Diverse Learner Unit/Backward Design
What is the value of Backward Design, what are the drawbacks, and how do you think Backward Design can play a role in your future classroom? Be sure you can make a connection between what you are learning and how you will use it in your future classes. Consult the article "Principles of Backward Design" in the Diverse Learner Unit folder in Dropbox if you feel you need more information about Backward Design. Blog by Friday, March 13 and respond to at least 4 classmates by class time Monday, March 16.
By using Backward Design methods as a teacher, it ensures that the standards and goals are reached by the end of the unit. In Backward Design, the teacher establishes the objectives, then they creates the assessment for the lesson, and lastly create the activities and design the procedure for the lesson. By making the assessment first, you can align the procedure, activities, materials, and the curriculum to the assessment. Backward Design also allows teachers to center their curriculum and assessments on big ideas, essential questions, and authentic performances. It also acts as a map for teachers to thoroughly plan out each lesson and set priorities for what order the information needs to be taught in. One drawback of using Backward Design is that teachers may get the tendency to only teach for the test, thus eliminating excess knowledge the students could be receiving and hindering their stimulation of creativity. In my own classroom, I will use the Backward Design method, but will also make sure that I do not only focus on the standards that need to be taught.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that backward design does increase the likelihood of meeting standards and reaching goals, it cannot ensure that standards will be met or that goals will be reached, as doing so ultimately comes down to the students - no one can force them to do anything. When students do not meet standards or reach goals, it is the job of teachers to determine whether they were too demanding, if students were simply underperforming, if teachers did something wrong along the way, etc., and revise their lesson plans accordingly.
DeleteI personally don't think that because a teacher is using backwards design in their classroom that they are going to favor teaching to the test. I think that "stage 3" of the principles of backward design hits on the focus of the different learning experiences and teachers' activities to promote understanding, interest, and excellence in the classroom not just making sure students do well on an EOC exam or the MAP testing. I firmly believe that students will perform better on any type of assessment if they are interested and passionate towards the subject and it is the teachers job to encourage that!
DeleteI agree that backward design helps establish objectives and ensuring that everything is covered. I think that it is possible for teachers to only teach for the test with this, but teachers can be careful to make sure that their students are learning all of the necessary information as well. As with anything, it is important that a teacher's main goal is helping students learn.
DeleteI agree with Katie with backwards design helping with the objectives and helping ensure that it is all covered.They need to help with teaching just to the rubric based class because it can be altered and so if the student misses class they know what they can make up.
DeleteBackwards design doesn't necessarily limit the creativity of a unit! Just because you know in advance what you plan on doing it doesn't mean you aren't modifying the plan if you find a lesson that you think would be much more beneficial!
DeleteI agree that backwards design can make it easier to meet the goals of the classroom, but as Jim said a teacher needs to be able to look at his or herself critically when goals aren't met and figure out what needs to be done to make sure goals are met in the future.
DeleteWhile I tend to agree that backward design can make it easier to meet the goals, it does not always do so. Sometimes a standard design can be best, especially if you have to accommodate for a lot of exceptional students. With a potentially large number of exceptional students the needs of the classroom change, and therefore so do the needs of the design.
DeleteI agree that backwards design will let you have your goals written out so that you know what you need to do. You always have to be prepared to make changes in them if necessary to make accommodations for students with special needs though.
DeleteBackwards design helps ensure that every topic that needs to be learned is covered. Rather than simply teaching and then adjusting the test to what was taught, the teacher has to tailor their teaching to what students need to know. I think that backwards design will be used a lot in my classroom and will help me construct unit plans. It will help me to understand what needs to be taught and how much time should be spent on certain details. I think that backwards design requires more work for teachers, but it ultimately allows students to learn more.
ReplyDeleteUsing Backwards design does increase the likelihood that the teachers cover all of the information that the students need to learn. However, teachers also need to ensure that although they are using this method, that they do not simply teach to the standards and still stimulate creativity among the students.
