About My Instruction

Whole Class When whole class lessons require direction instruction it is also mixed with student centered activities and flip charts to make learning more enjoyable.	Math Checkers When students are active and involved in the learning process it makes a world of difference.	Technology The use of appropriate use of technology can drastically change a classroom.
Technology In addition to being an incredibly powerful tool for engaging students, it can also be a means of encouraging collaboration.	Interactive Notes Interactive note are another way to get students to be active participants in their learning.	Pride in their Work In my classes students learn when they do their best and apply themselves the feeling of accomplishment is very rewarding.
Games Games are a way of getting students excited about what they are learning. With good classroom management and clear guidelines, students flourish when learning is fun!	Teacher-Made While I certainly find a lot of inspiration for games in books and online, I also make them from scratch to best meet our learning objectives.	Experiential Learning Some concepts are hard to grasp, so the best way to understand them is to experience them first hand.
Hands-On Learning Tell me, I’ll forget Show me, I’ll remember Involve me, I’ll understand	Hands-On Those light-bulb moments that come when kids experience learning in a new way.	Small Group Instruction I am not sure who enjoys small group instruction more, me or my students. It is a chance for them to ask questions when they are not in the spotlight of all their peers. It is also a chance for me to give more individualized and differentiated instruction.
Moving Math Long division is tough, but when students "walk-through" the steps they seems to grasp them much quicker.	On Task When kids are engaged and interested in their learning, they are usually more on-task and there are much fewer behavior issues.	Brain Breaks Sometimes we all just need a break, and that includes our kids.
Cooperative Learning Sometimes cooperative learning teams are put together based on mixed abilities, while other times they are group according to learning ability.	Drill & Practice Drill and practice are an important part of learning, but who says the drill and practice can't be fun?	Community Involvement Planting tress to celebrate Arbor Day with local businesses.

Types of Instruction

This classroom utilizes multiple types of instruction in order to better meet the diverse needs of all learners. The types of instruction in my classroom include: whole group, teacher-led small group, group and partner activities, individual activities, computer and iPad based learning. Most classes are structured with a rotation through two or more of the described types of instruction.

Direct Instruction

Whole class activities are often used to introduce a topic or unit. This instruction it designed to engage students through the use of ActivInspire flipcharts, whole group activities, and whole brain teaching (power teaching). These types of whole group/direct instruction are research-based and allow the children to interact with the learning material. Rarely will students expericene lecture style instruction in my class.

Teacher-Led Small Groups

These groups can be either homogeneously or heterogeneously grouped by skill-level. This instruction allows me to focus specifically on the skills that a small sub-set of the class struggle with while the rest of the class work on other activities. During small group instruction the students are working with hands-on manipulatives and engaging instructional activities. There are typically 4-6 students in each teacher-led small group.

Group and Partner Activities

When not in the teacher-led small group, students are often participating in group and partner activities. These activities often involve math games, projects, or science experiments. Students are able to practice material and develop fluency with many concepts while having fun and working cooperatively.

Individual Centers

The goal of the independent center is to assess students level of comprehension. It is also to allow them to demonstrate their ability to use higher order thinking skills to compare topics or connect topics to real-world experiences. Journaling will also help to build meta-cognition skills that allow students to understand their thought processes related to specific subject area concepts. Outside of journal writing, students are asked to compose other writings related to journal topics. Students may also be participating in a series of individual centers which address multiple levels of Bloom's Taxonomy or creating individual projects. Students may occasionally be required to complete worksheets during individual activities.

Teaching with Technology

The use of technology in the classroom is valuable tool. Today's students speak a different language, and most of the time that language involves some form of technology. Technology, when used correctly is an amazing way to engage students in their learning. In addition, it gives our students the knowledge and experience that will undeniably help them in their future careers.