examples of flexibility in the classroom

Cloud tools like Google Docs are a perfect fit for students because of their flexibility, but also because they allow for real-time collaboration with students and teachers located anywhere. To help internalize learning, ensure that students reflect on and glean meaning from their behavior. September 1, 2020. Learning spaces should be fluid and provide flexibility to support one-to-one learning, collaboration, independent thinking, and group discussions. It breaks learning down into three parts — representation, action and expression, and engagement — and provides multiple means of accessing each part. During that time, students may sign out to go to the restroom (one at a time), get a drink of water, get a small snack if needed, get materials, consult with other students (about . Google Docs and Slack Grant Flexibility in the Higher Ed Classroom. You will get a better knowledge of which path to adopt when there is an issue. Another way in which flexibility is important for a teacher is the need to respond to different learner abilities, needs and interests. You can work at your convenience, which makes balancing work and family commitments with your education possible. Discuss why some things fall into the same category. With having such personality traits, it will become easier for you to tackle issues in the right way. Flexibility and adaptability are very important to a certain extent, but it is also important to maintain some sort of stability in the classroom as well so that a progressive pace remains. This blended learning example shows us the importance of flexibility in designing the curriculum. Demonstrate your flexibility by working with your student to find a solution-could he get unstuck by using a computer to complete the task instead of a pencil and paper? Cognitive Flexibility Theory. The examples of planned curriculum are lesson plans, course outlines, syllabus, etc. These guidelines are an example of how UDL can me implemented in the classroom regardless of the presence of high-tech products or programs, albeit these can greatly facilitate UDL. However, it's important that their day is not too . Multiple Means of Action & Expression Options for ways in which students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills. Because it's more self-directed, students build time . In a 1-to-1 learning setting, schools provide each student with a laptop or digital device. Today, many organisations are working out new ways to offer flexibility in their learning programmes. To help internalize learning, ensure that students reflect on and glean meaning from their behavior. Keywords: Learning, Flexible Learning, New Learning Design, Classroom Processes, Quality Education. Flexibility is the idea that your plans can change very quickly, sometimes with notice and sometimes without. Again, it is important that all involved in the process of learning are involved and… Guidance on Flexibility in the Classroom for Fall 2021. Fostering Flexibility in the Toddler Classroom. Receiving criticism (good and bad) from your advisers is . Smart Board Fitness Games Importance of Flexibility and Adaptability 1. A "bring your own device" program offers flexibility for students and is one option for digital learning. This classroom hardware enables Rise Vision templates, emergency alerts, and messaging seamlessly through the device. In this example in figure 1, students are participating in a science class, and the teacher has prepared a simple prompt using vocabulary words related to their astronomy lesson. 1. * Consistency and Flexibility * Motivational Tools Your Time is any time students are working individually or together on an assignment or activity in the classroom. Consistent collaboration actually enhances the productivity and overall quality of discourse in the classroom, which in turn makes a significant difference for . Employees who approach their job with a flexible mindset are typically more highly valued by employers. Groups and group work are woven into the fabric of many classrooms. While this helps adapt to students with disabilities such as autism, it's good for all students to get used to classroom routines. Cognitive flexibility occurs in two main ways: The ability to think about multiple things at the same time; The ability to modify thinking based on a change in expectations and/or demands; Let's think about a typical example. Having students interact with one or more peers can build community, increase engagement, and make learning more active. October 30, 2018. _____ will raise their hand and wait to be called on before talking aloud in group settings 4/5 opportunities to do so. In this blended learning example, either the online or classroom training can supplement each other. The standards can provide a background for developing a common understanding among teachers as to appropriate strategies for the selection, development, use, and interpretation of classroom assessments. Flexibility and adaptability help in improving your problem-solving skills. o Organizefrom left to right (horizontal) when possible to promote pre-reading skills. 4 - Convenience and flexibility. In Purdue University's teacher education program, faculty members identified the following dispositions: 1. They use flexible bookshelves. Here are just a few examples of how UDL can work in a classroom. While varying in wording, these definitions are mostly student/learner-centred. The goal of the exercise is to improve the speed of correct answers. Interestingly, we had an emergency drill right in the middle of the lesson, and it was difficult to get the students back into the conversation--perfect example of the need for flexibility. She uses examples from her own childhood: a cousin spreading butter the wrong way, her dad holding a pencil differently than she was taught, etc. Flexibility is the capacity to adjust to short-term change quickly and calmly, so that you can deal with unexpected problems or tasks effectively. If he's refusing to do a writing task, for example, it could be