Bennett Personal Pedagogy

Click "more" to read about the pedagogical theories I resonate with.

Frameworks which shape my pedagogy

Theory

Click the "more" button below to read about some defining moments in my teaching career. These moments have helped me shape and refine my personal pedagogy.

Formative moments which shaped my beliefs

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Experiences

My teaching is grounded in the quote "A child is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited". I blend constructivist, liberationist, and 21st-century learning frameworks with the goal of inspiring a love of learning.

At a glance

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Megan Bennett Personal Pedagogy

Artifacts

Strategies

Portfolio

Habilidades

Working as an instructional coach at an online high school has allowed me to combine my passion for critical and constructivist pedagogy with technological pedagogy like 21st-Century learning design. This has culminated in a teaching style that prioritizes student agency, future-forward thinking, and authentic learning.

2017-present

21st Century Learning at GOAL High School

Here I deepened the pedagogical knowledge I gained in my undergraduate studies. I was especially impacted by research on special-needs students who are also learning academic English. Critical pedagogy was a focus in this time of my career.

2018-2020

CLD Master's Coursework at CSU

Supporting diverse students in my gen-ed English courses taught me that a safe and FUN learning environment is crucial for student success. Watching some of my students be the first in their families to cross a graduation stage filled me with inspiration and a drive to help students break barriers.

2012-2017

Teaching Language Learners at Eagle Ridge Academy

As a college student, I supported an LSU-student run summer camp that provided college and arts experiences for high-achieving high-schoolers from underserved schools. This was the basis for my decision to become a teacher.

2008-2010

FOCUS at LSU

Formative Career Experiences

• Pedagogy of the Oppressed, by Paolo Freire
• Teaching to Transgress, by bell hooks
• A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America, by Ronald Takaki
• Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, by Zaretta Hammond
• Democracy and Education, by John Dewey

My Important Texts

co-creating the future of learning

21st-Century Learning

Major figures: hooks, Lourde, Freire, Giroux

using teaching to make the world a more equitable place

Liberationism/Critical Pedagogy

Major figures: Dewey, Vygotsky, Berger, Luckmann

developing knowledge through community

Social Constructivism

Aligned Pedagogies & Frameworks

Examples of my pedagogy in action, from teaching adult learners at GOAL High School. Click each image to enlarge.

Artifacts

Maintaining high expectations through unconditional positive regard for students

Warm Demanding

Applying SIOP best practices such as highlighting academic vocabulary and activating background knowledge on a topic

Sheltered Instruction

Provide students with detailed feedback and time to revise work as often as they like, until they get the grade they want

Unlimited Revisions

Lifelong learner mindset

Data-driven decision making

Maximize time with students

For me

Future-ready skills practice

Exciting, safe environment

Authentic problem-solving

For learners

Intended Outcomes

• Teams
• OneNote
• Sway
• PearDeck
• iorad
• ScreenPal

Software & Tools

Strategies I Champion

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The first step to student success is mindset! Warm demanding builds student confidence in themselves through consistently demonstrating to them that they are a valued and equal member of their learning community.

Applying Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocols allows all students the opportunity and support to develop academic English. Students receive appropriate learning materials for their language level without reducing expectations for their success

Giving students unlimited opportunities to revise their work puts the agency in their hands. Not only does this enhance the academic dialogue between teacher and student, it highlights areas of confusion that may need re-teaching.