LIC Project: Section 3: Inclusive School and Classroom In the class I observe there are many levels of learning

and IEPs that the teacher must adapt to. Throughout my time observing I have witnessed many differentiation practices and techniques by the teacher to ensure that universal design is applicable to his class. However I have also witnessed lessons that do not meet every need of the students who could require it. I believe that the class I observed tried to have universal design in all the lessons, but wasnt always successful. This has influenced my desire to ensure that every lesson I teach in the future is accessible to all students and meets all of their learning needs. During a lesson that taught students how to formulate a research essay based on primary source the teacher used sever methods of instruction. First he modeled the way he wanted the essays to look on the board by writing the thesis and arguments. Next the teacher grouped the documents into supporting evidence for each argument that was being made. He then asked the students to do the same thing and think about how they wanted to word their supporting documents in their essays. By modeling on the board and using a packet that allowed the students to follow and understand he was ensuring all students were able to learn the skill. He and his other student-teacher then walked around the room making sure each student knew what to do and providing aid to those who needed it. By providing a packet for all students and modeling the skill on the board, the teacher was ensuring that there was access to learning for all students. Walking around the room while the students were writing their essays was a way to provide different instruction to those who learn better with extra aid on specific aspect of their work and how learn better from single instruction. The instructor also made sure to give the students half of the class period to work on their essays in class. By doing this, the teacher was allowing any students who have IEPs that require extra time and focus with an instructor to have their needs met. All of these techniques fit into the teachers model of an inclusive class, the teacher was making sure that his lesson had universal design. I think this lesson was very successful and had all o the elements that his students required for the instruction to be effective. During another lesson about the United States foreign policy before WWII, old Dr. sues cartoons were used as tools to help students. 5 Dr. Seuss cartoons depicting either Isolationism or Appeasement (two U.S. policies toward Germany) were passed to the class in groups of 4 students. While in the groups the students had to decide which cartoon corresponded with which policy and explain why. After the students filled out the sheet, the teacher went over the cartoons as a class. I think that by providing visual stimulation, the teacher took into account the learning variations of some of his students. By using this tool students who have difficulty learning with text or lecture style had the chance to learn in a different way. By providing group support to each student when deciding which cartoon matched which policy, the teacher was allowing students to work together in peer collaboration. One strong student in history was paired at a table with a few weaker students in history, by doing this the teacher provided an opportunity for peer tutoring that can serve as a for of different instruction for students. This method helps provide students who learn better in small groups and by their peers the

opportunity to get the instruction they may require. When the teacher covered the correct answers with the reasons at the end of the activity he was ensuring that al, the students understood the lesson and the implications of the lesson on history. One area the instructor could have used tools of more access could have been by color coding the cartoons or having them posted in larger print on the blackboard or in a power point. I believe that by taking that approach the teacher would have provided access for students who may need visual aid. Overall the lesson was successful and had evidence of universal design. One specific accommodation I saw in my observation was with a paper assignment. The student had to write a paper about the Dust Bowl of the 1920s and provided evidence and reasons for the event and the effects of it. The accommodation the teacher made was that the students could either type the paper or handwrite it. Some students dont have access to computers at home, and some may not be able to type very well. As a result a few students turned in hand written papers that made sure they were able to complete the assignment. This accommodation was successful and specific to his class and the socio-economic status of his students. The environment of the classroom I was observing in also proved to be very inclusive and taking all students specific learning needs into account. The room has many maps of various nations and the globe as well as posters of historical figures and events. The desks are arranged in small groups and are easily moved for rearrangement. The students keep their notebooks, which hold all of their school work from the year so far in the back of class and are often asked to go and add to it or use their past work on a current project. This type of environment provided students who are visual learners have the opportunity to make connections to people on the wall or stay with historical timelines based on maps that are also on the wall. The proximity of nations to each other becomes very important in the history of the world and by providing visual aids the classroom becomes very helpful for all types of learning. The mobility of the desks also allows for accommodation and equality of learning styles. The desks can be grouped for peer collaboration during group activities and can be separated for tests. By allowing student to interact with each other during some lessons, while still being able to control the structure of instruction and environment of the room, the teacher is able to use the desks to ensure that all learning styles are accommodated. I found the use of notebooks and their placement to be of importance. By having students walk around the room and store their past work within the classroom itself, the students can feel like learning is interactive and can rely on the classroom to help them with learning. If a students IEP or learning disability required them to move around during class or to have access to all their work, then this type of classroom would be ideal. I found the classroom to be very conscious and accommodating of the students varying educational needs. From my observations in this high school history class I was able to see first hand how accommodations, equality and access to learning is vital in all classrooms. In the future I plan on taking these aspects of teaching into account and applying them to my own lessons and classes. By having an inclusive classroom,

teaching style and learning environment, schools can help ensure that all of their students needs are being met and that all children can learn effectively.

