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Why neuroplasticity is the secret ingredient for kids with special needs.

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Why neuroplasticity is the secret ingredient for kids with special needs.

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Brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity, means that the brain can change and adapt through learning and experiences. This has several important implications for education, particularly for students who are reluctant learners or have special needs. It suggests that all students can improve their cognitive abilities with the right kind of practice and experiences. Personalized learning activities that address individual needs can harness neuroplasticity for better outcomes. Starting interventions early is more effective since younger brains are more adaptable. Keeping students motivated and engaged in learning activities enhances their ability to form new neural connections. Practicing skills in meaningful, real-life contexts reinforces these neural connections, helping students apply and retain what they learn. Understanding and using neuroplasticity provides a hopeful way for all students to improve, especially those with learning difficulties.

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After accessing the various resources, generate a definition for "Environmental Literacy." This can be a visual graphic or written definition.

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When you have finished the four tasks related to UDL, please summarize takeaways, connections, and questions you still have.

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When you have finished the four tasks related to UDL, please summarize takeaways, connections, and questions you still have.

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Create a visual or infographic of the learning and innovation skills: what do they mean to you or make you think of? How could they be incorporated into classrooms for all learners?

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Create a visual or infographic of the learning and innovation skills: what do they mean to you or make you think of? How could they be incorporated into classrooms for all learners?

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Make sure the doc's sharing settings are set so all can view it.

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Rank the components of Life and Career Skills from what you consider to be the most important to least important. Explain your rationale.

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Rank the components of Life and Career Skills from what you consider to be the most important to least important. Explain your rationale.

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Copy the link to your Final Project Reflection here. Make sure to adjust the sharing settings so all with the link may view it.

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Post the link to your redesigned for all learners lesson below. Make sure it's set so that anyone with the link can view.

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Post the link to your redesigned for all learners lesson below. Make sure it's set so that anyone with the link can view.

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What are the implications of brain plasticity for our students? Especially consider those who are reluctant learners, and students with special needs.

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What are the implications of brain plasticity for our students? Especially consider those who are reluctant learners, and students with special needs.

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You can answer with a written response, drawing, voice memo, video message, etc.

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What are the top three most important Habits of Mind in your opinion? Explain your thinking.

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What are the top three most important Habits of Mind in your opinion? Explain your thinking.

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1. Why might the 21st Century Learning Models presented in the article be more effective than previous instructional models?

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Why should we be incorporating 21C Themes into instruction? Explain your rationale including why and how.

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How can various assessments provide equitable and accurate progress monitoring? How and when should we be assessing?

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Why neuroplasticity is the secret ingredient for kids with special needs.

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Why neuroplasticity is the secret ingredient for kids with special needs.

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Brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity, means that the brain can change and adapt through learning and experiences. This has several important implications for education, particularly for students who are reluctant learners or have special needs. It suggests that all students can improve their cognitive abilities with the right kind of practice and experiences. Personalized learning activities that address individual needs can harness neuroplasticity for better outcomes. Starting interventions early is more effective since younger brains are more adaptable. Keeping students motivated and engaged in learning activities enhances their ability to form new neural connections. Practicing skills in meaningful, real-life contexts reinforces these neural connections, helping students apply and retain what they learn. Understanding and using neuroplasticity provides a hopeful way for all students to improve, especially those with learning difficulties.- Brooke Yepez

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Brain plasticity, or the brain's ability to adapt and change with experience, offers significant implications for education. For reluctant learners, it underscores the importance of fostering a growth mindset, personalized learning, and positive reinforcement, along with the benefits of repeated practice to reinforce skills and knowledge. For students with special needs, early intervention, adaptive teaching strategies, assistive technologies, and consistent practice can leverage brain plasticity to improve learning outcomes.

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In my opinion, the top three most important Habits of Mind are persisting, thinking flexibly, and managing impulsivity. Persisting is crucial as it helps individuals stay focused and committed to their goals despite facing challenges and setbacks. Many of my SDC students are persistent, which is why they continue to flourish. Thinking flexibly allows people to view situations from different perspectives and adapt to changing circumstances, fostering creativity and effective problem-solving. Even though I think this to be one of my top 3 HOMs, I think this is where my students struggle the most, Managing impulsivity is also imperative. Exercising self-control and thinking before acting can be difficult, but it leads to thoughtful decision-making and better interpersonal relationships. Again, this is another area where my students struggle with. These HOMs are not just essential for personal growth and academic success, but professional development as well. - Brooke Yepez

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In my opinion top 3 HOM are:

Persisting

Listening with Understanding and Empathy

Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision

--Jasneet Kaur

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1. Persistence - you won't be successful if you give up on things.

