This week was exactly what is was set up to be. This content challenged me to think deeper and reflect on not only my own teaching but also taking the time to reflect on two of my peers lesson planing based on different perspectives. I realized the challenge of creating the "perfect" lesson plan as I worked through the content this week, as a teacher you have to think of all these different lenses and strive to maximize learning for every student in your classroom. Through the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as well as intersectionality, I learned more about how as an educator I can better take down the barriers many have in the classroom as well as oppress the discrimination that may take place within a daily lesson. There are many videos that I watched during the course of this week that stuck with me as well as provided me a better understanding as I explored these two important findings. Let's dive in! Coming into this week, I brought background knowledge about UDL with me from previous college courses that I took but what is Universal Design for learning better known as UDL? After watching the video, UDL At A Glance, CAST states that, "UDL is an approach to learning that minimizes barriers and maximizes learning for all students" (2011). The students in our classrooms today all bring different strengths and background knowledge with them. It is important that we use the curriculum and skills to challenge and engage all learners. This video progresses on to discuss three UDL principles this includes representation, action and expression, and engagement. CAST states that representation includes, "showing the information in different ways," while action and expression, "allow your students to approach learning tasks and demonstrate what they know in different ways" and lastly, engagement, "offer options that engage students and keep their interest" (2011). As I think about ways to include all three of these principles into my classroom I think about using hands on activities, providing visual and media along with explanations, having students work with their peers, choosing content that students can relate to in and out of school. The list can go on, however, having this UDL mindset when teaching can create for more useful and meaningful lessons for students. As I take these ideas back to my second grade classroom, my main goal is to continue to provide a variety of options for my students to help support their strengths and their findings while in my classroom. What is intersectionality? I asked myself that question at the beginning of this week. Diving into intersectionality was brand new for me this week and a word that I was not familiar with before this course. From reading and watching a video from about, Breaking Down the ABCs of Intersectionality, I learned that intersectionality is the "multiple avenues of discrimination that people face when their identity encompasses a number of minority categories, connected to thinks like race, gender, class and sexuality" (Katz, 2017). If you take a look at the image above you can see how a variety of students overlap into multiple areas of oppression. Due to the issues around discrimination, it can be important to provide a variety of information and experiences within your lesson and to make sure you are encompassing all perspectives that fit to the students in your classroom. How can I as a second grade teacher work toward creating a classroom that supports all my students? This is where I need to look at my lesson plans through different lenses when creating them and instructing. Having the UDL lens will create more effective and authentic lessons while with an intersectionality lens I can provide a discrimination free content and media. As we head into August and gear up for a new school year I will strive to be more aware of these lenses when prepping for my second graders! Resources:
Leduc, J. (2019, June 18). Reframing Universal Design for Learning. [Image]. https://www.3playmedia.com/2019/02/11/reframing-universal-design-for-learning/ CAST. (2011). UDL At A Glance. Youtube. ttp://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.Xxr6wPhKjAO Katz, B. (2017, August 29). This Video Breaks Down the ABCs of Intersectionality. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-intersectionality-video-breaks-down-basics-180964665/ Taylor, B. (2019, November 24). Intersectionality 101: what is it and why is it important?. [Image]. https://www.womankind.org.uk/blog/detail/our-blog/2019/11/24/intersectionality-101-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important
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