LIC Section 4: Lesson Plan

Unit title: American history Lesson title: Representation in government Grade Level: 8th-12th Grade history Overall Purpose/ guiding questions:
Why do citizens need a voice that represents their interests in government? How can participation in government by the populous create a more stable and reasonable nation? How and why did the founding of our own government happen? How does this influence us today?

MA and/or Common Core Frameworks:

U.S. History Content standards: Era 3-Revolution and the new nation o Standard 1: The causes of the American Revolution, the ideas and interests involved in forging the revolutionary movement, and the reasons for the American victory o Standard 2: The impact of the American Revolution on politics, economy, and society o Standard 3: The institutions and practices of government created during the Revolution and how they were revised between 1787 and 1815 to create the foundation of the American political system based on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights Historical Thinking standards: 2. Historical comprehension 3. Historical analysis and interpretation 5. Historical issues

Lesson Objectives, Why does this learning matter?

One lesson Objective is to teach students the origins and reasons for having representatives in government, and how it affects a nation Another lesson objective is to teach the students how and why the American system of government came into being. This will go into the question of why it matters to people that their voice is represented in their own nations governance. Another lesson objective will be to teach the differences between Democracy and other forms of government.

Core Vocabulary:
Taxation without Representation Specific British acts placed on colonies States Monarchy Citizenship Democracy Congress (Senators, Representatives) American Revolution

Strategy procedure and learning Experiences:

Foreword (3 minutes) o Students will use a sheet for this lesson and write three sentences in response to the following prompt. o Prompt: How would you define government? How would you define democracy? What does representation mean? Read British Acts and Taxes on colonies during 1700s excerpt aloud with class. Ask for volunteers. (5 minutes) Demonstrate how these types of imposing rules can affect a society (classroom) by imposing unfair rules on the class. (2 minutes) Discuss how the rules were fair or not fair and how it made the students feel. (4 minutes) Break students in 4 groups of different sizes and give each group a list of priorities they are for and against. The groups will decide on how best to present their priorities in a persuasive argument. The students elect 2 people from each of their groups to present their priorities to the class. These two students will be the only two from each group who are allowed to vote Teacher then holds a pole of which policies will be enacted with only the two students from each group being able to vote.

Hold a small debate over the benefits and negatives of each priority. Some policies will pass some will not Ask the class if they think the process is fair or not and how to improve upon it. Teacher gives a small overview of the number of original members from the continental congress in 1774. And describes how each state/ colony an equal number of votes despite their population disparity. Have the students discuss the benefits and negatives of this system and how it could influence smaller states vs. bigger states. Then introduce the House of Representatives system and Senate systems together. For homework have the students read a little more about the congress system and write a page about their own ideas about if the senate and house of representative is a fair and just system or not. Could it be improved upon? Why is it important to democracy? o Paragraph Prompt for Homework: Write one concrete paragraph about the structure of U.S. congress. Make an opinion about how well you believe the system of government works and how you feel it could be improved.

Materials:
List of Acts by British during colonial era: Teas act, quartering act, stamp act, etc. List of unacceptable classroom priorities to enforce on the class for short activity List of acceptable classroom priorities for students to argue for and against in class PowerPoint/ lesson on congress and how it works Textbook material will be needed for homework.

Accommodations/ differentiation:
For students who either do not understand the lesson strategy or have difficulty with participation, the teacher should pair them in groups with students stronger in the material and in participation. The teacher, with guiding questions and suggestions, can assist other students who need help on the presentation of their groups priorities. The Lesson cam be differentiated in many different ways: Content: Students who have trouble understanding or putting the British Acts and Taxes in historical context should be paired in groups with students who do have

good grasp of the material. The teacher can also have one group focus on the more basic aspects of the development of the U.S. government such as continental congress and opposing British rule, while have others go in depth with the justifications for having a House of Representatives and Senate system. Process: During the lesson about the original congress students who have difficulty with historical material can be call on first to give their impressions, or put into groups to do a think-pair-share before discussion with the rest of the class. Students who have difficulty speaking openly can be paired with those who are more open. This allows the students to avoid needing to present the priorities. In order to help students who have any learning disabilities guiding questions during the debate the teacher to help them formulate their arguments can use process. Also related priorities can be color coded on paper to help students understand which priorities could be linked. Product: Because the lesson involves personal interaction and forming opinions with the material, the grading will be based on how well one could connect rather than the quality of their ideas. Also the group that gets the most votes for a particular priority will not be the winner. Rather it is a lesson to show how some states dont have as much power as others. The Assessment writing for homework will reflect how well the students understood the lesson and how in depth they went with the material. For students who still have trouble with the material or memory impairments, a worksheet with the definitions and vocabulary can be sent home to help them write their homework assignment and use the

Pre-Assessment:
Students need a historical context for the birth of a new government in the United States. Students should have a basic understanding of representatives. This can all be done with a small writing assignment about British government on the North American colonies during the 1700s or about the British monarchy system.