DeleteGood point about making sure nothing is left out. Backwards design really does keep teachers accountable because if something is left out students won't be able to complete the final project or test with success. I agree it takes work on the part of the teacher, but most of the work is at the beginning and once you get started a lot of the planning is done you just have to make slight adjustments according to how fast your classes are moving/learning the info.
DeleteI agree that covering all the necessary material is important, but so is making sure that your students understand the material. If too rigorous or fast of a ace is set for a certain section because the teacher did not know the students would have such a hard time with it, then the students might be forced to push on in the unit confused. The point of teaching is to have students absorb and actually learn the material taught, so there needs to be some level of flexibility in the schedule to account for confusion in some areas,even areas that haven't been a problem in the past.
DeleteI agree that backwards design helps with the teacher keeping on tract and helping the students stay on course too. With that being said you can always help by making it adjustable to the students too.
DeleteIt was cool how you related the backwards design to a teacher tailoring it to the students needs. A teacher needs to be able to make goals that are able to be reached by all of their students. Once the goals are created, the backwards design will be very helpful in the students' success on attaining the goals set by the teacher.
DeleteI like how you pointed out that backwards design could be more work for teachers but that the ultimate goal is for the students to learn. I think there are a lot of teachers today who plan their units and lessons based on what will be easiest for them, not what will benefit the students the most.
DeleteI agree that teachers are allowed to tailor more to the needs of students with the use of backwards design. It usually is more work for teachers because of the planning you have to do prior to teaching but that the benefits for the students make it worth your time.
DeleteI definitely agree that it will help us as teachers know how much time to spend on certain topics and lessons; that seems like it would be difficult to plan for without backward design. Since, yes, the ultimate goal is for students to learn, putting more work on the teacher is not a negative thing at all. If we aren't willing to sacrifice for our students, then why are we becoming teachers?
DeleteBackwards design is good because it lets the students know what is expected of them in the class and lets them know what they have to do in order to get the grade that they want. It also lets students know what assignments, tests, projects etc. are coming up so they have time to plan to complete it. It is also good for the teacher because they will be more organized and prepared because if they will do backwards design they will already have everything ready for the class instead of searching for something to do next.
ReplyDeleteI believe that teachers should be prepared and follow a schedule regardless of whether they use true backward design. I think the only difference between traditional lesson planning and backward design is that the latter entails a more structured approach, in which schedules and rubrics are formalized and standardized. The downside here might be that students have less flexibility in moving things around or continue lessons if they carry over to the next day, but because teachers have schedules to follow regardless, this should not be any more of an issue when using backward design than when using traditional lesson planning techniques.
DeleteI agree with you that using backwards design helps teachers be organized and prepared for their lessons. However, using different lesson planning methods are also helpful to be organized; when using backwards design, though, teachers plan out the assessment first before planning the individual lessons and activities. This enables them to make sure that they cover all of the information they need to for each unit.
DeleteI agree Tyler, it forces teachers to be more organized, they are less likely to plan and survive day to day if they are using this backwards design and thinking in a couple week chunks and preparing for them at once. I also really like how students get to know what they have to do to get the grade they want. To most students that's the most important part, what will I be expected to do with this info/knowledge?
DeleteI agree that backwards design helps students know what is expected for them in the class. I think that this design makes the learning more about the students than the teacher. Teachers have to be flexible and cover what is important rather than simply teach what they like or think is important.
DeleteI think that you make some really great points, but there are issues that arise during every lesson plan that call for revamping the lesson plan by adding or subtracting homework or pushing back a test date. Therefore, do not expect the lesson plan to allow the teacher to have smooth sailing after the lesson plan is completed.
DeleteI agree that Backwards design gives students a statement of what is expected of them throughout the course. It really reminds me of a syllabus.
DeleteI also agree with backwards design in that retrospect of letting the students know what is expected of them throughout.
