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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.
Paper with India Ochs for Assistive Technology Course
In Fall of 2023 I took Assistive Tech at Trinity, where I learned about working with individuals with communication needs in the education world. Part of my course was "Project paving the path" where I interviewed India Ochs, an advocate for people who use Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC devices). The project was about making a list of 3 takeaways to help educators support students who use assistive technology or AAC in the classroom.
From doing this project I learned to support the communication needs of students with various abilities and needs. This is part of IL Knowledge Indicator 1D "understands the impact of cognitive, emotional, physical, and sensory disabilities on learning and communication pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (also referred to as “IDEA'') (20 USC 1400 et seq.), its implementing regulations (34 CFR 300; 2006), Article 14 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/Art.14] and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 226 (Special Education) (IL Knowledge Indicator 1D). This project taught me how I can advocate, support and welcome a student who uses AAC to communicate in the classroom. It is important for teachers to be inclusive of all abilities in the classroom and find ways to support their students.
As an educator I work to make sure all my students have support and feel welcome. I would do the same for a student who uses AAC and celebrate the diversity in my classroom in a meaningful and respectful way. As IL performance indicator states "1K) facilitates a learning community in which individual differences are respected (IL performance indicator 1K). It is super important to me that my students feel safe, seen and respected in my classroom. I want them to have books, curriculum and educational visuals that reflect themselves and their classmates. I want my students to celebrate and discuss their differences in a respectful and welcoming manner. This is so they can learn from each other and practice inclusion.
Chicago History Lesson
In this lesson I taught 8th graders at Independence Junior High school (128) about the history of our not so far away City of Chicago. This lesson was my final exam for my history methods course at Trinity. I pulled images from online as well as short videos to aid the discussions. I assessed students on their knowledge with an exit ticket at the end of the lesson as a formative assessment.
My Goal was for students to connect their prior experiences and knowledge that students have about the city in a brief class discussion, with guided guided questions. Then use that knowledge to build off of it and add factual information as I presented information about Chicago's deep History. This follows the knowledge indicator 1B "understands how each student constructs knowledge, acquires skills, and develops effective and efficient critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities" (IL knowledge indicator 1B). I worked to connect students learning to real life. I used pictures and maps to show the growth of the city as time went on. I wanted students to understand that Chicago had to be built up and who the people who helped where. I used images and explained factual information on the slides to help them understand the history.
I worked to help students connect prior learning to the new material. Which was done in class discussions and in visuals connecting well known people, sport teams and places to historical references that they were named after. The lesson started with guided questions and helped students connect ideas to history. I also used many forms of giving information by using visuals, discussions, and text to help students learn about Chicago History. This follows performance indicator 1I "stimulates prior knowledge and links new ideas to already familiar ideas and experiences'' (IL performance indicator 1I). I want my students to remember what I teach, so making connections to already learned concepts or pop culture helps them understand things in a new way.
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