Module 1

We all develop and learn at different paces. We believe multi-age classroom models honor the whole-
child and allow for greater flexibility and differentiation in meeting children’s needs. A multiage
classroom provides a safe, nurturing space for children to develop academic skills as well as social-
emotional skills. A focus on collaboration, leadership development and a project based curriculum helps
prepare children to contribute and thrive in a democratic society. We believe, as educational
philosopher John Dewey did, that education should “guide people to use their diverse gifts and talents
for productive, interactive lives in order to promote a progressive society that values freedom,
individualism, and the overall betterment of society”. Multi-age classrooms more closely model the
world we live in and help children experience democracy firsthand.

Module 2:

Objectives help define goals, identify conflicting activities, guide elements of the decision-making
process, and ensure accountability of personnel within an organization. Without clearly defined goals
and supporting objectives, goal displacement often occurs. Goal- and objective-setting are influenced by
values. Values are personal standards as to what is good or bad, fair or unfair, and hence influence our
decisions. The more incongruent the participants’ values are in an organization, the more difficult it is to
determine and reach an organization’s goals and objectives.

Module 3

Teaching without evaluating performance sounds more like trying things out to find out what they do.
Finland has long been renowned for the quality of its education and always scores highly in international
league tables. Phenomenon (or Project) Based Learning has had a part to play in this success despite
some reservations.

For nearly two decades, Finland has enjoyed a reputation for having one of the world’s best education
systems. Its 15 year olds regularly score amongst the highest in the global Pisa league tables for reading,
maths and science.

Its ability to produce high academic results in children who do not start formal schooling until the age of
seven, have short school days, long holidays, relatively little homework and no exams, has long
fascinated education experts around the world.

Despite this, Finland is shaking up the way it is doing things – a move that it says is vital in a digital age
where children are no longer reliant on books and the classroom to gain knowledge.

Module 4

Lesson plan is the instructor’s road map of what students need to learn and how it will be done
effectively during the class time. Before you plan your lesson, you will first need to identify the learning
objectives for the class meeting. Then, you can design appropriate learning activities and develop
strategies to obtain feedback on student learning.

Specifying concrete objectives for student learning will help you determine the kinds of teaching and
learning activities you will use in class, while those activities will define how you will check whether the
learning objectives have been accomplished.
Module 5

Teachers must adapt to a new way of teaching by managing more open ended discovery by students.
This means shifting roles from a lecturer to a facilitator who provides resources, monitors progress and
encourages students to problem solve. Teachers reap benefits when they see how excited their students
are about applying their knowledge to solve a problem.

facilitative learning requires that students do the work. However, many students, especially those who
prefer to know “how to get an A,” are uncomfortable with the open-ended design of facilitative
learning. They are not familiar with projects that require them to apply their knowledge and problem
solve. So, at first, students can get frustrated. Teachers must teach students to manage their own
learning. The result will be students who are more creative and able to apply their learning to life’s
challenges. An added benefit is that teachers find once the shift to facilitative learning is implemented,
students are more motivated in the classroom resulting in fewer discipline problems.

facilitative learning requires students to apply their knowledge across subjects and that requires
teachers in different disciplines to work together. Teachers feel comfortable managing their own
classrooms but sometimes may not be used to working with their peers. Teachers must use facilitation
skills to find positive ways of working on a single project with teachers in other disciplines. As a result,
teachers find that working with their peers offers them more resources and ideas to share with students
in their classrooms.

Module 6

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Qualities of Good Assessment Practices

4.4 Ensuring that learners receive specific, constructive, and timely feedback regarding their progress

Assessment

Assessment is the process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse sources in
order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand, and can do with their
knowledge as a result of their educational experiences. The process culminates when assessment results
are used to improve subsequent learning.

Choosing assessment tools for your course(s) is at the heart of curriculum planning. These tools will
drive student learning as they will be the first things that attract your learners’ attention! The following
diagram illustrates the importance of assessing students using an Integrated Course Design model,
where established learning goals are supported by appropriate learning activities and assessment
methods.

Module 7

In this topic I learned that Developing a standard involves the careful review and consideration of many
differing viewpoints. With a diverse group of participants, disagreements will occur. Ensuring a
supportive process to address those conflicts will lead to a stronger standard and more positive
outcome.

Module 9

The teachers deliver instruction as a team and have a great deal of flexibility in terms of how they do so.
Decisions about instruction are made based on student needs, learning style and interests as well as the
strengths and interests of the teachers. Some instruction will be in a whole group format, but much will
be done in smaller learning groups. For example, a student may have one teacher for math, another
teacher for their guided reading group, and receive instruction from both teachers in social studies and
writing.

By giving students the opportunity to develop relationships with both teachers, they have twice as many
adults for emotional and learning support. Additionally, they will have the same teachers for two years,
allowing for great continuity and stronger relationships to form.

Module 10

Unlike standard classrooms with a large number of peers, self-contained classrooms are typically smaller
settings with a fewer number of students. Created to help foster enhanced support for students with
special needs or specific difficulties, self-contained rooms are generally comprised of about ten students
with unique struggles who are most commonly instructed by a lead teacher with a certification in special
education. Self-contained classrooms will also have at least one educator who provides instructional
support under the guidance of the classroom teacher while team teaching team, teaching can be both
an incredible privilege and challenge all at the same time. Team teaching is when two (or more) teachers
equally share the responsibility of the learning for the students in the classroom. It is different from job
sharing where one teacher might teach three days a week and the other two days. In a team teaching
environment, both teachers interact with all the students at different times.

Module 11

In this topic I learned that Mixed age grouping can provide older children with the opportunity to be
helpful, patient, and tolerant of younger peers’ competencies, and thus give them some of the desirable
early experiences of being nurturing that underlie parenting and helping others who are different from
oneself.

Module 12

In this topic Creating and implementing a learning environment means careful planning for the start of
the school year. The learning environment must be envisioned in both a physical space and a cognitive
space. The physical space of the classroom is managed as the teacher prepares the classroom for the
students. Teachers must also consider the cognitive space necessary for a learning environment. This
cognitive space is based upon the expectations teachers set for students in the classroom and the
process of creating a motivational climate. Effective teachers create and implement classroom
management practices that cultivate an engaging classroom environment for their students.