March UDL Connections

Each month this periodical will 1) highlight critical UDL practices, 2) make connections to the UDL guidelines and checkpoints, 3) connect you with great tools and resources, 4) share some ways schools are putting this practice into action and 5) offer additional approaches to utilize this highlighted practice.

5.3.a Intentionally reinforcing characteristics of expert learning in all settings (growth mindset; ALL learners, i.e. students, adults).

UDL Checkpoint 9.3

For many learners, merely recognizing that they are making progress toward greater independence is highly motivating. Alternatively, one of the key factors in learners losing motivation is their inability to recognize their own progress. It is important, moreover that learners have multiple models and scaffolds of different self-assessment techniques so that they can identify, and choose, ones that are optimal.

Expert learners are goal-oriented, strategic, and motivated. What does this mean? Check out the following resources to grow your understanding of these concepts.

• (Article) Reimagining Student Engagement as a Continuum of Learning: This article showcases a book from author Amy Berry (Reimagining Student Engagement: From Disrupting to Driving) in which she describes a continuum of engagement (see image below). How can a continuum like this inform adult and student self-assessment for motivation? how can we help our learners begin to "drive" their learning? - by facilitating expert learning!

• (App) When learners encounter barriers and are not making progress toward their learning goals, consider BodiMojo as a way to be strategic and goal-oriented. Designed for teens, BodiMojo focuses on emotional intelligence and stress management by delivering a virtual "buddy" who helps users take little steps that can have a big impact on health. BodiMojo serves as a virtual coach providing a confidential way to stay in tune with body and mind. BodiMojo users receive daily intervention tips, track their mood, and identify actionable skills to improve their mojo! Thus, goal-oriented and strategic!

• (Video) Building Growthmindset in the Classroom Watch these teachers foster a growth mindset in students by educating them about the malleability of the brain and demonstrating their own learning journey. By understanding that learning involves effort, mistakes, and reflection, students become more resilient when faced with challenges. We'd like to direct you to approximately 6 minutes into this video when teacher states, "If your skills are not challenged, I would like you to..." We love this teacher's intentional verbal prompt to reinforce expert learning!

• (Book) In his book, Mindfulness in the classroom, Thomas Armstrong, provides examples and strategies to encourage introspection and critical thinking about one's own thought processes (self-reflection and metacognition). One such example is to have students use a learning and reflection log to record their mindful experiences in math class (p. 88). Video messages, AudioNote, and MIZOU reflect journal are are all flexible alternatives to handwritten journaling tasks.

Who says self-assessment needs to be a survey?

• Gallery Walks: Students showcase their work or projects around the classroom or school, and their peers visit each display to provide feedback and reflections. Students can use feedback forms or reflection sheets to assess their own work and set goals for improvement based on peer input.
  
• Think-Pair-Share: Students individually reflect on a question or prompt related to the lesson, then pair up with a classmate to discuss their thoughts and insights. Finally, they share their reflections with the whole class, fostering peer learning and providing opportunities for self-expression and self-assessment.
  
• Self-scaffolding graphs: Students track understanding over time on templates like rising lines or clocks. Visually representing progress empowers self-regulation.
  

What does adult learning look like, sound like, feel like in your district? Use the Continuum of Engagement to identify adult engagement at your staff meetings, DLTs, BLTs, TBTs, and professional learning workshops. How can opportunities for self-reflection increase adult learner engagement? Try one or more of these ideas at your next adult gathering:

• Have learners complete a periodic learning style/needs inventory to identify strengths and obstacles to engagement. Reflecting leads to customizing lessons accordingly.

• Invite written reflections linking new concepts to prior job/life experiences and future applications. Seeing relevance increases motivation.

• Incorporate journaling for learners to consider what is and isn't working for their schedules, pace of learning and preferred modalities. Their insights inform adaptations.

• Facilitate small peer discussion groups for reflecting on observations, opinions and feedback to continuously shape improved instruction.

• Design self-assessments so learners gauge conceptual understanding and growth in skills relevant to personal/professional goals over time.

