always heard and believe that we must teach the students we have in our classrooms, not the ones we would like to have or the ones we have had in the past. This means that teachers must get to know all of their students and use that knowledge daily to create engaging, meaningful learning experiences in the classroom. The lessons I have included here reflect my ability to do this on a daily basis.

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