Artifact 3

Pedagogical Sensitivity

TEP Program Value

TEP supports a pupil-centered view of teaching. Educators must develop an understanding of the primacy of the pupil-teacher relationship and its ethical underpinning while honouring and respecting the needs of each pupil. Educators must have the knowledge, skill, and confidence to adapt and develop curriculum to meet the specific needs of each pupil. 

One of the buzz words in the teaching profession is adaptation. Of course this word can have all types of meanings, but in teaching this means meeting the students needs wherever they are at. A long with adaptation comes the idea of different learning styles (visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic). It is very important to use all of these learning styles, because odds are there is at least one student in your classroom from each category. 

One of the math units that I had the opportunity to teach was 3D objects. I had to teach students names of 3D objects, but more importantly how to count vertices, faces and edges. This unit has the potential to be very exciting or boring. After doing my research I was able to come up with some fun ways of learning these PLO's. In my unit I was able to touch on visual by having students draw the objects, auditory by explaining, and kinesthetic and tactile by having students make their own 3D objects. 

For this reflection I going to focus on one lesson in particular. This was the most exciting lesson for the students, and for me. It was a lesson using tactile learning called Marshmallow Math. What better word could there be to go with math than something sweet and yummy? In the lesson students worked in partners to create 3D objects out of (guess what) marshmallows and toothpicks. The marshmallows were the vertices and the toothpicks were the edges. When they had finished building the models they counted the vertices and edges on their marshmallow model. The kids had a lot of fun putting together their 3D objects, and of course the marshmallows supplied a yummy treat for afterwards. 

Yes, the lesson used sweet yumminess in combination with math, which made it a great success, but even better I was able to use this tactile lesson to give them a way to remember how to count their vertices and edges. For the tactile learners they could remember having to use the marshmallows to make their vertices, or else the whole object would have fallen apart. They also would remember using the toothpicks to form the straight edges that hold the object up. This also could work for a visual learner if they picture the marshmallows, or toothpicks when drawing or remembering. Overall this lesson was a sweet success!