Today, I am left with a collection of articles, teaching models, ideas for lessons, and other forms of support. As I have browsed this collection and begun to consider how I might use this material in my own teaching role, I have come to realize that collecting and organizing teaching and learning resources has been a very informative and instructive process for me. As I thought about teaching and learning concepts and connected this to a collection of teaching and learning resources, I determined that collecting teaching and learning material regularly engages more than facts – this process engages critical thinking about why a teaching and learning resource is considered worthy.
But perhaps one of the most important things I learned was about the diversity of teaching needs that exist in a classroom. As I have assembled this resource bank, I have come to realize that each tool in this bank has something a little bit different to offer, whether that be assisting me in my comprehension of Science of Reading, providing methods for classroom differentiation, or describing methods of support such as MTSS, RtI, and PBIS. By grouping this bank of information based on its category, I was better able to recognize the relationships that exist among pieces of this information. For instance, a comprehension of Universal Design for Learning lent itself quite neatly to learning about classroom differentiation.
Additionally, throughout this process, I have learned about the importance of providing practical and versatile resources. A number of the resourcesto I have compiled are directly applicable to teaching, whether that be a template for anticipatory closing activities, methods for assessing student mastery, or a model for reading instruction. Others serve more as a guide for me to inform my decision-making, whether in providing for 504 Plan students or IEP recipients. Taken together, this tool box gives me a confidence level when teaching.
There were some points along the way where I struggled, particularly when trying to determine what information to include within my learning space and what information I could leave out. There certainly seems to be a great amount of information available that could be used to help me better understand concepts. I struggled with going back and forth among several pieces of information that I determined would be redundant. A skill I had to develop was learning how to distinguish where everything can fit together.
In the future, I plan to use my collection of resources as a living toolkit in my teaching practice. As I begin designing lessons and working with diverse learners, these materials will serve as a foundation for planning, differentiation, assessment, and classroom management. I expect to return to these resources often, especially when I need support in creating accessible lessons, building literacy skills, or navigating student support systems.
I also intend to continue expanding this collection throughout my career. Teaching constantly evolves, and my resource library will grow with new strategies, updated research, and materials that reflect my students’ needs. By continually revisiting and refining this collection, I can ensure that my teaching remains responsive, evidence-based, and aligned with best practices.