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I'm looking forward to discovering more ways to help students motivate themselves.  In my life, I'm looking forward to developing ways to recharge my own batteries with creativity.
--Colin Kessler

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In the video "creating an installation", the teacher used the following formative assessment techniques:  Whole group brainstorming, short-answer questions about the sample installations presented the students, the production of a transition piece demonstrating their understanding of the technique being taught, group discussions and reflection exercises.  The teacher might also have had the students compare their art pieces to exemplary pieces from the art world.
--Colin Kessler

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I hope to improve increase engagement for all of my students by diversifying the ways that I introduce skills and knowledge, the ways that my students can practice those skills and use that knowledge, and the ways that my students can demonstrate their understanding.  One of my goals is to encourage my students to take more responsibility for their own learning.  I plan on supporting them as they develop projects that they want to do and supporting them as they engage in their projects.  With the right buy-in, discovery learning projects will allow students to access content through avenues that they're passionate about and to achieve product goals that suit their talents.
--Colin Kessler

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I am looking forward to seeing how to integrate art into science without taking away from the content, only helping students to better understand the content.
In my life outside school, I am looking forward to not spending 10-12 hours a day at school.
Jennifer Bretney

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In the video I chose "Arts Integration: The Elements of Dance”, they used whole group brainstorming, exploring relationships, kinesthetic movement, peer demonstration and refinement.  I like that she started with individuals, then joined them into groups collaborating their ideas. In the end, she could have had them compare their group dances.
Jennifer Bretney

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I try to differentiate my lessons so that it accommodates many learning preferences. I use a lot of multimedia like pictures with text or short videos to catch their attention with a hook. I want my students to seek out prior knowledge, so I often have them engage in conversation about what they already know before I even give them the content. My students get to pick between ways to access our topics. Some days I will allow them to read individually outside or sit in on a group activity inside to learn the information. My goal is to make science fun and engaging. The picture below is my 6th grade class learning how to handle chickens. This is one way that science is accessible to all students no matter their capabilities, because although we use the novelty to discuss the body systems, they all want to learn about their chicks.
Jennifer Bretney

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One thing I am looking forward to as a teacher is having a few years under my belt and understanding more about the education system and how it works. I am at the beginning of my career and I just want to have more knowledge about the things I am teaching and more knowledge about how to teach them. I know this only comes with time and practice teaching. One thing I am looking forward to in my life outside of school is saving up to buy a house!
Jessica Hatten

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Exploring Dance: Movement, Space, and Poetry

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Exploring Dance: Movement, Space, and Poetry

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I chose the video on K-2 exploring dance with movement, space, and poetry. A few examples of formative assessment I saw were the teacher asking questions and students answering questions, the teacher watching the students as they were working and making sure they understood the tasks at hand and the teacher had the students separate into groups while around and asking specific questions about each groups dance. The teacher also took notes and jotted down information as he was checking on students groups.
Another way I think this teacher could have used formative assessment to engage all learners would be having students watch each others dances and correct or help each other perfect them. Letting the students take over the teacher role gives them more ownership of the information they are learning.
Jessica Hatten

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This year I have learned quite a bit about a UDL approach. My principal brought this idea up to our staff early on this year and asked that we all try some sort of UDL practice in our classrooms and report back. Since learning about it I have tried to incorporate more choice into my classroom because I have seen how effective it can be! Even implemented in small ways. For example, I usually do one money and one time problem to start my second graders during math we call it their morning work. Since learning about UDL I have started giving them two problems of each and asking them to complete just one. Even just that little amount of choice has seemed to change their way of thinking about this morning work. I am in no way a master at UDL practices, but as I continue teaching I try and implement it in wherever I can and I have yet to see any push back from giving the students choice. I love the idea because it gives my kids ownership when they can choose to do something instead of me telling them what they have to do.  I totally can see how doing this more often and on a greater scale in the classroom can decrease problem behaviors and increase student engagement.
Jessica Hatten

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As a teacher: I'm looking forward to 3rd-5th grade students completing their current Language Arts project, where they will use presentation software as part of a academic presentation. I'm looking forward to having the second graders I'm doing writing prep workshops with this semester being in my language arts class next year!
As a human: I'm looking forward to at least a few weeks of relaxation and having the time to explore my novel concept (I've been taking mini-daydream vacations to in my mind) to materialize in writing.
-Lynn Hocker

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Animal Legends: Integrating Art with Writing

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Animal Legends: Integrating Art with Writing

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In this unit, the teacher used both visual and performing arts activities. For the writing, there was a pre-made rubric which was posted and as kids worked she would go around and ask them how their piece was developing based upon the rubric. The students also created a rubric for the paintings.
-Lynn Hocker

