Domain 3:
Instruction
3a: Communicating with Students
Students frequently benefit from established classroom procedures that engage with course content. In my classroom, students participate in daily "Check-Ins" and "Do Nows" that ask students to recall and apply their course knowledge as well as reflect on and analyze their personal experiences. In the first photo, yoga students respond to prompts that ask students to recall a pose we've learned along with one of many alignment cues, imparting the importance of anatomically safe yoga practices. In the second photo, students engage with one of the themes of the month, judgement. Students reflect on their experiences and analyze how they might reframe their mindset for a less judgmental experience.
3b: Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
Supportive questioning and discussion techniques can aid students to engage in higher order thinking. In the video below, I guide students through the process of developing "movement language", a concept created for a social justice based unit where students distill social justice concepts into language that can be physicalized such as gathering, safe, or sneaky. Students practice developing movement language as a community and as questions arise, I am able to guide students toward answers rather than simply giving them the answer.
3c: Engaging Students in Learning
The included resource utilizes the online platform Padlet's response connection feature to explore the concept of Intersectionality. Students began by answering the four prompt questions about their self-selected social justice topic. Upon completion, students are asked to read the responses of their peers, looking for connections between their social justice topics through the lens of decision making, who benefits in the power relationship, and the fairness of the social justice issue.
3d: Using Assessment in Instruction
In the included artifact, students are assessed on their demonstration of ballet steps and concepts such as plié, tendu, dégagé, and frappé. Students are initially assessed based on their video submission of each barre exercise. The students and I use the video assessment materials to provide feedback on student application of sequencing, posture, positions, timing, and movement quality. Students are able to practice using vocabulary and applying their understanding of ballet to their peers' performances in addition to the benefits of applying feedback.
3e: Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness
Below, I've included the yoga students' responses on their daily check-in. Based on their responses, it was clear that the students were not feeling their best. In order to adapt my teaching to best serve the students this day, I led students through a guided mediation and breath work, engaging with peace and the release of stress. Additionally, I've included sample meditation resources that I have implemented in my classroom to support students as whole individuals, addressing social and emotional needs.
