Mel Henderson

All four components, writing, listening, reading, and speaking, are important components to literacy and to the classroom. I find it important to consistently ask what the students think and feel about a given topic. I dont want to just rely on passive listening, but active participation that includes all aspects of literacy. 

Bryan, I could not agree with you more. It comes down to meeting the individual student on their level. Create that bond, know them. Approach them from their own angle. Try to tap into what makes them tick, what motivates and inspires them. I don't think that is overwhelming or impossible, I believe it is essential.

For me, it comes down to approaching the student from where they are, their own perspective and frame of reference. To tailor the learning activities around the student's needs. To help facilititate the executive functions of the student so that ultimately she is responsible for her own learning and is equally as able to navigate, control, and assess learning. 

Not only will presenting materials in various formats and contexts reach more individual learning styles, it will be more interesting and more engaging to the whole. Yes, it takes creativity and possibly more time, but the product delivered will be more comprehensive and more accessible. 

As an occupational therapist who works to remove barriers for people to access occupations and activities that bring them purpose and value, the concept of universal design makes sense and seems to be a worthy pursuit in the classroom and curricular design. 

I think one of the most important things I can do is to try to create the best lesson plan I can and then to go back after the lesson is delivered and take notes, modify it, give reasons as to what works and what doesn't. Kind of a note to my future self to provide helpful reminders of how to improve it for next time. 

Being in healthcare, I am used to writing objective, measureable goals. The ABCD method reminds me of what I do with patients every time I write a plan of care. Using the same approach with students makes perfect sense to me. 

Lessons plans are important tools to guide and inform your instruction. It needs to be a living document and not just a hurdle to jump. 

Lessons plans should guide and inform your instruction. At my last school, when I was new to teaching and inexperienced, lesson plans were created AFTER the class as a way to show what was taught. That never made sense to me and was only busy work. Lesson plans need to be created prior to class and should be a map and a guide. 

It is important to be transparent and have all policies clearly stated in the handbook and the syllabus. Be consistent and fair. Respect privacy.