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Being a teacher in a personalized learning charter school who also has a background in Special Education,  I believe I've been doing this instinctively throughout my teaching career. I try to incorporate multiple learning modalities and also imbed scaffolding for students as needed, in addition to accommodations and modifications specified in any 504's or IEP's. I have never taught a curriculum through a textbook, as I am one of those learners who was always lost/unheard/undervalued in the traditional school setting I was taught in in the 80's and 90's. So, it's always been my goal to truly engage all learners in my classrooms. Seeing it formalized into a practice helps solidify my approach, and I believe an area I could focus my teaching attention to would be action- I could use more strategies and approaches for physical action in my lessons.
-Lynn Hocker

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This video really impressed to me the "tugging to my attention" that I have a similar situation where there are at risk-students with great artistic skills and have native background rich with tradition to access. I think I can create a stronger connection with these students and perhaps get them to open up and teach us some of their knowledge.  I always look forward to time outside, to be with the mountains and watch the sky; I do not take that time for granted. That is why when I create art, it is mostly of nature.  Doris Dunning

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Students were asked to give feedback on their choices of subjects and their significance, colors chosen and how tradition fit into their choices. Students gave their feelings on how practicing the art helped them in confidence, stress relief...
Most impressive is to ask the art student about why they chose their topic and allow them to speak if they are willing. One learns a lot about what they know and who they are from giving them a little one-on-one time, or, the class can learn much about its make-up of students that way. D.Dunning

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I think one of the best ways to students learning is through working with their peers. Students give good feedback to each other. The issue develops with the students who refuse, or do not work well with another or a group. This would entail a 1-to-1 interaction with them if they are choosing to work alone on a subject. Perhaps they choose to do so in ELA, but can work with another in Math... I teach an elective class with a wide range of students from 4-7 grades. It is a large class so my time per student is limited. The class has been successful in that often I give a broad idea as to the assignment and then I let the students, with my guidance, make decisions on what they will create and with what media. They have their peers as supportive coaches as well. Having them be the directors of their creation seems to allow more buy-in for them to be excited about their work.
D.Dunning

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As a teacher I'm really looking forward to earning my CTE credential and learning about how to teach (I only have a preliminary credential so far). I'm also looking forward to meeting and working with new students next year as well as starting another year with the students I've worked with before. Outside of school I am looking forward to making a cookbook with my daughter for kids with multiple food allergies. -Wendy Stewart

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In the video "Graffiti: A Digital Identity" the teacher used formative assessment throughout the lesson by sitting down with the students in what looked like small groups to check in on their progress and talk about the lesson. He also built a web portal type classroom aid that had assignments details and resources, and another way to use formative assessment might have been to incorporate a padlet like the one we are using now. -Wendy Stewart

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I would like to utilize UDL practices in my classroom by making sure that I introduce new skills or knowledge in multiple ways and different formats. I teach a digital arts course and so I think that I tend to err on the side of making everything very visual, and I need to make sure that I also incorporate examples and resources that are not visual based. I also would really like to offer more choices in the classroom to increase engagement. -Wendy Stewart

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As a teacher, I am looking forward to discovering new ways to inspire students to reaching their greatest potential academically, socially, and emotionally.  As a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend, I look forward to the quality time we have together making memories that will continue to make our smiles reach our eyes. - Kimberly Solano

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As a teacher, I am looking forward to discovering new ways to inspire students to reaching their greatest potential academically, socially, and emotionally.  As a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend, I look forward to the quality time we have together making memories that will continue to make our smiles reach our eyes. - Kimberly Solano

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Multiple forms of formative assessments were used during the the lesson, "Creating an Installments". The art teacher had students share their responses aloud to the class, short answer responses, peer reviews,  and 4 point evaluation of a final project. The teacher actively listened and observed students use of proper art terminology in their verbal and written responses. The teachers could have randomly drawn names after posing a question or to respond to another student's acquisition.  -Kimberly Solano

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I utilized UDL in my ELA/Reading classroom in multiple ways. First, I am a strong believer in student collaboration; a brief discussion with peers builds confidence and increases the comprehensive responses to the objective. Students also express their knowledge in multiple fashions. For example, by students demonstrate their knowledge of grammar using pencil and paper, but will also need to express their understanding kinesthetically standing and using whole body motions. Class projects always come with a choice of at least 2 choices allowing for optimal use of subject knowledge and effective expression of said knowledge. The majority of our students are from low socioeconomic homes that limit the amount of background knowledge. In order to meet this deficit, it is essential that this essential knowledge is brought to them through the use of technology.- Kimberly Solano