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5 Ways to Use AI Tools to Meet Students’ Needs

Highlights different ways in which AI can help teachers design and inspire instruction. One strategy that resonates with this author is learning how to use AI to create multiple means of representation. Thinking about different ways to present information is essential in student engagement.

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The article What is Competency-Based Learning?

Describes how Competency-Based Learning focuses on Mastery of identified competencies. It's strengths lie in its flexibility, as learners are able to move at their own pace. This is a great model for efficiency and for students who need a more flexible learning option. Competency-Based Learning sounds intriguing to this author as she is used to Traditional Standards Based Grading and understands the benefit of using CBL.

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Getting Started With Standards-Based Grading Discusses the topic of Traditional (letter) Grading versus Standards-Based Grading. Giving students letter grades is not specific enough for parents and students to understand which areas need work. Using a Standards-Based Grading system provides transparency to families about strengths and what areas need improvement. This author uses the standards-based grading system, and although I agree it is more detailed and specific, it can also be overwhelming and confusing for parents and students to look at and understand with the 4-3-2-1 scales.

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In the article, Turn Your Classroom Into a Personalized Learning Environment Howton (2022) states on the topic of personalized learning, "It is the purposeful design of blended instruction to combine face-to-face teaching, technology-assisted instruction and student-to-student collaboration to leverage each student’s interests for deeper learning" (p.1). This author believes in personalized learning and continues to seek new ways to design lessons that empowers students through blended learning.

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5 Tips for Ensuring That Your Elementary Classroom Is Inclusive

Shares different tips and ideas to make a classroom inclusive. These ways include: providing different tools so all students can succeed, focus on individualized learning, celebrate successes in the classroom, emotionally co-regulate, and capitalize on student strengths and interests are ways that educators can create an inclusive classroom. This author would like to focus more on celebrating successes in the classroom and learning how to emotionally co-regulate with students.

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Promote Mindfulness shares tips to help educators and students practice mindfulness to reduce stress and manage emotions. Schools can Deliver Classroom-Based Mindfulness Education,
Dedicate Time for Students to Independently Practice Mindfulness, and
Offer Small Group Mindfulness Activities. The only experience this educator has with Mindfulness are activities from GoNoodle, or activities that are implemented through our Character Strong SEL program.

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What Is Metacognition? A Guide for Educators

Describes Metacognition as "Thinking about Thinking." Educators should help teach students to identify strengths and weaknesses and how they affect their educational performance to help them grow. This educator would like to teach and apply metacognitive practices more often into her classroom by including the "Good habits of mind" into her daily practices.

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How Metacognition Can Improve Learning Outcomes?

Discusses the reasoning and importance of developing and understanding metacognition. Willis (2023) highlights the topic of Metacognition "self-awareness promotes knowledge and optimizes understanding, memory, and independent learning skills. Students learn more efficiently and sustain motivation to persevere through setbacks when they understand and use strategies that brought them prior success" (p.1).

This author believes in teaching students strategies to use when experiencing challenges and for them to build resiliency.

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Why you should teach your students critical thinking

states that teaching critical thinking skills takes a balance of practice and instruction. Educators can help students develop the ability to analyze information, make decisions, and adapt to changing circumstances. Implementing critical thinking practices can look like adopting a competency-based curriculum, adding role-playing activities, or connecting skills development to future job opportunities. This author teaches elementary students, so she read about teaching problem-solving skills in the article Problem-Solving in Elementary School and would like to implement that critical thinking process into her daily teaching.

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"Doing a Project" vs. Project Based Learning Refers to PBL as the main course instead of just the dessert. Students often work in groups in PBL and the project is integrated throughout the Unit instead of at the end of the Unit. The project is driven by students, focused on the product and process, aligned to academic skills, has real-world context, and the results are often shared beyond the classroom. Students can view how their work as an impact on the real-world. This author is used to having students do a "dessert project" so it was eye opening to see how meaningful an empowering PBL can be for students.

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1. From the 5 tips to create an inclusive classroom:

Tips: providing different tools so all students can succeed, focus on individualized learning, celebrate successes in the classroom, emotionally co-regulate, and capitalize on student strengths and interests, which do you feel that you are successful with? Which do you feel there is room for growth?

2. How do you promote Mindfulness in your classroom?

3. What are your views and preferences on Traditional Letter Grading versus Standards-Based Grading?

4. Do you have experience with teaching Project Based Learning? Share an experience you've had with it, or an idea for using it in a Unit.

5. Which of these concepts resonated with you the most, or which would you like try if it is new to you?

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The ten concepts presented are essential for creating a classroom that supports all learners, including those who have faced adversity. These concepts may look different in each classroom, depending on the unique characteristics of your students from year to year. Designing and applying these concepts to your teaching in ways that best suit your learners requires an ambitious and innovative educator. I hope this writing has provided you with valuable ideas!

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