Planning Instruction
Teaching is no easy task. Everybody learns in their own unique way, and it is the role of the teacher to utilize instructional methods and practices that reach all students. Even the most well designed curriculum still might not stimulate or encourage learning from certain students. As a teacher, it is my job to design curriculum to reach as many students as possible. This is especially difficult in a city such as Santa Barbara, which has such a large percentage of English Learners. There are three main ways that I design curriculum to reach all students. First, I use a variety of different mediums to present information and teach. Second, I learn the linguistic background of every student, and check in with them and their families to see how they best learn. Third, I emphasize the relevance of the subject matter, which helps students access the curriculum itself.
First, I try to use a variety of mediums to present information. This allows more students to access the material because there are so many different types of learners out there. It would be unfair to only teach through lecture or video because certain people would not be able to learn in such a capacity. I always utilize a wide variety of instructional methods to give everybody an equal opportunity to learn. One of my most effective teaching tools is the visual inquiry. Using this method of instruction, learners work to infer what is happening in a visual image. I find that every time I do a visual inquiry in class, at least two or three students that do not frequently contribute to discussion are eager to share their thoughts and predictions. Another method of differentiating instruction is by appealing to kinesthetic learners. Especially in long block classes, I try to get students moving and sharing their ideas with students on other sides of the room. This allows students to get the jitters out and appeals to kinesthetic learners, who learn best when moving. Example?
Second, I learn the linguistic background of all my students. This way I know how to make the most appropriate accommodations and modifications. By doing this I avoid entering a class “blind,” that is, assuming a student’s academic and linguistic levels before getting to know them. Curriculum can only be appropriately designed when the teacher knows who they are teaching. This can also be emphasized by speaking to the parents of each students and asking if they have any teaching tips that might help with delivering instruction.
Finally, I believe that emphasizing the relevance of the subject matter is hugely important in designing curriculum. No matter how well developed a curriculum is, if students do not see the material’s relevance they won’t buy-in to the learning. When curriculum is centered on the importance and relevance of a topic, students are more likely to understand why they should learn it, and will be likelier to try to learn it.
First, I try to use a variety of mediums to present information. This allows more students to access the material because there are so many different types of learners out there. It would be unfair to only teach through lecture or video because certain people would not be able to learn in such a capacity. I always utilize a wide variety of instructional methods to give everybody an equal opportunity to learn. One of my most effective teaching tools is the visual inquiry. Using this method of instruction, learners work to infer what is happening in a visual image. I find that every time I do a visual inquiry in class, at least two or three students that do not frequently contribute to discussion are eager to share their thoughts and predictions. Another method of differentiating instruction is by appealing to kinesthetic learners. Especially in long block classes, I try to get students moving and sharing their ideas with students on other sides of the room. This allows students to get the jitters out and appeals to kinesthetic learners, who learn best when moving. Example?
Second, I learn the linguistic background of all my students. This way I know how to make the most appropriate accommodations and modifications. By doing this I avoid entering a class “blind,” that is, assuming a student’s academic and linguistic levels before getting to know them. Curriculum can only be appropriately designed when the teacher knows who they are teaching. This can also be emphasized by speaking to the parents of each students and asking if they have any teaching tips that might help with delivering instruction.
Finally, I believe that emphasizing the relevance of the subject matter is hugely important in designing curriculum. No matter how well developed a curriculum is, if students do not see the material’s relevance they won’t buy-in to the learning. When curriculum is centered on the importance and relevance of a topic, students are more likely to understand why they should learn it, and will be likelier to try to learn it.