Students learn at their own unique pace, so how can teachers structure lessons to ensure students who need more time and students who learn quickly and are ready for more, all remain engaged? At Rosa Parks Middle School, Matthew White, 7th grade Social Studies teacher, and Tim Dixon, Media Specialist, have found a solution that works for them. Together they create lessons (or quests) that include a variety of tasks, some team based, and some individual, embedding great flexibility for self-pacing. Students move at their own speed to complete learning quests toward content mastery. Because students complete different elements at different times, the teachers have the opportunity to offer frequent feedback with clarity regarding how the student can improve and bring up their grade. Matt and Tim stage the lesson through a series of quests set throughout the media center, a space Tim designed to be a flexible, comfortable learning space. These changes have made a significant impact on student performance, with increased flexibility and autonomy students have become more eager to revise their work and their grades have improved. Guidance, student ownership, the ability to self-pace, reflect and improve, has resulted in creating expert learners. UDL at work! Below see pictures of the lesson stations and click the video to hear Matt and Tim talk about their planning and student outcomes |
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AuthorsWelcome! I am a media specialist at Brookhaven Elementary School. I began this blog when I was hired to work with the HIAT team as a UDL Project Specialist for the Expanding Bridges Grant. Since the Grant ended, HIAT staff now collaborate to contribute to the blog and share UDL stories from MCPS! Archives
December 2016
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