DeleteYou make some good points for the benefits of backwards design, especially in regards with the students knowing what to do if they finish part of a lesson earlier- this allows for some differentiation for the students. I think that it is important to note that you have to leave some room for modification while doing this though- if everything is set in stone it hard to know where exactly a plan may go.
DeleteAs Danelle stated before me, if you set everything in stone, this just will not work. Students differ too much year-to-year for you to set a plan in place and leave it. However, you have made several strong arguments for backwards design in the process of your argument.
DeleteThat is a good point. Giving the students a rubric with the use of backwards design makes sure the students know what is expected of them. As a student, I always enjoy a paper with the teacher's expectations so that there is no guessing.
DeleteI agree that backwards design keeps students and teachers organized, and like you said it will be a good way for the students to stay on top of their homework and be ready for test and be prepared.
DeleteYes! This makes perfect sense. I really struggle in classes where there is no syllabus, or no assignment sheets even still in college. It's so hard to stay organized and plan ahead without things set in stone for me. High school students are going to struggle even more without this for the most part.
DeleteOne obvious drawback of Backward Design as a teacher is that there is a lot more work in the beginning instead of playing it by ear. At the beginning of a unit, practicing Backward Design may seem a bit stressful and overwhelming but I really think it can be beneficial to both learners and educators. Once you have completed your unit plan, planned out the lessons, and came up with a summative assessment, both the students and teachers can focus on the learning process instead of constant planning what to do the next day. As a student, I would benefit from my teacher practicing backwards design so that I would not be shocked with a project given to me a week before it’s due. I personally like to know about something ahead of time so that I can work on it when I have free time and flexibility is super important to a functional classroom. When teachers start with the end in mind and are upfront with students by providing goals and the desired outcomes from the unit, the students know what to expect and know what they will do to receive the grade they desire. Personally I also benefit from having visual goals and objectives that I can refer to keep myself on track towards success.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you that backwards design is beneficial to the students. Although the unit beginnings will be more stressful, by the end of the unit the teacher will have less work to do in the planning area and be confident with their plans. However, I think using backwards design may inhibit flexibility because each lesson is planned out to go along with the assessment goals, so disruptions could change the whole unit plan.
DeleteI agree that the extra work at the beginning is worth it in the end. This design lets students know expectation--that open communication is so helpful trying to plan your time as a student. And the teacher then can point directly to the rubric given out at the beginning of the unit when kids try to complain or argue. As a teacher this design helps me knock out fluff and keep moving toward tangible, track-able goals such as completed projects.
DeleteAs a student, I personally like it when teachers are able to give you advance notice on assignments that are due at certian times. Like you said, it is very important to have flexibility in the classroom regarding assignments. Also, addressing the potential goals to the students may also benefit them, depending on the age level, by informing them what they are supposed to gain from the unit they will be studying.
DeleteThe extra work in the beginning hopefully leads to better results. The great thing about backwards design is that it lets you see the needs of the room, and then make your plan to meet those needs. However, as with everything there is always two sides to everything and backwards design does not fit every type of unit well.
DeleteI have to agree that backwards design is good for the teacher and student alike. While it is more work for the teacher in the beginning, it does allow for the teacher to focus more on teaching and not the planning when the lesson is in progress.
DeleteA backwards design can allow for a teacher to know exactly what it is that they need to teach their students for whatever assessment they have planned. It also makes it so that the teacher knows he or she will be providing the students with knowledge that is most likely required by the state or school district. Yet, it also can lead to less flexibility in the lesson plans. Students may struggle in areas that were not predicted to be as bothersome and it leads to those areas taking more time. In stead of being able to cut out a small area, the educator is somewhat bound by their assessment to make sure they include all parts. Adjustments to the assessment are a possibility, but not a wanted outcome of the unit. I think backwards design is a great idea in most situations, but could be troublesome to make for a subject that spans more than one hour of the day. For example, the third hour biology class might be able to move at a faster pace than the sixth hour biology class and the teacher will have to make accommodations for that. Similarly, what if sixth hour had a child with a special need such as autism or severe ADHD? That could lead to restructuring the entire unit. I think this class has really helped me to identify the possible challenges to teaching more efficiently and I will most definitely take this with me in my future lesson planning.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to disabled students, e.g. those with AD(H)D or Autism, the lesson should already be accommodating enough to where it does not need to be modified from class to class. There is an increasing number of disabled students in general classroom settings, so it would be completely naive to not accommodate such students from the beginning, regardless of whether they are in any of your classes that year.
