Duration: 1:59
Daniel has ADHD. He and his teacher, Kate Friedwald, talk about how having a must-do/can-do list and an ipad enable him to have ownership and control over his learning.
Kate Friedwald
So, Daniel has control and choice over his learning. He has a set of must-dos that he must do every day. The order he does those things in is completely up to him. He must do a reading activity, a writing activity, and a maths activity. He then also has time to structure how he wants to do it. So if he wants to do some extra writing on a topic of his choice, then he has the time and the availability to do that.
Daniel
Having must-dos and can-dos are easier because it tells me what I have to do this morning and stuff. So now I know what I have to do instead of just walking around like headless chook and asking everybody. If I know I’m doing a blog post today, I know I’m doing a test, I’m not like going outside and doing a dance or something. I’m doing work and stuff.
Kate Friedwald
So every student in the class, including Daniel, has a set of must-do can-dos. They are grouped based on social groupings, not learning ability. So in Daniel’s group he must do a reading activity, a writing activity, and a maths activity everyday. All the students get to choose which order they do those in. They also have time to choose to work on something that interests them and that will meet their specific need.
Daniel
I can choose to have freedom if I want but I don’t really choose it because I do all the stuff in the order that it has to be.
Kate Friedwald
Having that flexibility and choice in learning allows Daniel to take a break when he needs to. It also allows him to continue working on an activity until he’s really understood it if he prefers to continue working on it for longer than required. Daniel having his iPad in the class has given him a huge confidence and independence. He’s now learning alongside everybody else. He does not need my constant attention and my constant help. He’s able to learn the same as everybody else and he just chooses to learn that through a medium that’s appropriate for him.