Standard4

** Teachers know how to teach. **  The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies, including the use of technology, to encourage children's development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. **Evidence 1:** The blueprint for an online unit. **Rationale 1:** In a communication and writing course, students determine a variety of lifestyle goals (housing, transportation, etc.) and then research the cost of those elements, ultimately determining the yearly price tag for their chosen lifestyle. Putting the unit into an online format enables students to work at their own pace and spend extra time on topics that are difficult or interesting for each individual student. Individual components within the unit encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. The online delivery method of this unit enables learners to work at an individual pace, and allows students to initiate remediation, review, or enrichment based on individual understanding and/or interest. Because this is a unit that students complete independently online, but in a classroom setting, it allows me to leave the role of instructor and be a facilitator to assist students in deepeninig their understanding of concepts they are interested in. Because of the nature of the tasks in the unit, students are forced to think realistically and critically about the goals they have for their future and how to achieve them. In the end, when they determine the final price tag for their desired life, they must determine what, if any, adaptations need to be made to their goals or to their plans for achieving them. [[home|
 * Standard 4 **
 * KSD **
 * 4.K.2 The teacher understands principles and techniques, along with advantages and limitations, associated with various instructional strategies (e.g. cooperative learning, direct instruction, discovery learning, whole group discussion, independent study, interdisciplinary instruction). **
 * 4.S.4 The teacher varies his or her role in the instructional process (e.g. instructor, facilitator, coach, **
 * audience) in relation to the content and purposes of instruction and the needs of students. **
 * 4.D.1 The teacher values the development of students’ critical thinking, independent problem solving, and **
 * performance capabilities **

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