- One of the secrets to good classroom management is to keep the space lovely. "Lovely" involves both tidiness/orderliness (desks lined up, chairs pushed in or put on top of desks at the end of the day, paper and garbage in the proper spots, using a magic eraser to clean any pen/pencil marks on desks), and display (posting student work around the classroom via magnetized whiteboards or bulletin boards. Keeping the classroom lovely sends the message to students that the space is one of order and belonging, and they will be more apt to respect the learning that goes on in the space.
- Students need a lot of assistance and training in organization and time management. I found my students were much more focused and able to produce work when I provided visual timers and graphic organizers to guide their work. I wasn't able to do so this practicum, but in the future, I would also help my students stay organized by having them keep duotangs for each unit, complete with a running table of contents, would provide an exemplar for them to follow, and would periodically check their duotangs. I would also have a system (perhaps mail slots) for students to collect any missed handouts/assignments and to submit assignments; many of my students were absent at least once, and I found it challenging to help them stay on top of everything. I'd also like to use one of the shorter classes in the week to allow students a free work period in which I could schedule conferences and clinics with individuals and groups.
- Assessment is best done in class. I found that my most accurate and fair assessments were those that the students completed all during the class time allotted. It prevented 'computer issues' cropping up (e.g., "My computer wasn't working this weekend/evening," "Can I just quickly print this?"). It also made sure that I was able to collect written products (where necessary) that may have otherwise remained incomplete due to extracurricular activities, various family situations, or simply 'forgetting it at home.' I found I spent way too much mental, emotional, and physical energy chasing students down for missing assignments, and I need to rethink how to work with teenagers and their families, rather than against them, when it comes to assessment (especially summative).
The learning curve in PSII was steep, awkward, exhausting, and sometimes painful, but incredibly rewarding. Here are my top 3 take-aways:
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Q: How can educators incorporate strategies to support students with ADHD without drawing attention to these students? Why is it important to understand more about ADHD both personally and professionally?
Educators can best support students with ADHD without drawing attention to these students by making modifications and accommodations based on the principle of UDL. Common difficulties lie with organization, memory and recall, focusing, and maintaining attention. They may also need to expend energy and have trouble managing emotions. Of all of the strategies suggested, I felt that the following 8 were best for UDL: 1) Provide written, visual, oral, and kinesthetic directions and cues to students. 2) Be flexible with time and workload to accommodate students’ pace. 3) Reduce distractions by encouraging students to move to a semi-private area or to use noise-canceling headphones during independent work. 4) Model, provide tools and resources to students, and have students practice strategies for: active listening, time management, task planning and organization, self-monitoring, self-regulating, memorization, specific problem-solving, pre-reading and reading comprehension, basic social skills. 5) Use a buddy system or provide organized activities during unstructured social times. 6) Teach and practice, practice, practice routines, and assign kids roles for daily class errands. 7) For transitions, have routines, and provide written, oral, visual, and kinesthetic cuing, and include a brief activity to help kids use up energy[1] or wind-down (e.g., deep breathing with visualization). 8) Impose an organizational structure in the classroom for managing information and belongings: work with parents to adopt a similar or otherwise sustainable organizational structure at home.[2] It is important to understand more about ADHD both personally and professionally for a number of reasons. ADHD is a life-long disorder and I may have colleagues, superiors, and families who have it. Therefore, I need to understand their strengths and needs in order to collaborate more effectively with them. There continue to be a lot of myths perpetuated about it, and I need to be sure I have the truth so that I can respond appropriately. For example, I need to understand the possible benefits and side effects of medications. I need to be in a position to speak intelligently with parents and counsellors about ADHD, but also be eager to receive their insights and see how I might incorporate their strategies into my instruction, assessment, and management. I want to be able to properly read the signals the kids are giving me. Based on my readings of Ross Greene, I’m already inclined to interpret kids’ maladaptive behaviour as lagging skills (Ainsley can’t do x) rather than motivational issues (Yin won’t do x), regardless of any formal diagnosis. If I am to meet students where they’re at and provide the support they need to succeed, it’s crucial that I understand what they most need help with—especially if they require explicit instruction and skills training—and to be able to provide that instruction and training in ways they can receive. [1] In my workplace, we had a “Challenge of the Day” that was often physical activity and consisted of three levels: basic challenge, “hot shot” challenge, and seated challenge for those with mobility issues. You could choose any level. I like this idea for the classroom. [2] Last summer, I read and implemented strategies from Organizing for Your Brain Type. I presumed that this book would be a bit hokey judging by the title, but it was incredibly helpful for me and very different from other ‘top’ organizational books out there. I could see myself pulling from the myriad of strategies available to help students and their families based on their needs and tendencies. For my curriculum and instruction class today, my assignment was to do a 20-minute lesson on my Program of Study (English Language Arts). I planned my lesson very thoroughly and thoughtfully, and designed guided notes for my classmates to use, and created plenty of opportunities for them to engage in constructing their knowledge to deepen their understanding of the material. Unfortunately, I grossly underestimated the time all of this would take, and got through maybe two-thirds of the things I had intended for us to do. Not only that, but I was also a bundle of nerves and a lot more scatter-brained than in other situations I've taught (work and church). Why was this experience so different?
