InTASC Standard: Standard #3 - Learning Environments The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation (InTASC, 2013).
Brief Description of Evidence: During the spring semester of 2019 as part of my EDUC 224 - Introduction to Scientific Inquiry, our class received the opportunity to split into small groups and implement a Peter Pan cross-disciplinary lesson with the third grade class of Inspire Academy. In this lesson we taught social studies, mathematics, and English/Language Arts. For this lesson plan, my group created an environment that encouraged individual and collaborative active engagement in the lesson. My group split the room into two sections, London and Neverland, and we also dressed and spoke as characters from Peter Pan! The small group I was a part of created the Neverland side. We created Captain Hook’s pirate ship to teach students mathematics by creating their own pirate treasure slime! Our group also created the Lost Children's Hideout, Mermaid Lagoon, and Skull Island to teach students social studies by going on an interactive treasure hunt!
Analysis of What I Learned:Throughout this process, I learned how vital it is to work with others to create a quality environment. In order to produce this engaging environment, it takes a lot of help from colleagues and students. The students can tell you what environment they would react well to most and what activities they would love to do. As for the colleagues, they can provide some awesome resources and ideas for the lesson and environment! I also learned how important it is to get creative with the environment. Creating Neverland was a very hard goal to achieve. Although we felt we could have done more for the space, the learners loved it!
How This Artifact Demonstrates my Competence of the InTASC Standard:
My group spent hours after class to ensure that our students would feel encouraged and motivated to learn purposefully. In order for this to occur, we applied Charles Bonwell's theory of active learning to create an engaging environment for our lesson! In order to create a productive environment, we reminded the students of the EPIC Quality they have to keep at Inspire Academy. We also taught the kids call and responses to gain learner attention. For example, on Captain Hook’s ship, Captain would shout “yo-ho, yo-ho,” and the students responded with, “it’s a pirate’s life we know.” To boost motivation and encouragement, my group members and I role-played Peter Pan characters, decorated the classroom, encouraged positive social interaction by creating a treasure hunt, asked open-ended questions, and asked for student feedback. We also had the students participate in Peter Pan yoga. This allowed for them to take a brain break and refresh to learn the rest of the lesson!
*Permission was granted for use of these photographs.
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