The main reason I decided to commit to my current research topic was because last school year I really struggled with managing a class with such great behavioral issues from the most brightest and intelligent boys in the classroom. I had never experienced this problem before where it truly effected the classroom dynamic, the learning environment and what and how I taught. I knew I wasn't the only teacher dealing with this on some scale so I when I reached out I was given an abundance of worksheets, packets, busy work and early finisher games/activities unrelated to the curriculum that I was teaching. Most of them were also too easy so my students raced through it, too difficult so they were interrupting me working with the rest of the class to ask questions or too fun so their excitement was distracting other students. Either way it wasn't the a solution and I wanted more. Once I began exploring how to incorporate inclusive lesson design to activities and projects that I was already doing through Project Based Learning I began to see the results I wanted. The whole class working on various components to complete a common goal at the same set time appealed to me. It was not perfect but much better. What's Next? A major part of my research is how it appeals to the strengths of my students. They are able to contribute to the class project or activity through different transliterate platforms. By introducing my students to this now they are more prepared for the world. I have found myself in a similar situation this school year because I have even more of an learning gap because I am teaching a combination class of 1st and 2nd graders. That's 6,7 and 8 year olds all in one classroom, all at various academic levels. Because there is only 1 teacher(me) there are many times when we all must come together and my students must show me or represent what they have learned but it certainly will not be in the same way.
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The audience that I would want to attract for my capstone would be teachers and educators that specifically are looking for ways to keep students engaged that work with a large group of varied learners such as advanced/low students or mixed grade classes who want an alternative from busy work and worksheets.
I think my audience would also include classroom teachers that struggle to manage finding the "medium" when teaching lessons or activities where either their students find it very easy or very difficult. By providing lessons and ideas that are inclusive where students start a task that is based upon their individual need and skill set, therefore completing the task at the same time so "early finishers" are not engaging in disruptive classroom behaviors. |
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October 2019
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