Standard #8
Instructional Strategies
The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
What the Standard Means?
This standard states that teachers must be able to differentiate their instruction based on the way each individual student learns. As a result of differentiated instruction, students are able to successfully learn the content and make connections to other content areas in a meaningful way. For example, when teaching visual learners, it is important that teachers supply visual cues and materials in order to ensure student success. In addition, it is critical that teachers continuously monitor students learning, provide feedback and adjust instruction based on student’s needs.
Artifacts
What the Standard Means?
This standard states that teachers must be able to differentiate their instruction based on the way each individual student learns. As a result of differentiated instruction, students are able to successfully learn the content and make connections to other content areas in a meaningful way. For example, when teaching visual learners, it is important that teachers supply visual cues and materials in order to ensure student success. In addition, it is critical that teachers continuously monitor students learning, provide feedback and adjust instruction based on student’s needs.
Artifacts
Students work together to divide the 10 dimes into two groups and write a number sentence to represent what is taking place.
Click on the images above to view snapshots of how I used the Gynzy as an instructional strategy. To visit the website, click here: www.gynzy.com/en/
Why the artifact was chosen and how it is an appropriate representation of the standard?
In order to effectively provide instruction to students, it is critical that the teacher is aware of the student's learning preferences. This awareness equips the teacher to plan lessons that incorporate activities that align with the learning preferences of the class. So, in order to provide the best possible instruction for my students, I discussed my students' learning preferences with my cooperating teacher, Mrs. May. Throughout our dialogue, she emphasized the students' interest in technology and group work. Thus, to engage the students in math instruction, I used an instructional website entitled Gynzy and group work, which encompassed a variety of learning styles.
Gynzy is an interactive instructional website, which is extremely user friendly, that has a plethora of instructional benefits for teachers and students. A valuable component of Gynzy is its capacity to relate to students with visual and kinesthetic learning preferences through the ability to manipulate and interact with the content through the use of the SMARTboard. When teaching students how to write number sentences that correspond with ten dimes, I used Gynzy to create an interactive lesson. To launch the lesson, students convened at the carpet and counted the number of dimes on the board. Through counting, they discovered that there were 10 dimes on the screen. I then manipulated the dimes by placing them into two different groups. I asked the students to talk with a neighbor and come up with a number sentence that represented what was taking place in the picture. I then allowed students to come to the board and write the corresponding number sentence under the dimes. Next, I allowed students to come up to the board to rearrange the dimes into different groups. This technique engaged the students because they were very eager to interact with the SMARTboard and challenge their classmates.
As the dimes were divided into two groups and the students wrote the corresponding number sentence underneath, I probed the students to explain their thinking process. Allowing the students to verbalize their understanding of the content in kid-friendly terms was intended for the students who struggled to make the visual connection between the picture and number sentence. Ultimately, the spoken explanation was directed toward students with an auditory learning preference by listening to the connection between the picture and number sentence.
After launching the lesson, students returned to their seats with their partner to create their own number sentence with 100. This time, the students were given dimes to manipulate. This component of the lesson was meant for the kinesthetic and tactile learners. They were able to physically partition the dimes into two groups and write the corresponding number sentence on their worksheet. The students were placed in heterogeneous groups so that the advanced students were challenged to articulate their understanding of the concept, while the struggling students received extra guidance and explanations from their peers . It was a valuable learning experience for both students.
Engaging students in the math lesson through the use of the SMARTboard, partner talks, and group work aligns with 8(n), which suggests, “the teacher knows how to use a wide variety of resources, including human and technological, to engage students in learning.” In this case, the students engaged with and benefited from human and technological resources to understand the concept. In addition, the Gynzy artifact corresponds with 8(r), "The teacher is committed to exploring how the use of new and emerging technologies can support and promote student learning." I am eager to continue to use and explore the positive benefits of Gynzy to engage and excite the learners.
How the artifact represents growth and development as a teacher?
