UDL in Action Rice Lake High School British Literature

Summary

Amy Pelle, an English teacher and theater director at Rice Lake High School, shares her 24th year of educational experience. She discusses the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in her British literature class, emphasizing student choice and engagement. Pelle highlights projects that cater to multiple intelligences, tech tool integration, and creative assignments like graphic essays, which foster high-level thinking and cater to diverse learning styles. Her approach encourages hands-on learning, fostering a close-knit classroom environment and enhancing understanding of literature through relatable projects.

Takeaways

• 📚 Amy Pelle is an English teacher and theater director at Rice Lake High School with 24 years in education and 23 in the district.
• 🛠 She has been using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) philosophies for a long time and has found new ways to increase student engagement this year.
• 🎭 In her British literature class, she focuses on core literary pieces and incorporates student choice to showcase their learning.
• 🧠 She utilizes multiple intelligence projects to allow students to explore and learn about the United Kingdom or related topics in diverse ways.
• 💡 Amy encourages the use of technology, as seen on page 205 of a referenced book, and has students create projects using tools like Powtoon, websites, and Animoto.
• 📈 She experimented with assignment choices, allowing students to either write a standard essay or a graphic essay on 'Macbeth', yielding positive results.
• 📚 Amy provides a variety of literature stories but gives students the option to choose which ones to read, fostering engagement and independent work.
• 🤝 She emphasizes a close-knit classroom environment where students sit together, act out skits, and understand each other better, enhancing learning.
• 🎨 Amy herself took up a new artistic challenge by creating a map of the British Isles to express herself and understand the topic of folk music.
• 🌐 The class projects are connected to the British Isles, with students choosing diverse topics such as road family music, literature, and history.
• 🔥 A specific project mentioned involved creating a terrarium for 'The Mournful Child', showing the hands-on and creative approach to learning in Amy's class.

Q & A

Who is Amy Pelle and what is her role at Rice Lake High School?

Amy Pelle is an English teacher and the director of theater at Rice Lake High School.

How long has Amy been in the field of education?

Amy has been in education for 24 years, with her 23rd year being in the district.

What educational philosophy does Amy use in her teaching?

Amy uses the philosophies behind Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in her classroom.

What did Amy focus on in her British literature class to increase student engagement?

Amy focused on incorporating choice-based activities, multiple intelligence projects, and technology tools to increase student engagement.

What is a 'multiple intelligence project' as described by Amy?

A multiple intelligence project involves students using one or multiple intelligences to learn about a topic related to British literature or the United Kingdom and presenting their findings in various formats.

How did Amy incorporate technology into her teaching?

Amy used technology by encouraging students to create websites, PowToons, Animoto, S'more, and Flipsnack projects to showcase their knowledge.

What alternative to the standard Macbeth essay did Amy offer her students?

Amy offered students the choice to either write a standard Macbeth essay or create a graphic essay.

How does Amy provide choice in her literature curriculum?

Amy provides a menu of literature stories with guidelines and parameters, allowing students to choose which stories they want to read or avoid.

What was Amy's approach to fostering a close-knit classroom environment?

Amy fostered a close-knit classroom by having students sit together, act out skits, and relate the material back to one another.

What was the focus of Amy's first project in her class?

The focus of Amy's first project was to explore the concept of folk music and its connection to the British Isles.

How did Amy's students demonstrate their understanding of the material?

Students demonstrated their understanding through various projects, including creating terrariums, using color as an organizational device, and presenting on topics related to the British Isles.