Sam Coulter

I would have loved to have gone through this module my first year of teaching! The English language learners section is particularly helpful, and I really like that the strategies included the bullet about not assuming that their lack of language ability doesn't mean they lack in learning or concept development. I learned its all about being creative and supportive to help students of all abilities succeed and progress.

This was a really fascinating module. I've always wanted to incorporate more group work into my curriculum, but I've had a hard time working it in organically. The steps for forming effective groups is going to help me significantly. I think my students will benefit from more group projects and enjoy learning more about their peers.

The breathing suggestion was surprising! I hadn't considered a lot of voice issues were due to lack of air, but after teaching a year with a mask on, it makes a lot of sense. I have always had an issue with fidgeting, and usually keep items out of reach so I can talk with my hands instead. I think the paper is a clever and appropriate substiitute.

The do's and don't's of the test varieties will help me quite a bit when I administer exams. I like to do a mix, but some questions always seem less robust than others. This will be really nice reference for my future exams, especially the true and false options. I'd like to incorporate more of those.

I learned quite a bit from the group work section. I'll likely be investigating the Group Process Assesment Technique further for my students when I assign group work. Their point about students not wanting to rate their slacker group mates poorly "even if deserved" is so true! 

Honestly, my biggest takeaway was the utilizing the Socratic method and redirecting students to answer other students' questions. I know the Socratic method is a standard and classical technique, but I think by using it more inentionally students responses and reflection on concepts would be more robust. Like brainstorming, where you get all the face-value ideas out of the way and refine unique concepts. I think redirecting students to answer student questions is also a great way to encourage participation and break down the "I don't want to look dumb in front of my peers" barrier.

The sensory modalities and their complementary strategies were a great resource. I'll be incorporating them in my future lecturs and labs for sure. These modules have definitely made me want to rework my lectures to appeal to all my diverse learners.

The most enlightening information I learned was regarding the demonstrations module. I liked how it was broken down, and I'd like to incorporate quite a few of the methods suggested. Specifically, a short review where I can ask students what they've learned and general questions on the topic.

I learned the most about being prepared ealy on and implementing a variety of techniques to acclimate your students and learn about them simultaneously. I found the techniques for introducing yourself and the students to each other to be valuable, and I'll be trying them out his fall.

I'll totaly be referencing the syllabus elements. I've adjusted mine each semester, and everyone's style and fields are so different its difficult to cobble a functional yet unique syllabus. This is a nice, general approach that will help me refine my own syllabi.