Firstly, I'm not used to having to try to fit so much learning into such a short time period. I either have more time or I scale back what needs to be discussed. Work meetings can be extended or continued in side conversations, phone calls, or emails. Bible study groups are flexible and accommodate lots of socializing mixed with discussing ideas. Secondly, I'm not used to being accountable for formally assessing others' learning. Teaching at work took a variety of forms, including training people on work processes, informing them of key information, or directing collaborative work to solve a problem. Assessment of understanding usually involved lots of informal discussion, Q&A, and checking back via email, but ultimately everyone took away what was useful to them, and no one was "tested" on anything other than their ability to do their job. In my church small group, I have seen incredible growth in the young women in terms of their understandings, their ability and desire to pray, their skills in encouraging and challenging each other, taking on more leadership and responsibility, and applying biblical principles to real-life situations. But, I never used a set curriculum and never "tested" them. "Lessons" were frequently based on topics they were currently interested in exploring (so it was always engaging and relevant), were taught through some instruction but a lot more question-and-discussion (tapping into their knowledge and experience, and challenging assumptions and beliefs together), and always included prayer for each other such that everyone knew they were cared for and could themselves be a source of encouragement. Teaching and learning at work and church were low-stress for me, and very enjoyable, and I think there were things I was doing that I can keep doing in the public education system with success. At the same time, the methods and structures that I've been learning in my classes will, I have no doubt, increase my ability to maximize the time I have with students so that they learn and grow more, and receive both the challenge and the care that they need and deserve. I'm trying not to be too hard on myself as I learn, and to be okay with improving one thing at a time. This week's Ed Comm Tech class focused on storing and retrieving information, and introduced/reviewed storage options and search engine solutions.
I read a book this summer on organization styles, and realized that I am very much a visual organizer. That is, out of sight literally is out of mind for me. I need to see it to remember that it's there. This is a problem when my monitor real estate is limited. Another part of me uses and enjoys (needs?) categorizing and filing to create a sense of order and flow. I tend to store files, bookmarks, and other information in folders; try to use consistent taxonomy; and try to ensure that I can find my stuff on any device I use (enter cloud storage and consolidated task lists, calendars, etc.). This is a personal challenge, and I've experienced it as a communal challenge when (re)designing a file management system for my department at work--essentially converting a Windows Explorer solution into a browser-based solution: SharePoint. (SharePoint, of course, does much more than file management. Ahhh, I miss it!) SharePoint allows users to put things in folders, but alternatively to tag items or files with metadata using shared taxonomy and then plopping them all into one bucket. The trick is in knowing how much metadata to use based on expected search+retrieve needs. Teachers seem to operate pretty independently, so maybe this isn't necessary, but what if teachers in one school, or teachers teaching the same subject in Alberta, want to easily share resources in a common environment outside of the Learn Alberta website? Does that happen? Do they just Tweet each other for stuff? What if you wanted to develop and share resources just among your class and help teach them these kinds of information management skills? Does social bookmarking cut it? |
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