Keeping information organized helps students greatly with focus, problem solving, creativity and teamwork, respectively.  Tools that are covered in this module would help us greatly.  K-W-L charts, graphic organizers, routines and visual reminders are tools we could use to further our efforts, as we already incorporate advisory boards, note-taking, checklists and segments of working memory as part of our instruction methods for our drone program.  Our students' final goal is to take and pass the FAA Remote Pilot exam, so that coupled with practical exercises in flying the drones helps our students obtain the skills needed to be successful in… >>>

Helping students anticipate challenges and plan accordingly is essential for their success, especially in a CTE environment.  What we do in teaching our students about drones includes a pre-flight checklist, where the students learn to check to make sure the drone is operating properly and all batteries are charged before the flight.  This counts as project preparation, as well as instructions needed for the flight assignment.  Through this module, we could utilize the tools to help the student learners plan, as some of the techniques explained here we do already.

An example of that is how we allow our students… >>>

Executive functioning definitely helps students be organized in their academic activities, and helps them set goals, obtain goals, and reflect on their goals in a structured way that is flexible and engaging.  It also helps them focus, giving them inspiration and motivation to achieve the goals they set.  Though they may not know or recognize executive functioning as a concept or even the term itself, but through practice and action the students can achieve results they may have not previously believed they could reach.  This in turn provides for a boost in confidence, and experience in making decisions for their… >>>

Meaningful and valuable learning can be obtained when the teacher/instructor makes "relevance" the priority.  Students now, more than ever before, are in need of knowing the "why" of the instruction material.  In other words, why are they studying math, ELA, reading, science or other academic areas if they do not see the correlation between the actual studies and the application of those studies.  Even when I was in school, from elementary through high school, we would ask, "why do we need to learn (geometry/calculus/world history, take your pick at any other subject)?  Is this really going to matter in the… >>>

Creating a space for student voice and choice is the result of what was covered in the previous module, "Fostering A Safe Space to Learn and Take Risks" for students.  Establishing a safe space is key to any learning environment as a starting point.  As students get more comfortable and confident, as a result of recognizing that they're in a safe space to learn and make mistakes or have failures, their voices, collectively and individually, get stronger. 

CTE is the perfect mechanism for developing students' voice and choice for their respective individual goals and career paths they decide to take. … >>>

Fostering a safe space for students to communicate and express themselves gives the students the courage to engage in daily classroom activities and discussions.  In our class, I've always encouraged students to participate in our classroom talks; in the beginning of my tenure, I would use the technique of encouraging questions during the lecture or instructor (me) speaking, instead of waiting until the end.  That way, they could get the answer in the moment, for better retention, instead of running the risk of losing train of thought by waiting until the instructor was done speaking.  Also, my colleague encourages participation… >>>

I’ve learned that assessments should be flexible and accessible so all students can show their learning. I plan to offer choices, use clear rubrics, and focus on skills rather than one format.
 
 

I’ve learned that good assessments align with learning goals, measure the right skills, and provide useful feedback. I plan to use more formative assessments, like reflection journals, and make sure my assessments clearly match my objectives. One question I have is how to give meaningful feedback efficiently.
 
 

Creating safe and engaging learning means access to learning for everyone is the most important factor for success in creating an atmosphere where everyone can feel comfortable to learn the best way he/she can.  When the intent is to have everyone learn as effectively as they can, creating a safe environment is tantamount to students being able to learn and retain what they learn to the fullest.  Engagement includes involvement, that the instructor/teacher shows his/her level of involvement through the level of engagement he/she is willing to provide to get students motivated to learn the material. 

CTE provides the greatest… >>>

Until now, I had not considered having my students design their own rubrics. Cool idea!