As I reflect on what I have learned in the Content Area Assessment course, I definitely see room for improvement in my teaching. I can see three main areas that need work.
First, I need to differentiate my teaching for ELLs and higher level students. Because I used to be a Resource Specialist, I am good at differentiating instruction for students with disabilities or for the lower 1/3 of the class. However, I have neglected to differentiate my assignments for English Language Learners and higher performing students. I think I have not done this because I have had only one ELL in the past, and have never had any high performers! So, this is new territory for me.
Next, I really need to incorporate more technology into my teaching. Reviewing the NETS standards has been incredibly helpful for me because I have had time to reflect on what I have achieved and areas that I need to incorporate technology. Short of using google docs, remind.com, and the smartboard, I really haven't incorporated technology. This is sad considering how many resources there are available and how they can provide a much more dynamic learning environment for students.
Finally, I need to incorporate more student choice and project-based learning into my teaching. Currently, my students are given a writing assignment or worksheet and are guided through completion. This is acceptable, but not desirable. What I need to be doing is giving students choices of many different projects they can complete to meet the standards and learning targets. Allowing students to have choices is useful because it allows them to show what they know through an assessment that reflects their best learning modality. It also gives students choice in and ownership of their education.
So, while I am doing an acceptable job teaching, my students would benefit by me making improvements to my teaching and assessment style.