2. Continuous Learning - this combines some of the other habits into one plus metacognition.

3. Finding Humor - it's hard to learn in a stressful environment, so why not teach in a relaxed environment?

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1-Thinking flexibly- Our students need to be able to adapt to different scenarios and situations, especially students with different disabilities and it's our job to help them practice flexible thinking.

2-Learning continuously- We live in the age of information and while there's an infinite amount of information out there, we still have to teach our students how to find information that's pertinent to what they are doing etc.

3-Finding humor- At the end of the day, we have to be easy on ourselves and that involves humor. It's okay to make mistakes and find humor in it later as long as we're learning from our mistakes etc.

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The 21st Century Learning Models might be more effective than traditional instructional models because they focus on student-centered learning, increasing engagement and personalization. They develop critical skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, essential for the modern workforce. These models integrate subjects with real-life contexts, promoting practical application of knowledge, and emphasize higher-order thinking skills, teamwork, and problem-solving. Additionally, teachers act as facilitators, empowering students to take ownership of their learning, which fosters continuous learning and adaptability. - Brooke

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Brooke

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Our biggest goal in education is to prepare students for the workforce and to be active members of society. We aim to equip students with the ability to solve real-world problems, think critically, collaborate effectively, and develop technological skills, while making learning relevant and engaging. By including global awareness, financial literacy, and environmental topics in various subjects, alongside project-based and tech-enhanced learning, we can achieve this. These themes help students gain important skills like creativity, communication, and adaptability, making them ready for today's ever-changing world. Including these themes makes education more practical and meaningful, helping students become informed, active citizens. - Brooke

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1. Finding Humor: It is so important to laugh and keep a light heart. It can lighten the mood, build relationships and improve your health. When I feel frustrated or overwhelmed in the classroom, I talk to my students and they always make me laugh.

2. Listening and understanding with Empathy: True listening helps the speaker feel valued and builds connections as well as helping better understand any issues. This also helps students with future interviews and career opportunities.

3. Flexible Thinking: This is so important in persistence and grit. When confronted with an obstacle, flexible thinkers find ways to go around it and develop new ideas. They also recognize that there is more than one way to solve a problem and are less likely to give up.

-Audrey

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Jenna

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School leaders can take additional steps to better prepare students to become life-long learners by putting in extra effort. They should update the curriculum to meet 21st-century standards and encourage collaboration among teachers from different school districts. It all begins with us being the change and taking responsibility for our actions, thoughts, and words. We can influence educational outcomes regardless of a child's background, where they live, or socioeconomic status. As educators, we are responsible for affirming each child and offering them unwavering support and understanding. We can become effective teachers by establishing a meaningful and robust foundation for our children. Phalla

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Phalla

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The world is changing rapidly, and it's time for educators to reconsider their current classroom practices. How are we preparing our learners for this ever-changing future? The 21st-century model offers alternative practices to change our traditional way of thinking and add skills to guide our students to be lifelong learners. In a society where everyone is constantly in motion, what skills are we teaching our children to equip them for the real world? Educators can use this guideline in various subject areas at all grade levels because the 21st-century model is not tied to a specific subject. You can easily find particular skills to fit wherever you see fit. Preparing students with tools enhances their learning and confidence for their next venture. -Phalla

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These models could be more effective than traditional instruction because they provide more effective practice of the 21st century skills. Traditional methods of instruction generally involve lecture and very limited collaboration between students. Specifically, the models all require collaboration and independent thinking. These practices directly help students to build 21st century skills because they are more student and inquiry focused.

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21st Century skills and themes are crucial for students to be successful in their careers and community. The world changes rapidly, rote teaching of content doesn’t prepare our students for the challenges of college and career. Communication skills are especially important. This perennial skill has a variety of context, in-person, written and virtual. I think of my students and their messages or chats when playing Fortnight. They complain about what their friends say, that it is rude or hard to understand. They need to be taught skills to properly communicate in a virtual environment. All of my masters and Admin classes were online. They required me to understand zoom and google technology and be skilled in those mediums in order to be successful.

