Lessons designed for real students.

Differentiated instruction

I plan for multiple entry points into the same learning target. Some students will read a text, some will listen to it, some will work with a peer, and some will meet with me. Different paths, same destination.

Small groups

Small-group instruction is where a lot of my best teaching happens. It lets me listen closely, adjust in real time, and give students the kind of feedback that only fits in a smaller space.

Scaffolding

I break skills into manageable steps and offer supports — sentence stems, anchor charts, modeled examples, guided practice — that I can gradually remove as students grow. The goal of a scaffold is always to come down eventually.

Hands-on learning

Whenever I can, I put learning into students' hands and bodies. Manipulatives, movement, building, sorting, drawing, and role-playing all make abstract ideas concrete and memorable.

Technology integration

Technology is a tool, not an event. I integrate it where it genuinely opens access — text-to-speech, digital manipulatives, interactive practice, communication supports — rather than adding screens for their own sake.

Accommodations

Accommodations change how a student accesses and shows learning without changing the learning target itself. Extra time, oral responses, chunked directions, reduced visual load, and preferential seating are common examples in my planning.

Modifications

Modifications change what a student is expected to learn or demonstrate. When a student's IEP calls for modified content, I keep the work meaningful and connected to the class, so the student is still part of the shared community of learners.

Data-driven instruction

I use data to plan, not just to report. Work samples, running records, checklists, progress-monitoring probes, and observations all feed decisions about what to teach next and who needs what kind of support.

Formative assessments

Exit tickets, quick check-ins, thumbs up/down, whiteboard responses, conferring notes — these small, frequent checks tell me whether a lesson is landing before it is too late to adjust. Formative assessment is how I stay honest about what is actually being learned.