Peer Coaching I had the honor of working with the insightful Mrs. Randolph to collaborate and conference on our teaching development relative to our inquiries. Visiting her classroom was a privilege and witnessing her pre-service teaching was inspirational. I am lucky to be part of a program that attracts such intrinsically-driven, compassionate and bright peers. I am confident Mrs. Randolph will make for a fantastic and effective educator that students will enjoy learning with. What did you learn about your inquiry from the data collected?My inquiry for this semester relates to one of my biggest passions and sources of intrigue: learning styles and differentiating for above, on and below level learners. Mrs. Randolph's observations noted that student learning was promoted through the implementation of a hands-on approach. The kinesthetic learners in the classroom (which most kindergartners show a preference for) enjoyed the opportunity to see gravity in action, be active in the classroom and witness the concept they are learning. Mrs. Randolph observed the variety of manipulatives and visual aids available for student learning. Tactile learners made observations through handling the manipulatives (rocks, paper) and witnessing the force of gravity. Visual learners benefited from the clip art that corresponded to the terms (provided on vocabulary posters for "mass" and "gravity"). Additionally, students were instructed to either write or draw their observations. In this way, visual learners are able to create a representation of the exploration of the concepts of gravity and mass. Lower-level learners who struggle with writing were given the opportunity to present their observation in an anxiety-free way, and upper-level learners were encouraged to elaborate their explanations during writing conferencing. From Mrs. Randolph's observations of student work, the learners enjoyed the variety of ways to learn and explore the concepts of gravity and mass. Additionally, their observations and discussions implied understanding and demonstrated effective instruction. What did you learn from your conversations with your partner?Through conferencing with Mrs. Randolph, I discovered one of the most beneficial tools to improve student learning: collaboration. Working with your peers to provide learners with the best experience possible allows their development to be encouraged from a variety of perspectives. Mrs. Randolph informed me that she considers herself to have auditory learning qualities, so she suggested a song, chant or rhyme to reach young students who learn best by hearing. This was a brilliant idea that I had previously overlooked! I found this rhyme scheme online, and I hope to share it with my students when we review prior to their unit assessment: Working with Mrs. Randolph furthered my drive to provide children with enjoyable educational experiences that meet their needs, interests and preferences for learning. Not only was I able to witness Mrs. Randolph's admirable teaching, but through collaboration we are able to provide students with improved instruction. I am grateful for her time, support and insight.
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