Differentiation
Differentiation within my classes happens all the time as I get to know my students and their abilities. For example, in my Alternative Education English 9 class, I found that 8 of my 13 students were struggling with work completion for various reasons. For one student, I created an independent study that she works on within the class block and for another student, I removed him from the class completely and work with him one on one during my prep period. Their needs were more around behavioral and attention issues. With the remaining students in the class, I give a lot of choices so as to meet their various academic needs. The district expects all students to succeed academically and graduate, therefore differentiation must be used to accomplish this goal. If students are not meeting the standards within a classroom, a Core Lab is offered, giving students extra time and help to complete assignments. There is Credit Recovery, where students can go back and complete the standards they have not met.
There are many ways I can see using iTU, especially within my Alternative Education courses. For example, I have one student who didn't complete standards in ecology last year, and has been in and out of school this year. Meeting with her face to face doesn’t work. She is very capable academically, but has outside issues standing in her way. I am going to use E.O.Wilson’s course with her to complete the standards she missed last year. With his course, I can pick and choose the sections I need her to complete. I do need to figure out what type of assignment expectations I want her to complete which can be a bit more challenging
Differentiation within my classes happens all the time as I get to know my students and their abilities. For example, in my Alternative Education English 9 class, I found that 8 of my 13 students were struggling with work completion for various reasons. For one student, I created an independent study that she works on within the class block and for another student, I removed him from the class completely and work with him one on one during my prep period. Their needs were more around behavioral and attention issues. With the remaining students in the class, I give a lot of choices so as to meet their various academic needs. The district expects all students to succeed academically and graduate, therefore differentiation must be used to accomplish this goal. If students are not meeting the standards within a classroom, a Core Lab is offered, giving students extra time and help to complete assignments. There is Credit Recovery, where students can go back and complete the standards they have not met.
There are many ways I can see using iTU, especially within my Alternative Education courses. For example, I have one student who didn't complete standards in ecology last year, and has been in and out of school this year. Meeting with her face to face doesn’t work. She is very capable academically, but has outside issues standing in her way. I am going to use E.O.Wilson’s course with her to complete the standards she missed last year. With his course, I can pick and choose the sections I need her to complete. I do need to figure out what type of assignment expectations I want her to complete which can be a bit more challenging
I teach three different content areas and curate them in different ways. In English 9 everything is done through e- backpack and my website. In my other two subject areas, it is a hodgepodge of face to face and email. iTU would make credit recovery in Alternerative Education much easier. In addition, there are other courses I have taught in the past, that I could offer through iTU, that currently don’t fit into my teaching schedule. I don’t know how much time it would take to manage these courses in addition to my regular load and that is a concern.
Curriculum
In English 9, the order of topics is already set with the department. I would determine the pace based on previous years experiences. I receive support through the technology integrator and other team teachers. In my Alternative Education course, the topics and order vary depending on the students and this goes along with the pacing as well. I don’t have as much support with the curriculum since I am the only one teaching those two courses. I am able to alter the material in all courses that I teach, but I do think iTU would help in the process especially for the at risk students that I know. For me, iTU would help me to organize the material I already have in a way that makes more sense.
Blog change
I added my Twitter link to my blog that way if people see a post on my Twitter page that is interesting to them, they could follow it as well. I also changed the name, which sounded more appealing.
Very nice work! I haven't had a chance to explore with Twitter, but may need to see what it is all about soon!
ReplyDeleteTania,
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have some flexibility around differentiation. It really can be difficult when a student's learning is impacted by their behavior and work ethic. I have a few students like this as well. Unfortunately, there is very little time during the day to pull the students for additional 1:1 time. Usually, I have them stay after school, but this too can be difficult if other students stay as well. I'm glad your schedule allows for the ability to work with students in different settings.
Although it is my planning time, I have two other teachers in the program who can offer support as well. Staying after school can be a challenge for me with my family and the commute. Tania
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of using iTU for credit recovery for the students in Alternative Education. I've worked with a few students in our Alternative Ed program (called Zenith). It has been challenging to help them complete my curriculum, even with all of the information on my wikispace. I think an iTU course would be helpful, particularly for the students, who didn't have access to the Internet at home. I have found that it does take quite a bit of time to work with students in the directed study, which is what you'd be doing with the iTU course. I have additional responsibilities to teaching, but don't have all of the class sections that other teachers do. That gives me more time to oversee the directed study students.
ReplyDeleteI agree that iTunes U would be a great fit for the kids who are in an alternative educational setting or to recover credits.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea using iTU for ad. ed. courses. When I started out I had a part time music and tutoring program for suspended teens who had iep's. Getting work from teachers was a mess and half the time students did not show up. iTU would have solved a lot of problems for me also.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of using iTU for alt ed. Do you have any idea if there are courses already out there that would meet the requirements for school credit. I'm certainly going to pass this along!
ReplyDeleteI don't know but in our school admin is always talking about alternative pathways to graduation. iTU can be one of those alternatives.
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