Reflect on your experiences (either as a teacher or learner) on how UDL was implemented in the classroom. 

As stated in much of the literature for this week, UDL is imperative in education because of its ability to meet curriculum expectations, minimize barriers, and offer strategies that teach to students’ strengths. The idea behind UDL is simple: build, support, challenge. However, from experience as a teacher, it is not always that simple.

Like many teachers, I allowed assessment to drive my instruction, but there were times when the diversity of my students was so vast, implementing an all-encompassing UDL was challenging. When this occurred, I tried every strategy in my teaching tool-box to appeal to the different types of learners: kinaesthetic, visual/spatial, auditory, linguistic, inter/intrapersonal, and musical (yes, I sometimes brought all sorts of percussion instruments to class). These types of curriculum developments happened early in my teaching pedigree and they sometimes helped me customize and adjust the content to suit individual learning needs.

However, the real shift in my approach to teaching/learning began in 2015 when I started implementing Chromebook usage in class, which included Google docs, slides, drawings, classroom, as well as read-and-write. Those five applications made it possible to not only create a UDL that met curriculum expectations, but also kept students engaged, motivated to learn, and excited to show their parents – exactly like the students from Lac La Hache.

I do not think of myself as an outstanding teacher, or a trailblazer. My motivation in teaching has always been the same – fear. This includes fear of not being current, fear of my students hating school, fear of not utilizing UDL effectively, fear of being an ineffective colleague, and fear of being like many teachers I had as an elementary school student (bureaucratic and oppressive).

Explain how the App you reviewed in assignment 1 is a good or bad tool to use as an instructor when creating a UDL.

When I reflect upon my tech review, I recognize how Mathies was a good resource to utilize for a UDL at the primary level because many of the apps/activities available were able to focus on the three networks for cognitive development: recognition, skill strategies, and prioritizing. It could enable multiple means of expression for students, thus engaging them in all aspects of the learning process. However, when I reflect upon Mathies usage at the junior or intermediate levels, it was more of a differentiation tool for students that would need more practice because only two of the three networks were being engaged: recognition and skills.