DeleteAs young teachers the flexibility part will probably be the most difficult part for us. We have the expectation of how it will go in our head and then it never quite goes that way. Using Backwards Design is still helpful and relevant in those situations though because you can change it and accommodate for struggles. Backwards Design keeps students accountable for their grade as well because they see what they're striving for.
DeleteI think that with any method or principle that a teacher chooses to implement in their classroom will have to be adaptable and must be able to change. Life happens and there is no certainty that each student will learn the material at the same pace or the school doesn't have a busted pipe which caused school to be cancelled for a week. Teaching requires all members to be flexible and the curriculum design and lesson planning is no exception!
DeleteThe backwards design is one of the best methods to use when the teacher wants to put emphasis on the goals and results they want to see by the end of the unit. One value of using this method is the teacher can make sure these standards are met since the unit will be created based on the goals the teacher will set for their students to reach. Another value is backwards design also focuses on the assessment portion at the end of the unit. Teachers can form and create their lesson to allow students the best learning opportunity to perform well on the assessment. A downfall I have noticed is creating a backwards design unit takes up a lot of time and is very tedious to assemble. Since a teacher is only working off of the assessment and goals, they are limited to only those two aspects in their unit plan. Another downfall is the backwards design is created to fit specific results without a lot of accommodation. This can benefit certian students with a specific learning style, but other students may not perform as well since they do not learn best using that style. As a teacher, I will consider using the backwards design, but I will choose wisely what units are best fit when using this method. Some units are better suited for the backwards design because they can bring better results and accomplish the set goals.
ReplyDeleteI concur that backward design is more time-consuming than traditional lesson planning - I think we can all agree about that - but I feel that this time is made up in the end by not having to reteach lessons because of being retroactive, i.e. using the traditional lesson planning method system, from the beginning.
DeleteAlthough using backwards design does help to ensure that the goals of a lesson are reached and that the necessary information is taught to the students, it is best if teachers try not to focus simply on teaching to the test or to the standards. Also, I think backwards design can be used to fit the results with accommodations, as long as the teacher is willing to plan those accommodations into the lessons.
DeleteI also think that it is a good idea for the emphasis to be placed on the goals for the end of the unit. This really can help teachers be held accountable for the students' learning. I also agree that it can leave out certain students and put teachers on too much of a set schedule. I think this can be solved with teachers being creative, though, and doing their best to meet the needs of all their students.
DeleteI agree that backwards design helps teachers achieve their goals for what they need to teach to the students. you brought up a good point that it does take awhile to prepare a unit through backwards design, but I still think that it will be the most efficient way.
DeleteThere are two main benefits of backward design. Firstly, providing students with rubrics, introductions, and lesson plans shows them what they will need to do and know and when. Secondly, it informs them what the purpose of the lesson is, as this should appear in the introduction. Often, students, especially those at an elementary level will question the purpose of any lesson at all, and this predicament can be avoided through backward design.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, backward design is not without its flaws. One of them is that creating the necessary materials for good backward design is very timing consuming, even more so if they have to print and copy them themselves and have them approved by their colleagues. In addition, despite the pro of giving rubrics ahead of time - students being able to see what they will be graded on and thus what they need to focus on, students may become overly focused on minute details of their overall grade.
In many of the courses I took in high school, teachers used backward design, as they almost always passed out introductions and sometimes gave rubrics at the beginning of lessons. I liked that they did this because it told me why I was doing the lesson, what I needed to do for the lesson, how I would be graded, and on what I would be graded. Surely, backward design was very timely for those who employed it, but I can be almost as certain that those teachers got higher grades from their students, which, I would imagine, boosted their confidence and continuously improved their teaching abilities.
