Instructional Strategies
Introduction
I employ a variety of instructional and non traditional strategies in my class; utilizing different resources to "adapt instruction to the needs of individuals and groups of learners" (InTASC 8a). My two pillars of my teaching philosophy are evident in my instructional strategies. I rely heavily in arts integration and educational technology. These strategies are above all, student centered, with purposeful goals that make content engaging and interactive. I try to limit my lecturing time anyway. The “I do” portion of my lessons are brief, and make room for more group or independent work.
The strategies I embrace are often constructivist. It is difficult in elementary setting, but I often achieve a flipped use of blended learning. The use of other media to front load content is a technique that is often used for differentiation, and to pique engagement. Students can get a gist of the lecture so they can not get lost as readily.
Arts Integration
Despite a rigid schedule, I have been successful with prioritizing the use of arts integration, notably improv, creative movement, and sometimes visual arts. Whether it is enacting a scene from history class, or creating tableaus from a government lesson students look forward to the hands on activities that arets integration always becomes.
You can find students making their own content inspired rhymes with Flocabulary, or expressing mitosis with pantomime. Students can connect their own experiences to a character trait or action that is not only more engaging. I try to encourage students to doodle as well. If the same amount of time it takes to do a turn and talk, or a stop and jot, there can be time allotted for a pause and draw. We might read a sentence about how tornadoes are formed, so students take a brief pause to draw a visual representation of this for thirty seconds. It is quick and easy, and not to be only in these swift arts integration blitzes, but I find it caters to the same scholastic and social skills.
Technology Integration
Learning technologies are still balancing the emerging trends of novelty and effective. It is important to be critical but to allow them to grow like the young learners themselves. The technologies are changing the landscape as much as they are a response to the educational landscape. Much of the edtech that is in my classroom is to stir up high engagement. Such programs include Kahoot, Socrative, Quizizz, & Quizlet Live.
Mys students are reeling in the 21st century skills, with a near paperless system. Daily typing exercises with Typing Agent is helping their access to my digital content. Almost all my lessons are online, access through Google Classroom then debriefed with Padlet at the endof class. Links to question-embedded videos, adaptive learning gaming programs and an online textbook; all of which are mobile access for distance learning.
For explicit motivation, I also offer digital badges that let students showcase what they have mastered, quantitative and qualitative skills.
Document Based Analysis
History class has shifted from wrote memorization of trivial facts and events to an analysis of historical documents, studying perspective and relevance to existing conflict.
Every class, students are required to describe, explain, and make inferences of primary documents from to create a strong claim with the aid of the documents provided documents in each item set. The source, the audience, as well as the author's purpose are all vital to develop a critical analysis.
Document Based Analysis usually involve making connections between documents in each item set and bringing in outside knowledge to support their claim. ​I spend a lot of time beginning with visual thinking strategies to uncover as much as possible in each document, this will serve as a better support in their final essay.
Socratic Seminars
After previous lessons previewing the topic, students get the chance to practice the skills they have learned throughout the previous week by engaging in a Friday Socratic Seminar. I review Socratic Seminar expectations, roles, and goals. I then provide assistance throughout the Socratic Seminar, but emphasis the excitement behind independence. Seated in 2 concentric circles, each student has a partner that will act as their coach when they round is active. Students are encouraged to ask questions, refer to any documents, show disagreement/agreement, clarify other statements and make real world connections. Then students get advice from their coach and switch roles. A written reflection is always given for a final assessment.
Civics assignment. Letter to a government official.
4th Grade Student Government campaign posters
Cross curriculur activity. Early explorers Drama writing assignment
Arts integrated lesson on regional resources
Current events essay. Effects of Hurricane Katrina 10 years later.
Conclusion
Much of my instructional strategies cater to personalized learning.
Learning is personalized in the sense that content delivery and assessments are tailored to the unique needs and abilities of students. Some may see arts integration or technology in the classroom as a disruption of the traditional banking model of instruction, but actually, it may embolden faculty to toward a more supporting, coaching role, with less devoted to delivery of content. The self pacing is a vital component of personalized learning that lets students navigate the content with the ability to revisit challenging sections and advance through mastered lessons.