Reflection

AR - RoL - Backward Design

Reflect back on your Review of Literature, Action Research write-up, and your Curriculum Units you have been working on for your final learning requirements. 

I have learned so much through the action research and review of literature processes.  I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to conduct this research and implement new activities and processes with my middle school visual arts classes, specifically my eighth grade classes.  My data collection has shown me that my students are benefiting from the changes I have made, and I could not be happier with the knowledge I have gained.  

This process has helped me to identify the most important concepts for my students to know and understand.  I will be able to use this process as a guide to help me create more meaningful lessons for my classes.  I found it very interesting that this process is applicable to any subject and grade level; specifically that the Enduring Understandings can be used for multiple age levels.  I really like that the end result created more detailed concepts leading to the use of most state standards.  Any time I can create a strong connection to  what I am doing in my classroom with the state and/or national standards is great!

I feel that by utilizing this process, I will be able to better prepare myself for teaching each unit of study, but also that I will help to better prepare my students for what they are expected to know, understand and be able to do.  By focusing on 3-5 abstract concepts for each unit, I am able to choose what is the most important for my students to learn.  The backward design process has enhanced my instruction by making me reflect on my learner outcomes and enduring understandings which in turn will help students to better connect with the material I am teaching.  Any time my focus can be more connected to student learning is great, and I feel that this process will help me to do that with every unit I teach.