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The 21st Century Learning Models presented in the article may be more effective than previous instructional models because they focus on skills and not just content. These skills are meant to help students think critically, analyze information, and solve problems. Traditional models tend to have a lecture approach that may not be very engaging. The 21st Century Learning Models offer a more well-rounded approach that involves the student in real-world applications and collaboration and that approach helps to equip students with the necessary skills to succeed in this ever-changing world. -Cristina

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Cristina

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We should be incorporating 21C themes into instruction because students need to be able to understand and navigate the world around them. Many issues are complex and require more from our students than just rote memorization, it requires critical thinking, collaboration, and investigative and analytical skills. Themes such as civic and environmental literacy help students to understand how their local government and local environment is affected by people, budgets and choices. 21C themes help students to learn the relevancy of these topics. -Cristina

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Thinking about your class - are you currently incorporating information literacy, media literacy, or information, communications and technology literacy?

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Thinking about your class - are you currently incorporating information literacy, media literacy, or information, communications and technology literacy?

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If YES: Ok, in what ways are you incorporating information literacy, media literacy, or information, communications and technology literacy?

If NO: After learning about information literacy, media literacy, and information, communications and technology literacy, what ideas do you have on how you can incorporate these elements into your classroom? Where/how will you start?

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In your option, what is the best type of rubric for assessing your group's culminating product? Explain why. What categories do you think your group should assess in the culminating product? (Ex. communication, knowledge of standard, teamwork, etc.)

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In your option, what is the best type of rubric for assessing your group's culminating product? Explain why. What categories do you think your group should assess in the culminating product? (Ex. communication, knowledge of standard, teamwork, etc.)

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21st Century Learning Models are more effective than previous instructional models because they emphasize integrative, holistic, and student-centered approaches. These models link learning with real-life experiences, making education more relevant and engaging. They promote a thorough understanding of concepts through exploration and scientific methods, enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By incorporating thematic and contextual learning, students can see the practical applications of their knowledge, leading to better retention and meaningful learning experiences. Collaborative learning fosters essential communication and teamwork skills, while the student-centered focus encourages active participation and ownership of the learning process. These characteristics collectively prepare students for the complexities of the modern world and future job market demands, making 21st Century Learning Models more effective.- Adriana

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Incorporating 21st Century Themes into instruction is essential as it equips students with critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills needed for success in today's dynamic world. These themes make learning more relevant by connecting it to real-life applications, enhancing student engagement and motivation. A student-centered approach fosters independence and active participation, preparing students to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing environment. Overall, these themes ensure education remains effective and relevant, developing well-rounded individuals ready for future challenges.- Adriana

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Adriana

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We should be incorporating 21st Century Themes into instruction because it helps students be prepared for life beyond K-12 education. It's a part of the reason why we have an educational system in the first place. Or to put it another way, it helps to answer the question of what do we as a society want our fellow citizens to be educated for. The curriculum that I teach incorporates a lot of these themes into its structure. Just by definition, some of these themes, such as environmental literacy and global awareness, are dealt with in science as content material.

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Characteristics and learning models of the 21st century-Tay Khan

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Characteristics and learning models of the 21st century-Tay Khan

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As an educator, my goal with high schoolers especially, is to equip them with tools they'll need to be efficient in the real world. For example, being able to consistently hold down a 9-5 job or to have the skills to go to college and to have a part time job. We want to teach our students skills that can be sustainable in the 21st century and understanding that the world is going to continue to evolve. This is why I believe the 21st century learning models may be more effective than previous models. As mentioned in the article, cooperative learning and collaborative learning are just two examples of skills that'll be required outside of high school. If we can implement strategies and instructions that focus on these two aspects for example, then we're giving our students an opportunity to be successful. The article also talks about problem and project based learning which I'm a huge proponent of. The older instructional models rely on rote memorization and I think with 21st century learning models, we're wanting our students to be able to solve real world problems that they most likely will face throughout their lives and that's the direction we should be headed towards- Tay Khan

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Tay Khan

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These 21st century themes are extremely vital in the progression of students beyond high school. We want our kids to be equipped with skills that are more than just memorizing information. We want our students to have knowledge that promotes independence and to have them look back at their high school experience and remember that some of their project based learning helped them prepare for real-world situations. Ultimately, we want our students to be productive and reach their full potential and I believe that starts in the k-12 setting with 21st century themes implemented.

