Pray For Your Students!

As educators, we are to teach academics to our students so they can successfully follow a career path.  As Christian educators, we are to talk about God throughout the classroom lessons, read his Word to our students daily, share with our students what we have learned from God's Word, and pray fervently for the spiritual lives of our students.

Educational Apps for Elementary Children

Currently, many classrooms are provided with IPads that are filled with educational apps.  The apps can be used to reiterate a lesson's content, study for quizzes and tests, or connect learning with fun.  Below is a list of educational apps that can benefit elementary children as they used technology in the classrooms.

• PopGeo USA Geography
• Mathmateer™
• Phonics Silly Sentences 2 Free - Flashcards, Matching, Silly Sentences
• BrainPOP
• Motion Math
• Barefoot World Atlas

Project-Based Learning

     Project-based learning has become a new "buzz" word in the educational world.  What is project-based learning?  Why use project-based learning? How is it implemented in the classroom?  Below is a YouTube video that will provides answers to these questions.

George Lucas Educational Foundation

The George Lucas Educational Foundation provides resources for all teachers.  The foundation provides videos called “Schools That Work”.  The videos show students working through current issues, participating in discussions, and actively learning.  Secondly, the foundation offers articles which expose examples and benefits of project-based learning.  Project-based learning allows the students to take ownership of their educational journeys.  Thirdly, articles of social and emotional learning are available, which can wonderful resources as teachers desire to influence all parts of their students.  Fourthly, the foundation presents articles that express the importance of integrated studies.  Suggestions on how to properly integrate technology are provided.  Lastly, the foundation discusses the need for teacher development.  Teachers should be learners as well.  Educators must be prepared to present knowledge to their students in ways are applicable and understandable.  There are many more topics found within the George Lucas Educational Foundation.

Technology in the Classroom: A Future Classroom (YouTube Video)

     Technology is changing the classroom!  This YouTube video is an official selection of the 2014 White House Student Film Festival. A student envisions a new piece of technology that may one day improve all classrooms.

Article Analysis: "Differentiation of Instruction: A Strategic Response to Student Needs"

     Due to the diversity of students found in every classroom, differentiation of instruction is needed to ensure success in their educational journeys.  The article clearly answers four questions that teachers have concerning differentiated instruction.  The first question discusses the relationship between standards, curricula, and differentiated instruction.  Differentiated instruction take curricula and modifies it to engage every student.  Pham (2012) states that modified content must comply with student developmental progress and developmental range.  Pham also articulates the need for teachers to modify the instructional process, which will result in adding activities, techniques, and teaching strategies in the classroom.  Teachers need to know their students to accurately use differentiated instruction.  The standards are the foundation of curriculum and differentiated instruction.  The second question exposes the need for strong curriculum.  If teachers implement weak curriculum in their classrooms, then the student outcome will be weak and low.  In contract, if teachers use rich, supportive curriculum, the students will experience success in the classroom.  A strong curriculum is needed as teachers begin to implement various elements of differentiated instruction.  School leadership and administration must fervently examine curriculum to uncover its strengths and weaknesses.  Wu (2017) conducted an interview with Carolyn Callahan, who developed the CLEAR curriculum.  CLEAR curriculum is an example of rich curriculum because it provides step-by-step directions on how to use differentiated instruction and modified curriculum so all students can understand and explicit instructions on how to assess the students properly.
     The third question reveals the need for variety in instructional methods.  Because most colleges taught teachers how to teach in a traditional classroom setting, teachers are at a lost because they don’t know which elements and strategies of differentiated instruction to use.  The article suggested that schools provide development programs which will assist teachers as they implement differentiated instruction.  Advise, examples, hands-on experiences, and discussions will be part of the development program.  Assessment and evaluation are discussed in the fourth question.  Formative and summative assessments should be completed, and collaboration from colleagues and school leadership will provide guidance in knowing which assessments should receive grades or which assessments are used as evaluation. 
     Elementary classrooms need to be filled with a variety of learning activities, teaching strategies, and hands-on activities so all students will desire to learn.  Elementary students should be moving around the classroom, asking and answering questions, and provided with opportunities to learn per their learning style.  Elementary school leadership must zealously evaluate and research curriculum before it enters the classroom.  Teachers must take the curriculum and implement formative and summative assessments to provide grades and evaluations.  Elementary teachers should be provided with support from the school administration on how to properly implement differentiated instruction in the classroom.  Workshops, in-service meetings, and brainstorming sessions on differentiated instruction will benefit teachers.  Educational websites and blogs are excellent resources to use when exploring new strategies for differentiated learning.
     Differentiated instruction uses a variety of methods and teaching styles.  Christian educators should examine the teaching styles of Jesus during his earthly ministry.  Jesus used modeling (John 13:1-20), lecturing (Matt. 5), question/answering (Luke 9:18-20), storytelling (Matt. 7:24-27), and objects (Luke 9:23) while he taught this disciple and the multitudes.  Therefore, all methods should be implemented into the classroom instruction and setting to facilitate differentiated instruction.

References

Hedrick, K. A. (n.d.) Differentiation of instruction: A strategic response to student 

     needs. In Curriculum Leadership, 395-400.

Pham, H. L. (2012). Differentiated instruction and the need to integrate teaching and 

     practice. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 9 (1), 13-20.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2005). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Wu, E. H. (2017). Paving the way for differentiated instruction in rural classrooms 

     under common core state standards: An interview with Carolyn Callahan. Journal of 

     Advanced Academics, 28 (1), 51-65. 

The Importance of Technology in the Classroom (YouTube video)

Because of the technological world we live in, schools should be implementing various elements of technology.  If technology is used in the classrooms, then students will become more engaged and interested in learning.  Technology in the classroom provides different venues for all students to freely communicate.  Technology supplies a vast amount of knowledge and information to the students.