In light of the Planning PD that I recently attended, I am trying to create policies, procedures, missions, visions, etc. for next year’s class. Part of this is my Open Door Policy and my plans for DI. Writing these things out does not mean that I have not been doing them and now I will start. It’s more like establishing, out-loud, my plans and hopes for my class.
Open Door Policy – All that we do in class is visible to the public. I take pride in my work and the work of my children and publish:
- Student grades for parents with access codes
- Lesson plans and student work samples
It is my duty as an educator using best practices to…
- Post daily classroom assignments with clear objectives and schedules (online if possible to strengthen the links between student, teacher and family)
- Provide correct models of right answers (show steps)
- Require that students produce evidence of learning (product, presentation and/or performance)
- Make sure that all students receive ongoing feedback that directly addresses standards and their individual needs (this feedback might be in way of a conference, progress report, email/phone call to parents after student conference, etc.)
- Informal interventions to include peer assistance, teacher interventions, advisory assistance when warranted
- Parent Contact to provide insight into student’s strengths and weaknesses
- Daily assignments and homework posted (on chalk/white/Promethean/board or website)
- Explicitly recognize, praise and reward the effort that a student puts into an assignment
Differentiated Instruction – My students are individuals with individual needs. I will create lessons/activities that
- Utilize multi-sensory approaches
- When appropriate, allow for choice in subject matter or final product
- Move students to a higher academic level
It is my duty as an educator using best practices to…
- Ensure that students are being taught at the students’ optimal instructional level- I want everyone to move forward.
- Post daily classroom schedules with clear objectives and assignments (online if possible to strengthen the links between student, teacher and family)
- Provide correct models of right answers (show steps)
- Write assignments or complex directions on the board or provide handouts in addition to speaking them – some students need additional time to process and the handouts help them to keep
- Break complex tasks into simple steps (provide handouts or posters to list the main steps of strategies that they are to use)
- Require students to “talk-through” activities-i.e. describe the problem-solving strategies they are using
- Periodic review of previous learning
- Incorporate cooperative learning
- Provide correct models of right answers (show steps)
- Create units that incorporate real world, applied learning
- Provide students with ongoing feedback that directly addresses standards
- Develop informal interventions to include peer assistance, teacher interventions, advisory assistance
- Provide opportunities to redo work for mastery
- Develop graphic organizers for pre and post work
- Ensure that effective study skills are taught, reinforced and expected in all classrooms
- Explicitly recognize, praise and reward the effort that a student puts into an assignment
