INTASC 3: I understand that not all students learn the same way. I address this issue by creating lessons that appeal to a wide range of learning styles and approaches. I do this by mixing up my lessons and allowing students to work together and collaborate as well as using a variety of techniques to teach lessons. These techniques range from group discussions, to short 5 minute or less lectures, to Powerpoint, as well as the use of music in teaching lessons. I also address diverse learners by circling the room during work time, giving students support and one on one help as they need it.
INTASC 4: Similarly to standard 3 I use the same strategies and teaching methods to encourage students to critically think and problem solve as well as create skills that they will need to successfuly preform in class as well as prepairing students to successfully preform in their future endeavors such as college or the work place. The main way in which I get students to critically think and problem solve is by creating a classroom environment in which the students are comfortable sharing and participating in, as well as questioning what they are learning and its significance. Students are more likely to participate if they feel like their responses are heard and valued and that the teacher actually cares what they think and how they feel about issues. I do this by giving everyone a chance to speak and participate. If the student responds too quietly I have them repeat what they said so I do miss interpret or appear too autocratic. Students seem to respond well to this and participation has gone up from the time I began using these methods until the present. Another way to encourage problem solving and critical thinking is by asking questions that do not have a yes or no answer, questions that cause the student to think before responding such as "Why do you think it people thought it was important to create the story of John Henry"? For thought provoking questions such as that students can talk to their partners to collaborate and formulate an answer. This method teaches them that if they can not think of an answer entirely on their own that another person may be able to help or add in an angle that the other student hadn't looked at. One way that I plan on teaching students performance skills, but have not had the opportunity to do in actual practice, is by teaching them note taking and study skills. A student is far more likely to succeed if they now how to study as well as take effective notes that they can understand later. These skill are especially important for college as well as the work place and can be taught in any content area. I would accomplish this by modeling ways to take notes as well as how to study and what to look for. This can be done within a lesson and will not distract from the learning of the unit or lesson.
