INTASC+Standard+07

__INTASC Standard 07__

The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.

__Specific Category of Standard 07__

INTASC.7.A. The teacher understands learning theory, subject matter, curriculum development, and student development and knows how to use this knowledge in planning instruction to meet curriculum goals.

INTASC.7.H. The teacher plans for learning opportunities that recognize and address variation in learning styles and performance modes.

__Understanding Sentence__

The teacher plans activities based on what he or she knows about the subject matter, students, the school and surrounding community, and the goals for instruction.

__Artifacts__
 * Chapter 2 Reflection: Understanding your students (Borich, Effective Teaching Methods, 6th edition)
 * Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Lesson plan: Cells (6th Grade)

__Reflect__

The Chapter 2 Reflection is a summary and reflection that I completed on chapter 2 from Borich's //Effective Teaching Methods.// The Chapter 2 Reflection directly relates to INTASC.7.A. in that it focuses on how to adapt instruction to meet the needs of students, how learning theories affect instruction, how diversity in the classroom affects instruction, as well as how a student's peers and family affect the student's performance and motivation at school. Completing a reflection on this chapter helped me examine what I believe about students' learning and how to adapt instruction to fit the needs of all my students and not an ideal "norm" group. Reading about learning theories that I had learned about previously also helped to reinforce what I know and how to connect what I do as a teacher to the learning theories. The SIOP Lesson Plan was an assignment that I completed with a partner, typed in Microsoft Word, and presented in PowerPoint form. The SIOP lesson plan directly relates to INTASC.7.H in that it is an example of modified instruction to meet different learning styles (kinesthetic, sensory, visual, auditory) and also to fit the needs of English Language Learners. Doing this assignment was challenging because my partner and I knew what we wanted to do, how we wanted to do it, but trying to put it all on paper in an organized fashion was difficult.

__Project__

My chapter 2 reflection reveals that I am still absorbing the information that I am presented with in class. As I continue to take classes and work in the classroom, I know that I will have many more chances to apply what I think I know and adapt it to what I will eventually come to learn when working with students. This reflection says that my evolving philosophy is not yet set in stone. Although, I do not think that it ever will be a permanent belief system and may continue to evolve over the years as more is uncovered through research studies and experience about how students learn and develop.

The SIOP lesson plan reflects the kind of teacher that I am becoming. It shows that I am willing and able to adapt instruction, consider my students' needs and fears, consider how I can engage my students in their learning, and that I have the ability to work cooperatively with another colleague (my partner). This artifact shows that I am not afraid to get directly involved with a project and work with concrete materials to help myself and my students remember what they are learning.