Although grades are definitely the only important aspect of education, learning, or teaching, they are important nonetheless, and backward design does more than improve grades; it allows students to be better prepared, if they can see a day by day breakdown of lesson plans, and enables them to develop a good work ethic, as they know the purpose, objectives, and expectations.
It seems, then, that while there are a couple of downsides of backward design, it is an overall good practice for both teachers and students, and as a (potential) future teacher, I will undoubtedly be concerned with my success and my students' success (as students and and as future adults) and I will, accordingly, use backward design.
I think that giving students exact dates when either things will be due or certain activities will be happening will benefit their learning because it takes away any surprise factor. I really like your point about the teachers who are implementing backwards design will receive higher grades from their students and greater efforts put forward because they understand what they need to do and there is no wiggle room for confusion. Hopefully backwards design will be helpful in my future classroom and I think that all teachers should always be trying out different approaches to figure out what works best for them and their classroom and backwards design is a great idea!
DeleteAll great oints that you have made! I esecially agree with the comment regarding students only focusing on what they need to know rather than trying to take in as much information of the lesson as they can. Many of my friends in high school were solely worried about their grade and would say things like, "Well that's not important, it's not going to be on the test."I think this mentality has lead to the idea that our generation is one that is lazy and only concerned with getting by rather than thriving.
DeleteI think that great Jim giving students rubrics gives them an opportunity to know what's going on before it even happens.
DeleteBackwards design is a useful tool to use because you start with a destination in mind, and not just the passing of a standardized state test as the end destination but a specific, useful destination which you plan a few weeks of lessons and assignments around building up to the final project or test. I like this because it keeps the lessons and assignments focused. It makes the teaching more efficient, you teach with the purpose of preparing for the final assignment/project/test etc. You are less likely to get caught up going off on a tangent with info that you won't actually use. As a student I like this concept because I get to learn expectations from the very beginning and I don't feel so "blind" because I see where we're trying to end up with the end project. One concern of backwards design is getting to detailed up at the beginning then becoming frustrated if you get off track or it doesn't go like you had anticipated. I think it is important to remain flexible and remember backwards design is there to help, not frustrate. I know I will use backwards design, it helps me realize what I should be teaching my kids and why. It also helps me prioritize the applicable information which they will use on their final, rather than teach them trivial information that has little lasting value. I also think it is one of the most fair ways to teach high school kids, letting them know what is expected from the very beginning.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is super important to let students know what the purpose of every activity and assignment is before they do it. I think that they will be more likely to put forth a better effort if they know why they are doing something or how it connects to their lives. Stage 1 of the backwards design states that the unit should focus on questioning what is the worth of the unit and what is required for one to understand the material.
DeleteI agree that it helps make teaching more specific. By being conscious of the destination and what students need to learn, it is less likely that an important concept is skipped over. It does help teachers know what information to teach.
DeleteI agree completely that backwards design is good as a model and shape to lesson planning, but flexibility is key in teaching. I do believe we should acknowledge that there are other forms of assessment other than projects and tests, especially as the students move to higher grade levels.
DeleteI agree also about how backwards design keeping a teachers lessons relevant and organized. I feel like this method can be a lot less stressful on both teachers and students.
DeleteI like how you pointed out that sometimes teachers can try to pack too much information into a unit or lesson. A teacher needs to be reasonable when planning units and be able to know the ability of the class and whether or not they can meet all of the teachers expectations in a certain period of time.
DeleteI think that Backwards design is useful because its gives students and the teacher a feel for what's expected out of the class not only academically but sometimes mentally. This technique is a great way for lesson planning. the goals that are set by the teacher helps the students work towards success, and throughout the lesson they get better at the task they perform. I think that backwards design will help me evaluate my students in the future from setting a goal at the beginning and watching my students improve throughout a certain period of time until that goal is reached.