Post-Assessment:
Students should be able to show they understand the origins of congress for the U.S. and form their own opinions about the benefits and negative of such a system. Students should be able to understand how and why the U.S. system of government was established, and how it currently operates on a basic level.

Understanding, knowledge and skills learned:

The students will learn how to work in a group to formulate and argue for and against specific ideas. They will foster critical thinking and historical interpreting skills that can be applied to all history.

Students will learn about the continental congress, the main causes for the separation from Great Britain and the basic values and goals our nation was founded on. The students will also learn about the benefits and flaws within our government, and how they came to be. Students will begin to understand historical thinking. Learning how the past applies to and has shaped the present, while at the same time being able to question and interact with the material.

LIC Project Section 5: Teacher Interview

This is a summation of the answers given by the teacher. I found these questions to be important and reveling. Question: When designing a lesson plan, what do you feel is most important? Answer: For me the lesson itself is obviously the center of the focus. I never actual have a step-by-step plan. After doing this job for this long, I realized I never actually use it anyway. However for my classes I tend to make sure I have at least one back up plan in instruction, just incase the students have trouble. I also have to take into account the multiple IEPs that I have. Some students in one of my classes need specific modeling instruction and extra help with organization. Question: Has a lesson plan even not worked? How do you adapt to that? Answer: Sure. I always give the lesson, but honestly it is hard to know if the students learned it in the moment. I usually have to wait until I assign material about the lesson. Also some lessons it will be difficult to get the students to pay attention and keep focus. I usually give them a few methods of learning it, or I tend to turn a lesson into a group activity. Question: What makes a good lesson plan? Answer: I suppose a good lesson plan would be one that all students can identify with and learn from. Lesson plans need to teach first and foremost, they need to be based on the material in the curriculum, but also need to have an timeframe and a back-up plan id that lesson doesnt fit in the timeframe. Also accommodations need to be a part of it. Question: How do you assess students on their knowledge of the material?

Answer: I can usually tell if the students learn the material from the in class work and how well they pay attention. But tests and papers are probably the best indicators I have of the students knowledge. Question: Are there any special considerations you need to address when assessing students? Answer: For any student with and IEP I need to be aware what it is and the special considerations that go along with that. I also need to make sure that students have the knowledge of where they are in the course and where they need to improve. I also think effort and participation is a good indicator of weather or not the student is learning, and I factor that into a grade to reward those who try. Question: How often do you assess students throughout the year? Do you find it is enough? Answer: In most classes there is some sort of assessment. Almost every homework assignment or paper can serve as an indicator of where the students are. We also have tests and practice assignments for bigger assessments like the MCAS and SATs. I think I assess a lot. Question: How do you feel about inclusion in the classroom? Answer: I have several students with IEPs and mild learning disabilities in my classes. I think that being in class with everyone is very helpful for them socially and helps them grow as a learner. I dont have any severely disabled students, but I would be for inclusion with them so long as the learning for the rest of the students or the student with a disability wasnt affected. Questions: How are you able to meet every students learning needs? Answer: My student teacher and myself are always going around the class during classwork and giving aid to everyone on a more one to one basis. I also am in constant communication with the other teachers of students with disabilities and the special education department on the progress and issues with any particular student. I also try to use the IEP list a get to make sure I am using teaching methods that work best for everyone. Question: Do you think teachers can improve their inclusion practices? Answer: Sure. I do think there has been much improvement in the last 10 years, but we can always do more. I find it is a difficult balance to make sure that we can include all students in general education and make sure that every students learning needs are being met. As a teacher it can be easy to forget or overlook inclusion at times, and I think all teacher would agree that we could always do better

Section 5 Reflection:
Going into this interview I had only really been exposed to learning the ideal ways to lesson plan, assess and include students within the classroom. My only real exposure to real practice of these facets of teaching was when I observed my teacher in the classroom. For the most part I felt that his answers were reflective of what I expected a teacher to say regarding educating students. He mentioned what needs to go into a lesson plan to make it complete and how to best incorporate inclusion practices for students and what assessments work best in his class. These responses were along the lines of what I have learned in my classes and were what I expected to hear from him. It was a good conformation that all the material I have been learning can and should be applied to a real life class situation. I think some of the more practical parts of his answers are where I learned the most from this interview. My teacher mentioned trying to use lesson plans he wrote, but that often times he either deviates from it or has memorized methods that make his lesson planning less important for him. I think when I become a teacher that I too will try to make lesson plans new and different, but that I will also have default teaching methods that I will rely on to get through lessons when they get off track. One aspect I found very useful was my teachers responses on assessment. As a high school teacher he needs to make sure his students know the material and the skills that are required of them. However He also know that students shouldnt be punished for not understanding if they are putting in effort and participating. I think that using a students abilities and effort as a second form of assessment is important and will revel a lot about the student, the teaching style that may be required for the student and will hopefully reflect their school work. In the future I hope to keep this mind and make sure that my assessment of students is based on more than just their ability to grasp the material and skills.