PLC 5 EDC 300

https://goalbookapp.com/toolkit/strategies UDL ensures that each and every student has the opportunity to learn in a manner that connects with their learning needs. There are three categories of strategies to ensure this learning is occurring through UDL: 1. Strategies of engagement 2. Strategies of representation 3. Strategies of expression The strategy of engagement focuses on self-regulation. This means that it is up to the student to self-regulate their needs in the classroom. This can be done through setting goals, creating a contract for the student, and a vision board, which can help the student to visualize their goals. The strategy of representation focuses on comprehension. This can be done through completing outlines, pre-reading, and pre-teaching. The key to this strategy is pre-assessment with the student. Finally, the strategy of expression focuses on "excutive functions." This can be done through 3-2-1 summaries, an anger trigger analysis, and inter...

http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.WduxW4hrxPY I add this link at the beginning of this post to show the importance of it, as I feel it is a much better explanation of UDL than what was linked in the Module. Using similar, and many times identical graphics, this website explores the concepts of UDL in a much more concise and self paced way than the hour long meeting which we viewed. UDL is an extremely important topic for educators today as it is the basis of changing our thinking about how students progress through school. For many years we as educators have taken a lesson first rather than student first perspective to teaching. If we approach our lessons as gold and infallible, our students must be at fault for their lack of learning. However, UDL causes a major shift in our perspective from lesson first to student first. This shift allows us to reconsider the possibility that our lessons are not perfect, and they can be adjusted to better suit all learners. However, ...

https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/what-lgbt-students-need-schools-teachers-its-you https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/tips-for-teachers-ally-yourself-with-lgbt-students https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/12/07/walking-through-hailstorm/discrimination-against-lgbt-youth-us-schools https://www.glsen.org/educate/resources/creating-lgbt-inclusive-lessons https://www.glsen.org/unheardvoices.html https://www.glsen.org/article/thinkb4youspeak-guide-educators-grades-6-12 https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-09-28/lgbt-students-still-endure-hostile-school-environments

In today's educational landscape, cultures from all over the globe are found in classrooms throughout the US. In many well-funded and well-to-do districts, each foreign language has a teacher who is fluent and has the resources to teach English to these learners. However, this is not always the case. The Arizona Daily Sun writes of a school in Arizona who has suffered repercussions from the state's choice to no longer teacher ELL students in bilingual classes. The kindergarten class in question featured at least 4 different languages, with many of the students being very unversed in English. The teacher, Sara Henderson, was unable to speak many of the languages presented to her in the class. This same district found themselves so strapped for ELL teachers that they combined 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade ELL students into one classroom, effectively making the class into little more than a place to send students to be babysat for 8 hours a day. Henderson found herself p...

Multiple studies have shown that Low SES students, or Low Socioeconomic Status Students, struggle more in school due to their socioeconomic standing. These students struggle to focus in school because outside of school, these students are facing hunger, homelessness, and possibly even drug related misfortunes that effect their family. It is our job as teachers to give these students the confidence in knowing that when they come to school, their needs will be provided for. Other factors that could potentially effect the SES student's well-being include simply not having the money to afford school supplies or parental involvement. According to Bill Jenkins, Ph.D., only 36% of Low SES parents read to their kindergartners. This lack of involvement not only leaves the children unprepared for their schooling career, but affects their needs due to lack of parental care. As teachers, it is our job to provide students with positive energy, an encouraging work place, and to help provide ...

Teaching GT - A New Approach For a long time, Gifted and Talented (henceforth GT) students have been left in the dust of the education system. "Teach to the middle" has been the overarching theme of how educators should approach education. This approach has left out many students over the years on both ends of the spectrum - those who struggle with their academic work as they "wouldn't get it anyway" as well as GT students, because they "would get it anyway". This approach is detrimental to the development of not only GT students but society as a whole. Teaching to the middle not only allows for students to fall through the cracks, oftentimes creating social issues where the criminal justice system gets involved, but also leaves GT students bored and desiring more out of their public education with no way to receive it. New approaches to the education system must be put in place to avoid these learning catastrophes. We can no longer "teach t...