Analyzing My Teaching
- mmaloni
- Jun 8, 2017
- 6 min read
FEAP 2h (Adapts the learning environment to accommodate the differing needs and diversity of students)
The following are examples of when I displayed equity towards students within how I set up the learning environment and aligns with FEAP 2h:
Example One: In this clip, it shows me displaying equity toward students within how I set up the learning environment. The time in this video that this is shown starts at 9:50 and ends at 10:39.
Link to clip:
I think that this piece of evidence shows my learning regarding FEAP 2h because the assignment that my HOST partner and I brought to the students that day could have been done the same way with any other group of students and each group would enjoy this activity just the same. "The range in which low-income students prefer to learn is exactly the same as the range of ways in which wealthy students prefer to learn." (Gorski, n.d). The students in this clip are really engaged and involved with this assignment and they prefer to learn in a creative way just like any other groups of students. There was display of equity towards the students because the learning environment was open and there were no wrong answers that the students could give us. During this clip, I was fair with the students because I was going around making sure to ask all of them about their t-shirts. Also, the learning environment was open and the students had a choice of what they wanted to add to their t-shirt template. When doing this assignment with the students I think that I made the students become more open with me and because I displayed equity towards all the students they were very engaged and willing share their thoughts with me. I think because I was fair with all the students it made this lesson go much more smoothly than I anticipated. Also, in this video clip it is showing the students being creative and adapting the learning environment to be creative is accommodating the different needs of the students. "A creative and sincere mission statement can motivate and inspire teachers and students, causing them to feel that their work is significant and contributes to the future." (Cornett, 2015, p. 49) and this assignment did just that because the students got to create their own piece of work and they could work at their own pace while doing it.
Example Two: In this clip it shows me displaying equity toward students within how I set up the learning environment. The time in this video that this is shown starts at 27 seconds and ends at 44 seconds.
Link to clip:
This piece of evidence shows my learning regards to FEAP 2h because in this clip it shows the directions for the game the students were going to play and in those directions, I made clear that that everyone is going to be a winner. I made that clear from the very beginning because one student asked and I didn't want the students to be divided and become too competitive where it could hurt someone's feelings. "Equity literacy is important in every subject area." (Gorski & Swalwell, 2015). Even though this was an outside game it is important that the students know there is fairness for all students. As the teacher, it's important to remind the students that everyone is equal and create an equitable environment. Also, when giving the directions to the game it was made clear to the students that they were going to be spit up into groups of two but my partner and I were going to pick the teams for them. We wanted their learning environment to be fair and I didn't want students to have to worry about being on a certain team. “The school and classroom set the stage for learning. The goal is to design places and spaces that are safe and stimulating, environments where diverse ideas and competing viewpoints are welcomed, and students are encouraged to explore alternative approaches.” (Cornett, 2015, p. 64). The students need to know that this game is safe and stimulating because there is equity in the learning environment. These first two examples connect to one another because the learning environments are similar when it comes to being fair and accommodating the different needs of all the students.
FEAP 3h (Differentiate instruction based on an assessment of students learning needs and recognition of individual differences in students)
The following are examples of when I displayed equity towards students within my pedagogical practices and aligns with FEAP 3h:
Example One:
This piece of evidence shows my learning regarding FEAP 3h because it shows how I differentiated for the different grade levels. The older students got the t-shirt that is on the left and the younger students got the t-shirt that is on the right. The older students were given a t-shirt that required them to add certain types of details and the younger students had blank t-shirts so that they didn’t have to add a lot of detail or be confined to certain sections. This creative arts assignment was recognizing the individual differences in students because it was based on their favorite things and stuff about themselves. The students seemed to really appreciate the creative arts side of this assignment and I think that it’s important that all schools have some form of art integration in their curriculum. “Exposure to art, theater, and music education bolsters learning engagement, and retention for all students and especially for low-income youth whose families generally can’t afford music lessons or art camps.” (Gorski, 2013). The student learning for this creative arts assignment was engaging and had differentiated instructions with the grade groups. This differentiated instruction was also equitable because it had the students make a lot of choices on their own and it says that giving students choices can help your students to “grow a repertoire of alternative ways to learn and ways to show understanding.” (Cornett, 2015, p. 65). The students showed their understanding of this assignment based on if they filled out their t-shirts. Having equity towards my students within my pedagogical practices has differently opened my eyes to the meaning of being a good teacher.
Example Two: In this clip, it shows my display of equity toward students within my pedagogical practices and FEAP 3h. The time in this video that this is shown starts at 11:40 and ends around 13:28.
Link to clip:
This piece of evidence shows my learning regarding FEAP 3h because it shows how I differentiated my instructions based on my students learning needs. One student needed extra help with his math homework and so I would go back and forth between him and the other students playing a game with my HOST partner. I moved the student that was still working on his homework to a different table so that he could stay focused on his work. Also, having a smaller number of students in each group at HOST made it easier for myself to really recognize individual differences in students and differentiate much easier. I think that it’s important to have a smaller group of students so as a teacher you can have more differentiated instructions and because, “Despite the illusion of debate, research shows that class size matters.” (Gorski, 2013). While the students were trying to guess what was on their cards I was displaying equity towards the students within my teaching practices because I made sure to not give any of them the answer but only help them out. The students were also great being equitable because they were collaborating with one another to give creative tips to the students that were trying to guess their cards. “Creative work, like any learning, is most powerful when it employs the motivational force of collaboration.” (Cornett, 2015). Overall, I have learned that differentiating instruction for students is very important and it is very powerful in helping me as a future teacher understand what my students need and my pedagogical practices must always display that type of instruction.
References:
Cornett, C. E. (2015). Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts: Arts Integration for
Classroom Teachers (Fifth ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Gorski, P. C. (2013, September). Building a pedagogy of engagement for students in poverty.
Kappan, 95.
Gorski, P. C. (n.d.). Eleven Things YOU Can Do to Bring Class Equity to School. Retrieved June 8, 2017,
from http://www.EdChange.org
Gorski, P. C., & Swalwell, K. (2015). Equity Literacy FOR ALL. Educational Leadership. Retrieved
June 8, 2017, from www.ascd.org.
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