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Education should be holistic and not a means to just have a successful career in life. Students should be able to lead a successful, happy life beyond their college & career lives. By incorporating the 21st Century Themes in education, educators can ensure that they are helping students develop such a vision about their lives. A successful career is important but more than that, living a happy, healthy life and being a well-rounded human being who is an asset to the community is more important. This awareness should start with our schools especially with the way young students get influenced by all the information/ misinformation and develop unhealthy ideas about their futures. Educators can help in this process by focusing on instruction based on the 21st Century Skills and themes.

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21st Century model drive more student teacher interaction. It prepares them better for the current work place environment compare to traditional methods and changes at fast pace as our work place changes.-- Jasneet Kaur

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Citation: "https://ph.pinterest.com/pin/584131014143286079/" Jasneet Kaur

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We should incorporate 21c Themes in our instructions because it helps us keep relevant and up to date with the latest technology. Students develop growth mind set when following problem and project based learning. -- Jasneet Kaur

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Phalla, Brooke Cassandra, Cristina

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The main takeaway of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is its emphasis on creating flexible and inclusive educational environments that cater to the diverse needs of all learners. UDL advocates for designing curricula and teaching strategies that provide multiple means of representation, allowing information to be presented in various ways; multiple means of action and expression, giving students different options to demonstrate their knowledge; and multiple means of engagement, offering varied approaches to motivate and involve learners. By implementing these principles, UDL aims to remove barriers to learning and ensure that every student has equal opportunities to succeed, regardless of their abilities, disabilities, or backgrounds.- Adriana

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UDL is a way of accessing information so that students can be lifelong learners.  It is an umbrella approach to teaching that utilizes every technique possible to allow all students, no matter their background, to access, organize, and provide a self-discovered methodology to content.

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1. Initiative and Self direction - allows you to see when change is needed

2. Flexibility & Adaptability - allows change to happen

3. Social & Cross Cultural Skills - provides a framework for change to occur in.

4. Leadership & Responsibility - gives direction to change

5. Productivity & Accountability - is change

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Applying the principles of UDL in my classroom better supports my students' diverse needs. UDL is great to use for all classrooms, not just Special Ed. Some of the specific strategies that I use include using visuals and interactive media to present lessons, offering different formats for students to express their understanding, and providing choices in learning activities to engage their interests. It is crucial to identify and eliminate barriers in the current curriculum that prevent students from reaching their learning goals. A flexible curriculum benefits all students, especially those with diverse needs, by providing multiple pathways to learning.

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My most important (#1) Life & Career Skills to the least (#5)

#1 Initiative & Self-Direction: These are crucial for set, pursue, and achieving goals, along with continuous self-improvement.

#2 Productivity & Accountability: These skills improve team performance and organizational success. Trust, reliability, and taking responsibility for your actions are essential for any professional setting.

#3 Flexibility & Adaptability: These are important because they allow people to adapt to challenges and embrace new opportunities.

#4 Social & Cross-Cultural Skills: These are vital for teamwork, collaboration, fostering strong relationships, and navigating cultural differences.

#5 Leadership & Responsibility: These are skills that are developed through experience and the practice of other skills. Leadership is a culmination of the other skills above.

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4 Critical Thinking Skills for Students Education Infographic in Blue White and Pink Flat Graphic Style

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Christina Tay Phalla

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1. Adaptability

2. Initiative and Self-Direction

3. Leadership and Responsibility:

4. Productivity and Accountability:

5. Social & Cross-Cultural Skills

-Adriana

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One takeaway I found very important was the UDL is a Tier 1 support. We are always talking about MTSS and the chart was very helpful to explain how UDL fits into that picture. I also thought the chart with the portions of the brain highlighted was useful for explaining why UDL is important. When students are activating all parts of their brain more effective learning is occurring. UDL also connects to the 4 Cs, especially creativity. I keep thinking about one of the previous articles that was saying you have to almost force students to get creative and find their interest. Using UDL helps students build creativity skills and invest in their education. I definitely have tried to use UDL in my classroom and it wasn't as successful as I would have liked, so all these ideas and resources were very helpful.

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Check out this Graph designed by Cristina.

