Standard4

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** Standard 4 ** 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.
 * Teachers know how to teach. **

Evidence 1: Free Printable Flash Card Maker [] Rationale 1: I think that I have shown this standard in many ways as I have worked through this program. This is just one simple piece of evidence. Over the years, I have seen that students do not know how to study. This became very apparent to me when my daughter entered sixth grade. Suddenly teachers were asking her to study for tests, but she did not have the tools to do that, so I introduced flash cards. Flash cards are nothing new and definitely help with rote learning. Some feel that rote learning does not belong in school, and I did have to fight to get this website unblocked in our district. However, rote learning is important. We have to learn definitions before we can apply them. We have to memorize parts of things before we can understand how those parts work together. Before students can think critically and solve problems, they have to have some general knowledge.

The flash cards helped my daughter to study, but making them is time consuming and tedious. When I found this website, she was still able to make cards and study them, but it was more fun and took much less time. My students and their parents have commented that they love this site. Many parents have told me that their other children are using this website as well. KSD 4.K.3 The teacher knows how to enhance learning through the use of a wide variety of materials and technological resources (e.g. computers, audio-visual technologies, videotapes and discs, local experts, primary documents and artifacts, texts, reference books, literature, and other print resources).

This website is just one way that I have done this. We have made flash cards with paper and pencil in the past, and it is time consuming and, although useful, not a lot of fun. By having students use technology to create them, they gain independence in their studies and enjoy the process more than the old way. In the last year, I have used technology in many different ways to enhance learning in all of my classes.  4.S.1 The teacher carefully evaluates how to achieve learning goals, choosing alternative teaching strategies and materials to achieve different instructional purposes and to meet student needs (e.g. developmental stages, prior knowledge, learning styles, learning differences, and interests).

Students need to study, and they do not enjoy it. This site allows students to create flash cards in a way that takes less time and is more enjoyable. Students with poor handwriting always struggled with this task in the past. They would make their study tool but then could not read what was on the card. This site allows them to make a usable tool for study.  4.D.1 The teacher values the development of students’ critical thinking, independent problem solving, and performance capabilities

I believe it is my job to teach students study skills. My goal is to teach them how to study so they improve their learning and see the value in taking time to study independently. The earlier students learn these skills and see that they improve performance, the more likely they will be to become independent in this area. The flash card website is just one tool that helps with this goal.