At the beginning of my student teaching placement, I was aware of the importance of incorporating multiple learning preferences into one lesson and differentiating material based on students' unique needs, but I was unsure of what a lesson of this nature looked like in action. Thus, through observation of and collaboration with my teacher, I have been introduced to a variety of new instructional ideas, techniques, and websites, such as Gynzy and heterogeneous group work, that match with my classes learning preferences. Thus, my repertoire of instructional strategies has grown tremendously through my collaboration with another professional. As I continue my career as an educator, I am dedicated to incorporating a variety of instructional strategies, as I have witnessed the benefits of differentiated instruction that fits the needs of every individual student.
In order to effectively provide instruction to students, it is critical that the teacher is aware of the student's learning preferences. This awareness equips the teacher to plan lessons that incorporate activities that align with the learning preferences of the class. So, in order to provide the best possible instruction for my students, I discussed my students' learning preferences with my cooperating teacher, Mrs. May. Throughout our dialogue, she emphasized the students' interest in technology and group work. Thus, to engage the students in math instruction, I used an instructional website entitled Gynzy and group work, which encompassed a variety of learning styles.
Gynzy is an interactive instructional website, which is extremely user friendly, that has a plethora of instructional benefits for teachers and students. A valuable component of Gynzy is its capacity to relate to students with visual and kinesthetic learning preferences through the ability to manipulate and interact with the content through the use of the SMARTboard. When teaching students how to write number sentences that correspond with ten dimes, I used Gynzy to create an interactive lesson. To launch the lesson, students convened at the carpet and counted the number of dimes on the board. Through counting, they discovered that there were 10 dimes on the screen. I then manipulated the dimes by placing them into two different groups. I asked the students to talk with a neighbor and come up with a number sentence that represented what was taking place in the picture. I then allowed students to come to the board and write the corresponding number sentence under the dimes. Next, I allowed students to come up to the board to rearrange the dimes into different groups. This technique engaged the students because they were very eager to interact with the SMARTboard and challenge their classmates.
As the dimes were divided into two groups and the students wrote the corresponding number sentence underneath, I probed the students to explain their thinking process. Allowing the students to verbalize their understanding of the content in kid-friendly terms was intended for the students who struggled to make the visual connection between the picture and number sentence. Ultimately, the spoken explanation was directed toward students with an auditory learning preference by listening to the connection between the picture and number sentence.
After launching the lesson, students returned to their seats with their partner to create their own number sentence with 100. This time, the students were given dimes to manipulate. This component of the lesson was meant for the kinesthetic and tactile learners. They were able to physically partition the dimes into two groups and write the corresponding number sentence on their worksheet. The students were placed in heterogeneous groups so that the advanced students were challenged to articulate their understanding of the concept, while the struggling students received extra guidance and explanations from their peers . It was a valuable learning experience for both students.
Engaging students in the math lesson through the use of the SMARTboard, partner talks, and group work aligns with 8(n), which suggests, “the teacher knows how to use a wide variety of resources, including human and technological, to engage students in learning.” In this case, the students engaged with and benefited from human and technological resources to understand the concept. In addition, the Gynzy artifact corresponds with 8(r), "The teacher is committed to exploring how the use of new and emerging technologies can support and promote student learning." I am eager to continue to use and explore the positive benefits of Gynzy to engage and excite the learners.
How the artifact represents growth and development as a teacher?
At the beginning of my student teaching placement, I was aware of the importance of incorporating multiple learning preferences into one lesson and differentiating material based on students' unique needs, but I was unsure of what a lesson of this nature looked like in action. Thus, through observation of and collaboration with my teacher, I have been introduced to a variety of new instructional ideas, techniques, and websites, such as Gynzy and heterogeneous group work, that match with my classes learning preferences. Thus, my repertoire of instructional strategies has grown tremendously through my collaboration with another professional. As I continue my career as an educator, I am dedicated to incorporating a variety of instructional strategies, as I have witnessed the benefits of differentiated instruction that fits the needs of every individual student.