Emily N Lewis

I'm a first time instructor so I'm a little nervous. I appreciated the tip that I don't have to introduce myself as brand new/inexperienced to students. There are better ways to present my past experience to help me feel confident in myself and instill confidence in my students.

I like the idea of using serial tests instead of a large final. This reduces stress of students which can help to curb cheating. 

I think the idea of using a guest speaker is great. It can definitely break up the monotony of lecture which can be difficult for some students to stay engaged with. 

I like the idea of using an ice breaker as part of your class introduction. It helps students to engage and start to feel comfortable in the classroom setting. It also, depending on the type of activity you do, gives you a chance to get to know your students better on a personal level.

My role is to treat students with respect and generally speaking, treat disabled students as I would any other student. If I'm ever unsure what to do with information regarding a disability or accomodation request I should refer to my employer's policy.

Accomodations aren't one size fits all and you can't assume what a student may need without discussing with them. Accomodations should be implemented early and are designed to equal the playing field but not make a disabled student's work easier or give them an advantage over others.

This module was very interesting in its explanation that you cannot assume students with the same disability need the same accomodations.

The phrase that providing accomodations is a floor, not a ceiling, stood out to me. It's important that accomodations be tailored to each student's request and are designed to 'raise the floor' the this student is level with their peers. It's not designed to provide advantages.

I liked the suggestion to keep lectures short (10-15 min) and break these blocks up with some type of brief activity or demonstration.

Introductions by name with a personal fact help students to feel comfortable and will help me to remember names which is important to make people feel valued.