Standard+3

=Standard 3 - Teachers understand that children learn differently.= ==The teacher understands how pupils differ in their approaches to learning and the barriers that impede learning and can adapt instruction to meet the diverse needs of pupils, including those with disabilities and exceptionalities.==

Evidence: Multiple Intelligences Paper



 * Rationale:** This paper is an analysis of a Writing Workshop unit I designed as part of my Teaching and Learning with Multimedia course. I modified an existing Writing Workshop unit by integrating some technology, and changed a few parts in the lesson to better meet the needs of the multiple intelligences and varied learning styles of my students. The process of analyzing the lesson through the lens of multiple intelligences was a real eye-opener for me. It helped me become much more aware of the tasks and choices I could provide to students when planning lessons and activities, as well as the biases inherent in my lesson plans due to my own learning style. I learned that even small changes in a lesson can help meet the needs of many more of my students.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND DISPOSITIONS
====3.K.1 The teacher understands and can identify differences in approaches to learning and performance, including different learning styles, multiple intelligences, and performance modes, and can design instruction that helps use students’ strengths as the basis for growth.====

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I am a firm believer in building on students’ strengths. That outlook makes it critical for me to be aware of and able to identify different learning styles in my students, and then apply that knowledge when I plan for and implement my instruction. Analyzing a lesson to determine how it met the needs of different type of learners has prompted me to be more conscious of my students’ strengths and learning styles when planning lessons that will build on students’ strengths.=====

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A large part of addressing individual learning styles is designing lessons that offer choices to students. There are many, many ways to access the content of a lesson, and no one way is necessarily better or worse than another way. Providing multiple pathways to the content via student choice, can lower the barriers to entry for more students. This analysis of a lesson allowed me to identify those multiple pathways, as well as identify the pathways where barriers persist. While every lesson can’t be all things to all students, having an awareness of the type of student that might need extra support raises the odds that all students will have a successful learning experience.=====

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Each year brings a new group of students and a new dynamic to the classroom. While the content remains the same, the instructional approaches of years past need to be modified to fit the needs of the new group. Being cognizant of multiple intelligences and different learning styles helps me identify each student’s learning needs and respect those learning needs as I plan my instruction throughout the year.=====