that he doesn't know how to start or has trouble with fine motor skills. Finally, one of the most unique flipped classroom examples comes in the form of the flipped teacher model, which is sometimes referred to as the double flipped classroom. Candidates a) demonstrate their commitment to student learning, b) promote student self-determination and autonomous functioning, and c) demonstrate high expectations for ALL students. Workplace flexibility is a strategy of responding to changing circumstances and expectations. It is reasonable to assume that performance of such extraordinary . If used properly, flexible classrooms produce better academic outcomes among primary school children than more traditional, static classroom designs. The lesson went well. For example, if a teacher finds that four students need the content retaught in a different fashion, the teacher pulls them into a small group and begins. Cognitive Training Tips: 1) When teaching new concepts or skills, try to represent the content in more than one way. One great example of universal design for learning is creating classroom routines that help students feel secure. But UDL takes careful planning by teachers. For example, Van den Brande (1993) stated that "flexible learning is enabling learners to learn when they want (frequency, timing, duration), how they want (modes of learning), and what they want (that is Another idea is to add a working area with foldable beach chairs, which can change things up and keep learning fun. Typically, presentations with beautiful images or animations are more visually appealing than static text, and they can maintain an emotional level that complements the material being presented, contributing to increased learning efficiency. But UDL takes careful planning by teachers. Try to come up with new categories and new list items. Commitment to Students and Their Learning. Example: Using apps like Kindle or iBooks-or even simply sharing PDFs of texts that students can read outside of the classroom. You will know it once you already have the results of their quizzes, assignments, projects, and exams (formative and summative . Instead of individual workspaces, they use large round or rectangular tables, or put four desks together to form a more collaborative space. Sometimes this might mean delving into your teacher's "bag of tricks". Social Skill Area Goals 1. 5. Ownership and flexibility account for a quarter of this learning impact, so let's take a look at these important factors in terms of classroom design. Design Thinking Project Example Now that we have discussed design thinking and its role in K-12 education, I'm going to walk us through an example of a design thinking project I recently did with . a. D.R. Examples of technology in the classroom. connotation of flexibility. There's a small amount of flexibility that teachers should use in classroom management at their discretion. Students interact with learning materials for a generous portion of the school day. The argument goes something like this: When a course starts, the . It is an effective way to encourage your kids to be flexible and thus, boost up your kids' cognitive flexibility. New Google workflows also make it even easier for educators to build out templates . For example, for the first word, "blue," the correct answer is green. Design thinking is sometimes considered "non-traditional," which provides a setback for teachers who do not have the resources or flexibility. 2. For example, at work teachers regularly: encounter a diverse range of learners to whom they must respond appropriately face unexpected situations in the classroom or shifts in timetabling that they. For example, the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) developed a set of guidelines to help teachers design lesson plans that are all-inclusive. Let's Talk: Improving Communication and Collaboration in the Classroom. #2 Change some plans suddenly 1. Multiple Means of Engagement Options for the ways students can engaged with content. The ideal classroom design: ownership and flexibility. In a classroom culture that places learning first, dishonest behavior is a teachable moment. Offer more flexibility in how to assess students (examples of formative assessment may include think-pair-share activities or hands-on learning) Aren't as flexible in assessment type (papers or essays are commonly used) Are used to determine where to adjust lessons and remaining instruction: Are used to determine subject mastery Classroom Management: Finding the Balance Between Too Rigid and Too Flexible. We can also be responsive when some spontaneous event sets up a valuable learning opportunity; pause, acknowledge the outside content, and either adapt the lesson to it or address . By any measure, the variety of functions subserved by the nervous system is prodigious. In my classroom, which is a self-contained, first-grade classroom, many of my flexible groups are what I call "pull-back groups". WHY? Teaching students how to think, work together, and communicate clearly are exemplary and attainable goals. In a flipped classroom, class time is "re-purposed for inquiry, application and assessment."3 Since accounting concepts tend to build upon one another, a professor might, for example, use the first five minutes of class time to discuss the concept of revenue recognition before reviewing how to prepare an income statement. Here are a few examples of how you might demonstrate it: Offer to help out another team member if you notice that he or she is overloaded. study concludes that flexible learning in classroom helps to promote quality education. In extreme situations, you can make exceptions to the classroom rules. Flexibility and Adaptability in the classroom are two of most important qualities that every teacher must possess. Showing experiments. Conceptual knowledge: The compare and sequential groups did not differ in their knowledge of the big ideas of equation solving — such as the . For example, a combination of distance and face-to-face contact (blended), flexible start and end dates, the