ReplyDeleteI agree I think backwards design is awesome because it helps the students and teachers know what they are expected of in the class and watch them achieve it.
DeleteI hadn't thought of that point! Backwards design does allow everyone to have more of a mental preparation for what will be expected of them in a unit. That was a great point!
DeleteGood point on the mental aspect. Much of learning is mental so allowing the students to be mentally prepared for the unit will allow them to be more successful throughout the unit.
DeleteI agree with you that backwards design is a very useful way to get students a feel for what the unit will be covering. As well as the teachers so they can already come to class knowing what their going to teach for that day.
DeleteIt's really true; I hadn't thought of that! Goal setting and achieving is so important for students because they can see their progress and stay confident about their work.
DeleteJake I agree that by following the standards will help out with lesson planning but wouldn't you as a future teacher want to teach something that the state didn't require that you think students need to know?
DeleteBackwards design really makes the teachers more organized and prepared for the school year and they can make changes to make the class even better for the next school year.
DeleteI think backwards design is good for deciding on a goal and then figuring out clear steps on how to get there. Anything that needs to be taught can be accounted for for the formative assessment. It also gives the students a clear idea of what they need to know and learn. One drawback for backwards design is that it may cause teachers to only teach what they are going to put on the test or what they think is important and not allow for any extra lessons. I think I can use backwards design in my class for a lot of lessons. For history classes, I think knowing the intended outcome will help me be more practical when deciding on what to teach and knowing the difference between important information and too much information.
ReplyDeleteUsing backwards design I could see how it would be easy to fall into the trap of only teaching with the one goal in mind being aware of that though using the system can help keep you, as a teacher organized. It is important to take the opportunity to give a good lesson but it is also important to be sure that you keep on task so that you can meet the expectations that are on you.
DeleteI agree that backwards design can restrict the teacher to focus on what the main points are and forget to include other aspects. This can cause the lesson to not be as interesting and students could loose focus. As a teacher, it is important to use many different forms of teachings to avoid using the same strategies over and over again.
DeleteI agree that this may force teachers just to teach what will be on the assessment. We are trying to get students to think critically and to explore and challenge all that we as teachers will talk about in a classroom. The backwards design provides a clear cut definition of what is right and does not allow for students to explore.
DeleteI believe that backwards design is a very useful key in the education field. It gives both the students and the teacher an idea on what i expected of both of them in class and in life too. It helps the student very much by letting students look forward to a goal and they can see what techniques they need to do and achieve to meet that goal at the end of the lesson or unit. I will for sure use it in my career by letting me as the teacher watch and evaluate my student as they work towards the goal expected and watch them prosper and hopefully achieve it with the best of their abilities.
ReplyDeleteI agree that backwards design is good for letting students know what will be expected of them. It keeps both the students and the teacher on schedule, and lets the student see the overall goal of the unit.
DeleteStudents always look for to the teacher to see what they should learn. The never know what to learn until the teacher tells them. I agree that the backwards design will help students know what to learn so they can focus their time and effort into the learning goal.
DeleteIt's interesting that you bring up the point of allowing students know what you as a teacher expect of them in life, as well. The classroom is not an isolated place in a vacuum, and the students will bring their "real lives" into the classroom with them.
DeleteMatt I also thought a positive thing of backward design was that it gives a students and teacher a goal to work on and to reach at the end of the year
DeleteBackwards design effectively outlines what will be covered in a unit. It states the objectives and gives clear goals on what will be happening throughout the unit. As a teacher it is beneficial because it eliminates the need for a lot of thinking on the go-- you have the unit mapped out and know precisely where you will start and where you will finish. Students get a similar benefit from units that are created using backwards design- they know precisely what the expectations on them are.
ReplyDeleteIn my future class I can use these principles to help design my units so that I have the goals of my unit mapped out; it really is important to be able to know what lessons I will be doing so that I can meet the expectations of my students as well as other professional.
