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**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 1: 21st Century Skills PowerPoint



Rationale 1: This PowerPoint was created as an assignment for my “Innovations in Education” class. Our textbook focused on the 21st century skills and how important they are for our classrooms and students. Using these skills as the focus, the PowerPoint I created explains each of the six fluencies and then provides a short summary of a lesson that demonstrates the fluency. Using these skills and fluencies in the classroom is a valuable way to differentiate lessons since they meet the needs of different learners and provide opportunities for adaptation when needed. While creating the PowerPoint, I became much more familiar with the 21st century fluency skills an d reflected on and expanded on my current classroom practices and how I could better integrate these skills.


 * K.1: The teacher understands and can identify differences in approaches to learning performance, including different learning styles, multiple intelligences, and performance modes, and can design instruction that helps use students' strengths as the basis for growth.**

The lessons that are summarized in the PowerPoint focus on different 21st century skills and meet the needs of different learning styles. The tasks that students are being asked to complete range from selling lemonade then charting results to creating websites. Sometimes students are working in groups and other times they are working individually. Several lessons include a reflection or explanation piece which is important for students to do. This will help them see what they have learned and how they have grown.


 * S.1: The teacher identifies and designs instruction appropriate to students' stages of development, learning styles, strengths, and needs.**

As mentioned previously, the lessons in the PowerPoint vary. Since the lessons are more project-based, they allow for more individualization and flexibility, on both the part of the teacher and student. For example, one lesson is somewhat of a research project. Students need to research some sort of object and explain how it has changed…what it was like in the past, what it is like now, and a prediction for what it will be like in the future. The student gets to choose how to display their findings; it could be a written essay, a web 2.0 tool like a prezi, or something else. The student also gets to choose the object, so it could be something of more interest to them, like a cell phone or television. The teacher would assist students in finding reliable source, conference with students and discuss their needs, and provide a rubric.


 * D.1: The teacher believes that all children can learn at high levels and persists in helping all children achieve success.**

Many of these lessons and projects have already been done in my classroom. Each time they are tweaked just a little in order to help make students more successful. For example, it used to be that students worked individually to create an Internet safety project. As we worked through the project, it seemed that some students were struggling to grasp the concept of the task. It was decided students would work in groups and this made a big difference. We talked about what good group work is and how important it was for everyone to work together and contribute to the project. I found that students were more confident…they helped each other out and shared ideas and the projects turned out great.

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