Class+Summaries

Kimberly's Summary

I want to begin by saying how much I have enjoyed working with you ladies. You have offered numerous resources that have assisted me in learning more about DI and UDL and given me several ideas that I can incorporate in my classroom in the coming years. As we have all come to know, UDL and DI incorporation does not happen overnight, but it is a step-by-step process, adding ideas here and there as we see fit. It also includes a great deal of flexibility on our part as we begin to let loose of the reigns and allow students creative freedom.

The first form of technology that I plan on using is online surveys. We have discovered numerous sites that offer learning style inventories and tests, as well as website where we can create our own questions. The use of these surveys can help to gain needed information on the type of presenting and learning that needs to take place in my classroom, so that every child has an opportunity to learn.

I also plan on using more forms of technology for assessments. Instead of leaning towards multiple-choice style tests, I can have my students create wikipages, voicethreads, or concetps maps to demonstrate their knowledge of a topic.

I also want to open up my classroom to more global activites. I feel that my students would gain so much knowledge and enjoyment from connecting with other students all over the United States and the world. There are several activities such as the Flat Stanley and Flat Classroom projects that I want to learn more about so that I can begin to incorporate them in my class.

Melody's summary

I agree With Kimberly, I have enjoyed working with both of you. I particularly liked our Skype conversation. It was just another example of the benefit technology can be in working collaboratively. I would like to use more of Skype in my classroom this next year. I want to give students the opportunity to use Voice Thread to share their work and then follow with conversation using Voice Thread. Part of the reference to product produced in differentiated instruction was the importance of having an authentic audience. Using Voice Thread and Skype allows for that focus. Another technology tool I would like to use to differentiate instruction would be the use of a wiki page to partner up students with similar interests to collaborate on sharing resources just like we have done for this course.

Learning and understanding more about UDL and DI has allowed me to see the importance about using student interest in the classroom. It has also made me more aware of the importance of looking at the product, process, and product to examine each for how it can be differentiated to better support my learners and help them reach the standards, but giving student options in demonstrating mastery and learning. I plan to keep that awareness in my planning, assessing, creating, designing, conferring, and so much more when it comes to my practices as a teacher.

Cristina's summary

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you ladies. The Skype conversation was my favorite and I would like to thank you both again for helping me out being that it was my first time using Skype. You both provided me with such wonderful resources that I cannot wait to use with my own students!

One idea I plan to use in my classroom next year is surveying. It is a strategy I used in the past to assess my students, but for some reason I stopped using them. It is a great way to figure out your students and teach them things that they don't already know. In my writing class I have children at all levels and I dread having students that aren't being challenged. If I knew what my students already knew, I could group students according to their understanding of a concept and level my activities.

By doing this I would be incorporating differentiated instruction into the classroom. One way in which I plan to incorporate this is with projects. I plan to give students many more options next year. Those students who are bored with the traditional essay final product can produce something a little more challenging like a VoiceThread or a podcast. This will allow students to work with technology as well as challenge themselves.