Teaching Diverse Students

Description: For my Introduction to Special Education class, I researched ADHD. I looked into its causes and characteristics, as well as teaching strategies specific to students with ADHD.

Connection: This presentation connects to standard 1 and specifically performance indicator 1H in that it exemplifies my ability to understand the different characteristics of my students. Not only did it help me learn about ADHD specifically, but it also taught me ways to teach that can maximize the learning experience for these students.

Explanation: This assignment helped me better understand and relate to my students with ADHD. Even in my student teaching experience I have already implemented some of the strategies mentioned like purposeful jobs and preferential seating.

Description: In this paper I wrote about the many different contextual factors relating to the school district where I am student teaching.

Connection: Looking into components like average income, percent of those living in poverty, and racial demographics of the city where I am student teaching helped me better understand and meet the needs of my students in order to provide a valuable and personal learning experience. This paper meets the performance indicator 1L.

Explanation: From this assignment, I learned how I can use the contextual factors pertaining to my students as an aid in creating instruction which is culturally and socialy relevant. For example, knowing that a large percentage of my students were Muslim helped me create content in Health and PE that was sensitive to those celebrating Ramadan.