• Use learning portfolios for learners to warehouse reflections, assessments and artifacts charting progress toward objectives.

Take a moment to reflect on how well your organization is facilitating expert learning and expert practice. As a school leaders, helping teachers self assess their own growth can be so valuable! Elena Agula from Brightmorning's Mind the Gap graphic is a great visual that represents various areas of growth. That Gaps are Defined HERE. As an educator, the next time you are reflecting on your professional learning needs, perhaps phrase it in this way. Is it a specific skill you need or is it motivation (will)?

A special thank you to Elif, from Houston, who shared this resource with us during the last Theory to Practice Brown Bag.

Flexible Means in Mathematics (youtube.com)

It's a great resource to add to this month's UDL connections because you can continue to think about these topics as you enage in this one hour webinar from CAST!

The video they show within this video is actually a TED Talk by Jo Boaler where students were asked to share what they see given the three arrangements of blocks. It was FACINATING to hear how the changes were perceived. Those ideas and that type of learning would be ideal for math learning logs.

July 30th & 31st, 2024
Pre-conference sessions on July 29th
Online and in-person
Hyatt Regency Sacramento, CA

This year, for the first time, CAST’s Annual Symposium and the UDL-IRN Summit are joining forces to create the world’s largest International UDL Convention.

For more information and to register, visit https://www.cast.org/products-services/udl-con-international-2024

Join us for UDL Theory to Practice Brown Bag Sessions during your lunch once a month, and plan on sharing how you are using, have used, or plan to use the practices and resources mentioned in the UDL Connections.

Remember, no presentations will be planned during these sessions. Participants are ask to

1) Share a resource/practice from UDL Connections that you've tried OR

2) Share and ask for feedback, OR

3) Share and ask questions, OR

4) Share what you'd like to try and why.

Everyone is also invited to listen and learn from one another.

Our next Session is Mar 22, 2024 11:00 AM

These sessions occur every month on the Fourth Friday until May 24, 2024

Apr 26, 2024 11:00 AM

May 24, 2024 11:00 AM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://sst6-org.zoom.us/j/81521788853

Meeting ID: 815 2178 8853

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Monthly: https://sst6-org.zoom.us/meeting/tZUodeivpjMiH9efaLqXpBQ94dKUurebRpJn/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGpqzkrHdyduByERpwcGYjod-3xiFxHgvpYmh7JEhhDQDKvYuZpB6dtFdri

Cherie and I can't wait to see you there!

Lisa coaches educational leaders in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and provides professional learning to build the capacity of UDL practitioners. She is a member of the Ohio UDL Collaborative purposed with building the capacity of regional UDL facilitators in order to build state-wide capacity for UDL implementation. Lisa is licensed as an Intervention Specialist in the state of Ohio and with MA in Counseling she brings a unique skillset to the field of education.

Email: lisa.arthur@sst16.org

Website: https://www.sst16.org/

Location: 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey, OH

Phone: 440-735-8565

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sstregion16

***This Newsletter was created in collaboration with Cherie Smith, a fellow UDL Consultant from SST6.

Cherie began working at State Support Team Region 6 in July 2015. She has a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and the Inclusive Classroom. Most of her experience has been in special education as a supervisor and an Intervention Specialist at the secondary level. She has taught students wtih disabiliteis in both Florida and Ohio.

Cherie is currently a co-chair of Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network's Implementation Special Interest Group and is a member of the Ohio UDL Collaborative.

As an SST6 Consultant, she supports districts in the Ohio Implementation Process as a Regional Data Lead. She leads Universal Design for Learning and is part of the Special Education team supporting districts with IDEA Internal Monitoring, Postsecondary Transition, PBIS, and College and Career Readiness.

Email: csmith@sst6.org
Website: https://www.sst6.org/UniversalDesignforLearning.aspx
Location: 1045 Dearbaugh Avenue, Wapakoneta, OH, USA
Phone: 419-739-0170
Facebook: facebook.com/SST6ohio
Twitter: @SST6