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Cassandra, Chandra, Phalla, Jenna, Brooke, Adriana

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Cassandra, Chandra, Phalla, Jenna, Brooke, Adriana

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Lluvia de Ideas Mapa Conceptual Simple Colorido

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My biggest take away is how flexible UDL can be and ultimately, we want our students to retain as much information as they can as they prep for the real world. My favorite part about UDL is the universal aspect of it where this method can be accommodated across the board with all students. The 4 C's is a reminder to all that we need to continue to implement these strategies in the classroom to get the best out of our students.

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Leadership and responsibility-This is a key aspect in taking ownership of everything you do which is vital.

Productivity/Accountability- With accountability, sometimes you have step up and acknowledge when things don't go your way and it's the first step in correcting your actions.

Social/Cross cultural skills-Being aware of these skills leads to more flexible thinking.

Initiative and self-direction- Taking the initiative on certain things promotes being responsible and having better leadership qualities

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I think the best type of rubric for our culminating project would be an Analytic Rubric. It breaks down the assessment criteria into specific components, allowing for separate scoring of each criterion. This provides detailed feedback on various aspects of student performance, while helping students understand their strengths and areas for improvement. It clearly defines what is expected in each criterion, making it easier for students to understand how their work will be assessed. It also ensures consistent and objective grading by outlining specific performance levels for each criterion. Additionally, it supports the needs of diverse learners by providing clear, targeted feedback on multiple aspects of their work, not just the final product as a whole.

These are the areas within the criteria: Content Accuracy (where all information must be accurate and relevant for an Excellent rating), Creativity (highly original and engaging presentation for an Excellent rating), Organization (very well organized information for an Excellent rating), Visual Appeal (excellent use of visuals and design for an Excellent rating), Collaboration (equal contribution from all group members for an Excellent rating), and Presentation Skills (clear, confident, and engaging presentation for an Excellent rating).

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My big takeaway is that everyone should have an equal opportunity to share ideas, solutions, and wonder. This skill helps students see concepts differently, leading to innovation and the ability to generate new, diverse, and unique ideas to enhance the natural world around them. UDL is a framework that can be applied to any age and subject. -Phalla

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My take away was even we follow 4c’s I was not familiar that it comes under the model UDL. I have not heard about UDL before.  Focus on individual ability. In my classroom, we follow PLTW curriculum that allows students to think critically solve the problem for the solution, do collaborative work together as a team, good listener, respectful listen to other ideas. Communication is a key while working with team members. Taking responsibility to finish the project on time. Creativity while doing the project designing the app, how they can built the app so it will be user friendly

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1. Initativite and Self-Direction

2. Social and Cross Cultural Skills

3. Flexibility and Adaptability

4. Productivity and Accountability

5. Leadship and Responsibility

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1. Leadership and Responsibility.

2. Flexibility and Adaptability.

3. Productivity and Accountability.

4. Social and Cross Cultural Skills.

5. Initiative and Self direction

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Curriculum Project Reflection- Adriana  

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Curriculum Project Reflection- Chandra  

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Curriculum Project Reflection- Chandra  

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1. Leadership and Responsibility-I believe that if you do not have good leadership and you try to manage rather than lead by example, you will not accomplish anything.

2. Flexibility and Adaptability- If you can not adjust and adapt to changes, your leadership with suffer. As a leaders you need to be seen as someone who can pivot and be adaptable in challenging situations.

3. Social and Cross Cultural Skills-It is so important to recognize diverse groups of people. We see the world through our lens. It is important to see and recognize all groups of people.

4. Productivity and Accountability- Being accountable for your actions is vital to being a good leader. Motivating and inspiring people to increase productivity is the result of good leadership.

5. Initiative and Self Directions-Analyzing problems and creating a plan to tackle those goals is critical.

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Various assessment provide the a student with the tools to succeed. I love assessments that teach real life problems and strategies to succeed. Authentic Assessments also provide students with higher order thinking skills. Having students create their own assessment allows students to take charge of their own learning and teaches higher order thinking skills. This process also allows students to reflect on their strengths and areas of weakness to improve on, deepening their understanding of the subject matter. Authentic Assessments provide opportunities for growth and applied leaned knowledge that paper/pencil assessments cannot provide. Looking at and evaluating what a students are doing in real time and showcasing what they learned and applying it to life demonstrates a deeper sense of learning. Every teachers goal is to have students apply what they learned in the classroom and make it applicable to their lives and the world around them.

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Why is it important to be Globally Aware (1)