My MEL Experience

• Inviting Relationships and School Climate- I love History but before I had even taken the required classes I had decided not to do the work, only as much as I needed to get by. Why did do that? Well, I watched the teacher belittle another student in front of everyone. Because the teacher chose not control his own anger he embarrassed and harassed the student and completely disrespected him. I decided that that teacher did not deserve my respect
• Connections & Context: Making Instruction Engaging- My favorite teacher really taught to my style. I don't think he even knew that he was, it was just his teaching style. I learned more in his class and looked forward to it. We did a lot of research but he put everything into real life context. I especially liked his stories about hiking the whole Appalachian Trail and connecting his experiences to environmental issues or geography.
• Making it Interesting- There wasn't any information on this link but just the title brings to mind a field trip that my class took to Reid State Park. The teacher did not let us run all over everywhere. We had to map out the rocks and find out what lived at different levels. The activities that he provided guided me to learn so much more than I would have learned just walking around and observing what was around the area.
• Differentiated Instruction- This concept wasn't being used when I was in school but it is so interesting to see it being integrated into my daughters elementary classroom. There are different stations for a variety of learning styles and they have to rotate through all of them, giving them equal exposure to things that they are good at and also to learning styles that might not be so comfortable. At one station children pick a book to read together while listening to it through head phones. Other stations includes quiet games, reading to self, and creating an art piece among others.
• Schools that Work- My daughter was able to participate in a looping program for Kindergarten and First Grade. She had the same teacher and the same group of children for both years. I can see the solid base that she gained from this experience. The children integrated into the First Grade school year much more quickly than their peers who were getting used to a new teacher, new schedule, and new expectations.