Using the backwards design is a great way if you as a teacher want to focus on teaching the main goals and obtaining results from your students. I think it is also a benefit that the design lets the teacher and students see the order of what will be taught and when it will be taught. It makes teaching the unit easy and the idea of mapping out the unit will help with the future expectations set by the teacher.
DeleteI agree with that it does give students the idea of the goal in mind. I kinda see this as that the teacher wants to focus on the end product. For me, as a math teacher, I want to focus on the process rather than the answer.
DeleteI agree with using Backwards design in my classroom when designing my lesson plans it will be good for the students as well as me because I get if task really easily and if I have these guidelines it would keep me going in the right direction.
DeleteI think Backward Design is a great way to meet the State's Standards. As a teacher, you start with the goal and assessment in mind then work out all the details on how to get to the assessment. I think the hardest thing as a teacher will be to teach what the state wants us to teach. The students need to know what is going to be on the State's test to do well in comparison to others. I think the drawback, at least for some, could be that this is not how most people think. Most want to start at the beginning and end at the ending point. To start at the finish and end at the beginning could be hard for some teachers to wrap their minds around.
ReplyDeleteJust to be fair, we should not ever teach to the standards. We should teach the students what they need to know and let the standards fall in place where they will. You could base your entire lesson on a backwards design, just to meet a state standard, but think how much your students would miss out on.
DeleteI agree Dylan that the hardest thing as a teacher will be to teach what the state wants us to teach. I believe theirs some things students don't get taught that they need to be taught about.
DeleteTo me, backwards design has extremes on the give and take scale. On the bright side it gives you a chance to see the needs of the class before beginning a unit. On the not-so-bright side it can be become very difficult to determine how best to teach the needs of the classroom, while determining modifications for exceptional students, time crunches, etc. In conclusion, I must admit that backwards design works well, but it may be a bit much for a young teacher to be able to handle, while still adapting to the environment and role of being the teacher.
ReplyDeleteAlex i like your point on that backward design might be a little hard for a young teacher to handle while adapting to becoming a teacher. A new teacher wants to show their students they're here to help out the students and help them succeed in life.
DeleteBackwards design is good for students because it really sets the expectation of what is needed for them and it allows the students to plan on what they need work on and when.
DeleteI can see it being kind of hard as well because you are not really prepared for those random "snow days." Then you are kind of hung out to dry.
DeleteThe value of backwards design is the fact that you have to lay everything out and get your lesson planned/perfected before you actually go and teach it. This prevents teachers from just walking into class and winging it. I will use this in my future class so that I know that all of the standards set for me will be met. It will be good to have my lessons planned out so there's no question of what I will be doing that day. My goals and expectations will be written out and I will know how/when to implement them.
ReplyDeleteKelsi, you made a very good point that as a future teacher you will have your goals and expectations written out for your students to not only see but to be able to achieve.
DeleteBackwards design is important because it will give an outline of the lesson plan or unit plan or whatever style of teaching you are doing. it help teachers stay on track towards implementing all the material they will need to cover in the unit, and because of backwards design it was all there for them. a con of this design would be that teachers may just only stick to their first design and they may not hit on other important things so then there is n room for improvisation. This will help me in my classroom since I have ADD it will help me as a teacher to stay on track to teach all of the material.
ReplyDeleteMike, I really enjoyed how you were able to apply Backwards Design to yourself and how it will be a helpful tool to use for yourself. Even though it might help your students too but you are able to keep track of yourself throughout your teaching.
DeleteI think Backward Design can definitely be useful at times. I think standards are often to strict and confining, especially for a subject like English that I really believe should have some space to move around. So especially for someone who is naturally disorganized like me, starting with what I HAVE to accomplish in the lesson is helpful and will focus me. It was also hopefully help my students understand why we have to do what we're doing in class, and may make them more interested to work WITH me, rather than against me.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that English should have more space to move around. I think the only reason it hasn't is because it is then hard for all schools to make sure that kids are learning the information they need to. The standards give order into what students need to learn, which I don't believe is necessarily a bad thing.
