EPISODE 3

FOCUS ON GENDER, NEEDS, STRENGTHS, INTERESTS, EXPERIENCES,

LANGUAGE, RACE, CULTURE, RELIGION, SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS,
DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND INDIGINOUS PEOPLES

Introduction
          
Episode 3 provides an opportunity to observe how differences in gnder, racial,
cultural, and religious backgrounds, including coming from indigenous groups influence
learnr behavior, interaction, and performance in school. One will also analyze and reflect on
practices that teachers use in leveraging diversity in the classroom. It also provides an
opportunity to observe how differences in abilities affect interaction in school and learn about
strategies that teachers use in addressing the learners’ needs towards effective teaching and
learning.

Learning Outcome:

At the end of this activity, student teacher should be able to:

 Describe the characteristics and needs of learners from diverse backgrounds

 Identify the needs of the students with different levels of abilities in the classroom

 Identify best practices in differentiated teaching to suit the varying learner needs in a
diverse class

 Demonstrate openness, understanding, and acceptance of the learners’ diverse needs and
backgrounds

At the end of this activity, I should be able to document observation report using
observation guide and matrix.

My Observation
                                   
An Observation Guide for the Learners’ Characteristics
         
1. Observe a learner’s class in a school day ( before the class, during class, and after
the class)
2. Describe the characteristics of the learners in terms of age, gender, and social and
cultiral diversity.
3. Describe the interaction that transpires inside and outside the classroom.
4. Interview a teacher about the principles and practices that he/she uses in dealing

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 with diversity in the classroom.
5. Analyze the impact of individual differences on learners’ interaction.
My Map

          Write 3-5 sentences why is there a need to record students’ differences.

My Mission

1. Observe a learner’s characteristics and needs from diverse backgrounds.

2. Interview a teacher on the strategies he/she applies to address the needs of diverse
students.

My Target/Learning Objectives

1. Identify learners to be observed.

2. Determine my learners’ characteristics and needs from diverse backgrounds

3. Write the characteristics and needs of the learners I will observe.

4. Reflect on my experiences.

5. Create my learning artifacts.

My Tools

          Given the chance to interview a teacher as you observe the learners, activity forms are
provided for you to document your observations. It is advised that you read the entire
worksheet before observing the learners.

Observation Guide for the Learners’ Characteristics

Directions: Read the following carefully before you begin to observe.

1. Find out the number of students. Gather data as to their ages, gender, racial groups,
religious, and ethnic backgrounds.

During class:

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 1. How much interaction is there in the classroom via online? Describe how the students
interact with one another and with the teacher. Are there groups that interact more with the
teacher than others?
2. Do the learners behave from online class to modular approach?
3. Do the learners cooperate with or compete against each other?
4. Who among the students participate actively, and ask for most help?
5. When the student is called and cannot answer the teacher’s question, do the classmates try
to help him/her?
6. Describe the student who seems to be performing well and to be behind.

7. Observe the behavior of both regular student and with special needs. Note their dispositions,
pace in accomplishing tasks, interaction with teacher and with others.

Outside class:

1. Describe the behavior of a student who is with the group and who is alone.

Interview a teacher and ask about his/her experience about learners in difficult circumstances.
Let him/her describe these circumstances and how they have affected the learners. Ask about
his/her strategies he/she use to help these learners cope.

Ask the teacher about strategies he/she applies to address the needs of diverse students due to
the following factors:

 Gender, including LGBT

 Language and cultural differences
 Differences in religion
 Socio-economic status

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Write your observation report here.

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 My Analysis
1. What role does the student play – a leader, a mascot/joker, attention seeker, a little teacher,
a doubter/pessimist?

2. Does the student you observed appear left out/different? Is he/she accepted or rejected by
the others? What does th teacher do to address this issue?

3. How does the teacher influence the class interaction considering the individual differences
of the students?

4. What strategies does the teacher use to maximize the benefits of diversity in the
classroom? How does the teacher leverage diversity?

5. Did your observation match the information given by the teacher?

6. What practices or strategies should be done to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of
the learners?

7. What do you think can still be done to promote and uphold the indigenous peoples
knowledge systems and practices and rights in schools?

Curriculum Design, Competencies, Answer each question based on your

and Content observation and interview data
1. Does the school foster a sense of
belongingness to one’s ancestral
domain, a deep understading of the
community’s beliefs and practices? Cite
examples.
2. Does the school show respect of the
community’s expression of spirituality?
How?
3. Does the school foster in the
indigenous learners a deep appreciation
of their identity? How?
4. Does the curriculum teach skills and
competencies in the indigenous learners
that will help them develop and protect
their ancestral domain and culture?
5. Does the curriculum link new
concepts and competencies to the life
experience of the community?
6. Do the teaching strategies help
strengthen, enrich and complement the
community’s indigenouss teaching-
process?
7. Does the curriculum maximize the

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 use of the ancestral domain and
activities of the community as relevant
settings for learning in combination
with classroom-based sessions? Cite
examples.
8. Is cultural sensitivity to uphold
culture, beliefs and practices, observed
and applied in the development and use
of instructional materials and learning
resources? How?
9. Do assessment practices consider
community values and culture? How?
10. Do assessment processes include
application of higher order thinking
skills? How?

My Reflection

1. Recall the time when you were in the high school. Recall the high and low achievers in
your class. How did your teacher deal with diffferences in abilities? Was your teacher
effective?

2. What dispositions or traits will you need as a future teacher to meet the needs of the
learners?

3. After watching the video through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxdS8GdfHR4

what new things did you learn about indigenous peoples?

4. Waht did you appreciate most from your experiences in school with indigenous peoples?
Why?

5. For indigenous learners, as a future teacher, I promise these three things:

a. Be open to and respect indigenous peoples by __________________________

b. Uphold and celebrate their culture, beleifs and practices by _______________

c. Advocate for indigenous peoples education by _________________________

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 My Learning Artifacts

With the principle of individual differences in mind, what methods and strategies will you
remeber in the future to ensure that you will be able to meet the needs of both the high and
low achievers in your class? Make a collection of strategies on how to address the students’
different ability levels.

Note: You may clip some readings or images about this theory and paste them. It could also
be presented by infographics.

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My Documentation

(Note: Organize your documentation in an orderly and presentable photos with short caption.
Caption is just a phrase)

Things to consider
Your journey of this episode

References

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