Standard 7: Instructional Strategies

The teacher uses various instructional strategies to ensure that all learners develop a deep understanding of content areas and their connections and build skills to apply and extend knowledge in meaningful way.

It is my understanding that instructional strategies require a threefold process: 1. Identify an objective, 2. Utilize multiple methods of instruction, and 3. Identify student needs. The process of instruction and choice in strategy needs to be broken down into steps in order to better understand the usefulness of a strategy. Identifying and objective may seem like an easy task, but many elements of must be considered before an objective can be reached. Knowledge of individual student abilities, previous and post lessons or unit plans, and common core or school district standards, as well as time constraints are all very important elements to consider before the instruction begins. I believe a good lesson is comprised of multiple instructional strategies that are given over the course of that lesson or perhaps many lessons depending on the sequencing of events and the absorption/synthesis of information indicated by student work.

The use of varied instructional strategies is very important to me because I want to provide lessons that will reach students. Not all students are cut from the same cloth, therefore instructional strategies should be as diverse as the students. I believe that an activity is only meaningful if the student can grow due to the experience. Lessons without meaning are useless to all who participate. Using varied instructional strategies not only helps with student engagement but also helps students who have varied intelligences and abilities. In my practice as a teacher I have found that using various instructional strategies also increases my engagement as both a teacher and learner.

The second process is adaptation during the lesson. Mental flexibility has benefited my instruction. Although the planning and choice in activity/strategy is useful, truly understanding what parts need to be adjusted during the lesson is as important as the pre-planned choice in instructional strategy. Adjusting the time of an activity, the questions or instructions, and the debriefing of an activity all require conscious awareness of the effectiveness of the strategies used during instruction.  

During my time at Westminster I learned numerous teaching techniques. The strategies that I used were primarily based on the five methods courses I attended. The backwards design model was an effective method of planning a lesson, however, the implementation requires focus on key objectives. I used exit tickets, observation, assignments, and class discussion to determine if my instructional strategies were effective. I often kept note cards by my podium or a large sticky note on the backside of a book that listed 1-3 essential questions and objectives. Keeping up to three key objectives and/or essential questions nearby maintained my focus. I also verbally stated my objective before beginning a lesson. Writing my objectives on the board along with the steps to an activity helped my students focus as well. Additionally, incorporating diagrams, models, graphic organizers, and physical materials aided in the ability to reach my main objectives.  Explicitly modeling and working through a problem or activity with my students helped gradually release the responsibility of a task.  

During instruction, I like to incorporate many resources including text, audio, visual, and technological sources. As a learner I focus better if given a plethora of sensory components. Younger students are more likely to benefit from the incorporation of moving, seeing, touching, and listening. My instructional strategies are based on my own learning style, the nine intelligences described by Howard Gardner, and what I understand about the developmental process of students and their ability to learn over the course of childhood.

I believe that students who work together in groups can learn a lot from each other. Using developmentally appropriate strategies during instruction often requires knowing when to let the students explore and how much they can do on their own. Using the 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate) requires that the students has time to explore a given concept. Including hands-on peer centered tasks is very valuable to me. I believe in being concise and short in lecture and acting as a supportive guide during an activity.

Examples of my instructional strategies are apparent in my 1st Grade Inference Lesson, 3rd Grade Multiplication Word Problems Activities, 5th Grade Declaration of Independence Lesson, as well as my 3rd grade “Who is the wolf in fiction” Unit.