Chapter 9: Deep Inquiry and Understanding
Build Foundational Skills and Strategies
In Special Education we often talk about transition planning. It usually happens as students move from one school to the next, or graduate from high school. It's carefully designed to prepare the student to make the move successfully.
In reality all our students need a transition plan as they move towards a more student-driven process of learning. Without this plan, some students will struggle, many will just "play the game". As we've noted in the UDL Planning Guide students need to develop many skills - basic subject knowledge, strategies for learning, collaborative processes, and organization and planning skills. But perhaps the most important skills they need, ones that only happen when we intentionally plan to include them, is metacognition and ownership of learning.
But wait. If we are to "pass the baton" of ownership of learning to students, then we too need a transition plan as we let go of our control over the classroom, take risks in front of others, and model a different way of learning: one where we too ask questions, embrace change, understand the power of the room and aren't afraid of failing.
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Pause and Reflect
We've compiled the pause and reflect questions from the book into a Google Doc.
Feel free to make a copy and work inside the document, or record your thoughts using another form of media.
Gradual release of responsibility suggests an "I do, we do, you do" approach. It brings to mind (to my mind anyway) snatching back ownership for each new task. "When I think you're ready THEN I'll let you try it on your own. But only this once."
UDL asks us to fully pass the baton to students. Yes we'll always scaffold, support and guide learning but ultimately ownership means we don't take the baton back each time some new content or concept is introduced. We intentionally design our classrooms and our instruction so students, when they're ready (not when we're ready) can take the baton and run the race on their own.
Kendra Grant
Deep Inquiry and Understanding
Educator: [Your Name]
We want to feature you in this space!
We hope you will share your learning with us. This might be your reflections, aha moments, or examples of “before and after” physical classroom changes. How and what you share is up to you.
Go to Next Steps to learn how you can quickly share with us. We know teachers rarely "toot their own horn" so let us do that for you! You'll inspire other teachers just like you and move UDL beyond your classroom.
UDL requires the gradual release of responsibility. First, provide ACCESS to learning (external). Next BUILD skills for learning (shared) Then, its time to pass the baton. Help Ss INTERNALIZE their understanding of themselves & take ownership of their learning #DiveIntoUDL
