Instructional Decision Making

Every student learns at a different pace and in different ways. To accommodate each student, teachers need to be prepared to modify a lesson at any given moment. During my visit at Dr. Albert Einstein Academy, I had the opportunity to teach several lessons about Earth History. One of the lessons involved learning about how the Colorado Plateau formed into the Grand Canyon over millions of years. A stream table was used to show them how this event occurred through weathering, erosion, and deposition. Groups were brought over to the stream table and received an explanation on how the Grand Canyon formed from the Colorado Plateau and the Colorado River. During the explanation the students seemed to have a blank stare on their faces as if they were completely confused. Upon noticing the blank stare I decided that they needed reiteration of the information they had just been given. When all the students were finished at the stream table, I made sure I reviewed the information with the whole class to make sure they understood the material.  I also had them take notes so they may recall the information at a later date. After the Stream Table lesson, the students were to read and answer the questions “Getting to Know the Grand Canyon” on their own. So many of the students had trouble answering the questions, so I read the passage with them and gave explanations of the material during the reading. I then allowed the students to work together in pairs to answer the follow-up questions.