Equity in the Classroom
As a teacher it is part of my purpose to create an equitable and safe learning environment. Each student deserves to be treated with respect regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or innate abilities. I will strive to set the standard for the behavior I want to my students to emulate and I will not allow any student to be harassed, bullied, intimidated or belittled under any circumstances. Regardless of culture, race or gender, students will have the same learning objectives. Individual students have different learning styles so my lesson plans will reflect varying teaching techniques to accommodate different styles of learning. I will work to insure that all students are in a learning environment that encourages them to participate fully in class discussions and science activities and investigations as well as implementing effective assessment strategies that align with the learning styles of my students.
When I taught a lesson to a high school class that had an autistic student I was advised that autistic students usually don't like change. For example, a temporary change in teachers might be uncomfortable for the student. To address this issue, I made sure to visit and observe in the back of the classroom for additional days and each time I made a point of saying a casual "hello" or "good morning" to several of the students including the autistic student. When the time came for me to teach my lesson I was no longer a stranger to the autistic student and the lesson went forward with no difficulties.
When I taught a Problem Based Lesson (PBL) at The Harmony School of Innovation in Carrollton, TX. for the 8th grade Science class, one of the equitable learning assessments I used is the "exit ticket". Students were to answer 2 questions on a 3x5 index card provided for that purpose. The questions were written on the board as well as explained verbally to the class as a whole. The students were asked to list one thing they learned about the pollutant assigned to their group and then to write how that related to activity completed that day that was demonstrating how run-off occurs into a water system. This assessment allows each student to answer without fear of being embarrassed in front of the class. It allows the teacher to assess the progress of the understanding of the concept related to TEKS 11c and also to identify which students might be experiencing with difficulties with language, since the responses were expected to be in English and in full sentences. In addition, the answers can also point out where additional clarification or elaboration is needed for students to fully integrate the concept(s).
In addition, the final presentation deliverable for the PBL was a Pechu Kuchu, allowing the students with weak language skills to participate as fully as their English-fluent classmates. This also allowed the opportunity for all the students to be an equally contributing member of their group, which would not have been the case if the format was a written report. I had observed the class prior to creating the lesson and had noted that 1/3 of the class were students who spoke English as a 2nd or possibly 3rd language. The mentor teacher noted that the Pechu Kuchu was an effective format for some lessons and has plans to use it in the future.
We live in a world that is increasingly diverse and it is important that students have equal opportunities to accomplish the learning objectives.
As a teacher it is part of my purpose to create an equitable and safe learning environment. Each student deserves to be treated with respect regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or innate abilities. I will strive to set the standard for the behavior I want to my students to emulate and I will not allow any student to be harassed, bullied, intimidated or belittled under any circumstances. Regardless of culture, race or gender, students will have the same learning objectives. Individual students have different learning styles so my lesson plans will reflect varying teaching techniques to accommodate different styles of learning. I will work to insure that all students are in a learning environment that encourages them to participate fully in class discussions and science activities and investigations as well as implementing effective assessment strategies that align with the learning styles of my students.
When I taught a lesson to a high school class that had an autistic student I was advised that autistic students usually don't like change. For example, a temporary change in teachers might be uncomfortable for the student. To address this issue, I made sure to visit and observe in the back of the classroom for additional days and each time I made a point of saying a casual "hello" or "good morning" to several of the students including the autistic student. When the time came for me to teach my lesson I was no longer a stranger to the autistic student and the lesson went forward with no difficulties.
When I taught a Problem Based Lesson (PBL) at The Harmony School of Innovation in Carrollton, TX. for the 8th grade Science class, one of the equitable learning assessments I used is the "exit ticket". Students were to answer 2 questions on a 3x5 index card provided for that purpose. The questions were written on the board as well as explained verbally to the class as a whole. The students were asked to list one thing they learned about the pollutant assigned to their group and then to write how that related to activity completed that day that was demonstrating how run-off occurs into a water system. This assessment allows each student to answer without fear of being embarrassed in front of the class. It allows the teacher to assess the progress of the understanding of the concept related to TEKS 11c and also to identify which students might be experiencing with difficulties with language, since the responses were expected to be in English and in full sentences. In addition, the answers can also point out where additional clarification or elaboration is needed for students to fully integrate the concept(s).
In addition, the final presentation deliverable for the PBL was a Pechu Kuchu, allowing the students with weak language skills to participate as fully as their English-fluent classmates. This also allowed the opportunity for all the students to be an equally contributing member of their group, which would not have been the case if the format was a written report. I had observed the class prior to creating the lesson and had noted that 1/3 of the class were students who spoke English as a 2nd or possibly 3rd language. The mentor teacher noted that the Pechu Kuchu was an effective format for some lessons and has plans to use it in the future.
We live in a world that is increasingly diverse and it is important that students have equal opportunities to accomplish the learning objectives.
