Danielle Ruff

Reflection on InTASC 2: Learning Differences

As educators, it is essential to acknowledge that every student is different. It may seem

that is common-sense knowledge, however when planning lessons it is an idea that we always

have to keep fresh in our mind. All students learn differently and have different preferences in

their learning style. Not only do students have preferences in the way instruction is presented,

students all come from different backgrounds with a variety of prior knowledge. When designing

lessons, I will take into consideration my students’ differences and backgrounds to appropriately

plan instruction.

In order to take account for their differences, it is first essential to get to know my

students. Having knowledge of my students’ backgrounds and their culture will help me learn

who they are as an individual as well as provide me with an idea of their prior knowledge and

life experiences. During my time at Magnolia middle school, I was able to learn about the

students in the class through an interest inventory survey. The survey provided me with

information such as their interests, goals, favorite and least favorite courses, and activities they

are involved in outside of the classroom. With this information, I am able to adjust instruction to

try to help relate the content they are learning to their own different interests to help engage,

motivate, and build upon their own understandings.

Students not only have differences in background in life experiences and in culture, but

also differences in academic prior knowledge and learning style modalities. As a teacher, I will

provide my students with a survey on their learning style modality in order to have an idea on

every student’s individual learning style preference. With this information, I will be able to

provide multiple means of instruction, catering to my students learning style preference. The use

of formative assessments will also provide me with information on their prior knowledge. At the

beginning of a unit or new topic of a unit, it will be essential to assess what students already

know. Without this information, it would raise potential problems of teaching a topic they

already know everything about, or not providing enough background knowledge for students to

be able to build upon their understandings. Throughout units, formative assessments will provide

information as well as data on student performance and understanding. Assessments such as exit

tickets, class work, and homework, can help provide this information in order to appropriately

adjust instruction.

What is this artifact?

This artifact is my first lesson that I planned and delivered at Bel Air High School to a 9th grade

honors biology class in spring 2015. This lesson highlights an opening activity where students

use their different skills in completing this activity. The students were in groups of 4 where they

each received a different article about a particular genetic disorder. The students worked together

to read through the article and presented their findings to the entire class through a verbal

presentation and writing their information on a small white board to use during their

presentation. This activity benefitted all different types of learners. Students that were visual

learners benefitted from viewing the reading and the information that the students wrote on the

whiteboard. The kinesthetic learners benefitted from working in a station at a different part of the

room and even writing on their information on the whiteboard. Auditory learners benefitted from

listening to the presentations as well as discussing the article with their group members.

How does this artifact demonstrate mastery of the InTASC or COE standard?

The lesson demonstrates mastery of the InTASC standard by showing my ability to design an

activity that caters to all different kinds of learners to the classroom. I was able to incorporate

and highlight the skills of the different learning modalities into a single activity.

In what way does this artifact contribute to/relate to a positive effect on student learning?

This artifact contributes to a positive effect on learning because the activity engaged all the

different types of learners. The students worked well together through discussing and sharing the

reading with their classmates. Since the lesson was designed to highlight the skills of the

different learning modalities, all different types of learners could learn from the material.

How does this artifact demonstrate the Planning-Teaching-Learning cycle (judging prior

learning, planning instruction, teaching, assessing, analyzing, and reflecting)?

The lesson demonstrates the “planning instruction,” of the Planning-Teaching Learning cycle

because I strategically planned instruction to cater towards the different learning modalities. I

was able to use my own knowledge of the different learning modalities to design and then

implement a successful activity that incorporated all three modalities that highlighted the

different student’s preference in learning style.