Nealey, Janeé

The Learner and Learning Reflection

Over the course of my student teaching, I have realized that not all students are the same.

Because students learn differently have varied lived experiences, classrooms cannot be one-size-

fits-all. Although particular instruction techniques may work for other classrooms, my students

may not learn as effectively that way. Recognizing this, I have realized the importance of

diversification within my classroom structure. Diversification can aid in cognitive differences, as

well as cultural. According to Tomlinson (2000), there are four aspects of differentiated

instruction. The instruction’s content, process, product, and environment can be manipulated in

order to diversify for individuals or groups of students.

My instruction focuses on diversification, because it tailors the lessons for students based

on their diverse understandings. Understanding can refer to content, social cues, reading ability,

lab ability, interest, motivation, learning styles, and personal experiences. A student who has

earned all A’s in science courses may not have the same interest or content understanding as a

student who has consistently made C’s in their science courses. Cognitive differences and

learning styles also play a role in conceptual understanding. In my classes, I have issued a

learning style quiz to my students. The quiz results were turned in and the students were asked if

they agreed or disagreed with their results—this let me know if the students had already

considered their own personal learning style. The results would determine the student’s task. I

would differentiate based on the process for the lesson. For instance when learning about cellular

reproduction, auditory learners attended a mini lecture voiced by myself, while visual learners

watched a video, and kinesthetic learners manipulated models.

My Teaching Philosophy introduces my ideas of classroom culture and diversity. I

mentioned that my classroom will focus on respect—towards the classroom, the students, and the
Nealey, Janeé

teacher. This sets the stage for environment diversification. Because of the respect factor,

students know to follow my Classroom Safety Guidelines. This is not simply because there are

lists of rules, but because the students respect the space (Weiner, 2003). This allows me to

instruct using stations and labs where students are working on different materials but still

practicing safety and respect towards their peers.

In my Teaching Philosophy, I also mentioned Argumentation as a personal instructional

tool. Argumentation allows students to utilized prior knowledge, lived experiences, and content

understanding to create varied scientific claims and justifications (Erduran, Erduran, & Jiménez-

Aleixandre, 2007). This instructional technique diversifies instruction and content. Students’

research can vary based on interest and ability. For instance, when developing a scientific claim,

students can stay within the confines of biology, or add in evidence from other science

disciplines, as well.

Working in an urban setting, it is especially important for me to passionately examine my

instruction to make sure it is reaching all of my students. When attempting to have culturally-

relevant pedagogy, incorporating reality and lived experiences into instruction is key (Haberman,

1991). Before each lesson, I ask my students questions to reveal their prior knowledge. More

than that, I try to understand their feelings towards a topic. It helps me to guide my instruction

and minimalize boredom. Diversifying instruction and environment aids in boredom reduction as

well, as it keeps my students away from lecture-based classes. As far as the future, my aim is to

find scientific sources that can vary according to reading level, similar to Newsela. With a tool

such as that, my students could be given diversified reading material to break down science

content. With diversified content, process, environment, and learning products, my classroom

will be primed for culturally-responsive learning.

Nealey, Janeé

References

Erduran, S., Erduran, S., & Jiménez-Aleixandre, M. P. (2007). Argumentation in Science

Education: Perspectives from Classroom-Based Research. Dordrecht: Springer

Netherlands, 2007.

Haberman, M. (1991). The pedagogy of poverty versus good teaching. Phi Delta Kappan, 73(4).

Tomlinson, C. A. (2000). Differentiation of instruction in the elementary grades. ERIC Digest

443-572, 1-10.

Weiner, L. (2003). Why Is Classroom Management so Vexing to Urban Teachers?. Theory Into

Practice, 42(4), 305-312.