by Ava Spicer | Or Ami
I have to be honest, when I started this program I was unsure what I would gain from it. But, I have learned a lot from this program. I have learned that every student learns differently, and it is important to try and adapt to their learning style. Also, I have learned about all the different types of learning abilities. There have been many cases where my new knowledge would have been helpful in the past, and I am sure there will be many instances in the future where I can use the information that I have learned from this program. I wanted to share some of the instances that I have used the strategies I have learned throughout TAP.
The first real life case that I have used the strategies I have learned through TAP is in the kindergarten classroom I student teach in during the week. In the classroom we have a few students who learn differently than other students, so I have made it my mission to make sure I can do whatever I can to ensure they are learning the most they can. For example, while the kids were doing their independent work I noticed one of the students was not able to focus even in a quiet classroom. To help him focus I gave him a privacy folder, so he was able to concentrate on his own work. He now is to the point where he recognizes when he needs that extra help to focus, and grabs his privacy folder. This is just one of the many instances where I have been able to use differential learning in the kindergarten classroom.
I hope to continue to find ways to use my new found strategies from TAP in future classrooms. I will continue to use them in the third and kindergarten classrooms I student teach in, as well as the Sunday School class I am a teen aid for. I think differentiated learning will play the biggest factor in my classrooms, but I also think that I will use my new knowledge of the different types of disabilities to help me set up my classrooms. For example, if one of my students has ADHD or needs stimulation to focus I can provide fidgets or bands on their chairs to fulfill that stimulation they need. I also hope to continue to learn and grow my knowledge of how I can make my classroom a more inclusive space for my future students.