Creating a Unit PlanCreating a Unit PlanChastity.docx
- 1. Creating a Unit Plan Creating a Unit Plan Chastity Jones Laura Wilde 07/07/2014 EDU673: Instruct. Strat. for Differentiated Teach & Learn Introduction Classroom unit plans are documents used by teachers to map long-term plan throughout the school term or a year. Teachers should have a long-term unit plan that sets their goals and objectives throughout the term in a bid to enhance student performance. Teachers should be able to understand their students as different students come from different backgrounds and environment; exhibiting different personalities, traits, and intellectual capabilities. Students behave differently whenever they are in school and at home and this defines their ultimate achievement. Some students come from very poor background while others come from rich families and this could contribute to the variations in academic performances; which is the ultimate goal
- 2. behind learning institutions. Lack of enough learning materials such as stationeries and classrooms could reduce leaning efficiency. Some of the students are drug addicts and lack proper parental guidelines leading them to mischievous behaviors’ thus creating an environment not conducive for studying. A well designed unit plan will enable teachers to plan their work well and this l also favors the weak students who cannot perform very well in class. First Step: Identification of the objective The first thing that a teacher should do is to identify the content, unit title and the unit subject. The teacher should identify the area of study and the specific topics to be studied over that specific period. A mathematics teacher for example may decide on the topics to study such as algebra, subtraction, multiplication and division. However, teachers should be able to understand their learning objectives in creating a big goal and a long-term plan. The teacher should also be able to create two measurable unit objectives that will enable students to think critically as like align with the CCSS. A Physics teacher for example should make students to think critically in their practical work. Teachers should be able to create a description of what they want their students to master and understand. Taking students out in the field will really make them understand what they are studying. An Environmental teacher for example should take students out for field studies to make them think critically through exposure. Second step: Evidence of learning, pre-assessments, formative assessments and summative assessments. · Pre-assessment: In this step, teacher should be able to detect the preparedness of the students. They should test the thinking of the students if indeed their thoughts are in the content of the subject that is about to be studied. In this case, teachers should be able to understand the interest and capability of the students
- 3. before the learning process begin. Besides that, teachers should be to identify the learning materials. · Formative assessment: Universal Design for Learning is needed in formative assessment. UDL is a framework that determines how students study in a unique style. UDL framework helps teachers to understand how students are performing. It has three principles that guide it. The three principles are; enabling options during presentation, expression and participation of the students. · Summative assessment: Students should be given assessment to test their understanding. Summative assessment helps students to present, express their understanding and participate with their teacher in the learning process. Presentation enables students to provide choices for discernment and comprehension. Expression enables students to express what they feel physically through training verbally. Participation of students makes students to gain interest and hard work during the course. Third step: Developing activities and experiences These stages involve molding learning styles to identify capabilities and curiosity of the students. Teachers should be able to organize their lessons in correct way that shows the relevance of the study and ensuring that learners are able to practice what they have learned. Good teachers organize their unit plan well for towards to attaining their set objectives. There should be an expected result and a summative unit assessment. This enables teachers to focus their goals into objectives and table their objectives on the school calendar for easy work that runs to the long-term. Conclusion In conclusion, unit plans are very important for teachers and it makes their work in school easier and this leads to good performers. Unit plans ensures that teachers are aware of their daily plans and they report to school having known what to do.
