Teaching for Learning
Candidates are effective teachers who demonstrate knowledge of learners and learning and who model and promote collaborative planning, instruction in multiple literacies, and inquiry-based learning, enabling members of the learning community to become effective users and creators of ideas and information. Candidates design and implement instruction that engages students' interests and develops their ability to inquire, think critically, gain and share knowledge.
Reflection
Today's school library media specialist should be an invaluable asset to the teachers of their school as they work together to collaboratively plan lessons, instruct their students in multiple literacies using inquiry-based learning methods, and help their students become effective users and developers of ideas and information. Teachers must also be able to conduct an informative learner analysis in order to design lessons that truly match the needs and interests of their learners.
Throughout the program, I am had several opportunities to demonstrate all that I have learned in this area. In FRIT 7234 (Information Fluency and Inquiry Learning) I had the opportunity to create a series of Mini-Lessons designed using the principles of inquiry based learning. My lessons were based on the fifth grade Georgia Performance Standard addressing the key people and events of the Civil Rights movement. Each lesson was designed to improve the digital information fluency of the students in some aspect. The lessons taught the students how to create effective search queries and evaluate web resources. I also included a guiding question for each lesson that was designed to encourage the students to think critically about the topic being presented to them.
In FRIT 7231 (Instructional Design), I was given the opportunity to move through the instructional design process from start to finish. During the course of creating my Instructional Design Unit, I developed instructional goals, conducted a learner analysis, performed a task analysis, outlined instructional objectives, and developed assessments using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The topic for my key assessment was designing effective presentations. Learning more about UDL principles also helped me discover how to differentiate my lessons. This key assessment gave me practice in designing instruction for a targeted group of learners. In this case, the instruction was designed for a group of adult educators. This assessment gave me needed experience if I am called on as an educator in the future to create professional development classes for school staff.
During the Practicum, I had the opportunity to collaborate with an seventh-grade social studies teacher at my primary site to create another instructional design teaching unit on the topic of forms of government and the African governments. This lesson was designed to address an area of weakness identified through testing as well as incorporate aspects of information literacy. Once identified, the lesson was designed to meet the performance standards while also addressing the area of weakness. I also created a Pathfinder for the students to use to guide them in their studies.
Throughout the program, I am had several opportunities to demonstrate all that I have learned in this area. In FRIT 7234 (Information Fluency and Inquiry Learning) I had the opportunity to create a series of Mini-Lessons designed using the principles of inquiry based learning. My lessons were based on the fifth grade Georgia Performance Standard addressing the key people and events of the Civil Rights movement. Each lesson was designed to improve the digital information fluency of the students in some aspect. The lessons taught the students how to create effective search queries and evaluate web resources. I also included a guiding question for each lesson that was designed to encourage the students to think critically about the topic being presented to them.
In FRIT 7231 (Instructional Design), I was given the opportunity to move through the instructional design process from start to finish. During the course of creating my Instructional Design Unit, I developed instructional goals, conducted a learner analysis, performed a task analysis, outlined instructional objectives, and developed assessments using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The topic for my key assessment was designing effective presentations. Learning more about UDL principles also helped me discover how to differentiate my lessons. This key assessment gave me practice in designing instruction for a targeted group of learners. In this case, the instruction was designed for a group of adult educators. This assessment gave me needed experience if I am called on as an educator in the future to create professional development classes for school staff.
During the Practicum, I had the opportunity to collaborate with an seventh-grade social studies teacher at my primary site to create another instructional design teaching unit on the topic of forms of government and the African governments. This lesson was designed to address an area of weakness identified through testing as well as incorporate aspects of information literacy. Once identified, the lesson was designed to meet the performance standards while also addressing the area of weakness. I also created a Pathfinder for the students to use to guide them in their studies.