I would have to say every student in my classroom can fall into the category of diverse learner somehow. There is not a definition that every student falls into together, they are each unique. There are several kinds of diverse learners in my classroom. I have had the opportunity to teach 2 students on the Autisim scale, several gifted students as well as a fair amount of students who qualified for Special Education based on differing learning disabilities. Each student I have had the privilege of teaching has learned differently from their peers. Some of them I identified easily with because we were both Verbal-Linguistic learners. Other students were more difficult for me to understand and reach because they fell into different categories of Howard Gardner’s Multiple Learning Styles (Edutopia Staff, Learning Styles: The Multiple Intelligences Redefine Smart). So student diversity can be pigeon- holed into how students learn, or we can look at the other aspects that make up student diversity: ethnic background, socio-economic status, and educational needs. The vast majority of my students have all been native English speakers. There are a few non-primary English speaking families in our community, but I have yet to teach their children. There is a great disparity in the financial culture that makes up our small community. There are different neighborhoods and housing developments in town that are home to different kinds of families. Some of them struggle daily with poverty and students come to school hungry after a weekend at home. Other families are donating to our school food pantry so we can send those who are hungry home with a few snacks to tide them over the weekends.
What do you do or can you do to meet the needs of diverse learners. Are you creating Multicultural lessons, Multiple Intelligence Projects, and/or specific assistive technologies for students with special needs?
I don’t think I am doing enough to create multicultural lessons. I try to focus on the differences my students bring to the table and make them a positive thing, pointing out how its great they all are able to have a different opinion, that we aren’t a bunch of robots that have to think exactly the same. Being a history teacher, it’s my job to help my students see all sides of a story. One of the first things I tell them at the start of the year is that I will never tell them what to think about something. I will tell them the story, we will look at differing perspectives together and then they must come to their own conclusions. As far as specific lessons, it’s definitely something I need to work on/be challenged to do.
I need to do a better job of offering students more opportunities to learn based upon their Multiple Intelligence Level. My science teacher does a great job of finding out which learning style a student is and then has pre-arranged activities students can choose to do for each unit based on their learning style. It sounds like a lot of work, but when I step back and look at the different ways I present material throughout the year, it wouldn’t be all that difficult to incorporate more opportunities for students to experience their learning in the way that makes the most sense for them.
Before reading the provided articles, I was unaware of the different assistive technologies available for students with special needs. I had a student this year with Autism who became very dear to my heart. I would watch him struggle with interacting with his peers, get frustrated with me, get frustrated with himself and have moments where he would just break down, frustrated to pieces that he couldn’t get out what he was trying to say or ask. I found the iPad PUSH product incredibly interesting (Stansbury, New assistive technology research focuses on iPad, communication skills). It makes me wonder if my buddy might have a less frustrating time in the future with peer and teacher interaction if he had access to such a technology. He worked weekly with our school psychologist and social worker in a boy’s lunch group where he was able to practice social skills and spend some time with boys his age who volunteered to get to know him. I wonder how much more effective the PUSH would be for him; removing the awkward moments where he interacted in a less than pleasant way. Would this technology make his classroom interactions less painful for himself and his peers? Could learning how to use a new piece of technology make his goal of consistent social interaction more attainable? I am not using any assistive technology at the moment, but just learning about what is available for students who I grew so close to is very exciting!
Reflective Journal:
In creating lessons for my students, most times I don’t go too much further than thinking about what modifications I need to allow for or make for my SPED students. I am aware of the racial diversity in my classroom and community and feel that as a history teacher, I do a good job of exploring and discussing the differences there. My students have become very comfortable with discussing tough issues and asking hard questions – I feel that the expectations I set, and example I try to live for my students lend to creating this kind of environment. It would serve myself and my students well if I were to take the time to incorporate something for more than just 1-2 Multiple-Intelligence Learning styles into a lesson or activity. It was difficult for me to accept that not all of my students have computer access at home. Some of them can get themselves to the public library to use the Internet, but some don’t have that option. I have to be realistic in my expectation of what students have available outside of the school day. I would like to have the opportunity/access to 5 classroom laptops that students could hop on for different activities throughout the day. I think it would be especially awesome to have access to Mac books for student use. Their video editing programs are so user-friendly and after the battles I’ve had with the current program we use, I have a few bald spots. I would like to see my students produce short films or biographical reports by creating their own mini-movies that their peers could watch and critique for historical accuracy, continually demonstrating their understanding and knowledge of content. This is just one small idea I have that every one of my diverse learners could be a part of. Their unique learning style, comfort/understanding of technology, or pace of learning could determine their role/help them choose what they would do; design, acting, song-writing, research, interviewing, etc. They would inadvertently be teaching their peers as well as creating a product they would be so very proud of. The downside to this dream is the reality – each Mac book cost $899 (http://www.apple.com/) and I have been told that our district’s Internet/software systems are incompatible with Macs. I think it would be wonderful to give students this opportunity that would eventually open the door to other “expensive” technologies that most students in our community would otherwise never have the chance to play with and learn about.
Ashely, thanks for your honesty about your students. I feel many of the same feelings. I like you thinking about creating multiple activities based on students' learning style. I have been thinking about doing this in my technology class. I was given some information from a gifted teacher who had a "menu" of activities ranging in points. The students could choose their own activities as long as it equaled a certain amount of points. It was an interesting idea and could be very successful. Your students are lucky to have such a reflective teacher!
ReplyDeleteAshley,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your post. In my position I very rarely get to work with SPED students; however, I have had the opportunity to offer in-class support in a second grade classroom with 2 autistic students. The idea you share of the iPad PUSH is something I had never known existed. How cool could this tool be?!! I will share this technology with my school, although I am sure with budget cuts this isn't something they will be able to provide. Thanks for sharing!
Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI so appreciate your candor and openness in regard to your classroom. I think that it must be very challenging to work with the diversity that you have and that technology may be very difficult to incorporate as your students may not have access except in your classroom.
I love that you want the students to do a video history of themselves. Think about if we would have had that, it would be so helpful to go back and look at the growth and change we go through. What a great tool for their children, grandchildren. Also what a great learning tool to perform editing. That takes a great deal of concentration, focus, organization and creativity.
Your students are very fortunate to have you since you seem so sensitive to all of their needs.
I also agree that each student/person is unique, we do have to look at each as an individual.
Thank you, I learned a great deal.
Janice
Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated your honesty in sharing how you feel you need to continue to grow in developing lessons which address multiculturalism and the multiple intelligences. For me, I would put this into the even broader category of "differentiation." I feel like this is a buzz word in education right now but not something that a lot of educators feel like they do overly well. For me, part of the difficulty is knowing how to not make the planning process of differentiation so drawn out. When I think of all the different learning styles my students bring into the classroom and trying to meet all those needs, I get a little overwhelmed. I appreciated knowing that there are others like me who really want to differentiate but sometimes struggle to know how.
I thought your reflection piece on the student with autism was really insightful. For me, so much of my lack of using technology is just not knowing what's available. I'm hoping that I will come away from this Master's program ready to bring ideas back to my school how we can really use technology to help our students become 21st century learners. Isn't it awesome to think what could be done for students like the one you shared about and what a better learning environment we could create for these students through using technology?
Thank you for your candor, and I can see your heart for students shining through in all of your comments!
Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI know Nate did a grant to get some classroom macs in his room in Olathe. I am not sure if it was through Olathe or a national thing.. I'll ask him. He has done some cool activities with them. Biographical reports are cool. If you cant do video there are some easy and cheap free options for recording voice only. This could work and be easier and cheaper to do. Wish I taught history, its still my passion.
~Jon