- 4. However, environmental issues should be considered for the good performance of the students. Classrooms full of students with no enough teachers will definitely perform poorly. Furniture should be available to enable students sit comfortably and stationeries such as books, pens and chalks should be made available for students. Unit plans are very important in any learning institution for it makes learning and the entire teaching practice effective and efficient. References: Puckett, K (2013). Differentiating Instruction: A Practical Guide. Bridgepoint Education: San Diego, CA. Willis, J. (2007). Research-based strategies to ignite student learning: Insights from a neurologist and classroom teacher. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Wolfe, P. (2001). Brain matters: Translating research into classroom practice. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Chapman, C. And King, R. (2005) Differentiated assessment strategies: One tool doesn’t fit all. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press. Eat Smart for a Great Start Newsletter. (2003, January 3). PBS. Retrieved July 27, 2014, from http://www.pbs.org/parents/child- development/sensory-play/developing-and-cultivating-skills- through-sensory-play/ Assessment for Learning (Formative Assessment). (2014, January 15). Features. Retrieved July 27, 2014, from https://www.educateiowa.gov/pk-12/student- assessment/assessment-learning-formative-assessment 1
- 5. Setting the Stage for Success Setting the Stage for Success Chastity Jones Laura Wilde 07/07/2014 EDU673: Instruct. Strat. for Differentiated Teach & Learn Success for the students in school does not only result from the instructions given by the teachers, but also by the way the school environment is set. The environment in which the students carry put their studies is crucial for their success. A well designed school environment makes the students secure and comfortable and ready to learn. Accepting environment makes the students motivated and ready to study. The results that the school records from this environment are higher than what it could have been if the environment was not designed well. The designers of a school therefore should design a school in such a way that the environment for the students will be conducive for leaning and should meet the needs of all the students. The subject area is the elementary level where the students are active learners who need good instructions to be
- 6. given to help them develop good behavior and succeed in their learning environment. The students on subject; include all the students of different genders, abilities and students with various needs. In designing a classroom environment, the building should be located in a place where there is minimal or no disturbance at all. The quiet and without any distraction that may distract the students attention. For example, the building should be away from the road where there are cars passing or away from the industries where there is a lot of noise being produced. According to Wolfe, P. (2001), attention is the first tool that we use to learn since through our attention, we are able to get what is said or what we are learning. The students are supposed to focus at one thing at a time to allow coding of correct information. Disturbance therefore should be minimal for learning to be successful. The environment should also be flexible and allow for students collaboration in school. This will enable the students to carry out their discussion and help one another. Also, it should be located in a place where all the students including the physically challenged are able to access easily. The arrangement of a classroom should be made in a way that furniture be arranged in such a way that the students seat facing the chalk or the white board where the teacher writes on. This will ensure that the students get the right information being taught by the teacher. The furniture in a class should be made in a way that all the students including those who have the physical needs are able to use them. This will not limit some students on the basis of biological difference. All the classrooms should be spacious to avoid congestion. Enough space in the classroom will make the students comfortable in their learning. Spacious classrooms will allow free circulation of fresh air in the classroom. The number of students is supposed to be proportional to the space available for them. They are not supposed to be congested in the class because congestion will create discomfort among the students,
- 7. therefore making them unable to learn properly. The number of students should also be small for easy management and delivery of information by the teacher or the instructor. For example, there should be 20 to 30 students per class for easy management and instruction giving by the teacher. The class should also be well lit to make it easy for the students to read the texts or any other written material. A well-lit class reduces the stress that is associated with the students straining to read their learning materials. Reduced stress in learning will make the students enjoy their learning and therefore excel in their learning. Class composition also influences how the students perform. Students should be put together including those of different sex or those within different abilities and needs. In doing so, the students will feel not discriminated on some ground and therefore become ready to learn. There is also support and cooperation among the students. This will help the students help one another in areas where they have some weaknesses. Willis, J. (2007) in his research found that classrooms with highly cooperative groups of students have students with positive views of fairness in grading, stronger class cohesion, and strong social support. Female students for example have been found to prefer working with others students when studying and when solving their classroom problems. According to Willis, J. (2007) some girls do better in math and science particularly when separated from male students but other perform with no difference when in a mixed-sex classroom. There are also strategies that have been found to promote positive behaviors among the students in school. Training teachers to integrate values instruction into the class management is a strategy that can help in creating positive behaviors in class. According to Chapman, C and King, R. (2005), teachers should allow the students to take part in any decision making that the students issues may be touched. In doing so, the students will develop an understanding of their responsibilities in life together with the skills. Another strategy
