Cassadie Ross

Teachers can and should encourage emergent bilingual students to use their mother tongue in order to transfer meaning in academic settings. I think this module so far has missed the opportunity to encourage teachers to frame bilingualism and multilingualism as assets in the workplace, rather than deficits in the classroom. Hopefully this is coming next. 

It is crucial for educators to preview their curriculum looking for stereotypes and biases. When problematic elements are found in curriculum, they can be used as teachable moments to point out the bias or stereotype to students. This is one way that outdated curriculum can be adapted for today's classrooms. It is also important that teachers prepare for panels and guest speakers by communicating expectations for inclusive language for those who might not be accustomed to talking in front of a diverse group of students. 

I think that the more we seek to employ non-gendered vocabulary and terminology, the more inclusive our CTE classrooms become. I have noticed that many people are shifting away from terms like "ladies and gentlemen" to address groups and opting for the more universal "y'all" which not only mitigates the assumption of binary, but also provides with a more inclusive way to address diverse gender groups. A lot of the terminology in CTE curriculum is outdated in that regard, and it is important that teachers address and counter those stereotypical examples when they see them in the curriculum and in… >>>

I really liked the Asia Society's project based learning examples. It's easy to be daunted by the idea of creating an ongoing learning experience in which students grapple with a real world problem and work toward a solution, so having concrete and adaptable examples of this framework is very helpful. 

Curriculum map templates and lesson plan templates can seem incredibly tedious to new teachers, however the practice of including all of the components of a successful lesson (or curriculum map) is beneficial in many ways. While I would never take the time to write out a lesson plan with that level of detail at this point in my career, I know that I do include those basic elements in each lesson as it has become a habit for me (and I know it's an effective way to engage students!). 

Using formative assessment along the way to check for understanding is one of the best ways teachers can ensure that their instruction and learning opportunities for students are effective. Preparing students for a final summative assessment by providing them with a roadmap of the assessment (assessed items, rubric with criteria for success, and point values) is a great way to make your expectations clear and reduce test anxiety.

I liked the rubric with employability skills. Some teachers view these 21st century skills as things that are taught in passing or in discretionary spaces in the classroom, however this module suggests that teachers should teach them explicilty with goals, objectives, outcomes, a rubric with criteria for success, and a method for assessment. 

Don't be afraid to own and apologize for your mistakes. Teachers often expect perfection- that should never the be the goal for themselves or for their students! Making mistakes is part of the learning process; modeling for students how to recover, adapt, and move on after making a mistake is a powerful learning experience. 

Also, keeping a neat and tidy workspace shows students that you care about your work. When the teacher is messy or disorganized, students have a harder time trusting them with assignments, grading, attendance, etc. 

I am glad that dismissing students from class is presented as the absolute last result. Teachers must understand that every time a student is removed from the classroom, their likelihood of graduating from high school is reduced (this is even more true for students of color). With that in mind, it is the responsibility of the teacher to try everything they can to keep the student in class (I really liked the listening and notetaking as a way to diffuse a contentious situation). 

Lots of great suggestions for dealing with unwanted disruptions in class. When students are disruptive or off task, I can usually pinpoint where in the lesson I lost them. Then I can make adjustments as needed next time I teach it. I do think it's helpful to have some tangile strategies to employ (especially for brand new teachers) like the cards for students who like to be the center of attention, or shifting to group work if students seem bored during a lecture.