DeleteI think backward design has its positives and negatives to education. Its good because it help teacher and students meet state standards. This can allow students to have a goal to reach. I think the negative part of it is that what do the teacher need to know to teach the students to help them do well on the state test. the teachers aren't allowed to go off on their own on some things the have to follow it by the book.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Kyle that backwards design can have both positive and negative effects. Even though the students are able to reach their goal, what methods could the teachers use is very tricky or hard to comprehend. I really enjoyed the points you made.
DeleteI think the point you make about teachers not knowing what they need to teach for the state tests is a very good one. I think as a teacher you have to look at the questions on the previous year's test and make sure that what you teach covers those questions, but do it in a way that the students can apply that information.
DeleteBackwards design is important because it helps teachers ensure that their objectives for the overall unit will be met along with the objectives for each lesson. It also is important because it helps with the overall flow allowing for a smooth transition from lesson to lesson. Some drawbacks of it would be that teachers would be so caught up in accomplishing the goals of the end of the unit that they would overlook the needs of the students for each lesson. In my classroom I would definitely use backwards design, but I would make sure that I wasn't putting the unit goals or objectives over the students' needs.
ReplyDeletei agree, backwards design also allows the teacher to be flexible and because they are more prepared and they can spend more time on a lesson if they need to
DeleteI completely agree with your statement. You made a good point on how important it is for you to use it within your classroom.
DeleteI think is a really good way to make the overall objective very clear. Knowing the overall objective will make it easier in the teachers life as well because they get to plan around a specific thing.
DeleteBackwards design is something I can see my using in my own future classroom. It allows the teacher to make sure the objectives they have set for unit within the class were met. Usually the teachers checks for this at the end of the unit or with each lesson after they are done teaching the class. I can absolutely see myself using backwards design in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about objectives. It allows teachers to know what they need to focus on the most.
DeleteI agree with what you said about objectives. It allows teachers to know what they need to focus on the most.
DeleteI definitely agree that it is something that can help the teacher with making sure that the objectives are met. I think that the teacher has to be aware when doing this to not forget the students' daily needs.
DeleteYou're are right about how it helps the teacher know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. I can also see myself using this in my future classroom.
DeleteYou're are right about how it helps the teacher know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. I can also see myself using this in my future classroom.
DeleteYes, I think it would be good to use in your classroom. I too also think it is a good way to check over things and make sure everything is going alright.
DeleteBackward design really helps you adjust your lesson according to what the students really need to learn. Students benefit greatly from backwards design and it saves time in the long run so the same thing doesn't have to be retaught.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on how it helps the teacher make adjustments for the students. If something is not working for the students the teacher can easily change it.
DeleteI agree with you on how it helps the teacher make adjustments for the students. If something is not working for the students the teacher can easily change it.
DeleteI agree that it helps make sure that the same thing isn't retaught, but I think sometimes if teachers put too much emphasis on it then they lose the ability to gauge whether the students are retaining the information.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I personally think it is alright to have to reteach part of a lesson, especially when it is something very important in the curriculum. I think it is ok to touch over again in some areas.
DeleteI feel like backwards design is a good tool because it keeps the students well prepared. They know what they need to get done and they know what is expected of them. It is also good for the teacher because it leaves room for improvements and adjustments if things are not working out.
ReplyDeleteI feel like backwards design is a good tool because it keeps the students well prepared. They know what they need to get done and they know what is expected of them. It is also good for the teacher because it leaves room for improvements and adjustments if things are not working out.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this would be very beneficial being the teacher in the classroom. You could make your assignments, then know exactly what you want your students to retain. You could drill the specific information you want into your students heads. This way the clear point is given to the students. There would literally be know excuse if your students did not do well in your class, unless you are just that "dry" of a teacher. Their test scores would only reflect back upon your teaching methods and style. It they continue to do poor, then you know that you really have to change something up in your classroom.
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