How can I facilitate a student-centered classroom?
By engaging the students in the planning of their projects, they can begin to see that they are in charge of what they learn. Working in cooperative groups will give them more freedom to explore and learn from others. By "working the room" and constantly posing questions to the students and monitoring their progress I can direct their efforts and keep them focused on projects.
How can I use technology to support my instructional practice?
A power point presentation will introduce the key questions. Checklists made with word will keep both the students and myself on track. A graph will be made to gauge home energy usage. Research will be done on the internet through bookmarked sites. Journaling and checking of knowledge will be handled through a blog.

Module 7

How can I facilitate a student-centered classroom?
The best way to accomplish this is to pick out a topic, then use well designed plans to keep the students engaged. The last part is to make sure that you are there in the classroom by moving around and asking students questions as they work. The questions should be ones that will provoke further thought and discussion by the students.

How can I use technology to support my instructional practice?
I feel that technology, when used well can make a teacher’s instructional practices even better. Technology allows teachers to create projects that can not only increase a students learning but also increase their interest.

Activity 6: Reflecting on My Learning
How can I help my students become self-directed learners? I can encourage them to persue their interests. This may be as simple as teaching them how to find books about things they are interested in. (In kindergarten this is teaching them how to ask the librarian for books about a given topic.) I can encourage students to ask questions.
Self-directed learners know what to do when a task is completed (get a library book, a file folder game) and they must be taught these things.

How can I support the diverse needs of learners? I can provide instruction in a variety of ways. Kindergarten students need many "hands-on" opportunities.

Module 7 Technology

How can I facilitate a student-centered classroom?
To facilitate a student-centered classroom, I will, first, need to be able to change my role. I need to be able to allow the students to be in charge of their learning, and I take on the supporting role. I am there to provide positive feedback, make suggestions, and assist if needed. The classroom becomes an active learning environment with the students working collaboratively. Through collaboration they develop confidence, problem solving skills, leadership roles, and enjoy learning. The use of unit and essential questions provide the opportunity to help develop the thought process. To help implement this new teaching style, rubrics, checklists, printed directions, and scoring guides will be provided as a packet. They will be used to guide the students on their learning adventure.

How can I use technology to support my instructional practice?
Technology is at the core of our project. The students will be developing skills in the use of Microsoft Word, Publisher, and Excel. They will learn practices necessary for searching the internet for research. The inclusion of developing a wiki and blog site increases the development of 21st century skills. Our own development of a wiki provides my partner and I with an accessible location for all the components of the unit. Eventually, the unit could be all completed through the use of the computer.

Through the development of the student sample and our wiki, I have increased my own technological knowledge. Each module seemed to introduce another step to the development of a student-centered classroom, providing a variety of methods. The class made me look at learning in a different, but effective way.

Module 7 - Technology

How can I facilitate a student-centered classroom?
When I first began this workshop, I wasn't sure if I could establish a student-centered classroom in a Spanish 1 setting. After all, the students are learning to communicate in a 2nd language and that is not necessarily something they can accomplish without teacher instruction. However I've learned that there are many ways I can facilitate a student centered classroom. The use of questioning techniques - such as open-ended questions, appropriate planning, on my part, ahead of time and allowing students to participate in the planning process as well can help in establishing a student centered classroom. I think it also will take a lot of practice by both me and my students to truly establish a student-centered classroom.

How can I use technology to support my instructional practice?
Technology can be used in so many ways! I use computer programs to create plans and presentations for my classroom. The internet, blog, wikis, etc. can be used to facilitate a student centered classroom and help students learn the material as well as prepare them to succeed in their future education/careers. The use of technology to support my instructional practice is only limited by my knowledge/ ideas.

Module 7 - Technology

Reflect on how the focus of this module has helped you plan and create your unit.

· How can I facilitate a student-centered classroom?
· How can I use technology to support my instructional practice?

Consider how the knowledge you gained from this module will impact your teaching and your students’ learning. Record your insights, key learnings, and questions or concerns in your reflection.

In your response also include your thoughts regarding how your understanding and knowledge has changed over time.

Module 6 reflection

How can I help my students become self directed learners? In a first grade classroom this is an ongoing process throughout the year. I can provide my students with checklist and rubrics to help guide them in their learning. However in 1st grade we will spend a lot of time learning to become self directed. At first we will do our checklists and rubrics together and then as the year progresses we will be able to accomplish more on our own.

How can I support the diverse learning needs of my learners? One way I can support my diverse needs is by knowing what type of a learner all of my students are. In the primary grades most of our learners are kinesthetic learners and so I need to be sure that I give them plenty of "hands-on" opportunities. I need to also make sure that I challenge my higher level students and give them opportunities to develop their projects more than the rest.

Activity 6

Activity 6: Reflecting on My Learning
Step 2: Blogging My Journey

How can I help my students become self-directed learners?
If I provide the students will the resources they need and then encourage them to work through challenging problems I will start them in the direction of becoming self-directed learners.
How can I support the diverse needs of learners?
By being aware of my students needs and using all the resource people that are available I should be able to meet their needs.

Module 5: Assessing Student Projects

How do I assess student learning? Primarily I use observation and checklists.

How do I involve students in the assessment process? Students are given many opportunities to show what they know. I try to give them a variety of ways to demonstrate the learned material.

Module 6: Reflecting on my learning

How can I help my students become self-directed learners? As a teacher, my focus is to encourage my students to become self-confident and self-directed learners. Using reflection journals, rubrics (for clear guidelines & expectations), and checklists (to work toward end products & to organize information), are all ways I can help encourage my students to become self-directed learners.

How can I support the diverse learning needs of learners? As a teacher, I need to be positive & encouraging and find areas that each learner excels. It is important to provide choices to my learners as long as the same learning goal is met. I feel it is important for students to learn to work together cooperatively to reach common goals & when grouping students cooperatively, to group them in a thoughtful manner.

self-direction/diverse needs

1. promoting self-direction by students: I can provided direction by giving them a checklist to help keep information organized; I can prepare rubrics to outline clear expectations that students can use throughout the unit; Teachers must be active and letting students know that they are there but giving them feedback as needed not actively controlling each step.

2. support diverse needs: I can offer a variety of options to meet the same goal; not every project has to look the same. Teachers can team teach allowing students to help one another and give peer directions; use the special educators available to help determine the best course of action in some instances. -Leslie