What do I think of ISD?

My whole teaching philosophy is basically based on this model. Whenever I am planning on teaching anything new to my students, I use the ADDIE approach. I just never knew I was using it.

I do not feel there are any weaknesses but definietly wanted to point some huge strengths.

I feel that evaluation sometimes gets lost in the shuffle with teachers. I am to blame as well. Reading about this ISD model has reminded me to formatively and summatively evaluate student progress. I do a good job with summative evaluations. I am now assessing my students with shorter more frequent assessements which helps me know what I need to be teaching. What this actually does for me is I don't plan far in advance anymore. I plan according to student needs and now I know more often what they need. That probably sounds confusing but I understand it perfectly.

I use the analysis phase or I call it preassessment with everything I teach. It gets the students thinking about the topic and at lot of times gets them excited.

One of my favorite instructional practices is cooperative learning. My students sit in groups and I expect them daily to work together to solve problems or to get a task done. This helps with the amount of talking in the classroom. I give them permission to talk about their assignment so they aren't quiet very much of the day.

Question #3 How do we learn?

In my teaching experience, I believe that my students learn best by doing. They need to manipulate objects, role play, create and discover. They need legitimate chances to make decisions and talk about what they are learning.

I am an advocate of the Dual Coding Theory. It states that students learn best when given more than one source of information. For example, recently I was teaching my students about the layers of the rainforest. I showed them what these layers were in a picture from a book, had them research the layers on google and had them create a picture of these layers using only cut construction paper and glue. The students were able to see the layers, make the layers and research using the computer. Using these different ways to teach a lesson leads me to the next theory I believe strongly in, Gardner's multiple intelligences.

I believe that everyone has a learning style(s) preference, whether it's musical, spatial or linguistic. I believe that tapping into many of these styles of learning will enhance every learner whether child or adult.

The days of students sitting down all day and round robin reading a story outloud are over, thankfully!!