- 8. is to promote a caring community in the school. In some occasions, the teachers should mix the older and the young students in one classroom so that the older students help the younger students by teaching them what to do when in school. In doing so, the students will develop the positive behaviors. Encourage teachers to use positive discipline practices. Teachers should avoid threatening or punishing the students when they do a mistake. Instead they should look for positive ways of helping them correct their mistakes. The teachers should use consistent positive disciplinary practices for example clear expectations, discussions, and modeling. In doing so, the students will adopt the positive behavior that is desirable by everybody. The school should have clear rules and regulations that regulate the students’ behaviors. They should also have clear designed routine programs on how things should be done. References: Puckett, K (2013). Differentiating Instruction: A Practical Guide. Bridgepoint Education: San Diego, CA. Willis, J. (2007). Research-based strategies to ignite student learning: Insights from a neurologist and classroom teacher. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Wolfe, P. (2001). Brain matters: Translating research into classroom practice. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Chapman, C. And King, R. (2005) Differentiated assessment strategies: One tool doesn’t fit all. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press. 2 Differentiated assessment and teaching strategies
- 9. Differentiated assessment and teaching strategies Chastity Jones Laura Wilde 07/14/2014 EDU673: Instruct. Strat. for Differentiated Teach & Learn Differentiated assessment is a progressing process of evaluation where tutors gather information and data before, during and after tutoring which is aimed to better facilitate learning. The process ensures success for all students in the differentiated classes with data provided from a variety of sources assisting in giving an indication of overall students' achievement. In this process, students are provided with various tasks that are replicas of real life scenarios enabling students to acquire living skills and also enabling the instructor to assess whether students have acquired the skills. Differentiated assessment assists tutors to come up with effective teaching strategies. These various
- 10. effective strategies to improve differential assessment and teaching they include: 1) Differentiate Through Teams Homogeneous grouping can be an effective way to differentiate in assessment. During novel or a literature projects, it is advised to separate students into different reading levels. In this way, groups that need extra instruction can receive it without feeling that they are pulling the others behind. Suitable times have to be designated for breaking up the class for differentiated instruction. 2) Reflection and Goal Setting Reflection is an essential component of differentiated assessment. Throughout the project, students should be reflecting on their work and setting goals for further learning. Students can then use this opportunity to receive training for the specific goals that they have set and for you to target instruction specific to the goals they set. 3) Mini-Lessons This is an effective strategy which mainly aims at reducing boredom in classes. It has been noted that when lessons tend to be too long, it becomes hard for students to maintain high levels of concentration and at times they tend to drift away. So as to cab this, it is important for educators to use mini lessons; this helps students to stay alert all through the lessons. 4) Diagnostic Testing Diagnostic testing or formative assessments may or may not look the same for all students. Students show what they have learned in different ways. Formative assessments should be carried out in different ways as the levels of understanding are also checked. Formative tests can be differentiated through various ways such as oral delivery, written responses and use of graphics or collages. 5) Balance Teamwork and Individual Work “Teamwork and collaboration occurs regularly in a project. As
- 11. much as collaboration is needed in the delivery of content, individual instruction may be required by a student. A balance is required between both learning techniques, so as to provide a 21st century collaborative environment while at the same time meeting students’ needs individually.” Be sure to assert collaborative work but take a break from teamwork from time to time to allow students to work individually. A student’s learning environment needs to be differentiated as some students learn faster alone while others learn faster as a group. The Common Core State Standards Initiative is an educational initiative in America that focuses on what K-12 students should know in English language arts and mathematics at the end of each grade starting from the first grade up to the twelfth grade. The initiative, which is sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), aims at establishing consistent educational standards across the states as well as ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to enter credit-bearing courses at two- or four-year college programs or enter the workforce. CCSS is aimed at imparting significant life skills to students in American high schools. These skills are essential, not just in college but also in real life working experience. The Common Core State Standards will undoubtedly have great impact especially in teachers. Teachers will be forced to come up with a whole new way of approaching lessons in order for their students to be successful in CCSS. Teachers will have to plan high-leveled thinking lessons since CCSS is a rigorous process and a lot of pressure will be placed on teachers whose students will be performing poorly. Schools will need to hire specialists to help improve performance of poor performing students. The impact on students is expected to be immense since they are the ones who will benefit most from CCSS. They will be better prepared for college and thus students graduating from high school will have essential skills to face college which in turn will lead to better performance in colleges. Also parents will be involved more than ever in their children's education to
- 12. help them overcome challenges which may be posed by CCSS. They will have to ensure that assignment given are completed in due time. Also states will be able to compare performances of their students. Mathematics standards of the CCSS are tailored to address the problems of the current curriculum which is not as effective as the CCSS. The standards are very more clear and specific. They will focus more on stressing concepts in a more organized way. The standards will be a bit high since they are aimed at preparing students for college math skills. Also the English literature arts standards require that students read a lot of literature and more complex texts that provide facts. Students will be tested on their comprehension of the texts and may be required to refer back to the texts. CCSS is intended to be a rigorous process and more involving. Differentiated assessment will come in handy to help not only educators to assess the students' comprehension but also, the students themselves since it will be more learner friendly. In mathematics, educators will put into use mini lessons so as to ensure the students do not get bored during the lessons, also differentiated formative assessment so as students can show what they have learnt in different ways which are convenient to them. Through creation of teams, students can be able to comprehend complicated mathematical formulas by the help of their classmates, but since some students learn more when alone it would be better to differentiate between teamwork and individual work. These techniques will also apply for English literature arts.
- 13. Reference: Puckett, K (2013). Differentiating Instruction: A Practical Guide. Bridgepoint Education: San Diego, CA. 4