full assessment of an individual's skills and understanding prior to starting a course, smaller courses to pick and mix, individualised . This single organ system governs and coordinates vegetative functions, including thermoregulation, cardiorespiration, and digestion, perceives sensory stimuli, effects motor responses, governs emotions, and learns, remembers and introspects. The Flipped Teacher Approach. Knowing what comes next is comforting to children, especially if they don't experience much predictability in their home life. The current lockdown has forced families across the United States to change their schedules drastically, and this includes their children. Classroom Management Strategies, tips, and teaching concepts to help teachers succeed in the classroom; Instructional Design Insightful content to help you design the ultimate curriculum - for on-campus and online teaching; Lifestyle & Self-Care The best ways to implement self-care and resilience that are relevant to teachers; Online Higher Ed Teaching Helpful content addressing the needs of . Instructional Practices: It can be helpful for all kids, including kids with learning and thinking differences. The teacher may use manipulatives to make the concept more concrete so students can connect to prior learning. Flexible grouping is going to look different in each classroom depending on grade level, class size, and a number of other factors. Presenting information. The takeaway: Flexibility, combined with characteristics like acoustics and air quality, has a real impact on student achievement. Every educator has biases based on his/her own culture and upbringing, but students from other cultural traditions with different values may need occasional flexibility and understanding. Since a teacher must find creative and effective ways to monitor multiple groups working at once in the classroom, assigning roles can be incredibly helpful. Personality Matters: Create A Place For All . Google Docs and Slack Grant Flexibility in the Higher Ed Classroom. These students were also more likely to use the demonstrated shortcuts during the posttest. Creates a sense of classroom community Eliminates tracking Develops independent work skills Develops flexibility Examples: Literature Circles Science labs or projects Leveled math groups Tiered assignments Situations where it's useful: When there is a difference in students' levels of readiness When activities or tasks focus on How To Use Flexible Grouping In The Classroom. However, the vast majority of instructional materials offer little flexibility for teachers to engage a classroom of students with varying degrees of learning aptitudes; much less the ability to teach to students with dyslexia. the Classroom Assessment Standards to evaluate their practices, shape plans for improvement, and share ideas for classroom assessment. It can be helpful for all kids, including kids with learning and attention issues. Imagine the teacher has asked students to see how many ways their class can be sorted into different groups. By VELUX Commercial. A rigorous classroom is one in which every student is constantly being challenged to reach his or her individual potential. * Integrating technology into your lesson plans as well as using it to expand your own knowledge of subject matter can make a significant difference in the classroom. Infant toddler teacher Janette Rivera explains the importance of being flexible when working with young children and provides an example of how she fosters children's ability to be flexible themselves. Teach flexibility explicitly. For example, educators should look at the relative importance of academic work vs. family needs, and individual vs. group achievements. Routine and a predictable schedule are necessary in a toddler classroom, but it's also essential . For quite some time now I've been interested in a widely held set of assumptions faculty make about the need to assert control at the beginning of a course. These two characteristics also go hand-in-hand with one another. In a classroom culture that places learning first, dishonest behavior is a teachable moment. Well-designed classrooms can improve students' learning progress by around 16% in a single year. Here, founder Malia Hollowell showcases a wide variety of real-world flexible classroom environments. One desk layout uses soft yoga balls instead of chairs, which can create a more dynamic seat for younger kids and keep them focused. Increasing Flexibility in Your Daily Classroom Routine. For example, for a mealtime routine, children will know "I wash my hands, sit at the table, sing a rhyme with the class, eat my food, clean up, and brush my teeth." A classroom routine should flow like a well-oiled machine. For example, if you were generating a list of different uses for water, then washing dishes, washing clothes, and brushing teeth would all fall into one category, while generating hydro power would fall into a different one. The definition of cognitive flexibility is in the word itself - it is a flexible way of thinking. educational practice: interpretative flexibility, instrumental evolution, and institutional adoption. Cloud tools like Google Docs are a perfect fit for students because of their flexibility, but also because they allow for real-time collaboration with students and teachers located anywhere. This paper opens by reviewing - in this light - the evolving design of dynamic geometry, its pioneering use within classroom projects, and early sketches of its mainstream use in ordinary classrooms. Empowerment Being able to switch your way of thinking, change your mind, or simultaneously think of multiple concepts at once are examples of cognitive flexibility. The author of this article is the chief content officer at Edutopia. Flexibility-and-Adaptability-Rubric.pdf. Similarly, employers who cultivate a flexible work environment are attractive to employees. Maryellen Weimer, PhD. examples of IEP goals that can be used for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. 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