[0:02] At the beginning of the pandemic, teachers around the world were scrambling to find lessons that could be taught online. Most of us had never experienced being on the teaching end of an online or virtual course. I still see this happening today and I’m not surprised. Teaching, if done right is tough enough in the traditional sense. Doing it from home or trying to socially distance our students put us in a whole new world. I want to talk to you about staying true to high-quality teaching. I want to remind you that even though where we teach has changed good teaching has not changed.
[1:02] No matter what environment you are teaching in, you need to make sure that what your students are learning comes from your state or national standards. Too many times I hear stories about how teachers don’t like to use the standards. They want to teach what they want to teach and they shouldn’t be told what to do. I see standards-based teaching in such a different way. The standards give me freedom in what I teach. I no longer have to worry about what should I teach next. The standards guide me throughout the year. If you use a standards-based instructional design model, your students will get a high-quality education in your class.
"I see standards-based teaching in such a different way. The standards give me freedom in what I teach." – @MrPhysicalEd #PhysEd Share on XA standards-based instructional design example
[1:41] Let’s take a look at how a standards-based instructional design lesson or unit would go. First, you want to look at the standard you want the students to learn. Not only do you look at it, you need to unpack it. You need to understand what the standard is really saying. You need to make sure you understand what the students need to know and be able to do.
Define your destination
[2:03] From there you start designing your summative assessment. It is crucial that you start here so that you know the destination that you are leading your students to. If you know the destination it is easier to build the path to get there.
Develop formative assessments
[2:16] After the summative assessment has been created or selected you can start developing formative assessments. If you are with me so far you are on the right track. Assessment is where most teachers lack in their understanding of the learning process, not of any fault of their own. Most teachers when they were in college did not get a quality education when it comes to assessing students.
Plan instruction
[2:39] Next comes planning your instruction. You do that by creating engaging learning opportunities. This is where you find a hook to draw your students into the lesson. This is where you select the activities that you are going to do with your students and prepare for that little check-in at the end of class.
[2:57] I know this sounds like a lot and we’re getting closer to the end of the process. Though as high-quality teachers, you want to do the best you can do for your students. So, let’s finish strong!
Put your plan into action!
[3:08] Following the planning of instruction comes effective delivery of instruction. This is where you put your plan into action. You are so planned and prepared that during instruction if there is a mishap in class whether it be a broken piece of equipment or faulty technology you are ready to solve that problem on the spot.
Evaluate your formative assessments
[3:30] Once you get to the end of your delivery you will do that formative assessment that you had planned. Then you will take that assessment data that you collected from your students, you will evaluate it and determine if you need to do any reteaching or if you can move on to the next standard that you want to teach.
I hope that this podcast has been beneficial to you and your teaching no matter what environment you are in.
Thanks for listening!