InTASC Standard #2: Learning Differences
- The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
To best show my competence in InTASC standard #2 (Learning Differences) I will show that I understand individual differences in my students. I will also show how I meet the needs of diverse culture and community’s learning.
My first artifact is an example of student work on a survey I asked them to complete. At the beginning of each lesson I have the class watch a video on the upcoming topic. I ask the students to write down any questions that they might have about the topic that they would like to learn more about. This particular video was about bacteria and how they can talk. Many students were interested in how the bacteria form symbiotic relationships with animals. I used this point of interest to model my lessons to best fit the differences in each class.
My second artifact is the PowerPoint I created that uses the surveys information on the individuals’ differences. I incorporated the questions the students asked on their surveys and created a lesson based on their interests. This type of collaboration between my students and I shows how I work to enable each learner to meet standards while also ensuring inclusive learning environments.
My final artifact is a process paper that I wrote in my Multicultural education course while at Loras. It shows my passion for understanding the differences in diverse cultures and communities by exploring the teaching of evolution versus the teaching of intelligent design. I go into much detail about how each cultural idea might best serve the classroom. By looking this deeply into this particular subject, I have shown my deep concern with understanding and using diverse cultures in my classroom.
These artifacts have helped me to grow as a teacher by solidifying in me that each student is different and should be treated as such. By using these individual differences I can better enable those students to meet the high standards I set in my own classroom.
My first artifact is an example of student work on a survey I asked them to complete. At the beginning of each lesson I have the class watch a video on the upcoming topic. I ask the students to write down any questions that they might have about the topic that they would like to learn more about. This particular video was about bacteria and how they can talk. Many students were interested in how the bacteria form symbiotic relationships with animals. I used this point of interest to model my lessons to best fit the differences in each class.
My second artifact is the PowerPoint I created that uses the surveys information on the individuals’ differences. I incorporated the questions the students asked on their surveys and created a lesson based on their interests. This type of collaboration between my students and I shows how I work to enable each learner to meet standards while also ensuring inclusive learning environments.
My final artifact is a process paper that I wrote in my Multicultural education course while at Loras. It shows my passion for understanding the differences in diverse cultures and communities by exploring the teaching of evolution versus the teaching of intelligent design. I go into much detail about how each cultural idea might best serve the classroom. By looking this deeply into this particular subject, I have shown my deep concern with understanding and using diverse cultures in my classroom.
These artifacts have helped me to grow as a teacher by solidifying in me that each student is different and should be treated as such. By using these individual differences I can better enable those students to meet the high standards I set in my own classroom.