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Identify one or two ways you can, as Dr. Black says, “build a structure [in your classroom] that also has a level of flexibility.”
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When works are assigned, I can allow students to do the grading by giving them the rubrics as a guide.
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I think it’s a great idea to hold a lesson traditionally, but then offer the assessment in different ways. Some students like to be creative and some do not. Giving students the option to submit a report or a creative presentation board would allow each student to shine in their own strengths.
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I could incorporate a project at the end of a novel unit, for example, where students can select one of three options to demonstrate understanding and show their skills.
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In middle school my homeroom students go to different classrooms and teachers throughout the day. Each teacher has their own procedures and structures their class with the same values but different styles. Once the procedures are recognized and in place we can be more flexible in how we teach. Flexibility allows more thematic teaching at the middle school level, allowing me to intertwine Bible, English, and History/Social Studies, and helps prevents the school day from feeling redundant.
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By incorporating varied assessments at the start of the day to determine the flow and speed of the classroom dynamics. Last year, we had a student who was just diagnosed with Autism. Often times he would come in famished, starting the day eating a bag full of sugary cereal while the other students were trying to begin the start of their school day schedule and routine. After awhile, he would naturally have an intense sugar crash and the whole experience would just backfire and interrupt the flow of the rest of the day.
After today’s lesson, I can see the value of not throwing my hands up in surrender, but due much better at an initial diagnosis of meeting his needs outside of the classroom (with Administration?) and then have him return and reengage with the rest of the classroom experience. There was such a need to adhere to the “traditional approach” while simultaneously trying to understand what the student was experiencing that it was most often just too difficult to try to find a balance. Again, after the past few lessons, I can see a much easier approach to implement going forward.